AITAMAAKO’TAMISSKAPI NATOSI: BEFORE THE SUN
WORLD PREMIERE, CANADIAN PREMIERE, INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL CIRCUIT, AWARDS & STREAMING DEBUT
In January 2023, we teamed up with Taxam Films to promote the world premiere of the feature documentary Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun directed by Banchi Hanuse. We were on-hand to support the talented team behind the film for the world premiere at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula, Montana on February 25th. Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun was also nominated for the prestigious Big Sky Award. In the lead up to the world premiere, we secured media coverage for the film including pieces in The Missoulian, Billings Gazette, The Independent, Muskrat Magazine and many others. After the film took home the Big Sky Award, another wave of media recognition rolled in and we placed stories in Deadline, Playback, ABC, Fox and many other outlets.
On April 29th, 2023, Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before The Sun had its highly anticipated Canadian premiere at Hot Docs 2023 in Toronto. We were thrilled to be there to support the team on the red carpet and for a wide array of media interviews. The national and local coverage included reviews, interviews and inclusions in POV Magazine, Variety, CBC Arts, In The Seats, She Does The City, Windspeaker and many others.
“Before the Sun excels as a sports documentary. Hanuse presents with clarity, artistry and respect the unmistakable force of the horses and the might required to compete. Watching Red Crow train, with her brothers serving as her pit crew, is inspiring. While the physical strength necessary to ride the horses and perform a swift exchange after each lap is a given, Hanuse also imparts to audiences the mental fortitude required. Staying focused and sharp is vital where one misstep could be disastrous and, indeed, fatal.”
— Rachel Ho, POV Magazine
SEAGRASS writer/director
”There are many sports documentaries in the world, but few are as patient and focused as this one from director Banchi Hanuse about the thrilling and terrifying world of bareback relay horse racing.”
— Chase Hutchinson, The Stranger
dith Hama-Brown, star Ally Maki and the team at VIFF 2023
Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before The Sun continued on its highly successful festival run with screenings at the Seattle International Film Festival, the Calgary International Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Austin Film Festival, the Santa Fe International Film Festival, the San Diego Film Festival, the Guelph Film Festival and others. We joined the teams for the VIFF and AFF premieres and coordinated many interviews with director Banchi Hanuse, the film’s subject Logan Red Crow and producer Carey Newman.
In the lead-up to the Vancouver International Film Festival, we were pleased to coordinate interviews and stories in Stir Vancouver, The Georgia Straight and The Ubyssey. The Vancouver Sun arts journalist Dana Gee included the film in her “Vancouver International Film Festival: 10 Films for your must-see list” story.
Along the way, Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before The Sun earned several esteemed nominations, awards and accolades. In addition to winning the Big Sky Award, it was long-listed for the 2023 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award and won the Northern Lights VIFF Audience Award. It was a thrilling experience to help share this news as the film continued to impress new audiences.
In December 2023, Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before The Sun debuted on TELUS Optik and Paramount+ and is available to audiences on-demand. Being a part of this film’s awe-inspiring journey has been incredible, the film continues to win hearts and minds as new viewers tune in to learn about Logan’s unforgettable story.
Synopsis
Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before The Sun is an intimate and thrilling portrait of a young Siksika woman and the deep bonds between her father and her family, as she prepares for one of the most dangerous horse races in the world, on bareback. The documentary follows Logan Red Crow on the golden plains of Blackfoot Territory, as she trains for a race that will propel the determined and skilled young woman into the male-dominated Indian Relay Racing world, where riders vault bareback from horse to horse. As she pushes towards her goal, the connections between animal and human, family and community, ancestral tradition and contemporary life are profound and lasting.
Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before The Sun features Logan Red Crow, Allison Red Crow, Racey BigSnake and Jayme BigSnake. Directed by Banchi Hanuse and edited by Tanya Maryniak (British Columbia: An Untold History), the film was shot on location in beautiful Siksika Nation, Tsuut’ina, Îyâxe Nakoda, Blackfoot Territory, Enoch Cree Nation ᒪᐢᑫᑯᓯᐦᐠ Maskêkosihk, Casper, Wyoming. Carey Newman, Izzy Pullen and Mike Wavrecan are producers and Ben Giesbrecht and Luke Connor serve as the directors of photography.