ICA Current Fellows

YELLOW HIBISCUS

Australia | 2027 | 100 minutes | Mystery Fiction | English

Yellow Hibiscus follows Rosie, a pregnant Torres Strait Islander woman, as she returns home for her dying grandmother’s final days and the long-awaited tombstone unveiling of her missing aunt. As secrets unravel, Rosie confronts her family’s buried past in a haunting mystery of love, loss, and intergenerational trauma.

AALIYAH-JADE BRADBURY

Aaliyah-Jade Bradbury, a proud Indigenous woman from the Larrakia Nation and Erubam Le peoples, is the first Indigenous Australian filmmaker to win an International Emmy® for Harley & Katya (2022). Known for her storytelling on First Nations cultures, her works include Firestarter and Preppers. A published author, she has also worked with Creative Australia, ABC, and SBS.

Selected By:

LET ME SERVE

New Zealand | 2028 | 90 minutes | Comedy Fiction | English & Samoan

Let Me Serve is a sports comedy with a spike. The son of a church pastor sets out to clear his father’s name and win $20,000 in a Christian volleyball competition. Shunned by his congregation, he must form a team from church outcasts and harness his brewing anger towards organized religion.

ABBA-ROSE VAIAOGA-IOASA

Abba-Rose Vaiaoga-Ioasa is a versatile screen professional, skilled in development, producing, and marketing across various formats. Recognized as the 2024 WIFT NZ Women to Watch, she is also one of the co-founders of Pacific Islands Screen Artists, where she champions Pasifika inclusion and works to create equal opportunities in the industry.

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LUCKY STRIKES

Canada | 2024 | 80 mins | Comedy Fiction | English

Lucky Strikes follows Adam Cardinal Jr., who buys his late father’s bowling alley to escape his dead-end job. But Sarah, his father's rival’s daughter, insists on settling ownership in the bowling finals. With help from his friend Benny and “The Duke,” a local bowling legend, Adam trains to reclaim his father's legacy.

DARCY WAITE

Darcy Waite, an Indigenous filmmaker and comedy writer-director, created the series Zombies Don’t Eat Stupid People and The Friendship Centre. His feature debut, Lucky Strikes, was funded by Telefilm’s Talent to Watch. Trained in comedy at Second City, Darcy’s work has screened at festivals like imagineNATIVE and the American Indian Film Festival.

Selected By:

THE RETURN OF THE BLACK JAGUAR (NEAYAI KOOIYE)

Ecuador | 2025 | 90 minutes | Fiction | Siekopai with subtitles in Spanish and English

The Return of the Black Jaguar tells the story of Katë, who, disillusioned by his father’s abandonment of their traditions under evangelist pressure, flees to the city and faces the dangers of urban life. A call from his mother draws him back home, where, guided by a shaman, he rediscovers his purpose, reconnects with his heritage, and inspires transformation within his community.

JIMMY PIAGUAJE

Jimmy Piaguaje is the first Siekopai filmmaker, born in the community of Siekoya Remolino. A passionate advocate for his people’s culture and the Amazon rainforest, he is a member of the If Not Us Then Who? network of filmmakers and communicators. Through film, he preserves ancestral knowledge on medicinal plants, territory defense, and traditional practices, ensuring these stories endure for future generations.

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KAMDEBOO

South Africa | 2025 | 60 min | Documentary | Khoikhoi, Afrikaans, English

Kamdeboo follows Zandry Gaai, a hip-hop artist; Daantjie Jeptha, a Khoi chief and former mayor of Graaff-Reinet; and Toroga Denver, a Khoi, queer activist from the Cape Flats, on their journey through the Eastern Cape as they fight against the kakapusa—the erasure of Khoikhoi language and ancestral stories.

TOROGA DENVER

Toroga Denver is a Khoikhoi First Nation storyteller, queer activist, and cultural advocate. A writer, poet, and filmmaker, he challenges the erasure of Khoikhoi narratives and language. His works include the play Rokkie, the short story collections Stories Wat Kort Is (1 and 2), and the podcast Draadloos Virrie Raadloos. Kamdeboo marks his directorial debut, transitioning his rich theatre experience to film.

