La Guilde is pleased to partner with The International Festival of Films on Art to present the films AKI et The Bear Inside a Whale.
AKI directed by Darlene Naponse
Sunday, March 15 at 6:30 PM
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Fernand-Seguin
Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2025, AKI (Anishinaabemowin for “land” or “earth”) is a meditative and visually immersive documentary set in Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, Northern Ontario, Canada. Filmed across the seasons, the film unfolds entirely without narration or dialogue, relying on the textures of wind, water, human and animal life, and ceremonies to tell the story of a people deeply rooted in their land.
Director Darlene Naponse, a member of the community and an artist from Atikameksheng, provides an intimate view of daily life, where narratives emerge through gestures, places, and non-verbal expression. AKI shares land-based practices such as fishing, maple syrup harvesting, and medicinal plant gathering, while reflecting on colonization, environmental exploitation, and cultural erasure. The film conveys memory without nostalgia, resistance without spectacle, and language beyond words, enhanced by the original score of Cris Derksen.
For more informations and to purchase tickets: https://lefifa.com/en/catalog/aki
The Bear Inside a Whale directed by Kenneth J Harvey
Thursday, March 19 at 6:30 PM
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Fernand-Seguin
The Bear Inside a Whale highlights the work of Haudenosaunee artist Stan Hill Jr., living in the Miawpukek First Nation reserve in Conne River, Newfoundland. While sculpting a bear from a whale vertebra, he engages in dialogue with his family on issues such as racism, identity, religion, and art. The film includes a visit to The Rooms, the museum in St. John’s, where Stan questions the presence and appropriation of Indigenous artifacts. Through its workshop and museum visit framework, the documentary fosters a dialogue between creation, heritage, and cultural identity.
For more informations and to purchase tickets: https://lefifa.com/catalogue/the-bear-inside-a-whale
The festival
The 44th edition of The International Festival of Films on Art (Le FIFA) invites you to join us in theatres from March 12 to 22 and online from March 20 to 29.
Music, architecture, visual arts, dance, photography… Documentaries, short films, fiction, live recordings… With more than 178 films from 52 countries, the world’s largest festival dedicated to art films presents an eclectic lineup from across the globe—offering something to delight both seasoned cinephiles and curious audiences eager for artistic and cultural discovery.
For the complete program: https://lefifa.com/en/