This Wednesday, September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day. Through the week and on the day itself, cinemas across the country are recognizing this day with screenings and events. The below list is not comprehensive; we encourage you to check your local cinema.
In May 2026, we saw the opening of a new Indigenous-led cinema: Morningstar Cinemas in Meadow Lake, SK. Beyond showing Indigenous films, it’s important to support more Indigenous leadership in the actual work of film exhibition! Led by Cree filmmaker Rueben Martell, Morningstar Cinemas is presenting a special screening of Tristin Greyeyes’ A Cree Approach (nêhiyawîhtwâwin) on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
This year, NICE is also collaborating on an Orange Shirt Day pilot project with Telefilm Canada and the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO). You can find the participating cinemas on Telefilm’s See It All page.
For this blog post, we are using The Treaty Map from the Yellowhead Institute to identify the treaties that apply to each of the mentioned screening venues. The Yellowhead Treaty Map is an accessible introduction to treaty-lands across Canada, including the context, negotiation process and terms of treaties. After all, a key aspect of cinemas is that they are on the land — and the land has a history.
Header image from Endless Sunlight, playing at The Cinematheque.
British Columbia
Star Cinema, Sidney
The Star Cinema is located on territory covered by the Douglas Treaties, sometimes called the Vancouver Island Treaties, which are a series of agreements between the Crown and the W̱SÁNEĆ, Lekwungen and Kwakwaka’wakw. In partnership with the Districts of North Saanich and Central Saanich and the Town of Sidney, the Star Cinema is presenting Films for Truth and Reconciliation through October 1. Screenings include təm kʷaθ nan (Namesake), Indian Horse, Ninan Auassat (We, the Children) and Nika & Madison.
The Vic Theatre, Victoria
Also located on territory covered by the Douglas Treaties, the Vic Theatre is screening təm kʷaθ nan (Namesake).
Cinecenta, Victoria
University cinema Cinecenta, also on territory covered by the Douglas Treaties, is screening Darlene Naponse’s AKI on September 30, promoted with an ad in the local paper’s special Truth and Reconciliation Day edition.
Patricia Theatre, qathet Regional District
The Patricia Theatre is located on land covered by the Tla’amin Final Agreement, a modern treaty between Tla’amin Nation, Canada and British Columbia. The qathet film society is holding its fourth annual 3 Ears Indigenous Film Festival through September 30, with admission to all films by donation. The lineup includes Wrong Husband, Blood Lines, Endless Cookie, AKI, Nirilaurta: Let Us Eat (with a local panel on food security), Nika & Madison and təm kʷaθ nan (Namesake). At the September 30 screening of Namesake, Elder Doreen Point will offer a prayer, the Tla’amin Spirit Singers will perform and local Indigenous filmmakers will join for a Q&A.
The Cinematheque, Vancouver
The Cinematheque is located on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, which are not covered by a treaty. The Cinematheque is presenting What We Carry and Endless Sunlight, a double bill of new work by Jessie Anthony and Tyson Houseman. The program will be opened by jingle dress dancer KeAloha Browne and drummer Ambrose Cardinal.
Rio Theatre, Vancouver
Also on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ territory, the Rio Theatre is hosting a free screening of SLASH/BACK. Nyla Innuksuk’s sci-fi horror follows a group of teenage girls in Pangnirtung, Nunavut who take on an alien invasion.
The Towne Theatre, Vernon
The Towne Theatre is located on the unceded territory of the syilx Okanagan Nation. The Towne is screening Singing Back the Buffalo and Blood Lines, with public screenings alongside dedicated daytime screenings for the local school district. The theatre is subsidizing bus transportation so that students may attend.
Paramount Theatre, Kamloops
The Paramount Theatre, operated by the Kamloops Film Society, is situated within the unceded ancestral lands of the Secwépemc Nation. In collaboration with Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc, the Kamloops Film Society hosted its fifth annual Stseptékwles re Sk’elép (Coyote Stories) Indigenous Film Festival. The festival featured a red carpet reception with Duane Marchand, masterclasses with Taratoa Stappard and Doreen Manuel, screenings of Tea Creek, təm kʷaθ nan (Namesake), At the Place of Ghosts, Mārama and Starwalker and a closing night Two-Spirit drag show.
Alberta
Metro Cinema, Edmonton
Metro Cinema is located on land covered by Treaty 6, an agreement between the Crown and the Plains and Woods Cree, Nakota and other Nations. Metro Cinema is screening Wîwîp’son: The Healing Swing.
