Howah Productions Inc.

11/06/2025

Closing out our festival circuit for Oshki-aya’aa (also known as Something New), we’ll be screening at the La Skins Fest in Hollywood at the TCL Chinese Theatres on Sunday, November 23rd during the 4:30pm block of shorts to close out the festival!

You can buy tickets at the link below:
https://filmfreeway.com/LosAngelesSkinsFilmFestival/ticket

“The journey that this film has been on and all of the things that we were met with along the way has been a crazy ride. This being the first project that I wrote and directed and having it be seen all over the continent has been a unique experience but it’s been so fulfilling. So many of my emotions are attached to this film, whether that be the anxieties, doubt, joy, pride or any other feelings that most people in this profession know very well. From the very beginning, my relationship to this film has evolved continuously from a place of extreme self criticism into a place of deep admiration and pride for what I was able to accomplish artistically for my very first film.

It was f**kin’ hard trying to give myself some grace but I got there eventually and I’m glad that the people that surrounded me lifted me up. So I’m nothing but grateful to my cast and crew for working so hard. Everyone holds a very large and special place in my heart for helping me do something in my life that truly matters to me. I have learned so much from this film and I only wish to continue to improve in my craft in the future.” - Jordan Wanakamik

It’s been quite the journey from when we first made the film to where we are now in terms of learning and navigating the festival circuit and the difficulties around having a longer short be accepted into festivals. But all a part of the learning process! We’re now going to be on the lookout to start having more community screenings across Turtle Island, and hoping to bring this film to as many people as we can. So if you or your organization might be interested in having access to our film to screen at an event or what have you, please feel free to contact us to arrange something! 😌

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

A chi-miigwetch again to the cast and crew for being a part of this film.

Starring Jordan Fiddler, Thurston Kwissiwa, Crystal Harrison Collin, Birdie Cantin & Sean Morriseau.

Original music by Birdsong Records, also known as Nathan Pakka & Johnny Longfeather.

DP’d & edited by Gf Pipitone.

Production designed by Savina Monopoli.

Sound recorded & mixed by Zoe Gordon.

Stay tuned for future updates on where to watch the film!

11/05/2025

imagineNATIVE Original Short Film Casting Call - “Written in the Stars”
PAID - ACTRA ONLY
SHOOTING DATES: TBD, but 3 days sometime between Dec. 2 and 8, 2025. Specific roles only needed for 1 day of shooting, or recording - specified below.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT: Friday, November 7, 2025.

Written & Directed by Katia Ferderber

Niibin, a young nish woman is very much single after a situationship and comes to meet a guy, Kinew, hidden in plain sight at the right place, right time. Will she allow herself to be open to kind, gentle, native love?

Howah Productions is seeking out the following roles for a short film in Toronto, Ontario. All applicants MUST be located within Toronto or the GTA and able to get themselves from and to the filming locations.

DANIEL - Male, mid 20s - late 20s. Open ethnicity. (1 day)
Ex-boyfriend of Niibin. Daniel is the typical indie dude that is egotistical. Has a very nonchalant attitude and has charm. How he dresses himself is very effortless.

KINEW’S FRIEND - Non-speaking role. Male, mid 20s - late 20s. Open ethnicity. (1 day)
Best friend of Kinew. He is a gentle, alternative dude with good fashion taste. He’s a supportive friend to Kinew.

VOICE OVER - Non-camera role. Female. Late 50s, onward. Indigenous. (1 day)
Narrator for the love story unfolding. Has wisdom in their voice. Think of Grandmother Moon.

BACKGROUND ACTORS - Open ethnicities. Open to all genders. (1 day)
Indie and alternative music scene people with interesting fashion taste.

📩 To Submit:
Email [email protected] with the subject line:
WRITTEN IN THE STARS – [ROLE NAME] Submission
Include:
- Headshot and acting CV (optional).
- ACTRA Member Status & Number
- Demo reel or self tape (whatever makes most sense for the role you’re applying for)
- A short note about yourself and what draws you to the role.
- If selected, and depending on the role, you may receive sides from the script to record a short self-tape or audio recording based on your chosen role.

10/04/2025

Our short film "Oshki-aya'aa" also in English called "Something New", is available to watch online through the link below. Only until tomorrow through the Weengushk International Film Festival. If you have 20 minutes, please take a chance to watch this tender film about healing with your family. I think we could all use a lil healing energy!

Your generous donations make it possible for us to continue this important work, providing a platform for Indigenous voices and fostering understanding and resilience.

09/23/2025

Festival run is still going! We’ve had a few more official selections for “Oshki-aya’aa”, English name “Something New”.

We played this past summer during the online portion of the RIFFA - Regina International Film Festival and Awards, this past weekend in Ottawa as a part of the Asinabka Film & Media Arts Festival, and we have upcoming screenings in the USA at the Albuquerque Film & Music Experience, the Black Hills Film Festival and online during the Weengushk International Film Festival.

