Urfilm Shorts 2 is a collection of short films by Indigenous filmmakers from Sápmi, Canada, Kalaallit Nunaat and Alaska. The screening time is 46 minutes and takes place in Nisga’a house. There is no advance booking of tickets. 

Sukkaillutit Uqaruk / Say It Slowly (CA) 

Director: Ashley Qilavaq-Savard. 

We follow the filmmaker's journey to learn Inuktitut, and what it means to approach a knowledge that lies not only in words, but in the understanding of lands, seasons and life cycles. Learning the language is both disorienting and demanding, but also meaningful and nourishing. The film asks a concrete question: how can we protect something for which we no longer have a language? 

Our generation is trying to regain cultural belonging in a changing world. It starts by saying it slowly.   

Deneege Leł Ghu Kk’ots’eedeneeyh Te Heł Hoozoonh Ts’e Denots’edeneeyh / We Get Better When We Tan Moose Hides (USA/Alaska) 

Director: Brittany Woods-Orrison 

The tradition of tanning hides with brains was once practiced by every Dené person in Alaska. An art that was nearly lost by assimilation. Kathleen Hildebrand works with a group of Dené women at her urban backyard hide camp in the heart of Chen’o (Fairbanks) to revive this tradition.  

One of the few films out there narrated in Denaakk’e, we learn alongside the women how working with the hides have a healing effect.

Eallu lea eallin (SÁ/NO)  

Director: Eila Marie Muotka

A young Sámi reindeer herder is torn between pursuing further education or continuing the traditional lifestyle of her ancestors.  

In this documentary we follow her journey and explore more aspects of a threatened Indigenous cultural heritage in today’s day and age. 

Siõrškuäđam – Hidden Steps (SÁ/FI)  

Director: Laura Feodoroff / Kati Kallio 

Laura is a Skolt Sámi woman who grew up outside the Sámi region. Through quadrille dance she reaches out to her unknown cultural heritage. 

Pinngortitarlu Oqaloqatigiinneq / Dialogue With Nature (KN) 

Director: Dennis Tulugaq

Visual poetry shot on super 8, a call for action on preservation of nature. 

A sense of nostalgia, a taste of realness in a world of artificiality. Sadness and longing being in between worlds, (urban and rural) 

Constant dialogue inside oneself about loss from the ancient soul, whispering in a modern world.  

Living in this time of the world, out of touch, where slowness feels like a punishment rather than peace and attentive. 

Dreamlike atmosphere, floaty feeling and longing in between, feeling cast away from both worlds and feeling rootless while admiring the beauty of small details.  

A sense of euphoria and a sense of timeless peace, a connection to the ancient world.