Seth Cardinal Dodginghorse
www.sarahkstills.com
The Calgary Underground Film Festival has long been a spot for Indigenous voices in the film industry, and 2026 is no different. Attendees this year got the opportunity on April 18th to experience Klee, an indigenous-led production that got it’s first premier at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2025. For Seth Cardinal Dodginghorse, the lead actor, it was an opportunity to step into the leading light.
Seth comes from the Tsuut’ina reservation, and spent his youth in small roles and extras, mostly westerns, before hearing about the project from a friend he had re-connected with. At the time, he had been making music and attending a local Calgary festival, and got into contact with Gavin Baird, a Metis filmmaker, who sent over the script, and Seth knew immediately it was a role he wanted to do, despite the challenges it presented.
The film itself is a horror short, and features scenes with nudity, something Seth had to be okay with from the start. But, for Seth, it meant an escape from traditional roles that indigenous actors find themselves stuck in.
The film had the opportunity to be showcased at TIFF, and Seth was given the opportunity to travel to Toronto for the screening. For him, it’s the culmination of a lifetime of acting work, from telling his family he was to be featured, to being able to represent the Indigenous voice in a character that didn’t serve traditional power dynamics and didn’t appeal to common stereotypes.
CJWE spoke with Seth about his families reaction to the opportunity.
We also got to chat with Seth about being an Indigenous actor and some of the challenges.
The film is still being featured nearly a year after it’s debut, with the most recent showing on April 18th. You can visit here to see a trailer, and follow for updates on releases and future screenings.
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