qathet film society presents
3 Ears Indigenous Film Festival
Café Daughter
Café Daughter
Sunday September 29 — 7 pm
Preceded by The Handsome Man
Directed by Shelley Niro
1 hr 37 min | Drama
English
Based on the play of the same name by Kenneth T. Williams, and inspired by true events, Café Daughter is a coming-of-age story about Yvette Wong, a young Chinese Cree girl in 1960s Saskatchewan, who explores and embraces her Cree identity after the passing of her mother. Her journey to reconnect is further bolstered by Maggie Wolf, a part Mi’kmaq girl, who encourages her to take pride in who she is and where her family comes from.
When Yvette’s ancestry is revealed, the attitudes of her fellow students and teachers soon turn to discrimination against her and her dreams of going to medical school. In the face of all of this, Yvette chooses to persevere and succeed.
This screen adaptation is the latest in the expansive and prolific oeuvre of director Shelley Niro. Rooted in the experiences of Dr. Lillian Eva Quan Dyck, Order of Canada, Niro and the film’s cast compose a story of inspiration and champion what is possible in overcoming adversity and forging your own path.
Preceded by:
The Handsome Man
Directed by Misty Shipman & Hope Shipman
Starring Lily Gladstone & Evan Adams
2022
15 min
A new short film shot on the Kalispel Tribe Reservation seeks to portray Indigenous people in a way not often seen and features two prominent Indigenous actors in a story about a trickster spirit who causes trouble for a family.
Written and directed by sisters Misty and Hope Shipman, “The Handsome Man” tells the story of River, a woman who meets a strange figure known as the Handsome Man on the reservation and invites him home, only to discover that she’s met a trickster spirit. Misty Shipman said his actions and disregard for River’s family cause unceasing commotion until a decision has to be made.
The short film is based on a story by Johnny Arlee, a Salish-language adviser at the Kalispel Tribe of Indians who had a minor role in the 1972 Western “Jeremiah Johnson” and now lives in Montana.
