NSI IndigiDocs film As The Smoke Rises by director Sharon Heigl and producer Jennifer Ille hit the festival circuit this year.

The film has played at the following festivals, with a couple of upcoming screenings:

• South Film and Arts Academy Festival, Chile, April 2020
• Screen Power Film Festival, London, UK, April 2020 (winner, best documentary short film)
• Hollywood North Film Awards, Toronto, May 31, 2020 (nominated for best director – Canadian short doc, best cinematography, best original score, best sound design and best Canadian short documentary)
• DOXA Documentary Film Festival, Vancouver, June 18-26
• Around Films Paris // International, July 2020
• Native Spirit Film Festival, London, UK, October 12-17, 2020

In the film a Native Elder explains the energy and tremendous healing power of smudging sage handed down by the ancients thousands of years ago.

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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.