The 30th edition of the World Community Film Festival runs virtually this year from Feb. 5-13. It features 17 international documentaries that will entertain, inspire, challenge, uplift and move viewers.

Among the films is Gather (75 min), made in 2020 by filmmaker Sanjay Rawal.

Gather is an intimate portrait of a growing movement among Indigenous Americans to reclaim their spiritual and cultural identities through obtaining sovereignty over their ancestral food systems, while battling against the historical trauma brought on by centuries of genocidal policies.

The film touches on the lack of accessibility to culturally-significant food options, such as the diminishing Klamath River salmon population in Northern California and the near extinction of bison populations.

For featured activist, Samuel Gensaw (Yurok tribe), passing along cultural knowledge and showing respect for wildlife will help in the recovery process for future generations. He says, ‘The industrial revolution is over… if we want to carry on life on Earth, we need to be a part of the restorative revolution.’

This documentary weaves personal stories with archival footage that contextualizes the continued violence against Native Americans. It is a story of resilience.

For tickets and a full program guide, visit worldcommunity.ca/film-festival