The Nation (2025) Movie Script
1
[]
[energetic theme music begins]
[music fading]
[single guitar strum]
[playful upright bass riff]
[dog barking]
[Sammy] If you want
to go to the casino,
you can go there
on the other side.
Anybody can get to the casino.
But if you want to go past
the casino, onto The Nation,
you have to show your passport.
We have our very own
Deep Lake First Nation
passports.
Doesn't matter who you are.
RCMP,
state troopers,
Lynyrd Skynyrd.
If you want on to The Nation,
then you need a passport.
[birds cawing]
[man] Chucky's the elected
Chief.
He's also the hereditary Chief.
[distant passing traffic]
And with the oil
and casino money...
The Nation's revenues
are significant.
I'm Monica Leprete.
I'm the National Director
for the Regional Education
Nourishment Center.
And I'm also
the interpretation liaison
for the International Indigenous
Entrepreneurial
Outreach Initiative.
I'm also
the Chief's half sister.
And I can say,
without a doubt...
my brother is an idiot.
[man] Chief and Council...
have a limit on how
many laws are active
at any one time,
and that limit is ten.
The Chief feels that...
if ten were enough
for the ancient Israelites,
it's enough for Deep Lake.
[Monica] My department
keeps getting approved
for federal funding
for programs that are
so needed on The Nation.
Like the Climate and Health
Adaptation Awareness Initiative.
Or those Interim Bridge grants
for preparedness monitoring
of endangered harvester data.
Sucker Creek, Loon River...
They're all getting those.
But because of the
irresponsible leadership
of my stupid brother,
Deep Lake can't access
that funding.
That's why I'm still
driving a Grand Am.
[playful guitar stinger]
[woman] I got my accounting
diploma
from Quijano College in 2015.
I've been here ever since.
[indistinct office chatter]
Chucky is my cousin...
but I don't care about that.
I don't care about politics.
I don't care about anything.
Just the numbers.
Numbers don't lie.
People lie.
[moody guitar stinger]
I don't care if we have
no money in that account.
Bring them over here.
I'll sign them.
Just take the money out
of the education budget.
We got lots in there anyway.
Not everyone agrees
with the Chief.
But you have to admit.
Lots got better
since Chucky got in.
[birds chirping]
Mostly I like
his hockey policies.
He wants us to be
the best team in the world.
And we don't have
to wear helmets.
[distorted electric
guitar stinger]
[slapshot]
[Chucky] You know who the first
pro was to wear a helmet?
George Owen.
Remember him?
Nope.
Nobody does.
[indistinct shouting]
He was a Boston Bruin.
Those Bruins have
always been sissies.
[man] We don't have a drug
and alcohol problem
on The Nation.
Largely because we
don't have any laws
regarding drugs or alcohol.
Except one.
You got to make
the stuff yourself.
If you get caught...
[metal clanks]
bringing booze or drugs
onto our nation
from some other nation,
like Canada,
or the United States,
we banish you for life.
As long as you make
your own brew,
grow your own weed, you're good.
Of course, there are some who...
get stupid about it.
They mostly wind up dead.
Which is not necessarily
a bad thing either.
Under my leadership,
the Deep Lake First Nation
started the NHHL:
the No Helmet Hockey League'.
If you want to wear
a helmet, go ahead.
But you might as well
bring your crayons
on the ice with you.
See how many goals you score.
[blades grinding]
And if you look like me,
Reggie Leach,
or Craig MacTavish,
you can't cover this up.
[distorted electric
guitar stinger]
The only other thing I like,
other than numbers
is ballroom dancing.
Which is challenging...
because I only dance alone.
[moody guitar stinger]
[Chucky] It sucks that we can't
use the word 'Indian' anymore.
You never heard a country song
about First Nations people.
And that word Indigenous'?
That's a white man's word.
Can't put that on a jersey.
Can't even spell it.
So, what we had to do
is we had to find a logo
that was both motivational
and marketable.
[hockey players chatting]
[laughter]
[hockey players cheering]
[playful guitar stinger]
[exhaling]
[footsteps]
Oh, hey sis.
[sniffs]
Mm, you smell like
a bannock burger.
I have just been
informed by CIRNAC
that our nation
is not in compliance.
Compliance with what?
CIRNAC!
Who's that?
It's an anacronym.
I think you mean acronym'.
Crown-Indigenous Relations
and Northern Affairs.
Who's having an affair?
-[Monica sighs]
-And this ain't Canada, Monica.
This is Deep Lake First Nation.
So you and CIRNAC can beat it.
When are you going to
start taking this seriously?
[exhaling]
[in tough voice] Is this serious
enough for you?
Is it?
Punk?
[distant hum of traffic]
I don't get involved
in family disputes,
here on The Nation.
Which are basically the only
kind of disputes we have.
Makes my job
pretty easy most days.
[relaxed guitar riff]
[Monica] Chucky!
There are permanent
bilateral mechanisms in place
to facilitate the
Truth and Reconciliation
deliverance framework
that we as a nation
are not taking advantage of
because you have
failed to deliver
the required...
"emergency management
fiscal relationship
under the infrastructure
of the community
self-determination inquiry."
Do you even understand
what you just said?
I'm speaking plain English.
Well, you know what, Monica?
Maybe try speaking in tongues.
Or maybe learn a little Dene,
you sidewalk Indian.
[single guitar note]
[Sammy] That was the last time
that I let her hit... hit me.
-[man] Hmm.
-[Sammy] You know, I said...
"This is enough.
You take care of yourself."
Right?
-Mhm.
- Raise your own kids.
I can't raise them anymore
cause they're...
cause they ain't mine."
-No.
-They ain't mine. Right?
They're somebody else's. Right?
But she says that they're mine.
-Yeah, yeah.
-So I went and got a test done.
And guess what?
[man] Not yours.
They're not mine.
Our people are suffering.
We're Indians.
We suffer every day,
Your Highness.
I'm telling mom.
Good. Why don't you
say hi to her for me?
And you know what?
While you're over there,
why don't you tell her
I finally found out
where you were after the
Broket Pow Wow of 2013.
That Lakota wasn't from Dakota.
-One more word out of you...
-As a matter of fact, Monica...
that little teepee creeper
of yours?
He was a creep from Driftpile!
[slapping]
[playful guitar stinger]
There you go.
-[Sammy] Twenty.
-Why don't you take those, too?
Okay.
Alright.
Here's the good stuff, buddy.
[tires gnashing gravel]
We can't let anybody
bring drugs or alcohol
onto The Nation.
But there's no law against
selling the stuff
that we make.
On or off.
And as it turns out...
wine is just fruit juice
and yeast.
[taps]
Who would have thought?
We've become
a nation of exporters.
[playful upright bass stinger]
[muffled argument in background]
[sliding]
[plastic clicking]
[stale gum ball popping]
[spitting]
[Jill beatboxing]
Lakota...
...from Dakota
[beatboxing]
Doing yoga...
...in a toga
[mouthing explosion]
Drinking soda
Somebody tell...
Somebody tell Yoda
Stole his tapioca
Ah, that's...
I'm a musician.
[pen and paper clicking]
Monica!
Can I go home now?
[pensive guitar stinger]
[exhales]
I will say this about the Chief.
What he takes for himself
is totally reasonable.
And sure, he can get more money.
But all money comes with
strings attached, right?
I like living on
Deep Lake First Nation.
People suck.
All I care about is
the numbers line up.
And our numbers line right up.
No strings attached.
[moody guitar stinger]
[Chucky] You know...
...I have no problem
with Canada.
Or the USA.
Or...
...Moldova.
It doesn't matter.
You want to be Canadian?
Go and be Canadian.
Wear funny socks.
Create your own laws.
Do your own thing.
You stole the land.
I get it.
It's yours.
But this right here.
You didn't get this, did you?
This is Deep Lake First Nation.
This isn't Canada, neestow.
So conduct yourself accordingly.
[engine sputtering]
[pensive electric piano
riff begins]
[metal clacking]
[hood clicking open]
[]
[engine rustling]
[slamming]
[]
[metal reverberating]
[distant passing traffic]
[car horn honking]
[metal object falling to ground]
[music fading]
[airplane buzzing]
[engine idling]
[airplane engine revs]
[airplane door shutting]
[airplane engine starting,
receding]
[interior hum]
[object clatters]
[items rustling]
[slapping item]
[shopping cart rolling
in distance]
[cash register opening]
Alister Gillis.
Minister of Indigenous Affairs.
May I see your passport?
I'm not carrying a passport.
Hm.
Then I need to see your letter
from Chief and Council
saying that you have
permission to land
on Deep Lake First Nation.
I'm the Minister of Indian
and Northern Affairs.
I'm here on official business.
A minute ago,
it was "Indigenous Affairs".
Same thing.
Is it though?
Who are you?
I'm Sarge.
Are you armed?
No, I'm not armed.
Well I am.
-You should know that.
-[playful guitar stinger]
[plastic object slapping car]
[jumper cables rustling]
I used to want to be
a social media influencer.
[jumper cables clicking]
But then I realized...
all they really do is
show off their boobs...
and sell skincare products.
Now I'm not against
showing off your boobs.
I just don't believe
in skincare products.
Listen.
By the authority of
His Majesty's Government,
I demand you take me to
the administration offices.
Which majesty
are we talking about?
King Charles III.
King of Canada.
The "King of Canada", hey.
What's he like to work for?
Well, I've never met him.
[soft chuckle]
You can't be that important
to the operation, then.
[playful guitar stinger]
I mean...
if Monica wants
to be a moonyeow,
she should move to Canada.
Or Connecticut.
If you want to be Chinese,
move to China, right?
We're a real nation,
like Finland.
Have you seen the Prime
Minister of Finland?
Smokin'!
Her name is Sana.
I'm negotiating
a bilateral agreement
with her right now.
Not because I'm bi...
but because I want
to get lateral
with this white woman.
Have a little Sana summit.
Nation to nation.
Just the two of us.
[playful upright bass riff]
See how she likes the Red Man.
[]
I'm the Minister
of Indigenous affairs.
Yeah, you said.
Listen.
No, Gillis.
You listen.
By the authority of
Chief Charles Ribbonleg...
of the
Deep Lake First Nation,
I arrest you...
for unlawfully...
landing on our nation
without a passport...
or permission.
This is preposterous.
[Sarge] It's a little
preposterous.
[body thudding against car]
[body thumping on car seat]
[single guitar note]
[pages flapping]
[Gillis screaming]
[birds wings fluttering]
[classy guitar stinger]
[Chucky] Okay, you know,
one thing that I don't like...
...is that we need new
upholstery on these chairs.
Every second chair has
a cigarette burn in it.
[coughing]
You know, people need
to be on top of this.
Also, look at this.
Look at this, right here.
See this?
That looks like
my couch at home.
That's not good.
[pensive guitar riff begins]
[]
[music fades]
[knocking on glass]
[car window opening]
Hey Sargey. Have you eaten?
Don't call me that.
You don't like Sargey?
I think it's cute.
I have not eaten.
Uh, there's $37 on this card.
If we get
a nine-piece family pack,
then you and I and the prisoner
could each have three pieces,
and share the fries
and the coleslaw.
But I'm not touching
the macaroni.
I don't eat with prisoners.
Right.
Yeah.
It's just an idea.
Okay.
Hey.
[Sarge patting side of car]
[exhaling]
[footsteps approaching]
Here's a fresh one.
Get, uh, three dinner packs.
Anything you want.
Make sure one of them
has macaroni salad.
Tight!
Thanks, Sargey...
Uh...
Sarge.
I'll go over to the casino
and get us some napkins.
I... I think I could just get
napkins at the gas station.
I prefer linen.
Linen?
Linen.
Like?
Like, linen.
Right.
Meet you at the casino.
[car engine starting]
[relaxed guitar stinger]
[metal gate squeaking]
[horse grunts and neighs]
[three brief guitar notes]
[Jill] So the guy came...
...to give us money...
and you put him in jail?
We don't need money.
I could use some money,
if you're just giving it away.
We need the things that
money sometimes buys.
And what things are those?
Freedom.
Independence.
Hungry Man Dinners.
Good choice.
So you're one of those
"Money is the root
of all evil" types.
No.
The love of money
is the root of all evil.
The linen napkins
are a nice touch.
Come.
Our prisoner's meal
is getting cold.
[relaxed guitar stinger]
Most of our clients
are Canadian.
What's your name?
Jackson.
Jackson?
