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Indigenous Documentary ‘Ceremony’ Lands at Netflix
Netflix has acquired *Ceremony*, an Indigenous documentary that premiered at SXSW, and plans to release it in 2027. Directed by Bianchi Hanuse, the film follows the Nuxalk Nation in British Columbia as it works to restore ooligan fish, whose annual return supports community life and ceremonies.
The restoration effort, including broadcasts by Nuxalk Radio, also reflects the community’s resilience amid climate change and colonialism. Hanuse said the film was requested by Nuxalk people and took 12 years to make; it has won awards at SXSW, Hot Docs and the Sydney Film Festival. The acquisition comes as debate continues in Canada over whether Netflix and other foreign streaming companies should face broadcasters’ content-spending requirements.
In short
- Netflix will release *Ceremony* in 2027.
- The film follows Nuxalk efforts to restore ooligan fish.
- Hanuse said making the documentary took 12 years.
Explained simply
The Nuxalk Nation is an Indigenous people whose homeland is on the central coast of British Columbia. Ooligan are small fish that return to local rivers each year; they have long provided food and oil and are tied to Nuxalk community life and ceremonies.
The film follows efforts to restore the fish’s return, including work shared through Nuxalk Radio. Those efforts take place amid environmental change and the effects of colonialism, which has disrupted Indigenous communities and their relationships with the land and waters.
The film also sits within a wider Canadian debate about how streaming services contribute to local film and television. Canada has rules requiring some broadcasters to spend on Canadian content, and there are continuing questions about how those rules should apply to foreign streaming companies.
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