Movies Similar to Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes)

Munkha(2024)

In the snowy heart of Yakutia little girl Nyukku embarks on her first Munkha, Sakha traditional fishing. Filled with excitement and armed with her "magical" mittens, she dreams of catching a big pile of fish. However, her brother Michil is quite skeptical about the "magic" of her mittens and teasingly predicts that she will lose them. Nyukku's enthusiasm is undiminished, so she challenges Michil to a bet. Unfortunately, her adventure leads to an unexpected chaos and failure, and Nyukku loses the bet. Through this experience and guided by their father's wisdom, Nyukku and Michil learn a valuable lesson: the true magic lies in the strength of family bonds and mutual support. As a result, the children save the catch, and miraculously, Nyukku gets her lost mitten back.

The Myth of the Water Goddess(2022)

A little girl will have to sing to the mythical goddess of water so that this valuable liquid can reach her community.

Akateko. La aparición de san Miguel Arcángel(2020)

Chinanteco. Jujmi La niña del Río(2017)

Chocholteco. La niña de la lanilla(2017)

El origen de las minas de sal de San Mateo(2020)

The Chuj tell the story of three brothers and the reason behind the origin of the largest salt mines in San Mateo.

Cora. La creación del mundo(2020)

Cucapá. El origen de los montes(2020)

Totem Talk(1997)

Traditional Northwestern Indigenous spiritual images combined with cutting-edge computer animation in this surreal short film about the power of tradition. Three urban Indigenous teens are whisked away to an imaginary land by a magical raven, and there they encounter a totem pole. The totem pole's characters—a raven, a frog and a bear—come to life, becoming their teachers, guides and friends. Features a special interview with J. Bradley Hunt, the celebrated Heiltsuk artist on whose work the characters in Totem Talk are based.

Grape Soda in the Parking Lot(2023)

Taqralik Partridge asks what if every language that had been lost to English — every word, every syllable — grew up out of the ground in flowers? Taqralik’s grandmother’s Scottish Gaelic and her father’s Inuktitut unfold in memories of her family, of pain, and of love.

A Bear Named Jesus(2023)

At Archer’s Aunty Gladys’ funeral, he hears a tap on the window — it’s a bear named Jesus, who has come for Archer’s mom. “A Bear Named Jesus” is an allegory for religious interference, with an aching yet humorous look at estrangement and mourning for the loss of someone still living.

Hop Along Hang On(2021)

Rose the rabbit seeks her way home in this poetic story of reclamation, recovery, and reconciliation.

Lautaro(1978)

The Mapuche tribe asks their Gods for help in difficult situations, including illness and drought. When the Spanish conquerers on their horses invade their country, the indigenous people think that they are aliens. The Spaniards capture and enslave many of the Mapuche tribe. Lautaro, a young captured native, realizes that these aliens are human beings without any divine power. He learns to use their weapons and organizes a resistance movement against the intruders.

Mfinda

A 12-year-old Congolese girl is taken to the mfinda, a primordial forest teeming with spirits, gods and ancestors. There she meets up with another young girl from a different time and together they set out to find the magical Nkisi, vessels that hold ancestral spirits as well as empowering materials or medicines, that will help her find her way home.

Dance with the Heart(2019)

Marina is a girl who discovers the legends and traditions of her ancestors on a magical journey through the nature that surrounds her and takes her to Shark Island. Short film spoken in the Comcáac language.

Little Thunder(2009)

This animated short, inspired by the Mi'kmaq legend "The Stone Canoe" explores Indigenous humour. We follow Little Thunder as he reluctantly leaves his family and sets out on a cross-country canoe trip to become a man.

Fuego(2021)

Xóchitl is an indigenous woman who must fight for her freedom before the birth of her baby, since she finds herself trapped in an abusive relationship. She will have to face a town full of prejudices and accomplices of her abuser. However, Xóchitl has the inner strength of her lineage, which will manifest itself in her favor.

Winning the West(1946)

The big bad cats are the villains/Indians, and the little mice are the settlers going west in their little covered wagons, and the Indians are on a rampage about it. Things look dark indeed for the settlers when the likes of Buffalo Bill, General Custer and Daniel Boone are unable to defeat the attacking cats but...wait...up in the sky...here comes the singing, flying mouse...Mighty Mouse. Not recommended for Revisionists.

The Fourfold(2020)

Based on the shamanic rituals in Mongolia and Siberia, this is a testament to the need to reclaim the ideas of animism for planetary health and non-human materialities.

Felix Goes West(1924)

Felix gets into trouble with a tribe of Indians out west, and is chased by a bear.