In How We Stand, writer-filmmaker Marie Clements follows three sisters through the long aftermath of the Native American Relocation Program that uprooted Indigenous families. Opening in 1950s Oklahoma, we’re introduced to a single mother (Cara Jade Myers) and her three young daughters. Drawn by promises of opportunity and stability, the family moves to Los Angeles, but their ambitions never materialize, and a traumatic event separates the girls. Twenty years later the sisters have taken vastly different paths: Jessie (Amber Midthunder) is a clinic doctor; Miranda (Alyssa Wapanatâhk) is an activist-turned-actor; and Janey (Isabel DeRoy-Olson) is unraveling under the weight of a trauma she’s never been able to name.
The historical drama carries heavy weight, but Clements doesn’t play it straight — magical realism and a satirical streak run through the film, including a sharp Hollywood western send-up. Each sister’s experiences or racism and institutional violence are unique, yet the three threads are tied together by a shared history that continues to shape their lives, even decades after the separation.
Oct 3, 4 & 11: Filmmaker Q&A
Showcase Series Supported by
Amber Midthunder, Alyssa Wapanatâhk, Isabel DeRoy-Olson, Cara Jade Myers, Darren Mann, Eric Johnson
Canada
2026
English
Sexually suggestive scenes
Open to youth
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Diretor
Executive Producer
Kirk D’Amico, Mark Slone, Cara Jade Myers
Producer
Marie Clements, Christine Haebler, Trish Dolman, Steven Thibault
Screenwriter
Marie Clements
Cinematography
Adam Madrzyk
Editor
Geoff Ashenhurst, Maxime Lahaie
Production Design
Brian Davie, Mark Freeborn
Original Music
Wayne Lavalee
Marie Clements
Marie Clements is an acclaimed writer, director, and producer whose award-winning career spans film, television, radio, and live performance. Her feature, Bones of Crows, premiered at TIFF, screened at 34+ festivals, earning 72 nominations and 39 awards. The companion mini-series was CBC/APTN’s top-watched dramatic premiere; Clements won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Direction in a Drama Series for the episode, To Be Here. She holds honours from WFF, WIFTV, Telefilm, the DGC and APTN.
Filmography: The Road Forward (2017); Red Snow (2019); Bones of Crows (2022); Lay Down Your Heart (2022
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