TIFF 22: 10 Indigenous Filmmakers Collaborate in Charged Anthology Film ‘We Are Still Here’

Two Indigenous women — a mother and her daughter — sit in a boat in the middle of the water. They’re fishing on what appears to be a nice day. After casting their hooks, the mother reels in a fish. The daughter begins to tug on her line. Whatever she’s caught is not coming up easily. As she stands up in the boat for leverage, the weather worsens. The sun disappears, and the thunder begins to clap as the rain starts to fall. With all her might, the daughter pulls until her catch surfaces — a British ship.

This scene sets the overall tone for We Are Still Here — the collaborative work of 10 Indigenous filmmakers from Australia and New Zealand. The anthology is these filmmakers’ response to the 250th anniversary of the unprompted arrival of Captain James Cook. While some may regard Cook as a great explorer and cartographer, those with deep connections to the land view him as the catalyst for colonization and destruction. This film, however, focuses not on Cook, but on the people — their pain, determination, and resilience.

Spanning over 1000 years, the eight films in this collective body show different stories about Indigenous life from the past, present, and future. Rather than the traditional flow of an anthology film, this one interweaves the stories instead of displaying them consecutively. At first, it makes things a little challenging to follow as you expect to see one story finish before moving on to the next. With each story being so unique in look and feel and taking place at a different time, it takes a few seconds to jog your memory of where you previously left off as things bounce around.

As you move through the film, you may become grateful for the breaks in the story as some of the scenes swell with heavy emotion. From intense grief to righteous anger, your heart and conscience are challenged through visual storytelling that can be very triggering. It’s not all traumatic, as there are moments throughout the film on the lighter side. The filmmakers make it a point to show a full spectrum of feelings. Since colonization dehumanized the people, this film sets out to give them their humanity and voice back.

From a young Māori woman willing to fight in defense of her nation to a group of older men stepping up to comfort a troubled young man — each character within these stories exhibits strength, determination, and pride in a way that is sure to make an impact on each viewer. We Are Still Here is an homage to the various nations within the South Pacific region from filmmakers that are part of their great legacy. It’s a testament to their strength and hope and shows that despite all oppression, they are very much still here.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars