Aki

All of the seasons pass in bright blooms, vivid foliage, and white shining snow, in Darlene Naponse’s Aki. Set on Atikameksheng Anishnawbek (formerly known as Whitefish Lake First Nation), her home community in Northern Ontario, Naponse’s latest captures soundscapes, the natural world, and the generations of inhabitants and all types of creatures calling this territory home.

In a documentary that is almost completely wordless — except for some Anishinaabemowin — Aki finds beauty in the smallest of moments, from the kids playing hockey on an outdoor ice rink, to the joy of a dog running through a lake. (In stark contrast, the joy disappears when the lens captures the industrial entities in the area.)

Using time-lapse, split screens, and underwater footage, as well as a soundtrack from Juno Award–nominated cellist Cris Derkson, Naponse lets the subtleties and camaraderie inherent to life on a small Anishinaabe First Nation play out on screen. Stay tuned for a truly spectacular powwow scene.

Just as the seasons transition over the year in Aki, Naponse’s career has similarly evolved, with her last two features — the drama starring Tantoo Cardinal, Falls Around Her (TIFF ’18), and the experimental dramatic love story Stellar (TIFF ’22) — leading way for the visually spectacular and immersive Aki. This is the perfect film for anyone curious about the beauty of First Nations’ communities, or for those longing for their homes on the land.

KELLY BOUTSALIS

Content advisory: depiction of hunting practices including skinning of carcasses