The Cinematheque

“Visually spectacular and immersive … This is the perfect film for anyone curious about the beauty of First Nations’ communities, or for those longing for their homes on the land.”

Kelly Boutsalis, TIFF 2025

Set in the home territory of Anishinaabe Kwe director Darlene Naponse, Aki takes place in Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, a Northern Ontario community. This visual essay film moves through the past, present, and future with minimal dialogue in Anishinaabemowin, all set to the music of Juno Award-nominated cellist Cris Derkson (North Tall Cree). Naponse guides us through a cycle of the Anishinaabe seasons starting with biboon (winter), inviting us into the lives of the people of Atikameksheng. As we are immersed in the soundscapes and visual beauty of the natural world, we also bear witness to the impacts of industrialism in the Sudbury area. Despite this darkness, the beauty and resilience of Mother Earth is honoured through time-lapse sequences, split-screen imagery, and underwater footage. Aki is an experimental love letter to the land, to Naponse’s community, and to the cycles of life.

In Anishinaabemowin