Dir. Brenda Michell, Michael Toledano, Jennifer Wickham
2024, Canada, 125 min
Spanning more than a decade, Yintah follows Howilhkat Freda Huson and Sleydo’ Molly Wickham as their nation reoccupies and protects their ancestral lands from several of the largest fossil fuel companies on earth.
Yintah is about an anti-colonial resurgence—a fierce and ongoing fight for Indigenous and human rights in the face of a colonial government committed to seizing lands at gunpoint.
Wet’suwet’en land is unceded: There is no treaty, no bill of sale, or no surrender placing the land under Canadian authority. In 1997, the Dinï ze’ and Tsakë ze’ (Hereditary Chiefs) of the Wet’suwet’en people proved in Canada’s top court that they had never given up ownership to 22,000km2 of land. Yet, despite this court ruling, Canada has authorized fossil fuel giants to build pipelines across Wet’suwet’en land. The result: a decade-long clash between Wet’suwet’en land defenders and Canadian police seeking to seize Wet’suwet’en land at gunpoint.
Yintah is the story of the Indigenous right to sovereignty over Indigenous territories. Freda, Molly, and the Dinï ze’ and Tsakë ze’ are part of a centuries-long fight to protect their children, culture, and land from colonial violence. For the Wet’suwet’en, their very future is at stake.
Featuring a virtual introduction with co-director Jennifer Wickham. Presented in partnership with Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art.
