iN Retrospect: Embargo Collective I

Each of the artists has an impressive body of work, demonstrating exceptional talent and vision with a different focus in media arts — documentary, fictional narrative, and experimental work — and each representing diversity of Indigenous Nations. These artists were chosen for their enthusiasm for collaboration and their willingness to be open to a challenge. Inspired by filmmaker Lars Von Trier's documentary The Five Obstructions, imagineNATIVE encouraged the members of the Embargo Collective to push their creative boundaries by asking them to construct a set of limitations for one another. While the initial goal was to demonstrate how essential the collaborative process is to film, a far more profound and intimate result materialized over 20 months: As the filmmakers shared their experiences, inspired one another, and created work together, a collective spirit was born. What you are about to see are the fruits of the collaboration, a true testament to what film can be when artists come together to create. Most of the descriptions for this program are republished from the 2009 imagineNATIVE Catalogue. Film viewing availability during the online Festival (June 9-15, 2025): Tsi tkahéhtayen (The Garden) (available worldwide) Savage (available worldwide) ?E?anx (The Cave) (available worldwide) The White Tiger (available worldwide) Cvpanuce Tucenat (Three Little Boys) (available worldwide) First Contact (available worldwide) b.Dreams (available worldwide) In March 2008, imagineNATIVE formed the Embargo Collective, an international group of seven Indigenous artists who collaborated and challenged one another to create seven new films.

Each of the artists has an impressive body of work, demonstrating exceptional talent and vision with a different focus in media arts — documentary, fictional narrative, and experimental work — and each representing diversity of Indigenous Nations. These artists were chosen for their enthusiasm for collaboration and their willingness to be open to a challenge.Inspired by filmmaker Lars Von Trier’s documentary The Five Obstructions, imagineNATIVE encouraged the members of the Embargo Collective to push their creative boundaries by asking them to construct a set of limitations for one another.While the initial goal was to demonstrate how essential the collaborative process is to film, a far more profound and intimate result materialized over 20 months: As the filmmakers shared their experiences, inspired one another, and created work together, a collective spirit was born. What you are about to see are the fruits of the collaboration, a true testament to what film can be when artists come together to create.Most of the descriptions for this program are republished from the 2009 imagineNATIVE Catalogue. Film viewing availability during the online Festival (June 9-15, 2025): Tsi tkahéhtayen (The Garden) (available worldwide)Savage (available worldwide)?E?anx (The Cave) (available worldwide)The White Tiger (available worldwide)Cvpanuce Tucenat (Three Little Boys) (available worldwide)First Contact (available worldwide)b.Dreams (available worldwide) In March 2008, imagineNATIVE formed the Embargo Collective, an international group of seven Indigenous artists who collaborated and challenged one another to create seven new films.