Co-Presented with Qu'ART
Corey Payette (Mattagami First Nation) • 1 hour 56 minutes • 2025 • Canada • English
Star (Dilan Chiblow), an Indigi-Queer Two-Spirit lonesome call boy has become newly entranced by the world of drag when they are introduced to The House of Borealis, a popular drag house led by their charming matriarch, Mother (Stewart Adam McKensy).
Star's newfound passion propels them to face a cultural past once neglected, but when painful memories re-emerge, their love for drag and their new family is put to the test. Alongside Levi (Jeffrey Follis) and the rest of their sisters in drag, Star journeys through the realization of who they are, leading to the creation of a persona that blends their grounded cultural spirit with a unique take on drag: Starwalker
Director Biography - Corey Payette
Corey Payette is a writer, composer, and director in independent film. He is a member of the Mattagami First Nations, with French Canadian and Irish ancestry, and lives on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl'ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.
Known for his deeply moving, large-scale original musical creations, Payette’s work challenges the public’s notion of what musicals can be, inserting Indigenous perspectives and narratives into mainstream spaces, igniting conversations that inspire social change. As a musical creator, Payette writes the music, lyrics, story, and directs his feature films. His musical "Les Filles du Roi" (The King’s Daughters) written in English, French, and Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) was released in 2023. He is the recipient of the John Hirsch Prize from the Canada Council, Fleck Fellowship from the Banff Centre, has won 3 Ovation Awards and 2 Jessie Awards for his writing and directing work.