Serial Maven Studios Boards Doc Feature Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising Ahead of World Premiere at TIFF
Toronto, Ontario (August 28, 2025) – Makwa Creative Inc. has announced that Serial Maven Studios has boarded Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising as international distributor, ahead of its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival on September 10th, 2025. The feature documentary about a culture-shifting, youth-led, land-back occupation, is written and directed by award-winning Métis filmmaker Shane Belcourt (Tkaronto) and co-written and produced by acclaimed journalist and author Tanya Talaga, whose four part docuseries The Knowing, debuted at TIFF in 2024. The first-look trailer was also just released.
In 1974, a courageous group of Anishinabeg youth gathered to stage one of the first armed land-back occupations since the 1885 North-West Rebellion. Led by Louis Cameron, an Indian Residential School Survivor and a founder of the Ojibway Warriors Society, Cameron led the occupation, which included members of the American Indian Movement, for nearly 40 days. The occupation led them to Ottawa with warriors from Cache Creek, B.C., as part of the Native Caravan, which ended on Parliament Hill after police violently moved to end their peaceful demonstration. There is only eight minutes of footage from this occupation, but Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising unearths the buried history of this moment in our history.
“Serial Maven Studios are thrilled to be appointed as the exclusive international distributor of this premium film,” says Serial Maven Studios CEO, Solange Attwood. “Shane Belcourt, Tanya Talaga and the Makwa creative team provide uniquely authentic access and a rich archive, delivering best-in-class storytelling with global appeal in Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising.”
Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising is directed by acclaimed filmmaker and four-time Canadian Screen Award nominee, Shane Belcourt (Amplify, Tkaronto) whose family descends from the Cree-speaking Michif community of Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta. The film is produced by Anishinaabe journalist and author Tanya Talaga (The Knowing), a proud member of Fort William First Nation. The film is written by Belcourt and Talaga, and executive produced by Talaga and Antica Productions’ Stuart Coxe (Dragons’ Den). Original music and score for Ni-Nadaamadiz are composed by Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory musician, Tom Wilson, known for his work in bands including Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and Junkhouse, and Thompson Wilson.
Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising is produced in association with documentary Channel and APTN. The film was made with generous support from the Indigenous Screen Office, Canada Council for the Arts, CMF Indigenous Fund, and Telefilm Canada. Following its world premiere as a part of TIFF Docs, this documentary Channel Original film will be available in English and Anishinabemowin versions on CBC platforms in 2026.
For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual, & Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; Sandra Kleinfeld is Senior Director, Documentary; and Nic Meloney is Executive in Charge of Production.
ABOUT MAKWA CREATIVE INC.
Tanya Talaga founded Makwa Creative Inc., a production and podcast company, seven years ago to amplify Indigenous stories. In 2024, Makwa’s four-part, Canadian Screen Award-winning documentary series, The Knowing, premiered at TIFF before screening at film festivals around the world. The series is available to stream on CBC Gem.
Antica Productions produces podcasts, films and series for global audiences with partners like BBC, CBC, Comcast, Amazon and Lionsgate.
ABOUT SERIAL MAVEN STUDIOS
Headquartered in Toronto, Serial Maven Studios is a forward-thinking, globally focused studio dedicated to creating, financing, producing, and distributing original, returnable intellectual property. Led by Solange Attwood (CEO), Julie Chang (COO), Michael Kot (President), and Betty Orr (Managing Director of Production), Serial Maven Studios is renowned for delivering innovative, solution-driven content partnerships and premium programming with an international offering of 350+ hours of content from best-in-class production companies in the US, UK, Australia and Canada.