Ceremony

Powerful and evocative, Ceremony examines the disappearance of the ooligan in Bella Coola, revealing a story that reaches far beyond the river itself. For the Nuxalk Nation, the ooligan is more than a source of food — it is medicine, tradition, economy, and a living connection to generations of knowledge carried through land and water. As director Banchi Hanuse follows her community’s search for answers, the mystery of the vanishing fish becomes an exploration of cultural survival, environmental stewardship, and the enduring relationship between people and place.

Combining testimony, striking watercolour animation, and rare archival material, Ceremony honours Indigenous ways of knowing while reclaiming histories often absent from colonial records. As the film flows between ceremony and activism, it celebrates the resilience of a Nation determined to protect its lands, waters, languages, and traditions. At once deeply personal and profoundly political, Ceremony offers an inspiring portrait of cultural resurgence grounded in care, memory, and the responsibilities we all share towards the places we call home.

Content Considerations: Discussion of colonial violence and the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous communities; references to cultural displacement and environmental loss. If you have any questions about this film and its content, please contact us anytime at [email protected].

Special Jury Prize: Canadian Feature Documentary, Hot Docs 2026