Each and every year, I sit down for a movie I know next to nothing about, and pray I’m pleasantly surprised.

This year, Portraits From A Fire absolutely blew me away, and the talent involved in this picture is absolutely explosive.

Portraits wrapped shooting in September 2019 in the community of Tl-etinqox, British Columbia, and it represents one heck of a giant step for its director.

With his feature-length debut, 29-year-old Trevor Mack has put a truly splendid showcase on for this one.

Also a co-writer, he weaves a tale about a filmmaking-obsessed Indigenous boy who find his whole world changing as a family revelation begins to come to light. It’s well-shot, and the acting is absolutely fantastic.

William Luke is fantastic as our teenage protagonist, and Nathaniel Arcand is hugely sympathetic as a grieving, gruff father. Finally, Asivak Koostachin comes on the scene here, and he’ll guaranteed wow you.

This is one heck of a debut, and one of the most engrossing movies I’ve seen at the festival this year.

4/5 Stars