Links to each upcoming festival for ticketing:

www.afmxnm.com/event-details/film-block-20-indigenous-films-1

www.blackhillsfilmfestival.org/festival-information

www.weengushkfilmfestival.ca

There’s still more festivals coming up, but we can’t announce which ones yet! Stay tuned! 👀

01/29/2025

We are thrilled to be invited to the European Film Market as a part of their Fiction Toolbox Programme alongside so many other talented filmmakers from around the world. We’ve been attending workshops over the past couple months to help prepare for the market and are so happy to be able to bring an Anishinaabe sci-fi, drama, romance feature narrative to international markets. There will be more to come!

If you’re going to be in Berlin for EFM or the Berlinale and want to meet up or say hi, let us know. 🙋🏽

01/28/2025

Meet the writer and director behind Oshki-aya’aa. 👋🏽

Fun fact: this is his directorial debut.

Jordan Wanakamik is an emerging Anishinaabe, Cree and Vietnamese filmmaker and photographer based in Toronto, Ontario. Starting out with photography as a hobby in 2018, he found a passion in cinematography and writing stories and decided to pursue a career in film. He is a member of Whitesand First Nation and the Cree Nation of Mistissini and son of a Vietnamese immigrant. Jordan was also selected for the LIFT and imagineNATIVE mentorship program and wrote and directed a short film named “Burned” which premiered at the 2023 imagineNATIVE film festival. Jordan was the Program Facilitator at POV Film for the Production Assistant Training Program. Jordan is also a guest mentor for the Toronto District School Board’s Arts Co-op Program with the Urban Indigenous Education Centre.

Follow along to learn more about our cast and crew, get behind the scenes and see more of the making of. 🧐

Music by https://www.bensound.com
License code: 5DE40AKWJAEDATQJ

01/25/2025

The official trailer for Oshki-aya’aa. 👀

A short film written and directed by Jordan Wanakamik. Produced by Victoria Anderson-Gardner.

Starring Jordan Fiddler, Thurston Kwissiwa, Crystal Harrison Collin, Birdie Cantin and Sean Morriseau.

Original music by Birdsong Records.

DP’d and edited by Gianni Arrigo.

Production designed by Savina Monopoli.

01/24/2025

The official poster for our short film called OSHKI-AYA’AA (which roughly translates into “Something New” in Anishinaabemowin).

Daniel, a 17 year-old Anishinaabe teen bearing the weight of his unstable childhood, seeks reconnection to himself and to his culture.

Struggling with lack of food security due to his mother’s addictions, he gets caught stealing food from a local convenience store. Thankfully the store manager knows his family and calls his uncle Bernie to come pick him up. Bernie brings Daniel over for a home-cooked meal, where Daniel learns that his uncle dances traditionally. Inspired by his uncle, Daniel decides to take it upon himself to learn how to grass dance and in the process learns about his own family’s history. Through the power of traditional dance, he is able to bring his disconnected family back together and provide some much needed healing for all of them.

We’re currently on our festival run, and will continue to post updates about the film and it’s happenings here. So follow us to stay tuned for upcoming screenings and information in regard to the film! 👋🏽

05/29/2024

We are beyond thrilled to finally announce the WORLD PREMIERE of OSHKI-AYA’AA 🗣️

Our film will have its world premiere at the inaugural Ācimowin Film Festival in Saskatoon on SATURDAY, JUNE 8th at 1:00PM at the Magic Lantern Roxy Theatre during the Revitalize, Retain, Reclaim program. Writer & director, Jordan Wanakamik, will be in attendance for the screening, so be sure to come by the screening and say hi afterwards.

Link to tickets below:
https://acimowinfilmfestival.eventive.org/schedule/661d85253da74e007e9056b0

Starring: Jordan Z. Dorian, Birdie Cantin, Crystal Harrison Collin, Thurston Kwissiwa, Sean Morriseau

Writer & Director: Jordan Wanakamik
Producer: Victoria Anderson-Gardner
DOP & Editor: Gianni Arrigo
Production Designer: Savina Monopoli
Original Music: Birdsong Records, Nathan Pakka, Johnny Longfeather
Sound Recordist & Sound Editor: Zoe Gordon
AD: Sean Morriseau
Set Decorator: Emma Wostyn
1st AC & Grip: Noles Dennhardt
Gaffer: Niklas Metcalfe
Grip & PA: Morgan Finlay
BTS & Hair: Morningstar Desrosiers
MUA: Casha Adams
Regalia Makers: Tammy Deperry-Robinson & Michael Robinson
PA: Kieran Wanakamik
Colourist: Yuri Cabrera
Colour Producer: Melody Chan
Elder: Audrey Deroy

Special thanks to the Creative Sovereignty Lab, Co.Lab Gallery, The City of Thunder Bay, Fort William First Nation and THP Variety and Gas Bar

With support from Indigenous Screen Office

03/18/2024

Mino-gizhigeb, good morning to all of our new followers! 🔆

If you’ve shared our previous post announcing the start of Howah’s journey, you may have received a warning saying the post went against Facebook’s guidelines. We believe this has to do with our website going against Meta’s new guidelines in regards to sharing news content. I’ve asked them to re-review the post in the meantime.

Miigwetch for all the love so far! During this time, we are still getting things sorted operationally, so we won’t be producing anything anytime soon. However, we will be sharing updates as they come through all of our social media channels. So be sure to follow along for updates. 👋🏽