Marie Clements debuts new Indigenous-focused film at Toronto Festival
Writer-director Marie Clements will premiere her feature film “How We Stand” at the Toronto International Film Festival, while her documentary series “Reclaim My Skin” is slated for Vancouver next month.
Marie Clements, the Indigenous writer-director behind “Bones of Crows,” is set to unveil her latest narrative feature, “How We Stand,” at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 13. The film follows three young Oklahoma sisters and their single mother as they navigate a 1950s relocation program that promises urban jobs but delivers hardship, culminating in a tragedy that reshapes their lives in 1970s Los Angeles.
Cast members Amber Midthunder, Alyssa Wapanatâh and Isabel DeRoy-Olson portray the adult sisters, bringing depth to the story of resilience and cultural survival. In parallel, Clements’ three-part documentary series “Reclaim My Skin,” produced with Marie Clements Media, Screen Siren Pictures and Rezolution Pictures for British Columbia’s Knowledge Network, will debut at the Vancouver International Film Festival next month.
She also recounted interviewing feminist icon Gloria Steinem alongside Indigenous activists Louise Wakerakats and Michelle Schenandoah in New York, emphasizing shared goals despite differences. The projects aim to amplify Indigenous women’s voices and draw attention to ongoing issues such as family separations and systemic oppression.
Why it matters
The premieres spotlight Indigenous narratives and raise awareness of historic and current injustices affecting Indigenous communities.
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