DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING

Dr. Jules Arita Koostachin is an award-winning Cree documentary filmmaker whose work is grounded in Indigenous storytelling methodologies, relational accountability, and community-engaged practice. With more than two decades of experience in media arts, she has directed and produced acclaimed documentaries for the National Film Board of Canada, CBC, APTN, and independent producers, exploring themes of identity, language revitalization, healing, resilience, Indigenous rights, and cultural continuity.

Her documentary work is informed by extensive research, lived experience, and a deep commitment to ethical storytelling. As both a filmmaker and scholar, Jules brings a unique approach to documentary creation that prioritizes relationship-building, Indigenous protocols, and the respectful representation of community knowledge and lived realities.

Jules has directed award-winning documentaries including WaaPaKe (Tomorrow), NiiMisSak, Chubby Cree, KaYaMenTa: Sharing Truths About Menopause, OshKiKiShiKaw: A New Day, NiiSoTeWak: Two Bodies, One Heart, Butterfly Monument, and Remembering Inninimowin. Her films have screened nationally and internationally, earning critical acclaim for their authentic voices, emotional depth, and commitment to social impact.

In addition to directing, Jules offers expertise in documentary development, story structure, interview techniques, Indigenous research methodologies, ethical engagement, and community-based filmmaking practices. She regularly mentors emerging filmmakers, consults on documentary projects, and speaks on Indigenous media, documentary ethics, and decolonizing storytelling practices.

Through her work, Jules continues to create documentaries that honour Indigenous knowledge, amplify underrepresented voices, and inspire meaningful dialogue, understanding, and change.