Filmmaker Statement

WILDFIRE is a story drawn from personal experience, re-imagined and turned on its head. On the surface the story is very much an adventure—three boys travelling the back roads on a quest. In reality, it’s a very personal story of reconnecting to heritage and coming to terms with two-spirit identity. My main interest in making this film was the exploration of decolonization expressed through the narrative of a two-spirit youth who is letting go of the colonial mindset and embracing the worldview and teachings of his community. It’s an example of the re-Indigenization of an identity that is most often associated with settler perspectives (LGBTQ+) and reclaiming important gender roles.