Indigenous film fest starts

The Kamloops Film Society will be holding its third annual Indigenous Film Festival, complete with Indigenous films, panel discussions and artisan markets.

The Stseptékwles re Sk’elép (Coyote Stories) Indigenous Film Festival is held in partnership with Tk?emlúps te Secwépemc and was curated by an all-indigenous festival committee.

The festival kicks off Friday with a screening of Sugarcane at 6:15 p.m., which will be followed by a post-film discussion. A total of six feature films will be screened.

A short film showcase will be held on Saturday, as well as a panel on Indigenous Storytelling in Film, which will be followed by an artist networking reception.

An Indigenous Artisan Market will run on Saturday from 10 a.n. to 2 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3:30 p.m. in the TNRD Atrium across the street.

The festival will culminate in a 19-plus drag show Sunday evening, which will include performers Ella Lamoureux, Belle Ini and Khalora Form.

"Through the sharing of stories, Indigenous People share knowledge and understanding that storytelling is a vital educational tool,” said KFS board member and film festival committee member Laura Michel.

“This oral storytelling tradition can be carried on through film and start to impact views on important political and social matters, bring the audience to unfamiliar places and experiences, and overall, engage in a meaningful way about Indigenous narratives."

Further information on IFF events and films, as well as tickets, can be found on the KFS website.