Yeah.
Yeah, you kind of
look like my ex.
Hey.
Do you golf?
[birds chirping]
See, cause I got
these old golf clubs.
I don't want
your hand-me-down
golf clubs, Jill.
No, the golf tournament's
this weekend.
You're looking for a teacher.
Ehh.
I guess.
I'm not qualified.
But you're, like...
Old guys golf.
[Jill exhaling]
I am qualified to caddy.
You want to carry my clubs?
I have the required wardrobe.
Why am I not surprised?
-I would have to be paid.
-[Jill] Seriously?
Tradition states
40% of the green fee.
But you're, like, new.
[clicks tongue] I'll take 30%.
Still seems stiff.
I have the wardrobe.
What's the green fee?
Deep Lake golf course...
it's 20 bucks.
So for a caddy, that's, like...
six bucks.
It's not "like" six bucks, Jill.
It's exactly six bucks.
I'll give you five.
I'd have to go change.
-So go change.
- You go change.
Maybe I will!
Yeah?
Yeah!
Meet you at the
golf course in an hour.
Cool.
[car door opening]
[slot machines beeping]
You see these pants here?
These are prescription pants.
Yeah.
Got em made myself.
[heavy door rolling open]
[Jill] Yo, big shot.
You in there, big shot?
[footsteps approaching]
Hey.
I just brought you some chicken.
[rustling]
[food container slamming shut]
[rustling]
[hand gripping metal bar]
Young lady,
you have no idea how
much trouble you're in.
Really?
Aren't you the one
behind bars right now?
Release me immediately.
[plastic crinkling]
Sorry, big shot.
I'm gonna go golfing.
Enjoy your chicken, though.
[playful upright bass riff]
[footsteps receding]
[heavy door rolling closed]
[chewing]
This machine right here?
This machine alone
paid for all of our
minor hockey teams...
to go to Native Provincials.
Just that machine.
Imagine what all these
hundreds of machines do.
[playful guitar riff]
[ball clacking]
[music fading]
[Vanessa] I don't care
what my score is,
but I'm not losing a ball.
[leaves rustling]
I'd rather pick berries
than play golf any day.
I'd rather go fishing
than play golf.
I'd rather clean my closet
than play golf.
[pensive guitar riff begins]
[club whacking golf ball]
[club whacking golf ball]
[]
[music fades]
[golf cart approaching]
He's so weird.
[speaker clicking on]
[announcer] Attention,
Deep Lake golfers.
You may see Warriors
conducting drill formations
today in between
6th and 7th holes.
If your ball lands within
six meters of a Warrior,
you can take one drop out
of this area without penalty.
Enjoy your day golfing.
And be sure to check out our
bacon wrapped turkey breast
in the clubhouse
after your round.
[speaker clicks off]
[Chucky] You know, a slot
machine...
one thing that a lot
of people don't know?
A slot machine pays out
0.2% of what it makes.
So add that up.
How much money is that?
Right?
How much money is that?
Tell me. Anybody? Anybody?
Vanessa would say "lots".
The Minister of Indian Affairs
brought us a check
for $13 million.
What are we going to do
with $13 million?
I told Chucky
we don't need the money.
Will just cause more problems.
Besides, Canada
has too many laws.
I don't want us to get addicted
to their money again.
We're just barely
getting sober now.
[golf cart whirring by]
[whooping]
[Jill] Who are those guys?
In light of the recent threats
to our national security...
the Chief has decided
to call up our Warriors.
Want to get
the militia in shape...
in case Canada
gets any funny ideas.
Those guys?
They couldn't defend us from
Frog Lake's fire department.
Well, they won't have to.
We just signed a peace treaty
with Frog Lake.
They're our allies now.
[Jill] Can I join the militia?
[Sarge] Do you have
any tactical skills?
I got nunchucks.
Well, I'd need your sizes.
We just ordered new uniforms.
Tight.
I'd look great...
[whispering]...in a uniform.
Mhm.
[purring]
[Gillis] I don't know who
these people think they are.
I come here with a check
for several million dollars.
How do they receive me?
I mean, ask for more money
if you want.
That's smart.
We'd give it to them.
It's like these ones
don't even want our money.
How do you deal...
with people like that?
And they said, well...
"Where are you going to get
your slot machines from?"
"Where are you gonna...
What are you gonna do?'
You have to rent them from us."
No, we don't.
We got other nations that
make their own slot machines.
So, that's what we did.
I mean, we call them a "Nation".
We build them
a pow wow center...
a treatment center.
What more do they want?
Phoned all of our cousins
down in Nevada.
And they gave us
some slot machines.
Said, "Hey, man, you're
doing your own thing.
That's good!
We're gonna support you."
[upright bass note rings out]
Everyone needs to be
addicted to something.
What's better than free money?
I've read Foucault.
"Colonization is not complete
until the slaves
think they're free."
[pensive guitar riff begins]
[club whacking]
[club whacking]
[]
[Sarge] I'm open!
[golf cart humming]
[Deputy] "...as I have already
heard a great deal about you
that is interesting
and flattering.
"Secondly, I cherish this hope
that you may not refuse
to assist me in a matter
directly concerning
the welfare of your sister...
A-va-da-koya... Rama-Nova...
for without your support,
she might not let me
come near her now."
[Jill] So is it true
that you were, like...
some minor rock star
back in the day?
No, that's not true.
Ahh.
I didn't think so.
I was actually quite a big deal.
I don't believe you.
Lead guitarist, Sweeney Todd.
[disgusted interjection]
What is that?
Roxy Roller.
It was the number one hit.
You must have heard it.
No.
How about
Hot Child in the City?
Yeah...
Right...
No.
Is this embarrassing?
Cause we can stop.
Sweeney Todd
changed rock and roll.
Right... Yeah...
-Ye...
-We won a Juno.
What's a "Juno"?
You, young lady,
are musically illiterate.
You still have your guitar?
I have several guitars.
So you want to be on my demo?
No.
Yes you do.
You know you do.
You know that I know you do.
I only record in analog.
Whatever that is.
Reel-to-reel, two-inch tape.
[phone buzzing]
It's Monica.
What do I tell her?
She's your boss, not mine.
Tell her whatever you want.
[phone clicking]
Hey, Monica.
Actually, you can tell her that
I let the Minister of
Indian Affairs loose.
What? When?
I had my deputy
leave the cell door open.
[playful guitar stinger]
[body banging against cell door]
Well, where is he?
With any luck, he's finding
his way back to Canada now.
Oh, he's going
to get eaten by a bear.
[pensive guitar riff begins]
[birds chirping]
[fence shaking]
[grass crunching]
[truck passing by]
[truck braking]
[music fading]
[single guitar note]
[off-key saxophone blaring]
[Zamboni whirring]
I just bought a new Zamboni.
[patting Zamboni]
How's she feel, Rhonda?
I had three companies...
[ice skates gliding]
standing right here
in the crease.
And finally, I got them all
down to the same number.
And I said...
"Well, what can you
throw in for free?"
And the little guy
put his hand up.
I guess his wife
owned a music store.
[off-key saxophone honking]
That's leadership.
[playful upright bass stinger]
I've got a proposal
in to the Chief
to start my own sawmill.
We got a bunch of
timber up north
just waiting to get sawed.
Right now we're selling
to the Japanese.
I'm thinking we could make
more and create more jobs
if we sawed them ourselves.
[car approaching]
[leaves crunching underfoot]
[upright bass riff]
I've been learning a lot
since we became
a free market economy.
[]
[gravel crunching]
[music fading]
[facial hair scratching]
[hands rubbing]
[single saxophone honk]
You put the pow in my wow
Pow wow
Pow wow
You put the pow in my wow
Pow wow
Pow wow
[sax honking]
[horse galloping, birds
chirping]
The RCMP don't
come out here anymore.
We've made it clear
they're not welcome.
What nation would hire
some other nation
to be its police force for them?
And given our topography
and geography here,
it makes sense to have
a mounted police force.
I'm thinking of calling it
the "RDMP".
Kinda rhymes with "RCMP", but...
-[horse snorts]
-...not.
So this here is
Deputy Ernest Moosejaw,
from the
Real Deep Mounted Police.
Say hello to the camera.
You see any bad guys out there?
Not yet.
See? That's some good
police work there.
Well, continue on.
Doing what?
Looking for bad guys.
Oh, okay.
Okay.
[horse trotting off]
We don't have any bad guys
on Deep Lake First Nation.
Especially not out here
in the cow pasture.
You're good.
But this thing with the
leadership review going on...
I might need
some extra muscle.
Once in a while, not often,
there needs to be
a punch thrown...
[punching sound]
...on Deep Lake First Nation.
[man grunting]
[music fading]
Saxophones are cool.
When I went to school,
my mom made me play the trumpet.
She said that saxophones
are too expensive, but...
I've always liked saxophones.
Wait, what'd Monica say?
[pensive guitar stinger]
So what if the Chief
got a free saxophone?
He saved us $34,360
on a Zamboni.
I saw a sax player once
in Vegas.
His band was playing
Take a Walk on the Wild Side.
I was there alone.
In Vegas, alone.
[woman] I don't care who the
Chief is.
[bingo announcer in background]
As long as he leaves me alone.
[bingo players cheering]
-[paper rustling]
-[playful upright bass stinger]
[music fading]
My sister is...
hm.
How can I put this?
She's my sister.
I can't give her too much rope.
Then she'd hang herself.
And I know
she's trying to kill me.
But hey, she's my sister.
[moody guitar riff begins]
[birds chirping]
[car approaching]
[car window rolling down]
[moody guitar riff continues]
[leaves crunching underfoot]
[car window rolling down]
[music fading]
What do I owe you?
Three bottles.
Coming right up.
[car interior beeping]
[car door slamming]
[footsteps approaching]
Here you go, sweetheart.
Did you strain this a second
time like I asked you?
I did.
And just because you
asked for it...
[trunk slamming]
now I do that
on all my batches.
You got to get
that yeast taste out.
I appreciate your customer
feedback, Vanessa.
Helps me improve my product.
I don't get it, Sammy.
You don't pay taxes.
Why do you need
financial statements?
Financial statements
were never meant
for tax purposes, Vanessa.
As an accountant,
you should know that.
They were meant to be
a financial snapshot
of the health of a business
at any given time.
I know that, but how
do you know that?
I have a lot of time to think.
[birds chirping]
Monica's trying to force
a leadership review.
I heard.
Who are you supporting?
Well, we could get millions...
economic development money...
from the government...
if she were Chief.
Who do you support?
I support me.
[forceful push to chest]
[moody guitar stinger]
[car door slamming]
[engine revving]
[strumming chord]
Like most politicians...
Monica loves seeing
her face on TV.
It's, um...
But I got her to pay me
a little extra
to make these
little videos for her.
She calls them her
"Public Service Announcements".
It's...
Really, basically,
they're just...
campaign commercials.
She's getting ready
to run for Chief.
So, I hired Randy here as my...
"Director of Photography".
Say hi to the camera, Randy.
Hi.
He's documenting my process.
[drumming on chair]
Or...
supposed to be.
[lens clicking]
[lens cap thudding on floor]
Collaboration is not easy.
[Jill beatboxing]
You getting this?
-[continues beatboxing]
-[single guitar strum stinger]
[industrial light flicking on]
[footsteps echoing]
Deep Lake!
Are you ready?
[water running]
[cupboard slams,
saxophone honks]
[cupboard creaking open]
[Monica shrieking]
[off-key saxophone
blaring in background]
[thuds]
[booting plastic goose]
[thuding]
[water running,
smashing goose on sink]
[violent exhale]
[saxophone continuing
in background]
Monica forces one of these
leadership reviews
every six months or so.
No one pays any attention.
Everyone knows she
just wants to be Chief.
There's only one problem
with her plan.
Nobody votes for her.
[moody guitar riff]
That's democracy for you.
[Jill] I gotta admit.
Sarge's guitar parts...
...really brought
this song together.
[drumming on chair]
I don't know if I wanna
call it a song.
It's only two minutes long.
Plus, the term "song",
is very limiting.
I see it as a "musical
multimedia art piece".
Well, technically,
it's for Monica's...
leadership review... thing.
But I've been using it to
make some sick beats.
Wicky wicky wicky wicky word.
Yeah.
Art and politics have
a long history together.
You know?
It's called "propaganda".
And I don't feel that bad...
about...
making compromises.
Especially the ones that don't
involve me getting naked.
