HOME COURT
Bringing Saints and Warriors back to Haida Gwaii was one of the most emotional and unforgettable experiences of my life.
After years of dreaming, filming, and crafting this story with our community, I finally had the chance to screen it back home — in Skidegate, Masset, and Daajing Giids — and the love we received from our people was more than I ever could have hoped for.
Saints and Warriors Comes Home to Haida Gwaii
Skidegate — July 31, 2025
I’ve screened this film at festivals across the country, but nothing compared to the nerves I felt bringing it home to Skidegate. This is where it all began — where the Saints’ story lives. I had no idea how it would be received.
But wow… we packed out the Small Hall with hundreds of community members, elders, youth, friends, and family. The energy in the room was electric — laughter, tears, cheers, and a constant buzz of engagement. People reacted to every moment. You could feel the pride, the recognition, the memories coming alive again.
And then, during the end credits… something happened that I will never forget for the rest of my life.
The audience rose to their feet in a spontaneous standing ovation that just wouldn’t end — and then, all at once, the entire hall burst into song, singing the Haida National Anthem at the top of their lungs. Voices lifted, the hall filled with sound and spirit, and I stood there completely overwhelmed. It was sacred. It was home. It was everything.
Masset — August 1, 2025
Next, we travelled up to Masset for a second screening — and again, we were met with a full house. It was so beautiful to see our Northern relatives show up in force, with love and open hearts.
Huge shoutout to Desiree, Levi, Carla, and Jeni for all their help in making this screening happen. Your support and hustle made it seamless, and the event had such a warm, communal energy. These connections between our villages — and the shared pride in this film — meant everything.
Daajing Giids — August 3, 2025
By the third screening, I thought the nerves would be gone. But Daajing Giids surprised me. What I thought would be a “chill” final event turned out to be one of the most emotional nights of the whole journey.
Again, the venue was packed. Again, the audience was deeply engaged — laughing, crying, feeling every beat of the story. But it was the Q&A afterward that absolutely cracked my heart open.
My cousin Nika, who’s featured in the film, stood up and spoke so beautifully. She shared how proud she was of me, how she remembered me as a 14-year-old kid leaving for Vancouver saying I was going to be a filmmaker — and how powerful it was to see that dream fully realized, and to be seen, after all these years. I was in tears.
And then, Miles Richardson Jr., former President of the Haida Nation, stood and spoke. His words were profound — about the cultural and historical importance of Saints and Warriors, and how this film will live on for generations. It was one of the most validating, humbling moments of my life.
A Return Home Like No Other
These three days were something sacred. To share this film — a story born of our people, our place, our memories — with the very hearts it belongs to, was the greatest honour of all.
To everyone who came out, who helped organize, who hugged me in the lobby, who sang, who cried, who told me what this story meant to them — thank you. I couldn’t have asked for a better return home for this film.
This isn’t the end — it’s just the beginning. But Saints and Warriors has officially come home.