Reclamation is a documentary-style imagining of a post-dystopic future in Canada after massive climate change, wars, pollution, and the after effects of the large scale colonial project which has now destroyed the land. When Indigenous people are left behind after a massive exodus by primarily privileged white settlers who have moved to Mars, the original inhabitants of this land cope by trying to restore and rehabilitate the beautiful planet they belong to.
THIRZA CUTHAND
Thirza Jean Cuthand was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and grew up in Saskatoon. Since 1995 they have been making short experimental narrative videos and films about sexuality, madness, youth, love, and race, which have screened in festivals internationally, including the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, Mix Brasil Festival of Sexual Diversity in Sao Paolo, Hot Docs in Toronto, ImagineNATIVE in Toronto, Frameline in San Francisco, Outfest in Los Angeles, and Oberhausen International Short Film Festival in Germany where their short Helpless Maiden Makes an ‘I” Statement won honourable mention. Their work has also screened at galleries including the Mendel in Saskatoon, The National Gallery in Ottawa, and Urban Shaman in Winnipeg. They completed their BFA majoring in Film and Video at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, and their Masters of Arts in Media Production at Ryerson University. In 1999 they were an artist in residence at Videopool and Urban Shaman in Winnipeg, where they completed Through The Looking Glass. In 2012 they were an artist in residence at Villa K. Magdalena in Hamburg, Germany, where they completed Boi Oh Boi. In 2015 they were commissioned by ImagineNATIVE to make 2 Spirit Introductory Special $19.99. In the summer of 2016 they began working on a 2D video game called A Bipolar Journey based on their experience learning and dealing with their bipolar disorder. It showed at ImagineNATIVE and they are planning to further develop it. They have also written three feature screenplays and sometimes does performance art. They are of Plains Cree and Scots descent, a member of Little Pine First Nation, and currently reside in Toronto.
A film by Thirza Cuthand
Cast: Elwood Jimmy, Cherish Blood, Lacey Hill, Thirza Cuthand
Set Assistant: Fallon Simard
Shot on location in:
Haida Gwaii, BC
Toronto, Ontario
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Additional footage: Ocean Garbage by Longjourney Aerial Mining Athabasca Tar Sands Fort Mcmurray by Spotmatik Air Pollution by HDVMaster Clear Cut Forest on Coast Mountain by Cinematic Stock Video Liftoff of Insight by NASA Mars Image by NASA
Additional audio: Chainsaw_4 by ivolipa Relaxing Beach Waves by ClubsHeartsSpadesDiamonds Industrial/Factory Fans by IanStarGem War Sounds by 1stWebArmy
The Next 150 Documentary Futurism Project Co-ordinator: James Goddard
Executive Producers (CP): Svetla Turnin, Ezra Winton
Thanks: Brady and Kara, Alana Wortsman, Riki Yandt, Ruth Cuthand, June Scudeler
(EXTRA)TERRESTRIAL CURRENTS
(Extra)Terrestrial Currents is an online programme of artist moving image, sound and text, presenting a screening programme with artists Thirza Cuthand, Ayesha Hameed, Evan Ifekoya and Himali Singh Soin, a commission by artist and composer Hannah Catherine Jones and a reading list by scholar Kathryn Yusoff.
Thirza Cuthand, Reclamation, 2018, 13:11 mins 
Thirza Cuthand, Reclamation, 2018, 13:11 mins
