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.
The Oct 11 screening of Ceremony is a Relaxed Screening. Relaxed Screenings are open to anyone who could benefit from a more casual, supportive and laid-back experience. Learn more about Relaxed Screenings here.
Special Jury Prize: Canadian Feature Documentary, Hot Docs 2026
Oct 4, 6 & 10: Filmmaker Q&A
Presented by
Supported by
Showcase Series Supported by
Media Partner
Ts’xwiixw Megan F. Moody, Qwaxw Siwallace, Snuxyaltwa “Dj Y” Snow, Nuskmata Jacinda Mack, Q’umulha Schooner, Sunhwrna Schooner
Canada
2026
In English and Nuxalk with English subtitles
Open to youth
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Producer
Slts’lani Banchi Hanuse, Kaitlyn Truong
Screenwriter
Slts’lani Banchi Hanuse, Jessica Mayhew
Cinematography
Luke Connor, Jean-Philippe Marquis
ANIM
Jay White
Editor
Erin Cumming, Sarah Taylor
Original Music
Jesse Zubot
Banchi Hanuse
Banchi Hanuse is a filmmaker and co-founder of Nuxalk Radio who works across film and radio in support of Nuxalk language revitalization, upholding Nuxalk Nationhood, and advocating for stewardship of Nuxalk homelands. Her acclaimed film Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun premiered at Big Sky in 2023, winning the Big Sky Award.
Filmography: Cry Rock (2010); Uulx (2015); Nuxalk Radio (2020); Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun (2023)
Photo by Matthew Wheelock
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