An intimate and thrilling portrait of a young Siksika woman Logan Red Crow and the deep bonds between her father and family in the golden plains of Blackfoot Territory as she prepares for one of the most dangerous horse races in the world... the Indian Relay.
89 mins · Documentary · English · Blackfoot · Canada · 2023 · Produced by Taxam Films Inc
Taking us to the golden plains of Blackfoot Territory to the home of Logan Red Crow, a young Siksika woman whose passion is the Indian Relay. A sport for the truly brave, the Relay’s bareback riders vault from horse to horse in short, exhilarating races. Gentle and reflective, yet unshakeable in her determination, Logan is a champion in the making. Besides her skill and sheer grit, she has a loving family, an elite group of horses, and a home on her ancestral lands. Those are invaluable, but this rider will need more for victory. As we follow her through one competition after another, we see courage put to the test, and also get a picture of the other factors involved in the sport—including blind circumstance.
Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun offers the dual pleasures of serenity and suspense: we get leisurely, lyrical immersion in rural life as well as the thrill of rooting for victory. Logan's bond with her horses is palpable, and we see her tender interactions with them contrasted with gripping races. The animals are beautiful in their mute strength, and the film honours them with loving, graceful images.
The connections explored here are profound and lasting: those between Father and Daughter, animal and human, family and community, ancestral tradition and contemporary life. Graceful, compelling and uplifting, this is inspirational gem offers, through Logan, her horses, her family and her Nation, a portrait of radiant heroism.
Winner - Big Sky Documentary Film Festival (2023)
Big Sky Award
Winner - American Indian Film Festival (2023)
Best Documentary Feature
Winner - Santa Fe International Film Festival (2023)
Special Jury Award for Documentary Feature
Winner - Vancouver International Film Festival (2023)
Audience Award - Northern Lights
Winner - Calgary International Film Festival (2023)
"Generation Next" Audience Choice Award
Winner - Available Light Film Festival (2024)
- Best Canadian Documentary: Audience Choice Award
- Best Canadian Feature Film: Made in the North Awards
Winner - Yellowknife International Film Festival (2023)
Best Canadian Documentary Feature
Winner - Red Nation International Film Festival (2023)
Best Documentary Feature (shared with: Common Ground)
Winner - San Diego International Film Festival (2023)
Kumeyaay Award
Winner - Shining Mountains Film Festival (2023)
Best Feature
Winner - Leo Awards (2023)
Best Feature Length Documentary | Best Screenwriting | Best Cinematography | Best Editing | Best Sound
Winner - Gimli Film Festival (2023)
Audience Choice Award | Indigenous Spirit Award | New Voices Award
Winner - Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival (2023)
Cinema Indigenized Outstanding Talent Award
Winner - Slamdance's The Indies Awards (2024)
Outstanding Cinematography - Documentary Feature
Special Mention - Port Townsend Film Festival (2023)
"Special Mention for capturing the Soul of Cinema"
Honourable Mention - Salt Spring Film Festival
Audience Favourite
Nominated - Canadian Screen Awards
Best Cinematography in a Feature Length Documentary
In Order of Appearance
IISUNAKII ~ LOGAN RED CROW
SIIPIISTOOKIMA ~ ALLISON RED CROW
NIITATSTIPIM ~ RACEY BIG SNAKE
IISTAASAAKAII ~ JAYME BIG SNAKE
IISOMIIKOPII ~ CLARENCE RED CROW
MARK BIG TOBACCO
CODY BIG TOBACCO
ZARIANNA BIG TOBACCO
KAYZEN BIG TOBACCO
ROSE RED CROW
KITANA ARCAND
SHARMAINE WEED
ERIKA MAD PLUME
Executive Producers
IZZY PULLEN
CAREY NEWMAN
Producer
MIKE WAVRECAN
Director
BANCHI HANUSE
Writers
BANCHI HANUSE
TANYA MARYNIAK
Editor
TANYA MARYNIAK
Cinematography
BEN GIESBRECHT
LUKE CONNOR
Production Manager
SAM GRAHAM
Location Sound
ARIANA BROPHY
BRENDA SEVILLA
Additional Camera
ANTHONY STENGEL
Camera Assistant
JOSH MANYHEADS
CALVIN STIMSON
Assistant Editor
SOMIT SHARMA
CINDY AU YEUNG
SEBASTIAN CARMONA
JOHNNY COLE
OLIVIA VANDERWAL
Colourist
JAMES CHASE
Composers
JASON BURNSTICK
NADIA BURNSTICK
Sound Design
TYLER GILLIS
Dialogue editor
ZAK COHEN
Sound editor and Foley
JAYME LANGEN
Re-recording mixer
DAVID PARFIT
Post Production Audio
SEASIDE SOUND
Production Accountant
DEBBI-JO MATIAS
Production Bookkeeper
MONICA FRIESEN
Special Thanks
RED CROW FAMILY
SIKSIKA NATION
OLD SUN RELAY TEAM
PRETTY YOUNGMAN RELAY TEAM
SIKSIKA DEERFOOT SPORTSPLEX
MASKÊKOSIHK – ENOCH CREE NATION
MEGAN YELLOW FLY
DEXTER BRUISED HEAD
CARA MORIN
JESSICA MAYHEW
NAPI COLLECTIVE
LES MCINTYRE
RANDY TAYLOR
Produced with the support of TELUS:
Vice President in Charge of Production
AMIT NAG
Executive in Charge of Production
