Filmmaker Explores Darkness Behind Modern Masculinity

Filmmaker Wayne Wapeemukwa's "Manhunt" opens the international competition at the Locarno Film Festival, offering a stark look at societal margins.

Inspired by 2019 murders in Northern British Columbia, the film follows two young men on a road trip through Canada's north. It moves beyond factual reconstruction to probe themes of disconnection, alienation, and modern masculinity.

The narrative unfolds as the protagonists' lives blur between digital fantasy and reality. The film reframes true crime as a parable, exploring loneliness and the colonial dream of a fresh start.

Wapeemukwa, a Michif filmmaker, discusses how a disconnection from land and community fuels such violence. He notes that societal factors like poverty and social pressures contribute to this alienation.

The film also confronts the rise of fascism, drawing parallels to historical ideologies. Wapeemukwa suggests that systemic and economic issues, which gave birth to past fascism, persist and fuel contemporary problems.

Visceral visuals and intentional framing, including Indigenous bookends, underscore themes of dispossession and genocide. Wapeemukwa aims for audiences to emotionally process the on-screen violence and its underlying societal causes.

"Manhunt" features Harris Lowe, Landon Tunold, Bianca Foscht, and Dilara Foscht, with cinematography by Jonathan Glendon. It was produced by Wapeemukwa, Nathan Drillot, and Matt Drake.