Yeah.
And Monica paid me 200 bucks,
which let me buy
a decent microphone.
DJ Ri Ri!
We're thinking
of calling ourselves
"Good Soup".
[slurping pretend soup]
The only thing left...
is to film the music video.
[violently dispensing
paper towel]
Who's in charge of this paper?
I don't know.
[laughing]
That's the part.
Alright. I'm ready.
[single clap]
[Jill] Okay.
[Jill's friend] I kind of
feel short
because I have to tippie-toe.
[metal clanking]
[Jill] Oh!
I think...
leave them right there.
Make sure it's not wrinkly.
I don't like wrinkles.
No.
[Jill] Oh!
See? I... I fixed it.
Did you fix it?
It's... looks good.
It looks good, you guys!
I think it's gonna be great.
[evening birds chirping]
[acoustic guitar being played]
[phone buzzing once]
[guitar string squeaking]
[phone clicking open]
[Free Money by Good Soup
begins playing]
Get some money
Free money
Sticky sticky sticky
like honey
A band check, a fat check
Gonna cash it
and hit the deck
No more bridals
Can't be stifled
Monica says
we're all entitled
Take from the rich
Give to the poor
Buy dope stuff
we can't afford
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
Get some money
Free money
Sticky sticky sticky
like honey
A band check, a fat check
Gonna cash it
and hit the deck
No more bridals,
can't be stifled
Monica says
we're all entitled
Take from the rich
Give to the poor
Buy dope stuff
we can't afford
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
[final guitar note rings out]
[single guitar note]
[playful guitar riff]
[footsteps]
[guitar riff ends]
[children playing in background]
[Cutty] Put 'em up.
-That's not how it's done.
-That's how I learned!
I don't think you should
tell me what to do.
-It's over-under, then you push.
-But I... I learned how.
That's not gonna work.
-It works!
-Look.
It's weird.
Look!
Look. It's different sizes.
[Cutty] I'm principal Cutty.
Well, Dr. Cutty. Well...
not quite doctor.
I'm taking my PhD.
Online.
My thesis is Urban Aboriginal
Youth Perceptions
and Experiences
in Holistic Education
in Vancouver's Lower East Side.
This is my first year
here at Deep Lake.
The Chief?
I haven't met him yet.
But I hear he's into
education reform.
I look forward
to consulting with him.
There certainly is a plethora
of research opportunities
here in Deep Lake.
Do you know what
"plethora" means?
It means "lots".
Why doesn't he just say that?
They send us a new
principal every year.
Sometimes two in one year.
None of them last
more than a year.
Ten years I've been here.
Ever since I graduated.
Ten years.
Ten different principals.
[playful upright bass riff]
I should be principal.
For real.
[music fading]
[birds chirping]
[door squeaking open]
[door slamming shut]
[playful guitar riff]
[door slamming shut]
[descending guitar stinger]
[muffled sound
of children in hall]
[door clicking open]
Why aren't you answering
your phone?
-[Cutty] I'm busy.
-Doing what?
Going over
next year's curriculum.
You have a call on line two.
I'm in a meeting!
It's the Chief!
Chief of what ?
Chief of The Nation, you moron!
[door clicking shut]
[phone receiver clicking]
Hello, Chief.
[playful guitar stinger]
I need 100 wooden yardsticks.
Not a request one
gets every day.
I have been to Home Depot,
Staples, Walmart, Amazon.
So far, I found six.
That's a good start.
Yeah, it's a start.
I'm only, like...
93 yardsticks short?
Can I ask who was that was
so specific about this request?
Your Chief, who do you think?
Well, technically,
he's your Chief.
I'm non-status.
Oh, don't tell me you don't
know what's going on here.
This is probably your idea.
Listen, the Chief wanted to know
how to get the kids at school
using the old language.
Yardsticks? Really?
Think about it, Jill.
You can't force kids...
to start using a new language
they don't know.
Especially when the one
they are using
is working perfectly well
for them.
[inhales]
You can force kids to stop
using a language.
Even one that's working
perfectly well for them.
As those French-Canadian nuns
demonstrated so clearly.
You want to start
hitting kids...
when they speak English?
[smacks table]
Do you want to save your
language or not?
[playful guitar stinger]
[fingers tapping on desk]
[Monica] We need
to make a change.
You just keep thinking
in that little head of yours
of how we can do it.
I was thinking...
No, in your head.
I don't need to hear it.
Just think about it.
[Jill exhaling]
[smacking cubicle]
You want to do some
teaching at the school?
No.
But you're good with numbers.
I'm an accountant.
What's 6 times 7?
[Chucky] See?
What's 436 plus 342?
[background office chatter]
Yes!
I want you to teach
math at the school.
No.
Yes!
But I'm not a teacher.
[Chucky] But you know your math.
And I hate kids.
Ahh, every good teacher
hates kids.
Where's this coming from?
I'll tell you later.
What's 7 times 8?
This is gonna be great.
[playful upright bass stinger]
[chucky sighing]
Hey, look,
it's the aunties-in-training.
Hey Monica.
What can I do for you?
As advisor to the curriculum
panel on educational reform,
I am surprised to hear
that you are making
pedagogical changes
without me.
Hey, first of all...
let's keep pedos out
of our school, okay?
You cannot make changes
to the curriculum
without my consent.
Monica, I'm not making
changes to the curriculum.
I'm throwing it out
and I'm starting over again.
You can't do that.
I can, Monica.
I'm the Chief.
[playful guitar stinger]
[footsteps]
[horse neighing in distance]
[loud thud]
I got asked
to teach a class on...
"En-tre-pre-neurism".
And I told them that I would.
But we gotta change
that damn name.
It's good to call
a thing by its name.
No fancy talk.
And the class that I teach...
it's called...
"Making Money".
[playful upright bass stinger]
[gate squeaking open]
[horse neighing in distance]
[distant horse neighing]
[Deputy] They asked me to...
...teach "Horsemanship"
at the school.
But I said no.
[saddle buckles clanking]
Some things just can't
be learned at school.
If you want to learn horses...
...quit school.
Go find a ranch.
[birds chirping]
[horse exhaling]
[country-style riff begins]
[hooves clopping]
[music fading]
I thought if somebody
could just reason with him.
What we can do is we can
initiate a feasibility study,
have some workshops,
or come up with some
long range objectives.
Really take the time
to study this properly.
Yes.
There's funding available,
and a variety of programs
that would facilitate
a more balanced
and responsible approach.
You know, that would help us
deal with the Chief's concerns.
And what are C hief's concerns,
Principal Cutty?
Well, even that is going to
take some reflection to...
ascertain fully.
Principal, I can tell you
the Chief's concerns
in three words, if you want.
[clearing throat] Well, sure.
Your school sucks.
No. Nothing is that simple.
And yet it is.
Let's ascertain'.
[playful guitar riff begins]
Your literacy levels...
suck!
Math scores suck.
Science marks suck.
Athletic programs...
suck!
Your school sucks, Principal.
It's simple.
I thought maybe you were
a reasonable man.
Oh, I am a reasonable man.
I love reason.
Let me ask you
a reasonable question.
Would you send your kid
to this school?
That's not...
No, that's not even
a fair assessment.
It's an entirely
fair assessment.
Would you send your child to
the school you're principal of?
There are systemic factors
and generational...
Yeah, yeah. I read the pamphlet.
Your school still sucks.
I am the one who wrote the Chief
and asked for education reform.
Why are we hiring white people
to teach us Indigenous culture?
They can't even
teach us white culture.
[playful guitar stinger]
Well, I can see you don't
want to be
part of the solution.
I do want to be
part of the solution.
I don't want to be
part of the suck.
We're hiring colonizers
to decolonize us?
How dumb is that?
[traffic humming in distance]
[pensive electric piano
riff begins]
Heya, Sargey.
Don't call me that.
So, what did you say
to the principal?
I told him the truth.
He just applied for a
one-year stress leave.
[Sarge sniffing]
Have some cheesecake.
Um, yeah. Let me just...
[unsheathing knife]
[knife tapping on glass]
[knife clacking against plate]
So...
now that we regained
control of the school...
do you mind putting in
a good word for me?
You know?
So I could teach
Multi... Media Recording
Engineering... class.
Yeah.
How much do you know about
multimedia recording
engineering?
Well, nothing.
But I figured the
best way to learn
is to teach it...
to, like, kids...
who don't know anything.
[Sarge chuckling quietly]
What's in it for me?
Uh, well... nothing.
But!
I did like your idea
of switching the...
water guns
with the yardsticks.
[children laughing and
screaming]
[Sarge yelling]
[Sarge yelling and laughing]
Help me.
Help me!...
[electric piano ringing out]
I kept the Super Soaker.
Yeah, I still have
a box of yardsticks.
I don't want your
box of yardsticks, Jill.
Okay.
How about this?
In exchange for putting in
a good word for me...
I will treat you...
to an epic...
yardstick battle.
And I actually get to hit you?
I don't know, old man.
Think you're tough enough?
[Sarge chuckling]
[Mighty Man
by Aaron James begins]
[sticks clacking]
Well, I ain't too good
in spelling, baby
And I ain't too
good in math
I am no economist
In fact a little
short on cash
I don't understand
your psychobabble
Baby, it's Greek to me
And all I know about
The Beatles, darling
is they wanted to be free
Sometimes I get mad
Sometimes I get sad
Sometimes I waste
my time on TV
And sometimes a-one
word in the world
Is gonna ever
come out of me
I'm a mighty, mighty man
He's a mighty, mighty man
I'm a mighty, mighty man
He's a mighty, mighty man
I'm a mighty, mighty, man
He's a mighty, mighty man
[music fading]
[single guitar note]
[birds chirping]
You're serious?
We could sell tickets.
"Win a chance
to marry the Chief."
Is that even legal?
This is Deep Lake First Nation.
You make the laws.
It's all legal.
Hm...
We'd have to get your hair cut.
Do something about the B.O.
There'd have to be some
qualifications, though.
Let's make a list.
Well... First of all...
she has to like
to hunt and fish.
Mhm.
Uh...
Know how to cook.
Keep a clean house.
And she has to be
good with kids.
Definitely sober.
She has to have her own boat.
Uh...
And maybe some power tools.
That'd be nice.
And this one's very important.
You have to make sure
she hasn't been passed
around too much.
Right.
How much are the tickets?
For you? Five bucks.
Ehh, come on.
Chance to marry
a real life Chief?
100 bucks.
What would we donate
the money to?
New ball diamonds.
What if we find
two or three wives?
You'll be lucky to find one.
[footsteps]
Hey, ladies.
Can I see your
passports, please?
Oh, we don't have passports.
Do you have a letter signed
by Chief and Council?
No.
No, we're here to find out about
the raffle to marry the Chief.
Have you seen
the list of requirements?
Yeah, I was wondering...
There's a bit about being
handed around too much.
Um, how much is... "too much"?
That's a good question.
My heart's telling me...
You two are good candidates.
Really?
By what names are you called,
here on Turtle Island?
I'm Brady.
I'm Amber.
Brady.
And Amber.
My heart's telling me some more.
That'll be 100 each.
Oh. Um...
[Amber] Do you take debit?
Just one more question.
Why would you want a Chief...
when you can have
Sammy the bull?
[birds chirping]
[tap running]
[dishes rattling]
[Vanessa] It's not like you
can't marry your cousin.
People marry their cousins
all the time.
Sure, it's gross.
But all marriage is gross.
I bought a ticket.
But only to support
the ball diamonds.
[brooding guitar stinger]
[Monica] Citizens of Deep Lake:
Our nation is in chaos.
I'm begging some real
government to step in.
The...
United Nations.
The CIA.
Someone we can trust.
[playful guitar stinger]
[Sammy] Raffle sales...
are going quite well.
I'm surprised by how
many white women
are driving out to buy a ticket.
I'm making quite a few
contacts of my own,
out of that deal.
I guess a lot of women
like a little red meat
now and then.
[playful upright bass stinger]
[keyboard clacking]
[background office chatter]
[Jill clearing throat]
Hey.
You're Vanessa, right?
I'm Jill.
I work for Monica.
Um.
Can I ask you a question?
[Jill] I'm honestly a little
worried about her. Like...
she's going to lose her mind.
Why do you care?
[Jill] What do you mean?
Your boss is losing
her mind? So what?
You don't think I should...
do something?
Yeah, I think you should
do something.
What?
Make sure you have all
her keys and passwords.
