Wildhood is a beautiful queer coming of age story set within Canada’s first nation Mi’kmaq people, a community over 14,000 years old, based in rural Nova Scotia. The road movie introduces us to Link, (Phillip Lewitski), a Two-Spirit, half Mi’kmaq teenager, and his younger half-brother Travis (Avery Winters-Anthony). The term Two-Spirit loosely refers to queer first nation people – a more detailed indigenous definition is the intersection of the relationship to land, gender, sexuality, ceremony, and culture.
Link and Travis live with their abusive father in a rundown trailer in the countryside. Link is a handsome, bleached blonde, dirt bike-loving, petty criminal and is pretty intense. He doesn’t get on with his father. One day he angrily finds out that his long presumed-dead mother is actually still alive, and that his father lied to him about her death. He decides to run away from home to try and find her, taking Travis with him. They encounter several people along the way, including Pasmay, (Joshua Odjick) a charismatic Mi’kmaq pow wow dancer who joins them to help find Link’s mother. Hiking, sleeping rough and bathing in lakes, the free-spirited Link and Pasmay find that their time together slowly leads to romance. The more affable Pasmay gradually calms down the angry, impulsive Link. Pasmay teaches Link to dance amongst other aspects of Mi’kmaq culture, and we slowly see a more tender side of Link, including a sensitive scene when the three bury a porcupine which has been run over by someone. We follow the three on the eventful physical and personal journey to find Link’s mother.
Writer/Director Bretten Hannam’s poetic film premiered at the 2021 Toronto Film Festival. Hannam is himself a Two-Spirit, non-binary Mi’kmaq person and he successfully introduces us to an ancient community few of us know much about. The film combines beautiful cinematography shot on location in Canada’s striking Nova Scotia landscape with a great complimentary soundtrack. Handsome casting, with mostly indigenous characters in supporting roles, and a strong script make this film very easy to watch. A well-paced plot reflects the slower speed of life in rural communities. The film is about family, discovery, the quest to belong and identity, both in and out of blood family. Highly recommended.
(WILDHOOD is the Opening Night film at Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival in Sydney )
Review: Ris Fatah Queerguru Contributing Editor Ris Fatah is a successful fashion/luxury business consultant (when he can be bothered) who divides and wastes his time between London and Ibiza. He is a lover of all things queer, feminist, and human rights in general. @ris.fatah
