Liidlii Kue First Nation's annual film festival continues to improve, year after year, according to Jonathan Antoine, one of the organizers of the event.
In fact, this year's festival may have been the best yet.
"It was a resounding success," he said. "We've been getting a lot more films and a lot more people."
The 2025 festival ran from Feb. 14 to 16 in the First Nation's Fort Simpson boardroom. This year, there were roughly 50 people in attendance for the opening night red carpet event alone.
"Everybody showed up, and dressed up, and took photos [at the red carpet]," Antoine said.
This year, the festival featured a range of feature films, documentaries, and shorts, including several from filmmakers in Fort Simpson and the surrounding Deh Cho region. The films were well-received, according to Antoine, and festival-goers enjoyed the opportunity chat and mingle after each viewing.
For the second year in a row, the festival also distributed awards to the filmmakers whose work was screened.
The best film award went to Inkwo For When the Starving Return, which Antoine said "captivated audiences" with its "profound narrative" and "stunning visuals."
KSA国际影视传媒檃 NakehkSA国际影视传媒檕 and Sera-Lys McArthur won best actor and actress respectively for their "unforgettable" and "compelling" performances in the films Fistful of Vodka and Angela's Shadow respectively.
The film-lovers in attendance also had the opportunity to vote on an audience choice award, which ultimately went to Fistful of Vodka.
Lastly, the festival included an impact award, which went to Olympic snowboarder Liam Gill. Gill, a Liidlii Kue First Nation member from Calgary, was the subject of the Finn Westbury documentary Gill Crescent, which was also screened during the event.
"Liam Gill drove all the way in from Calgary," Antoine said. "He drove in just to make sure he was at the screening."
The film festival is not easy to organize, particularly given that it's getting bigger year over year. However, Antoine sees it as an important part of the First Nation's yearly calendar, and well worth the effort.
"It gives us a voice in the Northwest Territories and also in Canada," he said. "It's just to share our Indigenous culture throughout the world, really.
"It's also a chance to get together with locals and enjoy some movies with some popcorn and share some laughs SA国际影视传媒� and share some tears if there's some emotional parts.
"As long as we get the support from the community, we'll keep doing it."