Okay, yeah.
When she finally flakes,
then you can get promoted.
Oh... Oh...
Yeah...
[door slamming in distance]
[object banging on car]
[squeaking and clanging]
[car sensor ringing]
[door slamming]
What do you think
you're doing, Randy?
What did you think
was going to happen
if you come out here
with your arms so full
that you couldn't even
open the car door?
You weren't thinking,
were you, Randy?
Now what are you going to do?
No! Randy!
This is thousands of dollars
worth of camera equipment.
Plus highly, highly confidential
are the raffle tickets.
And you're just going to
put it on the ground
for everybody to run over it?
No. No, you're not, Randy.
Why is it that I have to do
all the thinking around here?
Listen to me.
Go back inside,
put about half of that down,
then come back out
with one free hand
and open the car door.
Now, wouldn't that
be a good idea?
Wouldn't that be useful?
Don't you want
to be useful, Randy?
Huh?
This is my first experience
being "the boss".
I guess you could say I'm...
experimenting.
I've been reading this book
about leadership.
"It is important to
initially establish...
a lasting power dynamic."
Now, I don't really know
what that means.
I just want to train Randy
to do whatever I want.
I figured it's best
for the both of us.
Hey Randy!
Don't make me late!
Maskwacis!
[chuckles]
[birds chirping]
[Vanessa] My mom and dad
were married for 23 years.
Until he died in an accident
grading the roads.
I was twelve.
Their marriage was
arranged by the Elders.
When the band sold his grader
at an auction, I bought it.
I don't know what
I'm going to do with it.
I just like having it.
Arranged marriages often work.
I tell you, if the Elders
were still in charge,
I wouldn't be single.
[pensive electric piano
riff begins]
[background casino ambience]
[tripod clicking and sliding]
[table squeaking on floor]
[]
[items rustling]
[Jill coughing]
[exhaling]
[]
[clicking]
[music fading]
Tell me I look fabulous.
You look fabulous.
How many people do we have
watching our live stream?
Um...
That would be...
247,688 people.
Shut the front door.
I was hoping for, like...
Numbers are still rising.
How many tickets did we sell?
Over 100,000, as of an hour ago.
That's, like...
Over $5 million.
That many women
want to marry the Chief?
We're live in ten.
-Ten what?
-Seconds.
Five...
Four...
Three...
Greetings...
...from Casino Dene
in Deep Lake.
It's time...
...to find out who's
the lucky winner
that gets to marry our Chief.
[chuckles]
Yeah. Real lucky.
What a real catch he is.
Alright, let's go.
[plastic squeaking]
[indistinct casino chatter]
[awkward silence]
[raffle wheel rocking]
Alright.
Let's see.
[keys clacking]
[rattling]
[plastic piece
bouncing off ground]
[keys falling on table]
I feel like...
...maybe I should have a
beautiful assistant doing this.
Or maybe I'm
the beautiful assistant,
and somebody else is
supposed to be doing this.
[paper rustling]
It's fine.
I'll do everything around here.
Like I usually do.
[paper rustling]
And the winner is...
[suspenseful upright bass]
[final music note reverberating]
[cell phone buzzing]
[sink running]
[sink shutting off]
[phone continuing to buzz]
[phone clicking open]
Hello?
[paper crumpling]
It's for you...
Oh! Who is it?
-[woman] It's nothing.
-[man] Just let me see it.
[woman] No.
Fine. No!
[man] Come on.
-No.
-Is it a surprise?
-No!
-Just let me see.
No. Please?
No! Go away. Ah!
You know, it's really too bad
the raffle didn't end
in wedding bells.
[clicking tongue]
But the good news is,
there's many things
to be learned from this.
First off,
love is complicated.
I think I'm going to wait.
You know,
play some hockey,
make some music videos,
do some duck hunting.
[exhaling]
It's too bad about that
woman from Missouri.
Turns out she already
had a husband.
And according to the
Deep Lake First Nation
Gaming Commission
rules and regulations,
that disqualified her
from being my fiancee.
[]
[car engine humming]
[clicking]
[Sammy sighing]
[Sammy] I wonder if
I should go to the door,
or...
just honk?
Nah.
It's a first date.
I better not honk.
[engine idling]
But I don't really want
to go to the door, either.
Problem solved.
[Sammy] How's it going?
[indistinct chatter]
[car door shutting]
[Monica] Marriage
is a social construct.
It reinforces the
traditional stereotypes...
of...
of women serving men.
When clearly,
men should be serving women.
[playful guitar stinger]
I think it would be...
I just think...
Sorry, what was the question?
In some Indigenous cultures,
men were slaves to women.
[chair squeaking]
What was wrong with that idea?
[playful guitar stinger]
[bees buzzing, birds chirping]
[crickets chirping]
[distant traffic]
[hotel lobby ambience]
[moody guitar riff begins]
[music fades]
You know, as a Chief,
it's hard to know what to do
about family, marriage...
You know, that kind of stuff.
Family stuff, it's important.
It's really important.
But it's not really
the Chief's job.
My job is to protect us
from other nations,
like the Blackfoot,
the Russians...
and you colonizers.
[playful upright bass stinger]
There's new research
that suggests that
population control
is the number one issue
facing the planet.
In China,
the government
can actually tell you
when you have a kid or not.
It's not a bad idea.
Ideally, someday we'll
have these big banks
with sperms and the eggs.
And if we need more people,
we'll just, you know...
put them through
the lab or whatever.
The government should
be raising the children.
Raising children
is too important
to leave to the parents.
[Sammy] I was thinking,
I was like, you know what?
-So sacred.
-It's sacred. Yeah.
The sacred eagle in the sky.
And, you know...
I think he needed it
more than... than I did.
-Yeah.
-And I miss it.
I miss my tooth. Right?
It's... it's part of me.
It's part of my soul.
Mhm.
It's part of everything
that I am.
-And as soon as it was gone...
-You felt it in your bones.
I felt it in my bones,
cause it...
-Because it was a bone.
-Yeah.
Right? Teeth.
-Mhm.
-It was a bone.
Sure, I'd like
to get married someday.
No rush.
It'd be nice to have someone,
you know, around.
Steady.
Wasn't a complete idiot, and...
didn't smell
like pizza vomit.
[clearing throat]
Be cool if he was a drummer.
We got rid of the Department
of Social Services.
[clicking tongue]
Monica wasn't
too happy about that.
But it wasn't working.
And that's a difference
between us and you.
When you find something
that isn't working,
you think money is the answer.
Throwing money at something
that isn't working...
doesn't work.
So now that we're
a sovereign nation,
when we find something
that doesn't work,
we throw it out.
Social services wasn't working.
So we threw it out.
And you know what we did?
We replaced it with Elders.
And you know what
the Elders told me?
They said a nation isn't
made up of people.
A nation is made up of families.
A strong nation needs to be
made up of strong families.
So every person
needs to be part of a family.
And every family
needs to be part of a nation.
That's my job.
[restaurant chatter]
[Sammy] It was the tooth.
Nobody wanted to fight
me anymore. Right?
It's like, "Oh this guy's
missing a tooth.
He must know how to...
throw hands."
[pensive synth]
Sometimes I get a room here,
and I pretend I'm on holiday.
[]
I never go on real holidays.
Just like I never go
on real dates.
I've never even had
a real boyfriend.
I don't know
what's wrong with me.
[music fading]
[casino machines in background]
I think it's going
pretty damn good.
She is nice.
Nice, and nice looking, too.
[clearing throat]
Doesn't talk much...
but that could be
a good thing.
I have a son. Uh... Sammy Jr.
He's a... he's a good boy.
Strong and handsome,
like his father.
Uh, he...
He doesn't have
a mom right now. So...
She...
His birth mother has
gone to be with the...
with the ancestors,
with the Creator.
Right now, he's being
raised by his Kokum
and myself.
So you see...
I'm not only looking
for a wife for myself.
I'm looking for
a mother for my son.
[indistinct chatter]
[blowing kiss]
We're kind of
a two-for-one deal.
[birds chirping]
[car engine shutting off]
Is your mom home?
Yeah. She's inside.
That's probably a good thing.
[chuckles]
Hey.
I had a good time tonight.
Me too.
You know I have a son?
Yeah.
His name's Henry.
I see him at the school.
You work in the...
-in the lunchroom?
-Yeah.
He sees you in there, too.
He says that you're really nice.
Nice kid.
[clearing throat]
Would you like to do this
again sometime?
Mm. Of course.
Lis... Uh...
Do you mind if I ask you
a few more questions?
-Sure.
-Okay.
How would you rate your cooking?
I don't know.
My mom usually does the cooking.
So not much of a cook.
Alright. Next question.
[clearing throat]
Would you describe
yourself as a neat
and clean housekeeper?
What do you mean?
A neat and clean housekeeper.
Like, do you do your
laundry regularly and
fold them up and put
them away right away?
[frustrated exhale]
How about this.
If we were to go into
your house right now,
with no warning...
would your bed be made
and dishes clean?
Are you kidding me?
No, not at all.
So not much of a housekeeper.
You're being rude.
I just want to know what
I'm getting into here.
And one more question.
[clearing throat]
In high school,
would you describe
your marks as average,
above average, or below average?
I think I'll go in now.
Okey dokey.
[car door opening]
Ass.
[car door slamming]
I had a blast, too.
Alright.
[placing keys in ignition]
[engine igniting]
[Monica] I don't have time to
date.
[fan whirring]
My focus is on making
the world a better place.
The world just
isn't cooperating.
So... I do...
do...
I do like my dad.
I like...
I like how...
how he always hugs me a lot.
And I like how...
how, um....
...I get to do stuff
with him sometimes.
My... My dad...
My dad is able to carry me,
when I'm pretty hea...
I... am, like, pretty heavy.
So... it's insane how...
how he can carry me.
I do want to be
a carpenter, because...
...I... I am able
to build Lego...
Lego sets and, like, n...
like, not slow.
I'm able to build
Lego sets, like...
like, faster than you think.
Because I got a big Lego set,
and I almost finished it
in one day.
And it was pretty fun,
because...
my grandpa was helping me.
So... I do...
I do want to be a...
a carpenter when
I'm older, because...
...I can carpent
some wood into chairs.
Wood is easy...
easy to make things,
because you can make
a table out of wood.
But...
but with stone, you c...
you can't even do
anything with stone.
It's cool how carpenters
just make things.
[cats meowing]
I don't get why he would
spoil a nice night like that.
We were having fun.
And I can cook.
I just haven't learned how yet.
And who said woman have to cook?
What's wrong with takeout?
Like Chinese takeout.
[Jill] Monica's always
talking about "change".
I don't really want
to change anything...
But...
I mean...
I want to grow.
You know?
Growth is different than
change.
I want to be like
a little blueberry bush...
minding my own business...
while producing
a little fruit along the way.
[kitchen humming]
[dog barking]
[clothing rustling]
[hangers rattling]
[playful electric piano
riff begins]
[laundry basket clacking]
[]
[water running]
[cleaner spraying]
[knife slicing through potato]
[crunching]
[water running]
[knife cutting]
[scraping]
[sizzling]
[water boiling]
[music fading]
So there, Sammy.
[Sammy] You could say that...
that date didn't go so well.
But I disagree.
I thought it went very,
very well.
Part about being dadly
is taking life serious.
And I'm serious about life.
There's a time to be a boy
and play games.
Even as a man,
you could play games.
Games like hockey, poker,
and hand games.
Chasing women, it's not a game.
Finding a woman,
a mother for your children...
Not a game.
Making love is like
making money.
It's serious business.
[wind blowing through trees]
[river calmly flowing]
[birds chirping]
[water lapping]
[pensive electric piano
riff begins]
Thanks for doing this
with me, Sarge.
[water splashing]
Yeah, I've never been
entirely comfortable
with unicorns.
You know...
I feel like we're in a anime,
you know that?
Good.
[match striking]
[grunting]
[water rippling]
I've always liked sparklers.
[sparkling]
[Jill exhaling in awe]
Where's yours?
Yes.
[water lightly splashing]
Ah!
[water splashing]
[Sarge chuckling]
Whoa!
Sarge!
[pummeling unicorn]
My pipe!
[both mouthing off-key
classical music]
[loons calling]
[]
[loons continuing to call]
[both imitating loon call]
[music fading]
[final loon call]
[water continuing to lap]
[Midgard Avenue by
Bad Luck Pearl begins]
[]
[]
[music fading]
[]
[energetic theme music begins]
[music fading]
[single guitar strum]
[playful upright bass riff]
[dog barking]
[Sammy] If you want
to go to the casino,
you can go there
on the other side.
