On September 30, Hollywood Suite will present a special day of programming curated to commemorate National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and to celebrate the work of Indigenous filmmakers, performers and artists. With a focus on history and storytelling, this year’s programming includes stories from various Indigenous cultures, including the broadcast premiere of Dr. Jules Arita Koostachin‘s feature film Angela’s Shadow (2023).
An award-winning thriller, Angela’s Shadow (2023) follows Angela (Sera-Lys McArthur) and Henry (Matthew Kevin Anderson), an Ottawa couple with a baby, who visit their childhood nanny, Mary (Renae Morriseau), in the Cree community of KiiWeeTin. The night before their departure, a shadow figure harasses Angela. Directed and co-written by Dr. Jules Arita Koostachin, the film is set to have its broadcast premiere on Hollywood Suite at 9 pm ET.
“Angela’s Shadow confronts the hidden histories of residential schools through the lens of one family’s story,” said Dr. Koostachin. “In honouring Truth and Reconciliation, my hope is that audiences witness not only the pain of these silenced truths, but also the strength of Cree ceremony, kinship, and love that continue to guide our healing.”
At the core of this year’s programming is APTN‘s Remembering the Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2025, a 90-minute multilingual commemorative gathering created in partnership with CBC/Radio-Canada and the Algonquin Nation, broadcast live from Ottawa. In honour of Survivors, the special pays tribute to the children who never made it home from residential schools in a safe environment for reconciliation and healing. Hosted by Earl Wood and Melissa Molen Dupuis, the special will feature reflections from esteemed Elders and Survivors, as well as moving performances from First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists.
Also included in the programming are powerful documentaries like Alanis Obomsawin‘s Incident at Restigouche (1984), comedies like The Great Salish Heist (2024) starring Ashley Callingbull, Darrell Dennis and Graham Greene, horrors like Jeff Barnaby‘s Rhymes for Young Ghouls (2013), coming-of-age stories like Myriam Verreault‘s Kuessipan (2019) and dramas like Dance Me Outside (1994) starring Michael Greyeyes, Adam Beach and Jennifer Podemski, among many others.
Find the full list of programming for National Truth and Reconciliation Day below:
Incident at Restigouche (1984)
Black Robe (1991)
Dance Me Outside (1994)
The Lesser Blessed (2012)
Rhymes for Young Ghouls (2013)
Kuessipan (2019)
Rustic Oracle (2019)
Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education (2020)
Don’t Say Its Name (2021)
L’Inhumain (2021)
The Corruption of Divine Providence (2021)
Wildhood (2021)
Angela’s Shadow (2023)
s-yéwyáw: Awaken (2023)
The Great Salish Heist (2024)
All programming is also available on demand.