Finality of Dusk
Survival in a toxic world with language barriers.
Finality of Dusk is a 2023 Canadian post-apocalyptic science fiction film co-written and directed by Madison Thomas, with Katarina Ziervogel as co-writer. The story centers on Ishkode (Marika Sila) and Niife (Cherrel Holder), who join forces to survive in a world where the air is too poisonous to breathe without specialized helmets. They are chased by Odin (Chris Dodd), a deaf man determined to become the last person alive.
The movie was filmed on location in rural Manitoba in 2021. Thomas, who has Ojibwe and Saulteaux ancestry, chose to avoid typical urban or small-town settings. Instead, the story takes place on a remote Indigenous First Nation in western Manitoba and its surrounding lands. Ziervogel is a member of Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba.
Thomas wanted the two main characters to lack a shared language, so she relied on Ziervogel’s help. Thomas explained that she grew up facing communication barriers, especially with people who do not know American Sign Language, and that such barriers often make it easy for people to walk away. In the film, Niife is determined to overcome that barrier, even as Ishkode tries to leave.
The film includes special sound design features to improve the experience for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers.
*Finality of Dusk* premiered at the Red Nation Film Festival on November 3, 2023, and had its Canadian premiere in the Borsos Competition program at the Whistler Film Festival on November 30, 2023.
- Type
- Film
- Release year
- 2023
- Country
- Canada
- Director
- Madison Thomas
- Screenwriters
- Madison Thomas, Katarina Ziervogel
- Genre
- Post-apocalyptic science fiction
- Starring
- Marika Sila, Cherrel Holder, Chris Dodd, Meegwun Fairbrother
Lore & Background
The film was shot on location in rural Manitoba in 2021. Co-writer Madison Thomas did not want to set the film in a city or small town as is typical of the genre, instead focusing on a remote Indigenous First Nation in western Manitoba and the lands that surround it. Thomas has Ojibwe and Saulteaux ancestry, while Katarina Ziervogel is a member of Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba.
Thomas was keen that the two protagonists should not speak a common language, requiring help from Ziervogel. Thomas noted, 'Growing up, I experienced communication barriers, especially with people who don’t know American Sign Language... When there’s a language/communication barrier between two individuals, it’s easier for them to walk away and move on to the next person. Niife is determined to break that barrier in this film despite Ishkode’s attempts to walk away.'
The film makes use of special sound design features to boost the filmgoing experience for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
Reader's Guide
Finality of Dusk premiered at the Red Nation Film Festival on November 3, 2023, followed by its Canadian premiere in the Borsos Competition program at the Whistler Film Festival on November 30, 2023. The film is notable for its Indigenous creative team and its deliberate departure from typical post-apocalyptic settings, instead centering on a remote Indigenous First Nation. The decision to have the two protagonists not share a common language, and the inclusion of special sound design for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, reflects a commitment to exploring communication barriers and accessibility. The film's focus on a deaf antagonist, Odin, further underscores its engagement with deaf representation and survival themes.
Did You Know?
- Co-writer Madison Thomas has Ojibwe and Saulteaux ancestry.
- The film's two protagonists do not speak a common language.
- The film includes special sound design features for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
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