Medicine and Magic

Forum Expanded 2022

The two videos in Medicine and Magic work together to try and bridge these two stories from my maternal grandparents’ family histories. I’ve been raised with stories of the medicine men in my family. A bundle that was used successfully to heal people. Stories of bear spirits that took care of us.
I don’t know about my Scottish side as much, but I did know some of the last names of my ancestors over there. There was one case with a last name and a location close to my great grandmother’s hometown that made me pause. It was a white magic case, protecting cattle, and talking with fairies. Relatively benign things. But she this women executed for it. I feel like these videos unearth some of this history and my hope is that they lead people to draw their own conclusions about spiritual, magical, medicinal histories. (Thirza Cuthand)

by Thirza Cuthand Canada 2016 English 5’ Colour

Crew

Written and Directed by	Thirza Cuthand
Cinematography	Thirza Cuthand
Editing	Thirza Cuthand
Sound Design	Thirza Cuthand
Sound	Thirza Cuthand
Producer	Thirza Cuthand

Produced by

Fit of Pique Productions

Thirza Cuthand

Thirza Cuthand has been making short experimental narrative videos and films about sexuality, madness, queer identity and love, and Indigeneity since 1995, which have screened in festivals and galleries internationally. She completed her BFA majoring in Film and Video at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2005, and her MA in Media Production at Ryerson University in 2015. She has also written three feature screenplays and has performed. She is of Plains Cree and Scots descent, a member of Little Pine First Nation, and currently resides in Toronto. Her work NDN Survivla Trilogy was shown at Forum Expanded 2020.

Filmography

1995 Lessons in Baby Dyke Theory; 3 min. 1996 My Sister; with Danielle Ratzlaff, 5 min. · Colonization: The Second Coming; 3 min. 1997 Working Baby Dyke Theory; 5 min. · Bisexual Wannabe; 3 min. · Earth Flesh; 1 min. 1998 Untouchable; 4 min. 1999 Manipulation/Dictation; 4 min. · Thirza Cuthand’s Through the Looking Glass; 14 min. · Helpless Maiden Makes an “I” Statement; 6 min. 2001 Anhedonia; 9 min. 2004 Love & Numbers; 8 min. 2008 Madness in Four Actions; 9 min. · You Are A Lesbian Vampire; 3 min. 2010 Homelands; 53 min. 2012 Sight; 3 min. · Boi Oh Boi; 9 min. 2013 Just Dandy; 7 min. 2015 2 Spirit Introductory Special $19.99; 4 min. 2017 The Longform Lesbian Census; with Riki Yandt, 4 min. · 2 Spirit Dreamcatcher Dot Com ; 4 min. · Thirza Cuthand Is an Indian Within the Meaning of the Indian Act; 8 min. 2018 Reclamation; 13 min. 2019 Devout and Out: Susan; 20 min. · Extractions; 15 min. · WomanDress; 5 min. · Less Lethal Fetishes; 9 min. 2020 NDN Survival Trilogy; 37 min., Forum Expanded 2020 2021 Medicine and Magic

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2022