Jeff Barnaby, famous Mi’kmaq filmmaker, dies aged 46 – National

Jeff Barnaby, filmmaker Mi’kmaw, considered the visionary of modern Indigenous cinema, has passed away.

The director’s representative said he passed away after a year of fighting cancer. He is 46 years old.

Raised in the Listuguj Reserve in Quebec, Barnaby has directed many short films, including a Jutra Award nominated Colony and Genie are nominated Submitted in Other.

The Montreal-based screenwriter and director received critical acclaim for his 2013 feature film debut Rhymes for Young Ghoul. The film criticizes Canada’s residential school system in a way that has not been widely practiced in cinema. Set in the 1970s, the film also reminds audiences that the events it depicts are not ancient history.

He continues that with the 2019 zombie thriller Amount of blood, which swept the Canadian Screen Awards, winning six out of 10 nominations – the most of any film at the awards that year. It has an almost native cast, and it took Barnaby over 13 years to complete.

Barnaby is survived by his wife, Sarah Del Seronde, and son, Miles.

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