Anybody can get to the casino.
But if you want to go past
the casino, onto The Nation,
you have to show your passport.
We have our very own
Deep Lake First Nation
passports.
Doesn't matter who you are.
RCMP,
state troopers,
Lynyrd Skynyrd.
If you want on to The Nation,
then you need a passport.
[birds cawing]
[man] Chucky's the elected
Chief.
He's also the hereditary Chief.
[distant passing traffic]
And with the oil
and casino money...
The Nation's revenues
are significant.
I'm Monica Leprete.
I'm the National Director
for the Regional Education
Nourishment Center.
And I'm also
the interpretation liaison
for the International Indigenous
Entrepreneurial
Outreach Initiative.
I'm also
the Chief's half sister.
And I can say,
without a doubt...
my brother is an idiot.
[man] Chief and Council...
have a limit on how
many laws are active
at any one time,
and that limit is ten.
The Chief feels that...
if ten were enough
for the ancient Israelites,
it's enough for Deep Lake.
[Monica] My department
keeps getting approved
for federal funding
for programs that are
so needed on The Nation.
Like the Climate and Health
Adaptation Awareness Initiative.
Or those Interim Bridge grants
for preparedness monitoring
of endangered harvester data.
Sucker Creek, Loon River...
They're all getting those.
But because of the
irresponsible leadership
of my stupid brother,
Deep Lake can't access
that funding.
That's why I'm still
driving a Grand Am.
[playful guitar stinger]
[woman] I got my accounting
diploma
from Quijano College in 2015.
I've been here ever since.
[indistinct office chatter]
Chucky is my cousin...
but I don't care about that.
I don't care about politics.
I don't care about anything.
Just the numbers.
Numbers don't lie.
People lie.
[moody guitar stinger]
I don't care if we have
no money in that account.
Bring them over here.
I'll sign them.
Just take the money out
of the education budget.
We got lots in there anyway.
Not everyone agrees
with the Chief.
But you have to admit.
Lots got better
since Chucky got in.
[birds chirping]
Mostly I like
his hockey policies.
He wants us to be
the best team in the world.
And we don't have
to wear helmets.
[distorted electric
guitar stinger]
[slapshot]
[Chucky] You know who the first
pro was to wear a helmet?
George Owen.
Remember him?
Nope.
Nobody does.
[indistinct shouting]
He was a Boston Bruin.
Those Bruins have
always been sissies.
[man] We don't have a drug
and alcohol problem
on The Nation.
Largely because we
don't have any laws
regarding drugs or alcohol.
Except one.
You got to make
the stuff yourself.
If you get caught...
[metal clanks]
bringing booze or drugs
onto our nation
from some other nation,
like Canada,
or the United States,
we banish you for life.
As long as you make
your own brew,
grow your own weed, you're good.
Of course, there are some who...
get stupid about it.
They mostly wind up dead.
Which is not necessarily
a bad thing either.
Under my leadership,
the Deep Lake First Nation
started the NHHL:
the No Helmet Hockey League'.
If you want to wear
a helmet, go ahead.
But you might as well
bring your crayons
on the ice with you.
See how many goals you score.
[blades grinding]
And if you look like me,
Reggie Leach,
or Craig MacTavish,
you can't cover this up.
[distorted electric
guitar stinger]
The only other thing I like,
other than numbers
is ballroom dancing.
Which is challenging...
because I only dance alone.
[moody guitar stinger]
[Chucky] It sucks that we can't
use the word 'Indian' anymore.
You never heard a country song
about First Nations people.
And that word Indigenous'?
That's a white man's word.
Can't put that on a jersey.
Can't even spell it.
So, what we had to do
is we had to find a logo
that was both motivational
and marketable.
[hockey players chatting]
[laughter]
[hockey players cheering]
[playful guitar stinger]
[exhaling]
[footsteps]
Oh, hey sis.
[sniffs]
Mm, you smell like
a bannock burger.
I have just been
informed by CIRNAC
that our nation
is not in compliance.
Compliance with what?
CIRNAC!
Who's that?
It's an anacronym.
I think you mean acronym'.
Crown-Indigenous Relations
and Northern Affairs.
Who's having an affair?
-[Monica sighs]
-And this ain't Canada, Monica.
This is Deep Lake First Nation.
So you and CIRNAC can beat it.
When are you going to
start taking this seriously?
[exhaling]
[in tough voice] Is this serious
enough for you?
Is it?
Punk?
[distant hum of traffic]
I don't get involved
in family disputes,
here on The Nation.
Which are basically the only
kind of disputes we have.
Makes my job
pretty easy most days.
[relaxed guitar riff]
[Monica] Chucky!
There are permanent
bilateral mechanisms in place
to facilitate the
Truth and Reconciliation
deliverance framework
that we as a nation
are not taking advantage of
because you have
failed to deliver
the required...
"emergency management
fiscal relationship
under the infrastructure
of the community
self-determination inquiry."
Do you even understand
what you just said?
I'm speaking plain English.
Well, you know what, Monica?
Maybe try speaking in tongues.
Or maybe learn a little Dene,
you sidewalk Indian.
[single guitar note]
[Sammy] That was the last time
that I let her hit... hit me.
-[man] Hmm.
-[Sammy] You know, I said...
"This is enough.
You take care of yourself."
Right?
-Mhm.
- Raise your own kids.
I can't raise them anymore
cause they're...
cause they ain't mine."
-No.
-They ain't mine. Right?
They're somebody else's. Right?
But she says that they're mine.
-Yeah, yeah.
-So I went and got a test done.
And guess what?
[man] Not yours.
They're not mine.
Our people are suffering.
We're Indians.
We suffer every day,
Your Highness.
I'm telling mom.
Good. Why don't you
say hi to her for me?
And you know what?
While you're over there,
why don't you tell her
I finally found out
where you were after the
Broket Pow Wow of 2013.
That Lakota wasn't from Dakota.
-One more word out of you...
-As a matter of fact, Monica...
that little teepee creeper
of yours?
He was a creep from Driftpile!
[slapping]
[playful guitar stinger]
There you go.
-[Sammy] Twenty.
-Why don't you take those, too?
Okay.
Alright.
Here's the good stuff, buddy.
[tires gnashing gravel]
We can't let anybody
bring drugs or alcohol
onto The Nation.
But there's no law against
selling the stuff
that we make.
On or off.
And as it turns out...
wine is just fruit juice
and yeast.
[taps]
Who would have thought?
We've become
a nation of exporters.
[playful upright bass stinger]
[muffled argument in background]
[sliding]
[plastic clicking]
[stale gum ball popping]
[spitting]
[Jill beatboxing]
Lakota...
...from Dakota
[beatboxing]
Doing yoga...
...in a toga
[mouthing explosion]
Drinking soda
Somebody tell...
Somebody tell Yoda
Stole his tapioca
Ah, that's...
I'm a musician.
[pen and paper clicking]
Monica!
Can I go home now?
[pensive guitar stinger]
[exhales]
I will say this about the Chief.
What he takes for himself
is totally reasonable.
And sure, he can get more money.
But all money comes with
strings attached, right?
I like living on
Deep Lake First Nation.
People suck.
All I care about is
the numbers line up.
And our numbers line right up.
No strings attached.
[moody guitar stinger]
[Chucky] You know...
...I have no problem
with Canada.
Or the USA.
Or...
...Moldova.
It doesn't matter.
You want to be Canadian?
Go and be Canadian.
Wear funny socks.
Create your own laws.
Do your own thing.
You stole the land.
I get it.
It's yours.
But this right here.
You didn't get this, did you?
This is Deep Lake First Nation.
This isn't Canada, neestow.
So conduct yourself accordingly.
[engine sputtering]
[pensive electric piano
riff begins]
[metal clacking]
[hood clicking open]
[]
[engine rustling]
[slamming]
[]
[metal reverberating]
[distant passing traffic]
[car horn honking]
[metal object falling to ground]
[music fading]
[airplane buzzing]
[engine idling]
[airplane engine revs]
[airplane door shutting]
[airplane engine starting,
receding]
[interior hum]
[object clatters]
[items rustling]
[slapping item]
[shopping cart rolling
in distance]
[cash register opening]
Alister Gillis.
Minister of Indigenous Affairs.
May I see your passport?
I'm not carrying a passport.
Hm.
Then I need to see your letter
from Chief and Council
saying that you have
permission to land
on Deep Lake First Nation.
I'm the Minister of Indian
and Northern Affairs.
I'm here on official business.
A minute ago,
it was "Indigenous Affairs".
Same thing.
Is it though?
Who are you?
I'm Sarge.
Are you armed?
No, I'm not armed.
Well I am.
-You should know that.
-[playful guitar stinger]
[plastic object slapping car]
[jumper cables rustling]
I used to want to be
a social media influencer.
[jumper cables clicking]
But then I realized...
all they really do is
show off their boobs...
and sell skincare products.
Now I'm not against
showing off your boobs.
I just don't believe
in skincare products.
Listen.
By the authority of
His Majesty's Government,
I demand you take me to
the administration offices.
Which majesty
are we talking about?
King Charles III.
King of Canada.
The "King of Canada", hey.
What's he like to work for?
Well, I've never met him.
[soft chuckle]
You can't be that important
to the operation, then.
[playful guitar stinger]
I mean...
if Monica wants
to be a moonyeow,
she should move to Canada.
Or Connecticut.
If you want to be Chinese,
move to China, right?
We're a real nation,
like Finland.
Have you seen the Prime
Minister of Finland?
Smokin'!
Her name is Sana.
I'm negotiating
a bilateral agreement
with her right now.
Not because I'm bi...
but because I want
to get lateral
with this white woman.
Have a little Sana summit.
Nation to nation.
Just the two of us.
[playful upright bass riff]
See how she likes the Red Man.
[]
I'm the Minister
of Indigenous affairs.
Yeah, you said.
Listen.
No, Gillis.
You listen.
By the authority of
Chief Charles Ribbonleg...
of the
Deep Lake First Nation,
I arrest you...
for unlawfully...
landing on our nation
without a passport...
or permission.
This is preposterous.
[Sarge] It's a little
preposterous.
[body thudding against car]
[body thumping on car seat]
[single guitar note]
[pages flapping]
[Gillis screaming]
[birds wings fluttering]
[classy guitar stinger]
[Chucky] Okay, you know,
one thing that I don't like...
...is that we need new
upholstery on these chairs.
Every second chair has
a cigarette burn in it.
[coughing]
You know, people need
to be on top of this.
Also, look at this.
Look at this, right here.
See this?
That looks like
my couch at home.
That's not good.
[pensive guitar riff begins]
[]
[music fades]
[knocking on glass]
[car window opening]
Hey Sargey. Have you eaten?
Don't call me that.
You don't like Sargey?
I think it's cute.
I have not eaten.
Uh, there's $37 on this card.
If we get
a nine-piece family pack,
then you and I and the prisoner
could each have three pieces,
and share the fries
and the coleslaw.
But I'm not touching
the macaroni.
I don't eat with prisoners.
Right.
Yeah.
It's just an idea.
Okay.
Hey.
[Sarge patting side of car]
[exhaling]
[footsteps approaching]
Here's a fresh one.
Get, uh, three dinner packs.
Anything you want.
Make sure one of them
has macaroni salad.
Tight!
Thanks, Sargey...
Uh...
Sarge.
I'll go over to the casino
and get us some napkins.
I... I think I could just get
napkins at the gas station.
I prefer linen.
Linen?
Linen.
Like?
Like, linen.
Right.
Meet you at the casino.
[car engine starting]
[relaxed guitar stinger]
[metal gate squeaking]
[horse grunts and neighs]
[three brief guitar notes]
[Jill] So the guy came...
...to give us money...
and you put him in jail?
We don't need money.
I could use some money,
if you're just giving it away.
We need the things that
money sometimes buys.
And what things are those?
Freedom.
Independence.
Hungry Man Dinners.
Good choice.
So you're one of those
"Money is the root
of all evil" types.
No.
The love of money
is the root of all evil.
The linen napkins
are a nice touch.
Come.
Our prisoner's meal
is getting cold.
[relaxed guitar stinger]
Most of our clients
are Canadian.
What's your name?
Jackson.
Jackson?
Yeah.
Yeah, you kind of
look like my ex.
