Teachings of the Elders

Indigenous Elders share teachings through story, land, and memory, guiding future generations with wisdom rooted in perseverance, relationships, and enduring cultural knowledge across communities.

Spanning Canada, Aotearoa, Sápmi, Gwich’in Territory, and Inuit homelands, this shorts program centers the enduring wisdom of Indigenous Elders and the knowledge systems they carry forward. Featuring My Grandmother’s Tipi, The Return, Deneege Leł Chu Kk’ots’eedeneeyh Te Heł Hoozoonh Ts’e Denots’edeneyh, Brothers of Faith, Shaaghan Neekwaii (Two Old Women), and Mangittatuarjuk – The Gnawer of Rocks, these films move between intimate reflection and powerful storytelling, grounded in land, language, and intergenerational connection. Together, they offer a cinematic gathering shaped by care, resilience, and responsibility by reminding us that Indigenous knowledge is living, adaptive, and essential. In a time of global uncertainty, these works invite us to listen deeply and carry forward the teachings that sustain community, culture, and future generations. —Tracy Rector