Nechako – It Will Be A Big River Again

Directed by Lyana Patrick
Canada
2025
91 mins

Synopsis

Memory and resistance flow through this meditative, visually striking doc chronicling Indigenous peoples’ 70-year struggle to restore Canada’s Nechako River and a way of life.

Both lyrical and urgent, this feature-length debut documents the legal drama between the Stellat’en and Saiku’uz First Nations and the mining company responsible for the damming of the river. Director Lyana Patrick weaves together archival footage and stunning landscapes with the perspectives of Elders, activists, and community members, illuminating the river’s significance as a life source and spiritual entity. With its themes of cultural survival, environmental stewardship, and the interconnectedness of global Indigenous struggles against corporate exploitation, this powerful and personal film underscores the resilience of communities united in commitment to healing and reclaiming their ancestral lands and waters.

Tickets

Sat 7 June 2025, 2pm
Palace Central Cinemas - Cinema 1
WheelchairAssisted Listening
Wed 11 June 2025, 6pm
Dendy Newtown - Cinema 2
WheelchairAssisted Listening
Aboriginal FlagTorres Strait Flag

Sydney Film Festival acknowledges Australia’s First Nations People as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land, and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, upon whose Country SFF is based.

We honour the storytelling and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.

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