U.S. PREMIERE
Namesake təm kʷaθ nan
Director: Evan ƛɛsla Adams, Eileen t̓agəm Francis
təm kʷaθ nan Namesake documents an ongoing conversation between the Tla’amin Nation and the city commonly known as Powell River.
The city’s name honours Israel Wood Powell, a government official whose policies helped establish residential schools, criminalize cultural practices, and remove Tla’amin from its home at tiskʷət. The Tla’amin Nation asks the city to consider changing its name, not to erase history but to build a new future together.
This request sparks public meetings, emotional testimony, resistance and outrage, allyship, and reflection across the region. Elders share naming traditions that connect people with history, land and responsibility. Archaeological evidence reveals over 12,000 years of continuous Tla’amin presence. Current residents grapple with family history, belonging, and fears of losing identity.
The outcome remains uncertain. The conversation itself becomes the story.
Following the Tla’amin seasonal cycle, the film observes how communities change slowly through listening, disagreement, repair, and time.
CAST & CREDITS
Director
Evan ƛɛsla Adams, Eileen t̓agəm Francis
Writer
Peg Campbell
Producer
Peg Campbell
Key Cast
Angela Kendall
DIRECTORS STATEMENT
Namesake is the coming together of Tla’amin and allied filmmakers to tell a story that comes from and belongs to this place. In 2022, the crew turned the camera toward the town at a moment of great change. We did not know where the story would lead, only that each of us felt called to bear witness to what was unfolding.
Our filmmaking process was rooted in relationship and shared responsibility. We did not stand back as distant observers. We stayed in conversation, accountable to one another and to the community. The camera was guided by trust and consent. Tough decisions were made by consensus, always prioritizing the safety and dignity of those most affected.
In the Tla’amin worldview, stories are teachers. Skilled storytellers carry teachings over a lifetime. They know when a story is ready, and they understand the responsibility that comes with telling it. Stories shape how we see one another. They shape what is possible. We recognize that stories have consequences, and that there is a right time to speak. This film was made with a commitment to truth over comfort and with a focus on relationships that will carry on long after the credits roll.
DIRECTORS BIO
ƛɛsla Dr. Evan Adams – Director
Physician and actor, Evan Adams is widely known for Smoke Signals, Reservation Dogs, and Bones of Crows. He currently serves with the First Nations Health Authority and the National Circle for Indigenous Medical. Evan previously co-directed the documentary Kla Ah Men: As Far Back as the Story Goes about the Tla’amin Treaty process. In Namesake, he helps guide viewers through history, memory, and present-day conversation.
t̓agəm Eileen Francis – Director
Eileen Francis is the filmmaker and IT technician for the Tla’amin Nation, documenting stories for future generations. A graduate of Capilano University’s Indigenous Independent Digital Filmmaking program and the Powell River Digital Film School, she has worked with APTN and served as cultural consultant on Bones of Crows. Her short film tiskʷat screened at the 2024 qathet International Film Festival. Eileen’s work is guided by a lifelong commitment to carrying forward the storytelling traditions of her family’s matriarchs.
