The Filmmaking Craft Behind “Inkwo for When the Starving Return”
The Filmmaking Craft Behind “Inkwo for When the Starving Return”
Ever wonder what it would take to build the world of a stop-motion horror film entirely from scratch? On the one-year anniversary of the Sundance Film Festival’s screening of Amanda Strong’s Inkwo for When the Starving Return, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the awe-inspiring creativity that went into this visionary stop‑motion short.
If you’re into dystopian themes, shapeshifting heroes, creepy creatures and mind-blowing stop-motion animation, buckle up and step inside this making-of video, where handcrafted puppets collide with Indigenous teachings to become haunting entities that completely flip your expectations—in the best way possible.
The Story
Inkwo for When the Starving Return follows Dove, a fearless young Indigenous orphan raised by their intimidating aunt. Voiced by Paulina Jewel Alexis, an actress from Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, Dove is a two-spirit, gender-shifting coming-of-age hero who discovers who they are, levels up their skills and unlocks their true power.
Blazing a trail in Indigenous futurism, Inkwo is heavily dystopian—but ultimately it turns chaos into hope, keeping Indigenous wisdom front and centre. Inspired by Richard Van Camp’s Wheetago War (2024), the film blends terror, beauty and ancestral teachings.
A team of artists carefully built Inkwo over a period of seven years, carrying both its beauty and the weight of its urgent themes. Tackling big issues like greed, environmental destruction and sexual identity, the story reconnects us to the power of Indigenous perspectives.
The film was directed by visionary filmmaker Amanda Strong, who previously collaborated with the NFB on the Naked Island series, for which she made Hipster Headdress (2017), a sharp, unapologetic call-out of Indigenous cultural appropriation, with a message that lands loud and clear.
Naked Island – Hipster Headdress, Amanda Strong, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
Some of the Creators Behind the Film
The film’s director, Amanda Strong is a powerhouse Michif/Métis filmmaker and the creative force behind Spotted Fawn Productions. She’s known worldwide for her stop-motion hits Biidaaban (2018) and Four Faces of the Moon (2016), and her work has scored major wins and nominations, including a Golden Sheaf Award, a Canadian Screen Award nomination and even an Emmy nom. With nine films, a signature “hybrid documentary” style and a mission to uplift Indigenous voices, Strong is shaping the future of animation—one frame at a time.
The legendary writer behind the film’s story, Richard Van Camp, is a Tłı̨chǫ Dene storyteller and recipient of the Order of the Northwest Territories. Based in Edmonton, he’s published over 30 books and graphic novels, including the hit Moccasin Square Gardens (2019) and the Spirit of Denendeh series (2015). His breakout novel, The Lesser Blessed (2012), even became a feature film. He’s won major awards like the Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction and the R. Ross Annett Award for his iconic children’s book Little You (2013).
Tantoo Cardinal, who voices the wise aunty character, is a celebrated Cree-Métis actress with a decades-long career and roles in iconic films like Dances with Wolves (1990), Legends of the Fall (1994) and Smoke Signals (1998), as well as Netflix’s Longmire (2012), which garnered her a Genie Award nomination for best actress. Cardinal has earned a Gemini Award, the Earle Grey Award and membership in the Order of Canada, among other accolades. She’s also been inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame. Through her fearless roles and activism, Cardinal has inspired a new generation of Indigenous artists and storytellers. To honour this incredible Indigenous actress, the NFB produced an eponymous film about her when she became a recipient of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 2020.
Tantoo Cardinal, Darlene Naponse, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
The Film’s Reception
Inkwo has been selected to screen at 80 festivals around the world, including TIFF and Ottawa, and has racked up more than 20 awards to date. The film received production support from the Sundance Film Institute (through the Indigenous Screen Office), was chosen to be part of Sundance’s Indigenous Film Tour and earned an official selection at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival!
Here’s how Amanda Strong described the journey of making the film: “The process ignited the project’s path of dreaming and trusting the unknown journey ahead. To do this in a way that honours the complexities and nuances of a story requires time. The label ‘short film’ tends to shrink the extensive scope of the work undertaken at every step. Inkwo for When the Starving Return was woven together carefully and collaboratively, pulling into it important backstories and context from Richard’s bigger world. Its title offered both the beauty and burden to carry and represent.”
Inkwo for When the Starving Return, Amanda Strong, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
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