How We Stand
| How We Stand | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Marie Clements |
| Written by | Marie Clements |
| Produced by | Marie Clements Trish Dolman Christine Haebler Steven Thibault |
| Starring | Amber Midthunder Cara Jade Myers Alyssa Wapanatâhk |
| Cinematography | Adam Madrzyk |
| Edited by | Maxime Lahaie |
| Music by | Wayne Lavallee |
Production company | Screen Siren Pictures |
| Distributed by | Photon Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
How We Stand is a Canadian drama film, directed by Marie Clements and released in 2026. The film tells the story of three Native American sisters from Oklahoma who traveled with their mother to Los Angeles in the 1960s as part of a relocation program aimed at "civilizing" Native Americans, but whose lives took very different paths after their mother was killed not long after their arrival.
The film stars Amber Midthunder, Cara Jade Myers and Alyssa Wapanatâhk, with its supporting cast including Isabel Deroy-Olson, Eric Johnson, Darren Mann, Gary Farmer and Gil Bellows.
Production
The film entered production in 2025 in Vancouver and the Okanagan region of British Columbia, under the working title Tombs. It is an adaptation of her theatrical play Tombs of the Vanishing Indian.
Distribution
The film premiered in the Centrepiece program at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.
Critical response
For That Shelf, Sarah Gopaul wrote that "writer-director Marie Clements expertly intertwines the three stories, exposing each woman’s present-day betrayals by the system and the men in their lives. Even though they have different lifestyles, their personal pain and past trauma continues to affect them, too. Their distress draws them back to the last place they were all together and their bond transcends the distances that separate them."
Awards
At the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival, it won the Arbutus Award for Best British Columbia Film.
The film is also slated to screen in the Borsos Competition program at the 2026 Whistler Film Festival.
References
- ↑ "Films from Ron Murphy, Marie Clements programmed at TIFF". Lethbridge Herald, August 4, 2026.
- 1 2 Andreas Wiseman, "Amber Midthunder, Cara Jade Myers & Alyssa Wapanatâhk Lead ‘Tombs’; Myriad Launches Ahead Of AFM". Deadline Hollywood, October 16, 2025.
- ↑ Jamie Casemore, "Marie Clements rolls in B.C. on feature film Tombs". Playback, October 17, 2025.
- 1 2 Sarah Gopaul, "How We Stand Review: TIFF 2026". That Shelf, September 10, 2026.
- ↑ Kate Erbland, TIFF Adds More Than 60 New Titles, Including Festival Winners ‘La Gradiva’ and ‘Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!’". IndieWire, August 4, 2026.
- ↑ Katherine Brodsky, "Vancouver Film Festival Prizes: Big Wins for Immigrant Tale ‘Nina Roza,’ the ‘Polished Cinematic’ ‘In the Heart of the South’ and Separated Sisters Story ‘How We Stand’". Variety, October 7, 2026.
- ↑ Jericho Tadeo, "Whistler unveils full lineup, 16 films for Borsos Competition". Playback, November 3, 2026.
External links
- How We Stand at IMDb
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