2026 Festival
Thank You for Celebrating Our 25th Anniversary
Thank you to all who were able to join us for the 25th anniversary imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival! We are so grateful you could be a part of this year’s milestone celebration of Indigenous film, media, and storytelling. Your presence helped create the energy, connection, and community that makes the Festival so special. From powerful screenings to inspiring conversations and unforgettable moments, we hope you left feeling moved and inspired. Save the date for our next Festival, taking place June 2-7, 2026 (Toronto) and June 8-14, 2026 (online).
Celebrating its milestone 25th anniversary, the 25th annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival took place June 3-8, 2025 in Toronto and June 9-15, 2025 for the online festival. The Festival celebrates Indigenous storytelling in film + video, audio, and digital + interactive art through screenings, exhibitions, special events, and more. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on all of imagineNATIVE’s year-round programming, and news about the next Festival.
Welcome to Our 26th Annual Festival
We welcome everyone to join us for the 26th annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival which takes place June 2-7, 2026 (Toronto) and June 8-14, 2026 (online)! The Festival celebrates Indigenous storytelling in film and video, audio, and digital and interactive art through screenings, exhibitions, special events, and more. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on news about the 2026 Festival.
Visit the Box Office to purchase passes and ticket packages and explore the Event Schedule to book tickets for in-person and online screenings and special events!
Key Dates
April 8, 2026
Early Bird Ticket Packages launch
In-person Festival Passes launch
Online Festival Passes launch
May 7, 2026
Announcement of Festival programming and schedule
Regular Ticket Packages launch
In-Person Festival Passes launch
Online Festival Passes launch
In-Person and Online Single Screening Tickets launch
Special Events Tickets launch
June 2-7, 2026
In-person Festival (Toronto)
imagineNATIVE’s on-site Box Office will be open at the TIFF Lightbox‡
June 8-14, 2026
Online Festival
‡Tickets for both the in-person and online Festival will still be available for purchase through our online Box Office.
Curatorial Vision
For our 2026 Festival, we are choosing to open up spaces for much-needed dialogue that reflects what many of our artists and audiences are feeling at this moment. We want to share stories that will empower our continued resistance to the status quo. We will see works that uplift hope and strength and continue to speak truth to power. We know that Indigenous knowledge and ways of being are true pathways to a sustainable future. These ways are ancient. They have been laid out for us as the original instructions of how humanity can coexist with our Mother Earth. No borders, man-made laws, nor colonial governments can supersede the original caretaking instructions of the lands that Indigenous Nations have been carrying since time immemorial.
As we approach the 26th annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, we find ourselves in a time where all across the globe we have become witnesses to an escalation of polarizing political views amidst ongoing genocide, the rise of oppressive governments, economic crises, loss of human rights, and the destruction of our lands. For many in this industry, it can feel dystopian to attend special events, celebrations, and award ceremonies while carrying the weight of the world’s troubles. Times like these can feel like humanity is losing itself, but we know that there is power in the energy created when we gather. It is now more vital than ever that we continue to make intentional connections with each other.
So let’s come together to share stories rooted in a time before colonial structures were imposed upon us. Let the stories of solidarity, resistance, and Indigenous ways of being illuminate our cinemas and spaces, and light the pathways back to our shared humanity.
In solidarity,
Lindsay Monture
Artistic Director
Festival Guide
Use our curated guide to navigate what to watch at this year’s Festival. Visit our Event Schedule to see when and where screenings take place and to book your tickets.
Land-Based:
- AKI
- Short Film Program: On the Land
- Ea | preceded by Why Would I Leave
- Short Film Program: Land Meditations
- River of Spirits | preceded by Materia
- Boca Vieja | preceded by Vuogáiduvvan (Adaptation)
- Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband)
Intergenerational + Family:
- Short Film Program: What’s to Come
- Short Film Program: Families by the Fire
- SPI
- Short Film Program: Legendary Lineages
- The Colleano Heart
- Journey Home, David Gulpilil | preceded by HOLDING S P A C E
- Meadowlarks
Strong Matriarchs:
- Short Film Program: Parenting Under Pressure
- Nika & Madison | preceded by Windsong
- Walls – Akinni Inuk | preceded by Niimi
- Mārama | preceded by KINKU
- Blood Lines
Traditional + Contemporary Legends:
- Short Film Program: Legendary Lineages
- Short Film Program: Revitalized Legends
- Short Film Program: Survivance
- Short Film Program: Families by the Fire
- Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband)
Resistance:
- Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising
- Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild] | preceded by All My Love Thanks
- Short Film Program: In Defiance
- Mārama | preceded by KINKU
- Nika & Madison | preceded by Windsong
- River of Spirits | preceded by Materia
Sixties Scoop + Residential Schools:
- Meadowlarks
- What We Carry | preceded by The Orange Flower
Abstract Expression:
- Levers
- Short Film Program: Love Has No Gender
- Short Film Program: Land Meditations
- Dream Touch Believe | preceded by Honor of the Paintbrush
For a Good Laugh:
In Community:
- AKI
- Ceremony | preceded by Yiyíistsʼą́ą́ʼ (Listen)
- Short Film Program: Love Has No Gender
- Powwow People | preceded by Are You Native?
