Image
Image Caption
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Windspeaker.com
Dana Solomon has gone from being an avid ticket-buying fan at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to an actor/director that others are now paying to watch on the big screen.
“A little before the pandemic I would buy tickets to watch the short film program at TIFF,” said Solomon, a member of Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba. “And I would dream, take pictures with the TIFF sign. And I always thought one day I would like to create stories. And here I am today in 2025, creating stories that are meaningful to our communities that I hope that are impactful.”
Solomon has the good fortune of being involved in not one but two films at this year’s TIFF, which runs from Sept. 4 to Sept. 14.
For starters, Solomon found out in July that Blood Lines, a movie in which she makes her lead acting debut, had been accepted into TIFF.
About a week after that, Solomon was told that Niimi (She Dances), a short film that she wrote, directed and stars in, had also been chosen by programmers for selection into the Toronto festival, which is celebrating its 50th edition this year.
Solomon, who lives in Mississauga, a city just west of Toronto, is thrilled to have two films at the festival, which is considered to be among the most prestigious in the world.
“I was over the moon just to have the one at TIFF,” she said. “That's a huge platform to have a film being screened. And then to have my short film that's going to be my directorial debut at TIFF, that was just like icing on an already amazing cake.”
Blood Lines is about a Métis same-sex romance celebrating Michif language and culture. A major plot twist occurs past the midway mark of the film.
Solomon loved the script as soon as she read it.
“It’s an Indigenous film rooted in Métis culture about estranged relationships, identity, culture, belonging,” she said. “And as a First Nations person that resonates with me on a personal level. But also, being able to portray that character for broader audiences, I think it's going to be really powerful and it will resonate with a lot of people.”
Niimi (She Dances) is a film that explores dance as a pathway to healing.
This film allowed Solomon to get back to her roots.
“I started as a dancer,” she said. “I took classes at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. I just grew up loving dance. It was my way of storytelling. And it's been such a healing art form in my life. And then I found my way into acting. I don't have any formal training.”
Though she is now reaping some rewards in the acting business, Solomon said it has taken her awhile to get to this stage.
“There's so much legwork that's been going on behind the scenes,” she said. “I feel like I've been auditioning for a very long time and it's been a work in progress. So, no, I don't think it happened quickly. But I feel that I've worked really, really hard and now it's being highlighted.”
And having two of her projects at TIFF, “feels pretty amazing. As an actor you audition and there's so much rejection. And then you get to lead an Indigenous film, and then you find out that your short also got in, it just feels incredible.”
Solomon said she had dabbled in some short film work before Niimi (She Dances).
“I've created some experimental short films in the past,” she said. “But this is like my true directorial debut, with having a crew and actors. It was my first real big experience as a filmmaker and I'm thrilled to have it debut at TIFF.”
Solomon also said that both Blood Lines and her short have significant places in her heart.
“I think they're both very special to me in very different ways,” she said. “One is my first leading role in a film and it's an Indigenous story. It's such a blessing for my first lead to be an Indigenous film. And then Niimi is my directorial debut based around dance, which is another love in my life. So, I think they're equally special in very different ways.”
Blood Lines will have two general public screenings at TIFF, on Sept. 8 and Sept. 10. Tickets are available at https://tiff.net/films/blood-lines
Niimi (She Dances) is part of TIFF’s short cuts programming and will have public screenings on Sept. 10 and Sept. 13.
Ticket info is available at https://tiff.net/films/short-cuts-2025-programme-06