NORTH NODE, 12min., Canada
Directed by Tatjana Green, Nicole VanStone

Get to know filmmaker Tatjana Green:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
North Node was born from a deep respect for the resilience and wisdom of Indigenous women in Northern Ontario. I was motivated by a desire to witness and share the quiet power of Anishinaabe Elders who are reclaiming land, spirit, and community through healing. The film became a way to honour their stories — not as subjects, but as teachers — and to reflect on how healing, renewal and belonging are written into the landscape itself.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

The project evolved over a year. It began as a series of community visits and informal conversations, slowly taking shape through trust and collaboration. Filming unfolded in one season as a starting point, we want to film all seasons allowing the story to emerge naturally rather than be imposed.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Ancestral Healing, Northern Light, or Land Remembered

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The greatest challenge was time — not only in a logistical sense, but in learning to move at the pace of the land and the people. Building genuine relationships requires patience and humility. It meant letting go of control and allowing the story to reveal itself on its own terms.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It was deeply moving. Hearing that people connected emotionally — that they felt the stillness, the presence, the hope — affirmed that the film's quiet rhythm spoke louder than words. It reminded me that healing can be felt collectively, even through a screen.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I realized it when I understood that film could hold both truth and mystery at once. I've always been drawn to storytelling that doesn't explain, but evokes — where image, sound, and silence come together to express what can't always be said out loud.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Besides The original 1942 Disney's Bambi 20x over as a kid, Take this Waltz by Sarah Polley for it's truth and raw feeling or The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick. Its blend of cosmic awe and intimate humanity feels close to how I see filmmaking — something ethereal, nostalgic with a memory, and cinema intertwined.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I value festivals that foster dialogue and mentorship between filmmakers and communities — especially around regional and Indigenous storytelling. Opportunities for connection beyond the screening, such as filmmaker circles or in-person gatherings, make the experience truly meaningful.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experience been working on the festival platform site?

FilmFreeway has made it easier to connect with festivals aligned with the film's spirit. It's user-friendly and I appreciate how it helps smaller, community-driven festivals gain visibility alongside major ones.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Mac & Cheese, Caviar and any form of potatoes

11. What is next for you? A new film?

Yes. North Node is expanding into a feature-length documentary exploring all 4 seasons in Blind River - focusing on the Indigenous-led land healing and intergenerational restoration in Northern Ontario. It continues the same spirit — but goes deeper into the relationships between Elders, elements, and the next generation of women leading the way.