Skoden Indigenous Film Festival

Save the date! The Skoden Indigenous Film Festival is back for its fifth-year and will take place Friday, March 31 & Saturday, April 1, 2023, within the shared territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples (Vancouver, British Columbia).

Created in 2019 as part of SFU's School for the Contemporary Arts with support from the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology, the festival celebrates the works of Canadian-based Indigenous filmmakers and talent, and features Indigenous cultural traditions, including a welcome ceremony and witness.⁠

Follow SIFF on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, too.⁠

Skoden: the course

If you'd like to participate in the SCA class (CA 389) that collaboratively facilitates the Skoden Indigenous Film Festival, please visit our Class page for more information and to find a link to the online Enrolment Request form.

Submissions are now open

Submit your film to Skoden Indigenous Film Festival 2023.

Earlybird Deadline: December 16, 2022
Regular Deadline: January 13, 2023
Notification Date: March 10, 2023

Rules & Terms

Must be Canada-based and have an Indigenous key creative (director, producer, writer, lead actor).
The films can be about anything! Films can be a maximum of 40 minutes long and can be narratives or documentaries.
All ages and experience levels are welcome to submit.

Find out more and make your submission via FilmFreeway.

ABOUT

Used by Indigenous communities from coast to coast to coast, Skoden is a unifying word that transcends a single language. Skoden is slang for “let's go then”. It’s an attitude and a battle cry and we’ve decided to take it to heart.

Held within the heart of xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), Kwantlen, q̓íc̓əy̓ (Katzie), Qayqayt, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen Nations territories, Skoden Indigenous Film Festival celebrates the works of Canadian based Indigenous filmmakers and talent, and features indigenous cultural traditions, including a welcome ceremony and witness. Started in 2019 by two SFU Film students at The School for Contemporary Arts, Carr Sappier (Wolastoqiyik) and Grace Mathisen, the festival was created to showcase Indigenous filmmakers and to Indigenize the SFU community. Festival-goers are able to attend film programs and Q&As, celebrating Indigenous voices and cultivating more active discussions about reconciliation. We welcome new traditions and invite anyone who is interested in making our community more inclusive to come, learn, and share with us in the spirit of Skoden.

Past Editions

Organizers, from left, Nicole Manson, Grace Mathisen, Kathleen Mullen, Noe Rodriguez, Kim Hockey, and Carr Sappier (front) during the inaugural Skoden Indigenous Film Festival. Image: SCA News.