A years-in-the-making initiative by the Canadian government and industry financiers has led to a historic close-up for Indigenous filmmakers at this year’s Toronto Film Festival. “What we’re seeing is continued momentum that is real and is only increasing in the diversity of filmmaking and the success of (indigenous) filmmakers themselves,” Kerri Swanson, CEO of the Indigenous Film Office (ISO), tells The Hollywood Reporter after her organization helped finance eight First Nations filmmakers with movies premiering at TIFF this year. Those include Cody Lightning’s hockey drama Smudge The Blades, Marie Clements’ Los Angeles-set drama How…