Selected By:

South African National Film and Video Foundation

WAABUN-ANUNG

Canada | 2026 | 100 minutes | Fiction | English

Waabun-anung is set in the near future, following a brilliant yet lonesome Indigenous astronomer who discovers a wormhole in our galaxy which she theorizes is a portal to the “other side”. Amidst this discovery her brother unexpectedly dies which pushes her to question that if her theory is true, will she be able to see her brother again?

VICTORIA ANDERSON-GARDNER

Victoria Anderson-Gardner is a two-spirited award-winning Anishinaabe screenwriter, director and producer from Migisi Sahgaigan First Nation. Victoria is focused on creating within the science fiction, horror and thriller genres. They were awarded the Glenn Gould Protegé Prize for their work from Glenn Gould laureate Alanis Obomsawin.

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MASKED MEMORY

Canada/United States | 2026 | 60 minutes | Documentary | English

Masked Memory explores the cultural exchange sparked by a train derailment in 1894, where Stoney Nakoda First Nations people entertained stranded passengers. This led to the creation of Banff's "Indian Days," intertwining Indigenous traditions with tourism. The documentary examines the blurred lines between performance and authenticity, questioning how societies celebrate and commodify Indigenous heritage.

CASS GARDINER

Cass Gardiner, an Anishinaabe Algonquin filmmaker from Kebaowek First Nation, is known for her acclaimed documentary The Edible Indian. She has worked with the National Film Board of Canada, Tribeca Film Institute, and curates for the Smithsonian's Native Cinema Showcase. Gardiner holds an MFA from Toronto Metropolitan University.

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STANDING ABOVE THE CLOUDS

United States | 2024 | 83 mins | Documentary | English/ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi

Standing Above the Clouds follows three Native Hawaiian families as they and thousands from Hawai'i and around the world unite to protect Mauna Kea from the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope. Through the lens of mothers and daughters, the film explores intergenerational healing, the fight to safeguard cultural traditions, and the deep connection to the sacred mountain.

ERIN LAU

Native Hawaiian filmmaker Erin Lau explores empathy, family, and identity through her work. A Chapman MFA graduate, her films have screened in over 50 festivals worldwide. Notable works include The Moon and the Night, All I Ever Wanted, and Inheritance. Erin also directed for FOX's Rescue: HI-Surf and contributed to Emmy-winning documentaries.

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BETWEEN WORLDS

Greenland/Denmark | 2026 | 80 minutes | Documentary | Greenlandic/Danish/English

Between Worlds follows the personal journeys of Kalaallit living in Denmark. It explores cultural tensions, identity, and the colonial legacy of Kalaallit Nunaat, showcasing their resilience in preserving heritage while navigating assimilation, resistance, and advocacy, all set against the contrasting landscapes of Greenland and Denmark.

ALBERTE PARNUUNA

Alberte Parnuuna, an emerging Indigenous filmmaker and visual artist from Nuuk, Greenland, is based in Copenhagen. With an MFA in Visual Culture from the University of Copenhagen, she combines her Inuit heritage with contemporary storytelling. Alberte's work spans directing, 2D animation, and visual art, exploring Indigenous narratives with a personal touch.

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FINNMARK

Norway | 2026 | 110 minutes | Fiction | Sámi, Norwegian

Finnmark follows the intense conflict between two Sámi brothers: one who embraces Norwegian identity and the other who fights for Sámi heritage. The film powerfully explores themes of colonisation, cultural erasure, and the personal and political struggles over identity and reconciliation.

ESPEN LARSSON

Espen Larsson, a Sami-Norwegian filmmaker from Kirkenes, Sápmi/Norway, creates films and commercials with a focus on original, experimental storytelling. Trained in directing, editing, and screenwriting at Westerdals Oslo School and Bond University, his work is deeply influenced by his Sami heritage.