Hey.
Do you golf?
[birds chirping]
See, cause I got
these old golf clubs.
I don't want
your hand-me-down
golf clubs, Jill.
No, the golf tournament's
this weekend.
You're looking for a teacher.
Ehh.
I guess.
I'm not qualified.
But you're, like...
Old guys golf.
[Jill exhaling]
I am qualified to caddy.
You want to carry my clubs?
I have the required wardrobe.
Why am I not surprised?
-I would have to be paid.
-[Jill] Seriously?
Tradition states
40% of the green fee.
But you're, like, new.
[clicks tongue] I'll take 30%.
Still seems stiff.
I have the wardrobe.
What's the green fee?
Deep Lake golf course...
it's 20 bucks.
So for a caddy, that's, like...
six bucks.
It's not "like" six bucks, Jill.
It's exactly six bucks.
I'll give you five.
I'd have to go change.
-So go change.
- You go change.
Maybe I will!
Yeah?
Yeah!
Meet you at the
golf course in an hour.
Cool.
[car door opening]
[slot machines beeping]
You see these pants here?
These are prescription pants.
Yeah.
Got em made myself.
[heavy door rolling open]
[Jill] Yo, big shot.
You in there, big shot?
[footsteps approaching]
Hey.
I just brought you some chicken.
[rustling]
[food container slamming shut]
[rustling]
[hand gripping metal bar]
Young lady,
you have no idea how
much trouble you're in.
Really?
Aren't you the one
behind bars right now?
Release me immediately.
[plastic crinkling]
Sorry, big shot.
I'm gonna go golfing.
Enjoy your chicken, though.
[playful upright bass riff]
[footsteps receding]
[heavy door rolling closed]
[chewing]
This machine right here?
This machine alone
paid for all of our
minor hockey teams...
to go to Native Provincials.
Just that machine.
Imagine what all these
hundreds of machines do.
[playful guitar riff]
[ball clacking]
[music fading]
[Vanessa] I don't care
what my score is,
but I'm not losing a ball.
[leaves rustling]
I'd rather pick berries
than play golf any day.
I'd rather go fishing
than play golf.
I'd rather clean my closet
than play golf.
[pensive guitar riff begins]
[club whacking golf ball]
[club whacking golf ball]
[]
[music fades]
[golf cart approaching]
He's so weird.
[speaker clicking on]
[announcer] Attention,
Deep Lake golfers.
You may see Warriors
conducting drill formations
today in between
6th and 7th holes.
If your ball lands within
six meters of a Warrior,
you can take one drop out
of this area without penalty.
Enjoy your day golfing.
And be sure to check out our
bacon wrapped turkey breast
in the clubhouse
after your round.
[speaker clicks off]
[Chucky] You know, a slot
machine...
one thing that a lot
of people don't know?
A slot machine pays out
0.2% of what it makes.
So add that up.
How much money is that?
Right?
How much money is that?
Tell me. Anybody? Anybody?
Vanessa would say "lots".
The Minister of Indian Affairs
brought us a check
for $13 million.
What are we going to do
with $13 million?
I told Chucky
we don't need the money.
Will just cause more problems.
Besides, Canada
has too many laws.
I don't want us to get addicted
to their money again.
We're just barely
getting sober now.
[golf cart whirring by]
[whooping]
[Jill] Who are those guys?
In light of the recent threats
to our national security...
the Chief has decided
to call up our Warriors.
Want to get
the militia in shape...
in case Canada
gets any funny ideas.
Those guys?
They couldn't defend us from
Frog Lake's fire department.
Well, they won't have to.
We just signed a peace treaty
with Frog Lake.
They're our allies now.
[Jill] Can I join the militia?
[Sarge] Do you have
any tactical skills?
I got nunchucks.
Well, I'd need your sizes.
We just ordered new uniforms.
Tight.
I'd look great...
[whispering]...in a uniform.
Mhm.
[purring]
[Gillis] I don't know who
these people think they are.
I come here with a check
for several million dollars.
How do they receive me?
I mean, ask for more money
if you want.
That's smart.
We'd give it to them.
It's like these ones
don't even want our money.
How do you deal...
with people like that?
And they said, well...
"Where are you going to get
your slot machines from?"
"Where are you gonna...
What are you gonna do?'
You have to rent them from us."
No, we don't.
We got other nations that
make their own slot machines.
So, that's what we did.
I mean, we call them a "Nation".
We build them
a pow wow center...
a treatment center.
What more do they want?
Phoned all of our cousins
down in Nevada.
And they gave us
some slot machines.
Said, "Hey, man, you're
doing your own thing.
That's good!
We're gonna support you."
[upright bass note rings out]
Everyone needs to be
addicted to something.
What's better than free money?
I've read Foucault.
"Colonization is not complete
until the slaves
think they're free."
[pensive guitar riff begins]
[club whacking]
[club whacking]
[]
[Sarge] I'm open!
[golf cart humming]
[Deputy] "...as I have already
heard a great deal about you
that is interesting
and flattering.
"Secondly, I cherish this hope
that you may not refuse
to assist me in a matter
directly concerning
the welfare of your sister...
A-va-da-koya... Rama-Nova...
for without your support,
she might not let me
come near her now."
[Jill] So is it true
that you were, like...
some minor rock star
back in the day?
No, that's not true.
Ahh.
I didn't think so.
I was actually quite a big deal.
I don't believe you.
Lead guitarist, Sweeney Todd.
[disgusted interjection]
What is that?
Roxy Roller.
It was the number one hit.
You must have heard it.
No.
How about
Hot Child in the City?
Yeah...
Right...
No.
Is this embarrassing?
Cause we can stop.
Sweeney Todd
changed rock and roll.
Right... Yeah...
-Ye...
-We won a Juno.
What's a "Juno"?
You, young lady,
are musically illiterate.
You still have your guitar?
I have several guitars.
So you want to be on my demo?
No.
Yes you do.
You know you do.
You know that I know you do.
I only record in analog.
Whatever that is.
Reel-to-reel, two-inch tape.
[phone buzzing]
It's Monica.
What do I tell her?
She's your boss, not mine.
Tell her whatever you want.
[phone clicking]
Hey, Monica.
Actually, you can tell her that
I let the Minister of
Indian Affairs loose.
What? When?
I had my deputy
leave the cell door open.
[playful guitar stinger]
[body banging against cell door]
Well, where is he?
With any luck, he's finding
his way back to Canada now.
Oh, he's going
to get eaten by a bear.
[pensive guitar riff begins]
[birds chirping]
[fence shaking]
[grass crunching]
[truck passing by]
[truck braking]
[music fading]
[single guitar note]
[off-key saxophone blaring]
[Zamboni whirring]
I just bought a new Zamboni.
[patting Zamboni]
How's she feel, Rhonda?
I had three companies...
[ice skates gliding]
standing right here
in the crease.
And finally, I got them all
down to the same number.
And I said...
"Well, what can you
throw in for free?"
And the little guy
put his hand up.
I guess his wife
owned a music store.
[off-key saxophone honking]
That's leadership.
[playful upright bass stinger]
I've got a proposal
in to the Chief
to start my own sawmill.
We got a bunch of
timber up north
just waiting to get sawed.
Right now we're selling
to the Japanese.
I'm thinking we could make
more and create more jobs
if we sawed them ourselves.
[car approaching]
[leaves crunching underfoot]
[upright bass riff]
I've been learning a lot
since we became
a free market economy.
[]
[gravel crunching]
[music fading]
[facial hair scratching]
[hands rubbing]
[single saxophone honk]
You put the pow in my wow
Pow wow
Pow wow
You put the pow in my wow
Pow wow
Pow wow
[sax honking]
[horse galloping, birds
chirping]
The RCMP don't
come out here anymore.
We've made it clear
they're not welcome.
What nation would hire
some other nation
to be its police force for them?
And given our topography
and geography here,
it makes sense to have
a mounted police force.
I'm thinking of calling it
the "RDMP".
Kinda rhymes with "RCMP", but...
-[horse snorts]
-...not.
So this here is
Deputy Ernest Moosejaw,
from the
Real Deep Mounted Police.
Say hello to the camera.
You see any bad guys out there?
Not yet.
See? That's some good
police work there.
Well, continue on.
Doing what?
Looking for bad guys.
Oh, okay.
Okay.
[horse trotting off]
We don't have any bad guys
on Deep Lake First Nation.
Especially not out here
in the cow pasture.
You're good.
But this thing with the
leadership review going on...
I might need
some extra muscle.
Once in a while, not often,
there needs to be
a punch thrown...
[punching sound]
...on Deep Lake First Nation.
[man grunting]
[music fading]
Saxophones are cool.
When I went to school,
my mom made me play the trumpet.
She said that saxophones
are too expensive, but...
I've always liked saxophones.
Wait, what'd Monica say?
[pensive guitar stinger]
So what if the Chief
got a free saxophone?
He saved us $34,360
on a Zamboni.
I saw a sax player once
in Vegas.
His band was playing
Take a Walk on the Wild Side.
I was there alone.
In Vegas, alone.
[woman] I don't care who the
Chief is.
[bingo announcer in background]
As long as he leaves me alone.
[bingo players cheering]
-[paper rustling]
-[playful upright bass stinger]
[music fading]
My sister is...
hm.
How can I put this?
She's my sister.
I can't give her too much rope.
Then she'd hang herself.
And I know
she's trying to kill me.
But hey, she's my sister.
[moody guitar riff begins]
[birds chirping]
[car approaching]
[car window rolling down]
[moody guitar riff continues]
[leaves crunching underfoot]
[car window rolling down]
[music fading]
What do I owe you?
Three bottles.
Coming right up.
[car interior beeping]
[car door slamming]
[footsteps approaching]
Here you go, sweetheart.
Did you strain this a second
time like I asked you?
I did.
And just because you
asked for it...
[trunk slamming]
now I do that
on all my batches.
You got to get
that yeast taste out.
I appreciate your customer
feedback, Vanessa.
Helps me improve my product.
I don't get it, Sammy.
You don't pay taxes.
Why do you need
financial statements?
Financial statements
were never meant
for tax purposes, Vanessa.
As an accountant,
you should know that.
They were meant to be
a financial snapshot
of the health of a business
at any given time.
I know that, but how
do you know that?
I have a lot of time to think.
[birds chirping]
Monica's trying to force
a leadership review.
I heard.
Who are you supporting?
Well, we could get millions...
economic development money...
from the government...
if she were Chief.
Who do you support?
I support me.
[forceful push to chest]
[moody guitar stinger]
[car door slamming]
[engine revving]
[strumming chord]
Like most politicians...
Monica loves seeing
her face on TV.
It's, um...
But I got her to pay me
a little extra
to make these
little videos for her.
She calls them her
"Public Service Announcements".
It's...
Really, basically,
they're just...
campaign commercials.
She's getting ready
to run for Chief.
So, I hired Randy here as my...
"Director of Photography".
Say hi to the camera, Randy.
Hi.
He's documenting my process.
[drumming on chair]
Or...
supposed to be.
[lens clicking]
[lens cap thudding on floor]
Collaboration is not easy.
[Jill beatboxing]
You getting this?
-[continues beatboxing]
-[single guitar strum stinger]
[industrial light flicking on]
[footsteps echoing]
Deep Lake!
Are you ready?
[water running]
[cupboard slams,
saxophone honks]
[cupboard creaking open]
[Monica shrieking]
[off-key saxophone
blaring in background]
[thuds]
[booting plastic goose]
[thuding]
[water running,
smashing goose on sink]
[violent exhale]
[saxophone continuing
in background]
Monica forces one of these
leadership reviews
every six months or so.
No one pays any attention.
Everyone knows she
just wants to be Chief.
There's only one problem
with her plan.
Nobody votes for her.
[moody guitar riff]
That's democracy for you.
[Jill] I gotta admit.
Sarge's guitar parts...
...really brought
this song together.
[drumming on chair]
I don't know if I wanna
call it a song.
It's only two minutes long.
Plus, the term "song",
is very limiting.
I see it as a "musical
multimedia art piece".
Well, technically,
it's for Monica's...
leadership review... thing.
But I've been using it to
make some sick beats.
Wicky wicky wicky wicky word.
Yeah.
Art and politics have
a long history together.
You know?
It's called "propaganda".
And I don't feel that bad...
about...
making compromises.
Especially the ones that don't
involve me getting naked.
Yeah.
