The picking of sweetgrass becomes an action — and word — with profound meaning in this gently mesmerizing piece by multidisciplinary writer and artist shalan joudry.

shalan joudry is an L’nu (Mi’kmaw) and European-descent storyteller working in many forms. Over the last twenty years, shalan has brought her Mi’kmaw stories to a new generation of listeners.

In her first short film, welima’q (it smells good), shalan reinterprets one of her poems about the beauty and experience of cutting sweetgrass every year. The film allows us to witness and experience a sweetgrass landscape on the shores of Mi’kma’ki. Between the salt water and forest line, a family weaves themselves within these grasses.

Welima’q is truly a sensorial experience – it evokes not only a landscape but also a soundscape. It grounds us, and brings us to a level where we can almost smell the sweet scent of sweetgrass.

I had the opportunity to converse with shalan prior to the film’s premiere at TIFF. During our chat, she shared about her storytelling work and about this lovely, poetic short film.

Welima’q screens as part of TIFF’s Short Cuts 2024 Programme 01. For program details including showtimes and tickets, visit tiff.net.