Directors SUVI WEST, ANSSI KÖMI (Finland 2023) 77 min

Suvi West and Anssi Kömi’s latest documentary is a deeply personal pilgrimage to reclaim Sámi cultural heritage. The Sámi, Europe’s northernmost Indigenous people, endured the erosion of their sovereign and cultural rights during the 19th and 20th centuries under nation-state suppression. Graves were looted, artifacts and bones plundered, and sacred drums removed from the hands of their last shamans. As West tours museum vaults across Europe, she unravels layers of history, grappling with questions of representation, exploitation, and the intricate tapestry of her own cultural identity. Recent decades have seen a growing demand for repatriation, with Scandinavian museums finally heeding the call. With West and community members repatriating their ancestral artifacts, they not only reclaim their cultural heritage but also rediscover a profound sense of belonging.