Yintah is a moving documentary about the fight between industry and nature in Canada. The film focuses on Canada’s oil reserves, which are the third-largest in the world, and the huge profits at stake for big companies. But while these companies are focused on making money, we see how the Indigenous tribes who live on the land are fighting to keep their way of life. One of the main areas threatened is Wiszin Kwah, a place with fresh drinking water and an important salmon stream, both of which are at risk.

The documentary follows this struggle for over ten years, showing how the companies are pushing further into the land. It emphasizes the idea that when we give someone a little, they’ll take much more. Coastal GasLink, the company at the heart of this conflict, continues to expand with little concern for the damage they cause. The film is designed to make us angry, and it does so by showing how the companies are putting people’s lives and the land at risk.

The editing of the film is clever, switching between the lives of the Indigenous people who are fighting to protect their land and the corporations moving in without any care for the harm they cause. There are a few moments where the tribes fight back, set to upbeat techno music, but these moments don’t last long.

We mostly follow Freda Huwson, a leader and spokesperson for the movement. Through her, we see how the companies continue to break the rules and harm the land, while she works to protect it. The film gives us a close look at the fight, showing the struggles of the Indigenous people without any distractions.

The title Yintah means “land,” which is fitting because the whole film is about the battle to protect the land. The documentary uses strong visuals, showing the beauty of the land alongside the destruction caused by the companies.

The ending is sad, and if we don’t know about the ongoing case, it might surprise us. Though it’s hard to watch at times, Yintah is an important documentary that sheds light on the fight to save the land, the greed of corporations, and the determination of the Indigenous people to protect their way of life.