Erica Tremblay discusses Bafta Breakthrough and amplifying marginalised voices: “Audiences go to watch stories to find truth”
What does it mean to break through into your desired industry? It’s rare for a filmmaker to receive their big break just like that – it takes years of honing skills and educating yourself through the consumption of as many movies as you can stomach, hoping that you might absorb the brilliance of those who came before. For Erica Tremblay, a Native American filmmaker who recently made her debut feature film with Fancy Dance, it has taken years to end up in such an exciting position, having spent the past 20 years as a documentary filmmaker.
With the recent release of Fancy Dance, Tremblay has now been accepted onto the Bafta Breakthrough scheme alongside a host of other creatives, such as Luna Carmoon (Hoard), Sean Wang (Didi), and Clair Titley (The Contestant). The scheme, which is supported by Netflix, aims to foster a network of support, advice, and connections for creatives who are on the cusp of great success.
Members of this year’s cohort will be given access to one-on-one mentoring sessions and careers advice, allowing them to gain more insight into working in the film industry. Meanwhile, they will also be invited to networking events, film screenings, and receive full voting membership.
Fancy Dance was screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023 and has since been picked up by AppleTV+. It stars Lily Gladstone, who recently earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, although, with Fancy Dance, she appears at the centre of a film based on – and written by – Native American women.
Talking to Far Out, Tremblay explained how there has been a real lack of Native American representation in Hollywood: “I feel like for so long, the Native American experience has been told through voices and filmmakers that are not from those communities, and you can tell that when you’re watching.”
Tremblay wants to tell the kind of stories that highlight authentic perspectives, which she believes audiences really want to see. “Films and stories that are very specific about groups of people, that are written and directed by those groups of people, are very attractive to audiences because audiences go to watch stories to find truth,” she said. This is perhaps why Tremblay has always been so drawn to documentary, and with Fancy Dance, she keeps her background as a documentarian close, exploring the very pertinent issue of missing Native women and the alarming rates of violence they face.
“I think women, especially Native women, just haven’t had an opportunity to be in these spaces,” she explained, referring to her acceptance into the Bafta Breakthrough scheme. “And when you have an institution like Bafta backing you, it’s not just about their stamp of approval, but it really is that they are opening their doors and saying, ‘We believe in you as an artist, and we want to be here to support you, and we want to be able to connect dots for you and help you in real tangible ways.’”
It has taken years of hard work for Tremblay to find herself in the directorial chair making a feature film, but it is something she has always strived towards. “I have wanted to be a filmmaker as long as I’ve known that it was a job that you could have,” she revealed. “For me, this breakthrough year that I’m having has been many years in the making. I feel like I’ve been slowly carving against a very thick slab of stone, and I’m finally coming out on the other side.” Tremblay’s dedication has clearly paid off, “What a glorious, bright and shining side that it is to crawl into,” she said.
In an industry filled with privilege, which typically prioritises white male creatives above anyone else, it can sometimes be hard to remember that everyone is just as deserving of “a seat at the table.” She revealed, “I just suffer from such debilitating imposter syndrome most of the time,” adding, “I feel like in this business, especially as a woman, it can be really hard to stop and recognise your successes and pat yourself on the back.”
Thus, “to sit here on this cohort with all of these other incredibly talented, wonderful individuals” has only enforced Tremblay’s belief that she is worthy to be celebrated as a rising talent. “I’m like, ‘Do I belong here with these amazingly creative people?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, I absolutely do.’”
The scheme’s aim to uplift and unite new creative voices is incredibly inspiring for Tremblay, who has “so much respect for the other folks on this cohort.” Not only is she excited to find more collaborators and supporters, but she is thrilled to be able to ask Bafta, an “iconic institution”, for advice. Still, she believes that you don’t necessarily need to be backed by companies like Bafta and Sundance to make something worthy of success, “but boy, does it feel good to get recognised.”
The main thing Tremblay wishes to receive from the Bafta Breakthrough scheme is access to more exciting opportunities, explaining that she really hopes “that it just helps me get to make more stuff.” At the end of the day, the filmmaker just wants to amplify the kinds of voices that haven’t been given a spotlight before, which she has done so beautifully in Fancy Dance.
Bafta Breakthrough is supported by Netflix.