Mosaic Theatre, Brooks
The Mosaic Theatre is located on land covered by Treaty 7, an agreement between the Crown and the Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, Tsuut’ina and Stoney Nakoda Nations. The Mosaic is holding a free community screening of Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man.
The Movie Mill, Lethbridge
The Movie Mill is located on land covered by Treaty 7, an agreement between the Crown and the Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, Tsuut’ina and Stoney Nakoda Nations. In honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Movie Mill is screening Tasha Hubbard’s Meadowlarks.
Saskatchewan
Morningstar Cinema, Meadow Lake
Morningstar Cinemas opened its doors this spring as Canada’s first fully Indigenous-led, year-round cinema, serving nine First Nations in and around Meadow Lake. For the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Morningstar is presenting a special screening of Tristin Greyeyes’ A Cree Approach (nêhiyawîhtwâwin).
Orpheum Theatre, Estevan
The Orpheum is located on land covered by Treaty 4, an agreement between the Crown and the Cree, Saulteaux and Nakota Nations. On September 30, the Orpheum is screening Bretten Hannam’s At the Place of Ghosts (Sk+te’kmujue’katik) at 1:30 p.m. and Nika & Madison at 1:45 p.m., with all seats at $5.
Grand Theatre, Indian Head
Also on Treaty 4 land, the Grand Theatre, which first opened in 1904 as the Indian Head Opera House, is screening Singing Back the Buffalo on September 30. At the screenings, audiences can partake in bannock bread served with jam made from locally grown and harvested raspberries.
Ontario
Sudbury Indie Cinema, Sudbury
Sudbury Indie Cinema is located on land covered by the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850, an agreement between the Crown and the Anishinaabe of the north shore of Lake Huron. On September 30 at 7 p.m., the co-op is screening AKI and Two Old Women, followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Darlene Naponse and Princess Daazhraii Johnson. AKI is Naponse’s beautiful non-verbal feature documentary, and the event poster was created by a local Indigenous artist. Tickets are $5.
The Westdale, Hamilton
The Westdale is located on land covered by Treaty 3, or the so-called Between the Lakes Purchase, which is an agreement between the Crown and the Mississauga Anishinaabeg (Michi Saagig). The Westdale is screening AKI and Blood Lines.
Film.Ca Cinemas, Oakville
Film.Ca Cinemas is located on land covered by the Head of the Lake Purchase (Treaty 14), an agreement between the Crown and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Film.Ca is screening AKI. A portion of each ticket goes to Save the Children Canada and its National Reconciliation Program.
Revue Cinema, Toronto
The Revue is located on land covered by the Toronto Purchase (Treaty 13), an agreement between the Crown and the Mississaugas of the Credit. The Revue is hosting a special fundraiser screening of SLASH/BACK, with proceeds from donations and partial proceeds from their concessions going to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.
ByTowne Cinema, Ottawa
The ByTowne is located on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation, which is not covered by a treaty. The ByTowne is screening Ever Deadly and Clearcut (1991), both pay-what-you-can with proceeds going to the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition. Throat singers Riit and Charlotte Qamaniq will perform before Ever Deadly.
Quebec
Cinéma Public, Montreal
Tiohtià:ke, or Montreal, is unceded Kanien’kehá:ka territory, which is not covered by a treaty. Cinéma Public is screening Joséphine Bacon and Kim O’Bomsawin’s Nitassinan, with O’Bomsawin in attendance for a post-screening Q&A.
Cinéma Beaubien and Cinéma du Musée, Montreal
Also in Tiohtià:ke, Cinéma Beaubien and Cinéma du Musée are both screening Nitassinan. Co-director Kim O’Bomsawin will be in attendance for a Q&A at Cinéma du Musée.
Nova Scotia
Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville
The Al Whittle Theatre is located in Mi’kma’ki, on land covered by the Peace and Friendship Treaties, a series of agreements between the Crown and the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik and Peskotomuhkati. The Al Whittle is screening Danis Goulet’s Night Raiders, with each ticket including a snack created by Chef Steph Levac, an Indigenous chef with roots in M’Chigeeng First Nation.
Yukon
Yukon Theatre, Whitehorse
The Yukon Theatre is located on land covered by the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Ta’an Kwäch’än Council Final Agreements, modern treaties negotiated under the Yukon Umbrella Final Agreement. The Yukon Film Society is presenting screenings of Jeff Barnaby’s Rhymes for Young Ghouls and Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man, with catering from Fireweed Collective Catering.