Joe Buffalo film is about pro-skating and surviving residential school
You can watch the film and live Q&A with the filmmakers and Joe Buffalo on June 26
The documentary Joe Buffalo follows the story of Joe Buffalo, an Indigenous skateboard legend from the Maskwacis Cree Nation and a survivor of Canada’s notorious Indian Residential School system.
Following a traumatic childhood and decades of addiction, Joe must face his inner demons to realize his dream of becoming a professional skateboarder at the age of 41. “Skateboarding was definitely a saviour” is a theme throughout this powerful films that ends with a hopeful note of Joe as a role model and inspiration to a younger generation.
In recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day, the Whistler Film Festival will present a virtual screening of the award-winning film along with an interactive Q&A with filmmakers Amar Chebib, Joe Buffalo and Hayley Morin on Sat. June 26 at 5:30 p.m. PST. It will be hosted by Rose Archie, co-founder of Nations Skate Youth.
“Donations are gratefully accepted, with proceeds being shared with Nations Skate Youth, an organization co-founded by Joe Buffalo that empowers Indigenous youth to embrace their right to self-determination through the positive impact of skateboarding.”
Watch a trailer to the film below, and a profile on Joe Buffalo by Skateboard Canada below.