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Sweet Summer Pow Wow film image; two people with their foreheads pressed together

After proving he could pull off comedy and suspense with the local hit The Great Salish Heist, writer-director Darrell Dennis proves his versatility with this charming love story about two young people who meet cute on BC’s Pow Wow circuit. Jinny (Tatyana Rose Baptiste) is 17, beautiful, and destined for law school — that is, according to her mom, Cara, who is Chief of the Coyote Lake Tribe. But what Jinny really wants to do is dance. Then there’s Riley (Joshua Odjick), from the rival White Bluff Indian Reserve. Chief Cara knows he’s trouble from the moment she lays eyes on him…

Around the edges the film points to issues like addiction, diabetes, and generational trauma, but at its heart this is (as the title suggests) a sweet, affirmative romance about attractive and likable teenagers finding their way.

 

May 10: Q&A with producer Leslie Bland

Director

Darrell Dennis

Cast

Tatyana Rose Baptiste, Joshua Odjick, Graham Greene, Tanis Parenteau

Credits
Country of Origin

Canada

Year

2025

Language

English

Awards

Audience Award, Victoria Film Festival

Content Warning

Violence, coarse language

PG

Open to youth!
$10 youth tickets available

92 min

Book Tickets

Friday May 09

6:00 pm
Hearing Assistance U18 May Attend
VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre
Book Now

Saturday May 10

4:00 pm
Guests/Q&As Hearing Assistance U18 May Attend
VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre
Book Now

Credits

Producer

Leslie D. Bland, Harold C. Joe

Screenwriter

Darrell Dennis, Katya Gardner

Cinematography

Daniel Carruthers

Editor

Gavin Andrews

Original Music

Wayne Lavallee

Production Design

Lisa Hageman Yahgulanaas

Art Director

Sam Higgins

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