Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild]
Indigenous elders and activists fighting to reclaim ancestors’ remains, exposing colonial violence and institutional resistance while affirming that returning bodies to the earth restores dignity, memory, and balance.
Director Zack Khalil (Ojibway) scheduled to attend.
Tickets
Select showtime for pricing and tickets.
Saturday, May 16, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Sunday, May 17, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
"What's the difference between an archaeologist and a grave robber?" an elder asks in Aanikoobijigan. "A degree," he laughs. Aanikoobijigan examines the ongoing struggle to repatriate Indigenous ancestors' remains from museums and archives. Following Adam and Zach Khalil alongside elders and MACRA members, the film exposes the thin line between archaeology and grave robbery. Through striking visuals and grounded Indigenous perspectives, it challenges institutional resistance to decolonization and affirms that returning ancestors to the earth restores memory, dignity, and balance, reminding us that no community can be whole until their ancestors are finally laid to rest.
—Tracy Rector
- Director: Adam Khalil (Ojibway), Zack Khalil (Ojibway)
- Principal Cast: Alicia Gervais, Elizabeth Young, Jim Fletcher
- Country: USA, Denmark
- Year: 2026
- Running Time: 80 min.
- Producer: Steve Holmgren, Adam Khalil, Zack Khalil, Grace Remington, Jacque Clark, Franny Alfano
- Cinematographers: Zack Khalil, Adam Khalil, Jacque Clark, Shaandiin Tome, Sky Hopinka, Bayley Sweitzer, Christopher Yepez, Oresti Tsonopoulos, Samuli Haavisto, Noah Elliott Morrison
- Editors: Adam Khalil, Zack Khalil
- Website: Official Film Website
- Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2026 (NEXT Audience Award)
- Filmography: INAATE/SE/ [it shines a certain way. to a certain place./it flies. falls./] (2016)
- Language: English, Anishinaabemowin
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- US Distributor: The Film Collaborative
- International Sales: Film Arts Legal PLLC
Packaged Films
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Canada | 2026 | 13 min. | Evelyn Pakinewatik (Nbisiing Anishinaabe/Irish)Rooted in the universal experience of feeling stuck, this gentle story follows two siblings who retreat from an uncertain future, seeking shelter from the challenges waiting just beyond their reach.