Pretty good story about returning home, but the late action seemed out of place. Not sure if some scenes were edited out later, but the big finale appeared to come from a different movie.

Was lucky enough to catch this at Melbourne's Birrarangga Film Festival on its closing night. I also attended the Q+A with the director and main actor. There are so many wonderful layers to this film. It honestly contains so many beautiful multitudes. The world/safe space the main actor creates for herself to heal and process, the reserve/community she returns to, the "big city" she found her musical success and celebrity within. The land is its own character, and she rekindles her relationship with it, witnesses it coming under attack by miners who wrongfully claim ownership of the land while denying accountability for their harm to the land and its inhabitants.

What I loved best is that this film deals with what is clearly a snapshot in the life of this particular indigenous woman, lovingly told by an indigenous woman director. In this film we see her dealing with multiple intersecting conflicts and discoveries, and though some conflicts are left unresolved and some questions remain vague and unanswered, you can appreciate how she overcomes and navigates the movie's main conflict. Her victory over that destructive force in her life, while other destructive forces still loom in the past and future, is realistic and worth celebrating. I didn't need to see every issue tied up neatly in a bow by the conclusion of the film. Life is rarely that neat, and that's what makes the protagonist so human. In life we only have so much time and so much power and so much control, and she executes what healing and help she can bring others, the land and herself with balance and dignity.

That this film was helmed by an indigenous woman, telling indigenous stories, definitely shows. I can't wait to see more, more, more.

Yes, the first two thirds move pretty slowly, but it's relaxing. Like listening to npr on a sunday morning. Discussions betweent the ladies of the social group, when mary takes a break from her music career. Ice fishing. She says over and over that she just wants to retire and enjoy life in the country, with her family of first canadians. And of course, the protest at the mining property subplot, which kind of gets dropped. This film probably won't be for everyone. But it's very well done, if you have the patience. Then stuff really starts to happen in the last ten minutes. We were given hints earlier. Written and directed by darlene naponse, a canadian first nation herself. Very well done. The action and excitement fanatics probably won't find enough action, but i look forward to seeing more of her work.