And Monica paid me 200 bucks,
which let me buy
a decent microphone.
DJ Ri Ri!
We're thinking
of calling ourselves
"Good Soup".
[slurping pretend soup]
The only thing left...
is to film the music video.
[violently dispensing
paper towel]
Who's in charge of this paper?
I don't know.
[laughing]
That's the part.
Alright. I'm ready.
[single clap]
[Jill] Okay.
[Jill's friend] I kind of
feel short
because I have to tippie-toe.
[metal clanking]
[Jill] Oh!
I think...
leave them right there.
Make sure it's not wrinkly.
I don't like wrinkles.
No.
[Jill] Oh!
See? I... I fixed it.
Did you fix it?
It's... looks good.
It looks good, you guys!
I think it's gonna be great.
[evening birds chirping]
[acoustic guitar being played]
[phone buzzing once]
[guitar string squeaking]
[phone clicking open]
[Free Money by Good Soup
begins playing]
Get some money
Free money
Sticky sticky sticky
like honey
A band check, a fat check
Gonna cash it
and hit the deck
No more bridals
Can't be stifled
Monica says
we're all entitled
Take from the rich
Give to the poor
Buy dope stuff
we can't afford
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
Get some money
Free money
Sticky sticky sticky
like honey
A band check, a fat check
Gonna cash it
and hit the deck
No more bridals,
can't be stifled
Monica says
we're all entitled
Take from the rich
Give to the poor
Buy dope stuff
we can't afford
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
In the government we trust
Yes, you must
Yes, you must
[final guitar note rings out]
[single guitar note]
[playful guitar riff]
[footsteps]
[guitar riff ends]
[children playing in background]
[Cutty] Put 'em up.
-That's not how it's done.
-That's how I learned!
I don't think you should
tell me what to do.
-It's over-under, then you push.
-But I... I learned how.
That's not gonna work.
-It works!
-Look.
It's weird.
Look!
Look. It's different sizes.
[Cutty] I'm principal Cutty.
Well, Dr. Cutty. Well...
not quite doctor.
I'm taking my PhD.
Online.
My thesis is Urban Aboriginal
Youth Perceptions
and Experiences
in Holistic Education
in Vancouver's Lower East Side.
This is my first year
here at Deep Lake.
The Chief?
I haven't met him yet.
But I hear he's into
education reform.
I look forward
to consulting with him.
There certainly is a plethora
of research opportunities
here in Deep Lake.
Do you know what
"plethora" means?
It means "lots".
Why doesn't he just say that?
They send us a new
principal every year.
Sometimes two in one year.
None of them last
more than a year.
Ten years I've been here.
Ever since I graduated.
Ten years.
Ten different principals.
[playful upright bass riff]
I should be principal.
For real.
[music fading]
[birds chirping]
[door squeaking open]
[door slamming shut]
[playful guitar riff]
[door slamming shut]
[descending guitar stinger]
[muffled sound
of children in hall]
[door clicking open]
Why aren't you answering
your phone?
-[Cutty] I'm busy.
-Doing what?
Going over
next year's curriculum.
You have a call on line two.
I'm in a meeting!
It's the Chief!
Chief of what ?
Chief of The Nation, you moron!
[door clicking shut]
[phone receiver clicking]
Hello, Chief.
[playful guitar stinger]
I need 100 wooden yardsticks.
Not a request one
gets every day.
I have been to Home Depot,
Staples, Walmart, Amazon.
So far, I found six.
That's a good start.
Yeah, it's a start.
I'm only, like...
93 yardsticks short?
Can I ask who was that was
so specific about this request?
Your Chief, who do you think?
Well, technically,
he's your Chief.
I'm non-status.
Oh, don't tell me you don't
know what's going on here.
This is probably your idea.
Listen, the Chief wanted to know
how to get the kids at school
using the old language.
Yardsticks? Really?
Think about it, Jill.
You can't force kids...
to start using a new language
they don't know.
Especially when the one
they are using
is working perfectly well
for them.
[inhales]
You can force kids to stop
using a language.
Even one that's working
perfectly well for them.
As those French-Canadian nuns
demonstrated so clearly.
You want to start
hitting kids...
when they speak English?
[smacks table]
Do you want to save your
language or not?
[playful guitar stinger]
[fingers tapping on desk]
[Monica] We need
to make a change.
You just keep thinking
in that little head of yours
of how we can do it.
I was thinking...
No, in your head.
I don't need to hear it.
Just think about it.
[Jill exhaling]
[smacking cubicle]
You want to do some
teaching at the school?
No.
But you're good with numbers.
I'm an accountant.
What's 6 times 7?
[Chucky] See?
What's 436 plus 342?
[background office chatter]
Yes!
I want you to teach
math at the school.
No.
Yes!
But I'm not a teacher.
[Chucky] But you know your math.
And I hate kids.
Ahh, every good teacher
hates kids.
Where's this coming from?
I'll tell you later.
What's 7 times 8?
This is gonna be great.
[playful upright bass stinger]
[chucky sighing]
Hey, look,
it's the aunties-in-training.
Hey Monica.
What can I do for you?
As advisor to the curriculum
panel on educational reform,
I am surprised to hear
that you are making
pedagogical changes
without me.
Hey, first of all...
let's keep pedos out
of our school, okay?
You cannot make changes
to the curriculum
without my consent.
Monica, I'm not making
changes to the curriculum.
I'm throwing it out
and I'm starting over again.
You can't do that.
I can, Monica.
I'm the Chief.
[playful guitar stinger]
[footsteps]
[horse neighing in distance]
[loud thud]
I got asked
to teach a class on...
"En-tre-pre-neurism".
And I told them that I would.
But we gotta change
that damn name.
It's good to call
a thing by its name.
No fancy talk.
And the class that I teach...
it's called...
"Making Money".
[playful upright bass stinger]
[gate squeaking open]
[horse neighing in distance]
[distant horse neighing]
[Deputy] They asked me to...
...teach "Horsemanship"
at the school.
But I said no.
[saddle buckles clanking]
Some things just can't
be learned at school.
If you want to learn horses...
...quit school.
Go find a ranch.
[birds chirping]
[horse exhaling]
[country-style riff begins]
[hooves clopping]
[music fading]
I thought if somebody
could just reason with him.
What we can do is we can
initiate a feasibility study,
have some workshops,
or come up with some
long range objectives.
Really take the time
to study this properly.
Yes.
There's funding available,
and a variety of programs
that would facilitate
a more balanced
and responsible approach.
You know, that would help us
deal with the Chief's concerns.
And what are C hief's concerns,
Principal Cutty?
Well, even that is going to
take some reflection to...
ascertain fully.
Principal, I can tell you
the Chief's concerns
in three words, if you want.
[clearing throat] Well, sure.
Your school sucks.
No. Nothing is that simple.
And yet it is.
Let's ascertain'.
[playful guitar riff begins]
Your literacy levels...
suck!
Math scores suck.
Science marks suck.
Athletic programs...
suck!
Your school sucks, Principal.
It's simple.
I thought maybe you were
a reasonable man.
Oh, I am a reasonable man.
I love reason.
Let me ask you
a reasonable question.
Would you send your kid
to this school?
That's not...
No, that's not even
a fair assessment.
It's an entirely
fair assessment.
Would you send your child to
the school you're principal of?
There are systemic factors
and generational...
Yeah, yeah. I read the pamphlet.
Your school still sucks.
I am the one who wrote the Chief
and asked for education reform.
Why are we hiring white people
to teach us Indigenous culture?
They can't even
teach us white culture.
[playful guitar stinger]
Well, I can see you don't
want to be
part of the solution.
I do want to be
part of the solution.
I don't want to be
part of the suck.
We're hiring colonizers
to decolonize us?
How dumb is that?
[traffic humming in distance]
[pensive electric piano
riff begins]
Heya, Sargey.
Don't call me that.
So, what did you say
to the principal?
I told him the truth.
He just applied for a
one-year stress leave.
[Sarge sniffing]
Have some cheesecake.
Um, yeah. Let me just...
[unsheathing knife]
[knife tapping on glass]
[knife clacking against plate]
So...
now that we regained
control of the school...
do you mind putting in
a good word for me?
You know?
So I could teach
Multi... Media Recording
Engineering... class.
Yeah.
How much do you know about
multimedia recording
engineering?
Well, nothing.
But I figured the
best way to learn
is to teach it...
to, like, kids...
who don't know anything.
[Sarge chuckling quietly]
What's in it for me?
Uh, well... nothing.
But!
I did like your idea
of switching the...
water guns
with the yardsticks.
[children laughing and
screaming]
[Sarge yelling]
[Sarge yelling and laughing]
Help me.
Help me!...
[electric piano ringing out]
I kept the Super Soaker.
Yeah, I still have
a box of yardsticks.
I don't want your
box of yardsticks, Jill.
Okay.
How about this?
In exchange for putting in
a good word for me...
I will treat you...
to an epic...
yardstick battle.
And I actually get to hit you?
I don't know, old man.
Think you're tough enough?
[Sarge chuckling]
[Mighty Man
by Aaron James begins]
[sticks clacking]
Well, I ain't too good
in spelling, baby
And I ain't too
good in math
I am no economist
In fact a little
short on cash
I don't understand
your psychobabble
Baby, it's Greek to me
And all I know about
The Beatles, darling
is they wanted to be free
Sometimes I get mad
Sometimes I get sad
Sometimes I waste
my time on TV
And sometimes a-one
word in the world
Is gonna ever
come out of me
I'm a mighty, mighty man
He's a mighty, mighty man
I'm a mighty, mighty man
He's a mighty, mighty man
I'm a mighty, mighty, man
He's a mighty, mighty man
[music fading]
[single guitar note]
[birds chirping]
You're serious?
We could sell tickets.
"Win a chance
to marry the Chief."
Is that even legal?
This is Deep Lake First Nation.
You make the laws.
It's all legal.
Hm...
We'd have to get your hair cut.
Do something about the B.O.
There'd have to be some
qualifications, though.
Let's make a list.
Well... First of all...
she has to like
to hunt and fish.
Mhm.
Uh...
Know how to cook.
Keep a clean house.
And she has to be
good with kids.
Definitely sober.
She has to have her own boat.
Uh...
And maybe some power tools.
That'd be nice.
And this one's very important.
You have to make sure
she hasn't been passed
around too much.
Right.
How much are the tickets?
For you? Five bucks.
Ehh, come on.
Chance to marry
a real life Chief?
100 bucks.
What would we donate
the money to?
New ball diamonds.
What if we find
two or three wives?
You'll be lucky to find one.
[footsteps]
Hey, ladies.
Can I see your
passports, please?
Oh, we don't have passports.
Do you have a letter signed
by Chief and Council?
No.
No, we're here to find out about
the raffle to marry the Chief.
Have you seen
the list of requirements?
Yeah, I was wondering...
There's a bit about being
handed around too much.
Um, how much is... "too much"?
That's a good question.
My heart's telling me...
You two are good candidates.
Really?
By what names are you called,
here on Turtle Island?
I'm Brady.
I'm Amber.
Brady.
And Amber.
My heart's telling me some more.
That'll be 100 each.
Oh. Um...
[Amber] Do you take debit?
Just one more question.
Why would you want a Chief...
when you can have
Sammy the bull?
[birds chirping]
[tap running]
[dishes rattling]
[Vanessa] It's not like you
can't marry your cousin.
People marry their cousins
all the time.
Sure, it's gross.
But all marriage is gross.
I bought a ticket.
But only to support
the ball diamonds.
[brooding guitar stinger]
[Monica] Citizens of Deep Lake:
Our nation is in chaos.
I'm begging some real
government to step in.
The...
United Nations.
The CIA.
Someone we can trust.
[playful guitar stinger]
[Sammy] Raffle sales...
are going quite well.
I'm surprised by how
many white women
are driving out to buy a ticket.
I'm making quite a few
contacts of my own,
out of that deal.
I guess a lot of women
like a little red meat
now and then.
[playful upright bass stinger]
[keyboard clacking]
[background office chatter]
[Jill clearing throat]
Hey.
You're Vanessa, right?
I'm Jill.
I work for Monica.
Um.
Can I ask you a question?
[Jill] I'm honestly a little
worried about her. Like...
she's going to lose her mind.
Why do you care?
[Jill] What do you mean?
Your boss is losing
her mind? So what?
You don't think I should...
do something?
Yeah, I think you should
do something.
What?
Make sure you have all
her keys and passwords.
