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Distribution
Catalogue

Inkwo for When the Starving Return

Amanda Strong
2024 | 18 min

Trailer


This visionary stop-motion animated adaptation of Tłı̨chǫ Dene storyteller Richard Van Camp’s original short story is brought to life by Michif/Métis director Amanda Strong and Spotted Fawn Productions in collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada. Set two lifetimes from now, the film follows Dove, a young, enigmatic genderfluid warrior who discovers both the burden and strength of their Inkwo—ancestral medicine and truth—as they confront terrifying flesh-eating creatures that grow stronger with each life they consume. Guided by a frog helper and fortified by alliances across the boundaries of species and spirit, Dove must embrace their identity and their gift to protect what remains of Earth’s humans and animals. Featuring the voice talents of Paulina Alexis, Tantoo Cardinal and Art Napoleon, this Indigenous futurist tale is at once spine-tingling and deeply empowering—a rallying cry to resist greed, honour ancestral teachings and reimagine the future through courage, kinship and medicine.

Awards and distinctions

  • Meilleur court métrage
    IMAGE+ NATION Festival film LGBT2SQueer, Montréal
    2025
  • Best Animation Award
    CineFAM, Toronto
    2025
  • Best Animated Film
    Horror Show Film Festival, Vancouver
    2025
  • Horror is Queer Award
    Horror Show Film Festival, Vancouver
    2025
  • Air Canada- Matera Award
    First Peoples' Festival (Land InSights), Montréal
    2025
  • Best Animation Film
    First Peoples' Festival (Land InSights), Montréal
    2025
  • Best Screenwriting Animation Program
    Leo Awards, Vancouver
    2025
  • Best Direction Animation Program
    Leo Awards, Vancouver
    2025
  • Best Animation Program
    Leo Awards, Vancouver
    2025
  • Best Canadian Film
    International Film Festival, Vaughan
    2025
  • Animated Short Award
    imagineNative Film + Media Arts Festival (HYBRID), Toronto
    2025
  • Sun Jury Award
    imagineNative Film + Media Arts Festival (HYBRID), Toronto
    2025
  • Prix du meilleur personnage (Dove)
    Sommets du cinéma d'animation, Montréal
    2025
  • Indigenous
    Yorkton Film Festival, Yorkton
    2025
  • Animation
    Yorkton Film Festival, Yorkton
    2025
  • Best in Category: Horror
    Toronto Animation Arts Festival International, Toronto
    2025
  • Best Canadian Short Film
    Available Light Film Festival, Whitehorse
    2025
  • Best Short
    Film Festival, Victoria
    2025
  • Best Film
    Li´i´dli¿i¿ Ku´e´ Film Festival, Denendeh
    2025
  • Canadian Top Short Film
    GIRAF International Festival of Independent Animation, Calgary
    2024
  • Grand Prize
    VIEW Conference, Torino
    2024