Short documentary êmîcêtôsêt-Many Bloodlines, directed by Theola Ross and produced by Alex Bailey, has been named one of Canada’s Top Ten Shorts of 2020 by Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

The film was developed through the National Screen Institute’s IndigiDocs program which provides customized training for Indigenous filmmakers who have an idea for a 10-minute documentary film. Applications are currently being accepted for the program until December 28, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. ET. Find out more and apply. Twenty-eight films have been produced through NSI IndigiDocs.

In êmîcêtôsêt-Many Bloodlines, a Cree filmmaker and her white partner document their pregnancy and journey to parenthood. From the search for an Indigenous donor and midwife to their concerns about raising a child as an interracial queer couple, the joy of having a child together gives them the courage to overcome any obstacle.

The film began its festival run earlier this year and was celebrated across North America. Theola and Alex received the Betty Youson Award for Best Canadian Short Documentary at Hot Docs, Jury Choice Top Short Film at Reel Pride Film Festival and the Documentary Work Short Format Award at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.

“This is very exciting for Theola and Alex. Every year, students work incredibly hard on their films to bring their stories to the screen – and Theola and Alex did exactly that,” said Kaya Wheeler, program manager for NSI IndigiDocs. “I’m so proud to see their commitment and dedication recognized. They created a beautiful film.”

TIFF’s list acknowledges the hardships this year brought – but filmmakers persisted and created exceptional work in the process. TIFF notes êmîcêtôsêt-Many Bloodlines as a film about fighting for one’s independence and place in the world.

Other alumni top TIFF’s Top Ten Features list, including award-winning film Inconvenient Indian directed by Michelle Latimer (NSI Drama Prize), and Beans, directed by TIFF Emerging Talent Award winner Tracey Deer (NSI Storytellers, Featuring Aboriginal Stories Program).

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NSI IndigiDocs is funded by Program Partners APTN, Manitoba Sport, Culture and Heritage, RBC Emerging Artists Project; Indigenous Training Programs Partner Directors Guild of Canada (DGC); Boot Camp Presenting Sponsor Manitoba Film & Music; Strategic Sponsor documentary Channel; Supporting Sponsors Telefilm Canada, Super Channel, CBC Gem, Corus Entertainment, A&E Television Networks; Provincial Sponsors Manitoba Film & Music, Creative Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA), Northwest Territories Film Commission, Creative BC through the Daryl Duke and William Vince Scholarship Fund; Industry Partner the National Film Board of Canada; Industry Supporters imagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Service Sponsors Line 21 Media, iSplice Films. NSI Core Funders are Manitoba Sport, Culture and Heritage and the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council.