Indigenous Rising laces up their skates to claim their space on the roller derby track as the first borderless team in the sport’s history. Uniting skaters from over 30 Indigenous Nations across continents, the team made history as the first to represent not a single country but the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island at the Roller Derby World Cup.

Through a compassionate and candid lens, filmmaker Courtney Montour weaves energetic on-track gameplay with tender moments from teammates’ daily lives. At the heart of the film are three players — Sour Cherry, Krispy, and Hawaiian Blaze — who open up about their struggles with displacement and disconnection from their Indigenous heritage, and the profound healing and belonging they have found through being part of the team.

Rising Through the Fray transcends the confines of a sports documentary. In Montour’s skilful hands, it becomes a story about identity, intergenerational trauma, and the transformative power of community — an exploration of kinship and the longing for acceptance, love, and to be seen.

VENUE: JA DESÈVE CINEMA – CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY
1400, BOULEVARD DE MAISONNEUVE WEST, MONTREAL, QC H2L 2X4

16:00, 02-May-26, Sat