Written, directed, and produced by Damien Eagle Bear (‘Napi’, ‘Big Momma’, ‘The Bannocking’), ‘#skoden’ is his feature film debut. Eagle Bear is an award-winning filmmaker from the Kainai First Nation and is based between BC and Alberta. His work explores themes of belonging and Indigenous resiliency. “#skoden” has traveled the festival circuit globally, winning the Earl A. Glick Emerging Canadian Filmmaker Award at Hot Docs and Best BC Director at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival in 2025. The film features Mark Brave Rock, a friend of Pernell’s and founder of Sage Clan, a grassroots organization that specializes in engaging those who need it most. In this article, Asis Sethi chats with filmmaker Damien Eagle Bear about all things ‘#skoden‘!
What was the moment you realized there was a deeper story behind the ‘#skoden’ image?
Well, in a lot of ways, I knew there was a deeper story behind the #skoden meme since before its inception. This comes from the years I lived in Lethbridge while working at the shelter and getting to know the person in the image, Pernell Bad Arm. Also being Blackfoot and growing up on the Blood Reserve, I carry an understanding of the city and its views and treatment of Indigenous peoples because it borders the north-eastern edge of the reserve. So, when I saw the skoden meme, I already understood the likely origins of the image. In the early 2000s, people started going around the city and recording and antagonizing those living on the streets. They would then share those photos and videos online as a way of humiliating them. When I saw the meme, this is the story that came to mind. Someone antagonized Pernell, and the photo was taken.
In terms of a revelation in the making of this film, there was a moment that made me realize we were working towards a much more humanizing portrait of Pernell. On the first day of production, Mark Brave Rock, one of Pernell’s friends, was giving us a tour of Pernell’s “trapline” so to speak. Think of traplines as parts of the city that Pernell would frequent. Throughout that day, it felt like we were building to something, but I couldn’t necessarily put my finger on it. At the end of it, we came to a playground, and for Mark and Pernell, it was a resting point on their journeys from one end of town to the other. This moment is in the film, near the end. Mark became emotional remembering his friend, and I realized how honest, vulnerable, and generous he was being even with the camera. I knew that something special was coming together, and it would serve to further humanize Pernell and his journey.
How did you balance the storytelling of an iconic meme and a real person who experienced homelessness and hardship?
That’s a great question; I’m not even sure I know how to answer that (chuckles). I think for me I went into this film knowing that the meme was only a door to a much deeper story about Pernell, the system, and the racism in the City of Lethbridge.
I know there could’ve been a version of the film where we hunt down the people who took the original photo and created the meme. But that story doesn’t reveal much about the person in the photo or question the mechanisms and systems that support these ongoing narratives in Canada. The narratives that say Indigenous people, and people with addictions or living on the streets, are less than and not worthy of humanity. There is not one villain or person perpetuating these stories. It’s a whole system that is built into this nation of Canada.
For me, the challenge of telling this story was how factual to get versus the accessibility we had to interviews and materials that could serve to humanize Pernell. There was a version of the film that was longer, over 90 minutes, with greater explanations of the failings of the system, its intricacies, and how those were leveled against Pernell. But that version felt a lot more melancholic and hopeless without equal material that could work to help the audience empathize with Pernell’s journey.
So, at the end of the day, for the editing team and me, it really was a question of whether this sequence or narrative thread serves to humanize and reveal Pernell to the audience.
The original photo was used to reinforce stereotypes. How did Indigenous communities transform that image into something different?
Like with many things that Indigenous peoples confront, the original photo was transformed through humour. I don’t think we as Indigenous people can take anything too seriously. Generally, we can have a very dark sense of humour. I blame John A. Macdonald.
But in the late 2000s and the early 2010s, when social media and high-speed internet became more accessible, it really opened the ability for us to connect and let our humour travel and grow. This gave rise to Indigenous memers, and they were the ones who found this photo and added the rez accent word of skoden to the image. I think either of these things alone wouldn’t have reached the popularity or impact they’ve had together. I really doubt you could go to any Indigenous community on this continent without someone knowing skoden, and it’s all thanks to the combination of both the image and the word.
