A scene from '#SKODEN'

2025 Rendezvous with Madness Festival showcases award-winning documentaries

Rendezvous with Madness Festival focuses on empowerment and liberation with 11 feature films about the resilience of the human spirit.

The Rendezvous with Madness Festival (RWM) returns for its 33rd year. It will open with a screening of the award-winning documentary, #SKODEN, by Canadian director Damien Eagle Bear. The Hot Docs Emerging Filmmaker Award winner tells the story of Pernell Bad Arm, the Blackfoot man behind the infamous 2010 “Skoden” meme. It spread across the internet, emerging as a symbol of Indigenous resilience to some, while underscoring negative stereotypes for others.

RWM is the largest and longest-running arts festival in the world dedicated to the intersection of mental health and artistic expression. This year’s theme is “Disrupt the focus,” presenting 11 feature films and two short programs centring on empowerment and liberation.

Read my festival preview at thatshelf.com.

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