Film screening: AKI

On the 15^th of April at 7 pm in collaboration with the Suialaa Arts Festival and National Canadian Film Day, we will be showing the documentary “AKI” by director Darlene Naponse and producer Jamie Manning.
The event is free of charge, but seats are limited. There will be snacks and everyone is welcome!

Short Synopsis
AKI (Anishinaabemowin for “earth” or “land”) is a meditative, visually immersive documentary set in Atikameksheng Anishnawbek in Northern Ontario, Canada. Filmed over seasonal years, this unscripted project unfolds entirely without narration or dialogue, instead relying on the aural textures of wind, water, animal and human life, and ceremony to tell the story of a people fully rooted in their land.

Director’s Statement: Darlene Naponse
This film is intentionally non-verbal. It is not silence—it is the land speaking. The wind, the water, the ice, the drum…these are our languages, too. The documentary follows the rhythm of the seasons and the daily practices of our people, without scripts or instructions. We disappear into the moment, allowing the stories to emerge as they are.

About the Director
Darlene Naponse is an Anishinaabe filmmaker, writer, and community leader from Atikameksheng Anishnawbek in Northern Ontario. Naponse has directed numerous short films, episodic TV, and five feature films. Her previous two features, FALLS AROUND HER (2018) starring Tantoo Cardinal, and STELLAR (2022) starring Elle-Maija Tailfeathers, both had their world premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Naponse’s films have also screened at Sundance, imagineNATIVE, and numerous international festivals. She is the founder of Baswewe Films, an independent Indigenous production company based on-reserve, and was instrumental in drafting her community’s constitution (Gchi-Naaknigewin). Her work is grounded in Indigenous governance, land-based practices, and Anishinaabe storytelling.
She continues to live and work on Atikameksheng Anishnawbek.

About the Producer
Jamie Manning is a Toronto-based producer working across narrative and documentary forms. His producing credits include FALLS AROUND HER , ROSIE (d. Gail Maurice), THE MIDDLE MAN (d. Bent Hamer).

Information
AKI: Canada, 2025
Director: Darlene Naponse
Writer: Darlene Naponse
Producers: Darlene Naponse, Jamie Manning
Runtime: 82 minutes
Language: Non-verbal, with Anishinaabemowin (ambient)
Format: Colour, Digital
Sound: 5.1 Surround/Stereo mix
Production: Baswewe Films, Night Market