By Jasmine Majoros
Trevor Solway took part at the Red Carpet, 50th Annual Rosie Awards on Saturday, October 19th, 2024. His recent project “Tales from the Rez” was nominated for nine awards and took home two for “Best screenwriter under 30 minutes” and “Best production reflecting cultural diversity.” Although it was first premiered at the Calgary International Film Festival in September 2023, Tales from the Rez also won one other award for “Audience Choice” shortly after its debut.
Solway and his Napi Collective have been a local name that has been making way in the film industry and within indigenous communities. His passion for his work has been an inspiration to many; his role in our community has made such an impact, having worked closely with members of Siksika and other Nations. With his Napi Collective gaining recognition, all those involved deserve a round of applause and acknowledgement for their talents and shared passions for this industry.
Tales from the Rez is a Blackfoot horror anthology television series. Ghost stories and events were used as inspiration in creating the scripts and characters. Starring Joe Duck Chief, who plays the storyteller, Uncle Randolph. With no prior acting experience, Duck Chief took on the role quite naturally and was even nominated for “Best Host” at the 2024 Rosie Awards. Also starring some big names in the indigenous film industry, such as Eugne Brave Rock (Eddie-Queens Hotel episode 1), Cody Lighting (A Giddy Goat Man episode 3), Michelle Thrush (The Sandhills episode 6), Shayla Stone Child (Savanah), and Joel Oulette (Water Spirit) in episode 4.
The project took 4 years of planning, including raising funds, writing scripts, and pitching the series, and was granted the green light from APTN. The overall production took 17 days, and with editing another 6 months, it was premiered on Lumi APTN’s streaming platform on October 20th, 2023.
With its success, Tales from the Rez was also granted the green light for another season, and production will begin in April 2025. Uncle Randolph will be focused on wellness and trying to improve his life as he explores more Blackfoot characters and even some reoccurring characters while diving deeper into black horror. Casting will begin in January 2025, and Solway urges the community to look out for their social media so as not to miss an opportunity to be a part of this experience.
He expresses his excitement and gratitude for his overall success: “I appreciate everyone’s love, support, and encouragement throughout my many years of filmmaking in the community, and I don’t take it for granted; I’m a proud Siksika storyteller.”
