Inkwo For When the Starving Return, the soon to be a six-part animated series is currently screening at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in the Animated Shorts Film Program.
Dove, a young, enigmatic, gender-shifting warrior, discovers the gifts and burdens of their Inkwo (medicine) to defend against an army of hungry, ferocious monsters. Dove’s courage, resilience and alliance with the Earth culminates in a battle against these flesh-consuming creatures, who become stronger with each body and soul they devour. Inkwo For When the Starving Return is a call to action to fight and protect against the forces of greed around us.
The film was adapted from the collection of published and unpublished short stories and graphic novels Wheetago War, by award-winning storyteller Richard Van Camp (Tłı̨chǫ), features the voice talents of Tantoo Cardinal (Legends Of The Fall, Killers Of The Flower Moon), Paulina Alexis (Reservation Dogs), and Art Napoleon (Moosemeat & Marmalade).
Fabrication of the puppets is by Standing Figure (Wendell & Wild) and was puppet supervised by the incomparable Georgina Hayns (Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, Corpse Bride).
In subsequent episodes, Dove continues their battle with the soul-stealing creatures. With revolutionary animation and a story based on award-winning Indigenous literature, the series explores the pre- and post-war world while also expanding on Dove’s epic journey of embracing the power of their Inkwo and taking a stand to defend the remaining humans and animals left on the Earth.
The series will appeal to not only Generation Z audiences looking for captivating stories that meet them where they are, but also anime fans, horror fans, and queer audiences across the spectrum.
This film is gorgeous and the story is extremely relevant to the times we find ourselves in now, sadly. Dove’s fight with the creature is the perfect allegory for the next couple of years. HF.com says – See it! And, watch out for the upcoming series.
Inkwo For When the Starving Return first screened at Sundance on January 24th in the Animated Shorts Film Program at the Library Center Theatre, Park City at 8:30pm MST, with three additional in-person screenings to follow.