FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
qathet Region / Vancouver, BC — May 9, 2026
təm kʷaθ nan. Namesake, a documentary based in Tla’amin territory and co-directed by Tla’amin citizens ƛɛsla Dr. Evan Adams and t̓agəm Eileen Francis, has won the Vancouver Film Studios Award for Best BC Director at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival in Vancouver, where the film screened May 2 and 3.
The award, presented at the DOXA gala last night, recognizes a film that asks a question the whole country is grappling with: what does it mean to live well together in a place where people carry different histories?
DOXA Artistic Director Sarah Ouazzani praised the film and its reception. “Namesake is such a powerful film,” she said. “The post-screening discussion was truly amazing and full of care and intelligence.”
The win marks another milestone for the film which has recently hit the national stage. Namesake has now screened at two of North America’s most prestigious documentary festivals — Hot Docs in Toronto and DOXA in Vancouver — and its run is just beginning.
Quotes
“This recognition belongs to the whole team. I thank them for their extraordinary contributions — and this recognition helps us get to more people facing these issues of place names and Reconciliation.” – Co-director ƛɛsla Dr. Evan Adams
“To DOXA, to TELUS Originals, to every person who walked alongside us — this film exists because you believed that stories of place and memory deserve to be told with care. č̓ɛč̓ɛhatənapɛšt. We raise our hands to you.” – t̓agəm Co-director Eileen Francis
“Tla’amin Nation is proud of ƛɛsla and t̓agəm for carrying this story into the world and I want to thank the filmmakers for courageously documenting these past few years. Turning a camera toward conflict and tension is not easy work. Their commitment ensures that our children and grandchildren will understand what was at stake and why this conversation matters.” – Tla’amin hegus John Hackett
Watch the trailer and learn more at https://namesake.film