Tag Archives: #internationalfilmfestival

Justin Post #3- Short Film ‘Mountain of SGaana’

While reading the news today, I came across a short film about Haida culture and tradition that is being shown at the Vancouver International Film Festival. Animator and creator Chirstopher Auchter says the Mountain of SGaana is a take on a traditional story of a killer whale who falls in love with and lures a sea hunter into the water. The hunter’s lover has to save him.

On the news1130 webpage, Hana Mae Nassar and Stephanie Froese wrote the article that covers an interview they had with the Animator/creator Chirstopher Auchter. Archer says, “This film is kind of full of different meanings,” who adds the 10 minute short contains no words apart from the Indigenous songs throughout. “It’s a story about culture, and the story about the importance of that.”

Auchter, who is from Haida Gwaii, hopes his work will help give people a different perspective through the use of iconic designs, songs, and technique.

“One of my main goals is that these stories that I do that they be almost like a window or a little doorway that people from other cultures can kind of peek in and see how we as a Haida people see the world.”

Watch the trailer below, courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada.

The Mountain of SGaana has won an award, and is also a reflection of how Indigenous youth have lost connection with their ancestors, and Auchter is hopeful his film will help bring them closer to their history.

“It’s about culture and about how that can help us be anchored and go through life a little bit more confident because we feel like we have a place of belonging.”

The film makes its Western Canada debut at the International Village tomorrow, October 5th, and will play again on the 12th.

For more information please visit the Vancouver International Film Festival webpage: https://www.viff.org/Online/