- Boca Vieja | preceded by Vuogáiduvvan (Adaptation)
- Journey Home, David Gulpilil | preceded by HOLDING S P A C E
Developed Through the imagineNATIVE Institute:
Special Events:
2026 Festival Statistics
Official Selection
- 20 Feature Films
- 82 Short Films (12 Programs)
- 13 Digital + Interactive Works
- 11 Audio Works
Representing
- 56 Indigenous Nations
- 51 Indigenous Languages
- 20 Countries
- 65 Emerging Artists
- 36 Youth Artists (ages 29 and under)
Special Presentations + Activations
- 1 Music Video Program (containing 7 films)
- 4 imagineNATIVE Originals
- 2 TV Episodes
- 6 Exhibitions
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, please! We welcome everyone, regardless of ethnicity, to attend our events and our annual Festival.
We do host opportunities and programs which are restricted to Indigenous participants, however we always state this clearly when it is the case.
We encourage people of all backgrounds to join us in our mission: committing to a greater understanding by audiences of Indigenous peoples, cultures, and artistic expressions.
We offer individual tickets, ticket packages, and passes. Visit our Box Office page to purchase tickets or for more information about our ticketing. Once tickets launch, you can continue to purchase tickets until the end of our online Festival. All tickets, ticket packages, and passes are final sale.
During the in-person portion of our Festival, tickets for all screenings and special events are also available for purchase at the on-site imagineNATIVE Box Office inside the TIFF Lightbox. The imagineNATIVE Box Office will be open one hour prior to the first screening of the day.
Tickets are subject to availability, even to pass holders and ticket package holders, so make sure to book your tickets early as venues have limited capacity. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept credit cards (VISA, Mastercard, or Amex) for online purchases. All tickets, ticket packages, and passes are final sale.
All screenings on Friday, June 5, 2026 are FREE as part of TD Free Friday! Tickets for screenings on Friday, June 5 cannot be purchased or booked in advance and will only be available on Friday, June 5 at the on-site imagineNATIVE Box Office. There is a limit of two tickets per person.
Miigwetch, nia:wen, thank you to TD Bank for supporting TD Free Friday!
Yes, there are no restrictions on the number of tickets or packages you can buy. All tickets, ticket packages, and passes are final sale.
There are no restrictions on the number of tickets you can book for a single screening with a ticket package. Ticket packages are not valid for any Special Events, Industry Days, Industry Events, or online screenings.
Although a few of our events are open to the public and therefore unticketed, the majority of our screenings and special events do require a ticket to be purchased or booked. Festival pass holders and ticket package holders must book their allotment of tickets in advance via the instructions about how to redeem tickets which they receive by email from our team or at the on-site imagineNATIVE Box Office during the in-person Festival.
Tickets are subject to availability, even to pass holders and ticket package holders, so make sure to book your tickets early as venues have limited capacity. We appreciate your understanding.
Except where otherwise stated, Industry Days events are only available to In-Person Festival Pass holders. Tickets are not required for most Industry Days events, and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please make sure you have your Festival Pass with you when attending.
Yes. Status card holders are eligible to claim a rebate of the 8% Ontario portion of HST paid on qualifying goods and services. Please contact boxoffice@imagineNATIVE.org if you wish to use your status card to purchase packages or tickets online. You can also visit the on-site imagineNATIVE Box Office and present your status card when purchasing in-person tickets.
Please note: you must present your status card in advance of making your purchase.
Absolutely! Choose the gift option during checkout. All tickets, ticket packages, and passes are final sale.
Click the “Sign In” button on the Eventive website. On the sign-in page, click the “Forgot Password” button, enter your registered email address, and follow the instructions to reset your password.
Sign in to your account on the Eventive website and access your profile by clicking the “Menu” button. Above the “Welcome” menu item, click “Account Management” to update your account details, including your email and password.
Unfortunately we cannot offer refunds. All tickets, ticket packages, and passes are final sale. If you need assistance or encounter account errors, please email boxoffice@imagineNATIVE.org and our team will provide any assistance that we can.
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival Unveils Its 2026 Programming
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival announces special events and media arts programming