CAMERON ZINGER
Managing Production Executive
LEAH CAMENZIND
Senior Production Executive
CHRISTINA WILLINGS
Senior Marketing Manager
KELLY FOX
Filmed in
SIKSIKA NATION
TSUUT’INA, ÎYÂXE NAKODA, BLACKFOOT TERRITORY
ENOCH CREE NATION ᒪᐢᑫᑯᓯᐦᐠ MASKÊKOSIHK
CASPER, WYOMING
APTN Lumi (Blackfoot language version)
streaming
PARAMOUNT+ Canada
streaming
TELUS ORIGINALS
Telus Optik channel 8
P A S T S C R E E N I N G S
BIG SKY DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
Feb 25 & 26, 2023
Missoula, Montana, USA
HOT DOCS CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL
April 29 & May 3, 2023
Toronto, Ontario
DOCLANDS DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
May 11, 2023
San Rafael, California, USA
SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (SIFF)
May 18 & 20, 2023
Seattle, Washington, USA
BENTONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL
June 15, 2023
Bentonville, Arkansas, USA
HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA
June 21 & June 23, 2023
Toronto, Ontario
GIMLI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
July 27, July 28 & July 30, 2023
Gimli, Manitoba
LOCAL SIGHTINGS FILM FESTIVAL - Northwest Film Forum
Sept 17, 2023
Seattle WA, USA
CINÉFEST SUDBURY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Sept 20, 2023
Sudbury, Ontario
PORT TOWNSEND FILM FESTIVAL
Sep 22 & 23, 2023
Port Townsend, Washington, USA
CALGARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (CIFF)
Sept 23 & Sep 30, 2023
Calgary, Alberta
EVANS THEATRE
Sept 29-30, Oct 1, 2023
Brandon, Manitoba
ARON THEATRE
Oct 4, 2023
Campbellford, Ontario
VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (VIFF)
Oct 5, 7 & 8, 2023
Vancouver, BC
DOCTOBER - PICKFORD FILM CENTER
Oct 7 & 11, 2023
Bellingham, Washington, USA
NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL
Oct 16, 2023
Newport Beach, California, USA
ST. JOHN’S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL (SJIWFF)
October 19, 2023
St. John’s, Newfoundland
TWIN CITIES FILM FEST
Oct 20, 2023
St Louis Park, Minnesota, USA
SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Oct 21, 2023
San Diego, California, USA
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL
Oct 21, 2023
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
SANTA FE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (SFiFF)
Oct 21 & Oct 22, 2023
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
FRIDAY HARBOR DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
Oct 27 & 28, 2023
Friday Harbor, WA
NATIVE SPIRIT FILM FESTIVAL
Oct 29, 2023
London, England
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL
Oct 28 & 30, 2023
Austin, Texas, USA
YELLOWKNIFE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Nov 3, 2023
Yellowknife, NWT
GUELPH FILM FESTIVAL
Nov 4, 2023
Guelph, Ontario
INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVAL
Verde Valley Archaeology Center
Nov 4, 2023
Sedona, Arizona, USA
AMERICAN INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL
Nov 5, 2023
San Francisco, California, USA
RED NATION INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Nov 5, 2023
Beverly Hills, California, USA
WILLIAMS LAKE FILM CLUB
Nov 16, 2023
Williams Lake BC
CHILLIWACK INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
Nov 18, 2023
Chilliwack BC
NORTH BAY FILM FESTIVAL
Nov 19, 2023
North Bay, Ontario
SMITHSONIAN's NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN
Native Cinema Showcase
Nov 17-24, 2023
SHINING MOUNTAINS FILM FESTIVAL
Dec 2, 2023
Aspen, Colorado, USA
CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS (CCA)
Jan 12-18, 2024
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
REEL CANADIAN FILM FESTIVAL
January 28, 2024
Fernie BC
INVERMERE FILM FESTIVAL
February 4, 2024
Invermere BC
ROAD TOUR - YELLOWKNIFE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
February 9, 2024
Fort Smith, NWT
AVAILABLE LIGHT FILM FESTIVAL
February 17, 2024
Whitehorse, Yukon
TIDEMARK THEATRE
February 27, 2024
Campbell River BC
SALT SPRING ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL
March 1, 2024 - Opening Night Film
Salt Spring Island BC
OWEN SOUND'S REEL FESTIVAL
March 2, 2024
Owen Sound, Ontario
HURONIA MUSEUM FILM SERIES
March 6, 2024
Midland, Ontario
HUDSON FILM FESTIVAL
April 16, 2024
Hudson, Quebec
VANCOUVER ISLAND REGIONAL LIBRARY
April 17, 2024
Sooke BC
DREAMSPEAKERS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
April 27, 2024
Edmonton AB
ĀCIMOWIN FILM FESTIVAL
June 6, 2024
Saskatoon SK
KNOWLEDGE NETWORK - Broadcast
June 13-14, 2024
CARIB THEATRE - QUESNEL FILM CLUB
September 22, 2024
Quesnel BC
3 EARS INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVAL
September 29, 2024
Powell River BC
APTN TV broadcast (English)
Oct 26, 2024
KNOWLEDGE NETWORK
November 12, 2024
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