Sugarcane

A stunning tribute to the resilience of Native people and their way of life, SUGARCANE, the debut feature documentary from Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, is an epic cinematic portrait of a community during a moment of international reckoning. In 2021, evidence of unmarked graves was discovered on the grounds of an Indian residential school run by the Catholic Church in Canada. After years of silence, the forced separation, assimilation and abuse many children experienced at these segregated boarding schools was brought to light, sparking a national outcry against a system designed to destroy Indigenous communities. Set amidst a groundbreaking investigation, SUGARCANE illuminates the beauty of a community breaking cycles of intergenerational trauma and finding the strength to persevere.

In English and Secwepemctsin, with English subtitles.

2024 Sundance Film Festival – Winner of the Directing Award: U.S. Documentary

Additional resources  – learn more about the history and current legislative actions around Indigenous residential schools in Canada and the U.S., download educational resources for classrooms, and access support resources for survivors and family members.

Part of the Raising Voices Film Series, supported with grant funding from Park City Chamber and Park City Municipal Corp.

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