With social media on the rise, the internet often turns people into symbols. What responsibilities do we have to the real people behind viral images? What does Pernell’s story reveal about the distance between public perception and personal reality?
It’s a grand canyon between public perception and personal reality on the internet. I feel like this needs to be even more emphasised with the rise of generative AI and how easy it is to manufacture images. If anything, this film should make us question and re-examine both the way we use images of people we don’t know and what the story may be behind the image. I also think there is a question of whether we are laughing at or with the person. I feel like that is very important to consider because it is that line between prejudice and empathy.
This question would have been something I’d ask Pernell or the person who took the photo. What was the exact context of the moment? Was it made in jest, or was it capturing a moment of harassment? We will likely never know. It is best that we be respectful of others online and question: why are we sharing an image, and what narratives are we reinforcing?
What were the biggest challenges in turning a meme into a feature-length documentary? Were there moments that felt emotional or difficult, especially during production?
I think for me, the biggest challenge was the shift of intentions for the project early on. Initially, I had pitched a mid-length documentary, which is about 60 minutes. Because of COVID Health restrictions during the development phase of the project, I wasn’t able to directly engage with as many of the people who knew Pernell and could speak to this story. So, despite Pernell’s older brother, Dennis Bad Arm, giving me permission to tell his brother’s story, I wasn’t sure how open his friends and family would be to sharing with me and a camera.
But once we started filming with both Dennis Bad Arm and Mark Brave Rock, I saw how open and generous they were to the process of filming. I then realized the film was growing to become a feature film. This was only further cemented as more and more people showed up to support the telling of Pernell’s story. This includes Charlene Brown Weasel, Pernell’s cousin, whose interview serves as a very important and grounding moment in the film where she reacts to the skoden meme. This moment helped to illustrate the pain and anger that a lot of people who knew Pernell felt when they saw the meme.
In a lot of ways, the production turned into an embarrassment of riches, and I didn’t want to fall short of the expectations of his friends and family and the importance of Pernell’s story.
What role did Mark Brave Rock play in helping shape the story?
Mark played a very important role throughout this film’s journey. Mark is a community advocate in Lethbridge and the founder of the Sage Clan. The Sage Clan is a grassroots organization that creates a sense of community for those on the streets. Several times a week, they walk around the city center, check in, and hand out basic necessities to those who need them.
Directly, Mark Brave Rock is a participant in the film and was vital to telling Pernell’s story. This film really couldn’t have been made without his involvement and deep insight into the issues explored in the film. Indirectly, through our many conversations around the filmmaking process, he has taught me about the values and reasons he takes on his work. This helped me to gain a greater understanding of the issues at play in Lethbridge as well as how our Blackfoot values and teachings feedback into this work.
In addition to this, Mark has also been vital in the presentation of the film. He provides a much broader and more nuanced insight into the system and what needs to be changed to support those in need. At all the film’s engagements, I advocate for his involvement when feasible.
QUICK TAKES:
– What projects are you currently pitching or developing?
I was selected as the artist in residence for the Ksahkomiitapiiks for 2026-2027 at the Contemporary Calgary, and like many documentary filmmakers, I have many story ideas waiting in the wings.
– What stage are these projects in (writing, pre-production, post-production)?
For the Ksahkomiitapiiks Residency, I am currently in production, so to speak.
– What kind of collaborators are you looking for right now? (writers, actors, producers, crew, etc.)
Experienced producers would be nice to work with for my future projects, but also editors, cinematographers.
– How can people get in touch if they want to collaborate or learn more?
They can follow ‘#skoden’ at skoden.film and myself at Eagle Bear Films on both Instagram and Facebook.
– Are you looking for submissions, funding, or other opportunities?
Always. lol. I feel like my part-time job is filmmaking, and my full-time job is grant/proposal writing, but also, if people want to bring #skoden to their community, they can request a screening from our website skodenfilm.com
– Any upcoming events, screenings, or launches readers should know about?
‘#skoden’ is currently available on TELUS Optik TV and TELUS TV+
Photo credits: Courtesy of Eagle Bear Films.