Okay, yeah.
When she finally flakes,
then you can get promoted.
Oh... Oh...
Yeah...
[door slamming in distance]
[object banging on car]
[squeaking and clanging]
[car sensor ringing]
[door slamming]
What do you think
you're doing, Randy?
What did you think
was going to happen
if you come out here
with your arms so full
that you couldn't even
open the car door?
You weren't thinking,
were you, Randy?
Now what are you going to do?
No! Randy!
This is thousands of dollars
worth of camera equipment.
Plus highly, highly confidential
are the raffle tickets.
And you're just going to
put it on the ground
for everybody to run over it?
No. No, you're not, Randy.
Why is it that I have to do
all the thinking around here?
Listen to me.
Go back inside,
put about half of that down,
then come back out
with one free hand
and open the car door.
Now, wouldn't that
be a good idea?
Wouldn't that be useful?
Don't you want
to be useful, Randy?
Huh?
This is my first experience
being "the boss".
I guess you could say I'm...
experimenting.
I've been reading this book
about leadership.
"It is important to
initially establish...
a lasting power dynamic."
Now, I don't really know
what that means.
I just want to train Randy
to do whatever I want.
I figured it's best
for the both of us.
Hey Randy!
Don't make me late!
Maskwacis!
[chuckles]
[birds chirping]
[Vanessa] My mom and dad
were married for 23 years.
Until he died in an accident
grading the roads.
I was twelve.
Their marriage was
arranged by the Elders.
When the band sold his grader
at an auction, I bought it.
I don't know what
I'm going to do with it.
I just like having it.
Arranged marriages often work.
I tell you, if the Elders
were still in charge,
I wouldn't be single.
[pensive electric piano
riff begins]
[background casino ambience]
[tripod clicking and sliding]
[table squeaking on floor]
[]
[items rustling]
[Jill coughing]
[exhaling]
[]
[clicking]
[music fading]
Tell me I look fabulous.
You look fabulous.
How many people do we have
watching our live stream?
Um...
That would be...
247,688 people.
Shut the front door.
I was hoping for, like...
Numbers are still rising.
How many tickets did we sell?
Over 100,000, as of an hour ago.
That's, like...
Over $5 million.
That many women
want to marry the Chief?
We're live in ten.
-Ten what?
-Seconds.
Five...
Four...
Three...
Greetings...
...from Casino Dene
in Deep Lake.
It's time...
...to find out who's
the lucky winner
that gets to marry our Chief.
[chuckles]
Yeah. Real lucky.
What a real catch he is.
Alright, let's go.
[plastic squeaking]
[indistinct casino chatter]
[awkward silence]
[raffle wheel rocking]
Alright.
Let's see.
[keys clacking]
[rattling]
[plastic piece
bouncing off ground]
[keys falling on table]
I feel like...
...maybe I should have a
beautiful assistant doing this.
Or maybe I'm
the beautiful assistant,
and somebody else is
supposed to be doing this.
[paper rustling]
It's fine.
I'll do everything around here.
Like I usually do.
[paper rustling]
And the winner is...
[suspenseful upright bass]
[final music note reverberating]
[cell phone buzzing]
[sink running]
[sink shutting off]
[phone continuing to buzz]
[phone clicking open]
Hello?
[paper crumpling]
It's for you...
Oh! Who is it?
-[woman] It's nothing.
-[man] Just let me see it.
[woman] No.
Fine. No!
[man] Come on.
-No.
-Is it a surprise?
-No!
-Just let me see.
No. Please?
No! Go away. Ah!
You know, it's really too bad
the raffle didn't end
in wedding bells.
[clicking tongue]
But the good news is,
there's many things
to be learned from this.
First off,
love is complicated.
I think I'm going to wait.
You know,
play some hockey,
make some music videos,
do some duck hunting.
[exhaling]
It's too bad about that
woman from Missouri.
Turns out she already
had a husband.
And according to the
Deep Lake First Nation
Gaming Commission
rules and regulations,
that disqualified her
from being my fiancee.
[]
[car engine humming]
[clicking]
[Sammy sighing]
[Sammy] I wonder if
I should go to the door,
or...
just honk?
Nah.
It's a first date.
I better not honk.
[engine idling]
But I don't really want
to go to the door, either.
Problem solved.
[Sammy] How's it going?
[indistinct chatter]
[car door shutting]
[Monica] Marriage
is a social construct.
It reinforces the
traditional stereotypes...
of...
of women serving men.
When clearly,
men should be serving women.
[playful guitar stinger]
I think it would be...
I just think...
Sorry, what was the question?
In some Indigenous cultures,
men were slaves to women.
[chair squeaking]
What was wrong with that idea?
[playful guitar stinger]
[bees buzzing, birds chirping]
[crickets chirping]
[distant traffic]
[hotel lobby ambience]
[moody guitar riff begins]
[music fades]
You know, as a Chief,
it's hard to know what to do
about family, marriage...
You know, that kind of stuff.
Family stuff, it's important.
It's really important.
But it's not really
the Chief's job.
My job is to protect us
from other nations,
like the Blackfoot,
the Russians...
and you colonizers.
[playful upright bass stinger]
There's new research
that suggests that
population control
is the number one issue
facing the planet.
In China,
the government
can actually tell you
when you have a kid or not.
It's not a bad idea.
Ideally, someday we'll
have these big banks
with sperms and the eggs.
And if we need more people,
we'll just, you know...
put them through
the lab or whatever.
The government should
be raising the children.
Raising children
is too important
to leave to the parents.
[Sammy] I was thinking,
I was like, you know what?
-So sacred.
-It's sacred. Yeah.
The sacred eagle in the sky.
And, you know...
I think he needed it
more than... than I did.
-Yeah.
-And I miss it.
I miss my tooth. Right?
It's... it's part of me.
It's part of my soul.
Mhm.
It's part of everything
that I am.
-And as soon as it was gone...
-You felt it in your bones.
I felt it in my bones,
cause it...
-Because it was a bone.
-Yeah.
Right? Teeth.
-Mhm.
-It was a bone.
Sure, I'd like
to get married someday.
No rush.
It'd be nice to have someone,
you know, around.
Steady.
Wasn't a complete idiot, and...
didn't smell
like pizza vomit.
[clearing throat]
Be cool if he was a drummer.
We got rid of the Department
of Social Services.
[clicking tongue]
Monica wasn't
too happy about that.
But it wasn't working.
And that's a difference
between us and you.
When you find something
that isn't working,
you think money is the answer.
Throwing money at something
that isn't working...
doesn't work.
So now that we're
a sovereign nation,
when we find something
that doesn't work,
we throw it out.
Social services wasn't working.
So we threw it out.
And you know what we did?
We replaced it with Elders.
And you know what
the Elders told me?
They said a nation isn't
made up of people.
A nation is made up of families.
A strong nation needs to be
made up of strong families.
So every person
needs to be part of a family.
And every family
needs to be part of a nation.
That's my job.
[restaurant chatter]
[Sammy] It was the tooth.
Nobody wanted to fight
me anymore. Right?
It's like, "Oh this guy's
missing a tooth.
He must know how to...
throw hands."
[pensive synth]
Sometimes I get a room here,
and I pretend I'm on holiday.
[]
I never go on real holidays.
Just like I never go
on real dates.
I've never even had
a real boyfriend.
I don't know
what's wrong with me.
[music fading]
[casino machines in background]
I think it's going
pretty damn good.
She is nice.
Nice, and nice looking, too.
[clearing throat]
Doesn't talk much...
but that could be
a good thing.
I have a son. Uh... Sammy Jr.
He's a... he's a good boy.
Strong and handsome,
like his father.
Uh, he...
He doesn't have
a mom right now. So...
She...
His birth mother has
gone to be with the...
with the ancestors,
with the Creator.
Right now, he's being
raised by his Kokum
and myself.
So you see...
I'm not only looking
for a wife for myself.
I'm looking for
a mother for my son.
[indistinct chatter]
[blowing kiss]
We're kind of
a two-for-one deal.
[birds chirping]
[car engine shutting off]
Is your mom home?
Yeah. She's inside.
That's probably a good thing.
[chuckles]
Hey.
I had a good time tonight.
Me too.
You know I have a son?
Yeah.
His name's Henry.
I see him at the school.
You work in the...
-in the lunchroom?
-Yeah.
He sees you in there, too.
He says that you're really nice.
Nice kid.
[clearing throat]
Would you like to do this
again sometime?
Mm. Of course.
Lis... Uh...
Do you mind if I ask you
a few more questions?
-Sure.
-Okay.
How would you rate your cooking?
I don't know.
My mom usually does the cooking.
So not much of a cook.
Alright. Next question.
[clearing throat]
Would you describe
yourself as a neat
and clean housekeeper?
What do you mean?
A neat and clean housekeeper.
Like, do you do your
laundry regularly and
fold them up and put
them away right away?
[frustrated exhale]
How about this.
If we were to go into
your house right now,
with no warning...
would your bed be made
and dishes clean?
Are you kidding me?
No, not at all.
So not much of a housekeeper.
You're being rude.
I just want to know what
I'm getting into here.
And one more question.
[clearing throat]
In high school,
would you describe
your marks as average,
above average, or below average?
I think I'll go in now.
Okey dokey.
[car door opening]
Ass.
[car door slamming]
I had a blast, too.
Alright.
[placing keys in ignition]
[engine igniting]
[Monica] I don't have time to
date.
[fan whirring]
My focus is on making
the world a better place.
The world just
isn't cooperating.
So... I do...
do...
I do like my dad.
I like...
I like how...
how he always hugs me a lot.
And I like how...
how, um....
...I get to do stuff
with him sometimes.
My... My dad...
My dad is able to carry me,
when I'm pretty hea...
I... am, like, pretty heavy.
So... it's insane how...
how he can carry me.
I do want to be
a carpenter, because...
...I... I am able
to build Lego...
Lego sets and, like, n...
like, not slow.
I'm able to build
Lego sets, like...
like, faster than you think.
Because I got a big Lego set,
and I almost finished it
in one day.
And it was pretty fun,
because...
my grandpa was helping me.
So... I do...
I do want to be a...
a carpenter when
I'm older, because...
...I can carpent
some wood into chairs.
Wood is easy...
easy to make things,
because you can make
a table out of wood.
But...
but with stone, you c...
you can't even do
anything with stone.
It's cool how carpenters
just make things.
[cats meowing]
I don't get why he would
spoil a nice night like that.
We were having fun.
And I can cook.
I just haven't learned how yet.
And who said woman have to cook?
What's wrong with takeout?
Like Chinese takeout.
[Jill] Monica's always
talking about "change".
I don't really want
to change anything...
But...
I mean...
I want to grow.
You know?
Growth is different than
change.
I want to be like
a little blueberry bush...
minding my own business...
while producing
a little fruit along the way.
[kitchen humming]
[dog barking]
[clothing rustling]
[hangers rattling]
[playful electric piano
riff begins]
[laundry basket clacking]
[]
[water running]
[cleaner spraying]
[knife slicing through potato]
[crunching]
[water running]
[knife cutting]
[scraping]
[sizzling]
[water boiling]
[music fading]
So there, Sammy.
[Sammy] You could say that...
that date didn't go so well.
But I disagree.
I thought it went very,
very well.
Part about being dadly
is taking life serious.
And I'm serious about life.
There's a time to be a boy
and play games.
Even as a man,
you could play games.
Games like hockey, poker,
and hand games.
Chasing women, it's not a game.
Finding a woman,
a mother for your children...
Not a game.
Making love is like
making money.
It's serious business.
[wind blowing through trees]
[river calmly flowing]
[birds chirping]
[water lapping]
[pensive electric piano
riff begins]
Thanks for doing this
with me, Sarge.
[water splashing]
Yeah, I've never been
entirely comfortable
with unicorns.
You know...
I feel like we're in a anime,
you know that?
Good.
[match striking]
[grunting]
[water rippling]
I've always liked sparklers.
[sparkling]
[Jill exhaling in awe]
Where's yours?
Yes.
[water lightly splashing]
Ah!
[water splashing]
[Sarge chuckling]
Whoa!
Sarge!
[pummeling unicorn]
My pipe!
[both mouthing off-key
classical music]
[loons calling]
[]
[loons continuing to call]
[both imitating loon call]
[music fading]
[final loon call]
[water continuing to lap]
[Midgard Avenue by
Bad Luck Pearl begins]
[]
[]
[music fading]