Screening and discussion
April 15, 2026 | 6 p.m.
Screening and discussion: Autism and Indigenous Perspectives
Paid activity | Space is limited, Reservation required
For Autism Awareness Month and in dialogue with the exhibition Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience, the McCord Stewart Museum presents a screening of the documentary Sewâtsiwin: They Are Sacred by Kim O’Bomsawin. The screening will be followed by a discussion with Grant Bruno, adjunct professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta, a member of the Nêhiyaw Nation, and a member of the organization Autisme sans limites, who will join us virtually.
Program
Sewâtsiwin : They are sacred
By Kim O’Bomsawin, Canada, 2025 – 75 minutes | Original English version with French subtitles.
Within Indigenous cultures, differences were not traditionally seen as a handicap, but rather as a strength that could benefit the entire community. Such is the case with autistic people, considered to have unique gifts and connections to the spirit world. While our people are currently reclaiming our traditional knowledge and philosophies, we are also facing a severe lack of resources adapted to our new reality.
Through intimate encounters with Anders, They Are Sacred gives viewers unique access to the world of an autistic child, and follows his father’s journey to bring back traditional First Nations perspectives in our contemporary world.
Information
- Paid activity, in English and French, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 6 p.m.
- Space limited, reservation required.
- Duration: 120 minutes
- Location: J. Armand Bombardier Theatre at the Museum
Admission
- General admission: $5
- Senior | Student: $5
- Free for members of Indigenous communities
- Free for Exclusive Access Museum members
Grant Bruno
Grant Bruno is the father of two autistic children and a PhD candidate in medical sciences, specializing in autism within First Nations communities. He is Nêhiyaw (Plains Cree) and a registered member of the Samson Cree Nation (Nîpisîhkopâhk), one of the reserves that make up Maskwacis, Alberta. His doctoral research seeks to redefine autism from a Nêhiyaw perspective, gather testimony from families and individuals with lived experience of autism through a strengths-based approach, and document perceptions of autism within the Maskwacis community.
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