‘Sk+te’kmujue’katik (At the Place of Ghosts)’ Review: A Narratively Ambitious Genre-Bending Tale of Familial Trauma [B] TIFF

After their extraordinary sophomore feature Wildhood, Bretten Hannem crafts another demonstration of being in touch with one’s own Indigenous heritage. One that is even more ambitious in theme and in genre. Right as one sees the word “ghosts” in the title and reads the story about two Mi’kmaq brothers heading into a forbidden forest, one would think it’s a straightforward ghost tale before things turn on a dime and Hannem swings for the fences in rather admirable ways.

When Mise’l (Blake Alec Miranda) is visited by a malevolent shadow-drenched spirit one night, there is immediate fear and apprehension. So much so that he immediately reunites with his distant brother Antle (Forrest Goodluck, The Revenant) so the both of them can get rid of ominous forces from their troubled past. Yet, as they team up and head to the forest known as “Sk+te’kmujue’katik” where they can purge themselves of such forces, they go in with an instant matter-of-fact mentality. As uneasy as the ghost’s sudden appearance in the beginning is, the fact that it’s a familiar one makes Mise’l and Antle ready to carry out their task like it’s a chore for them. 

At that point, in the hands of Bretten Hannam’s transcendent screenplay, At the Place of Ghosts becomes like something from a Japanese ghost story where the protagonists feel unease over the spirits they’re dealing with as well as the spiritual setting, which is lensed lushly by DP Guy Godfree, yet they still come to terms with their presence. 

Once they enter the sacred forest, the brothers find themselves navigating the land’s past as they see apparitions of their ancestors and the European colonials that invaded the forest as well as glimpses of its future once they interact with a pivotal figure from their lives. However, as the story takes us through a purposefully distorted time capsule, it shines best when it focuses on Mise’l and Antle interacting with visions of their younger selves. When it revisits troubled memories from the brothers’ own past as a way of them mending their present relationship, At the Place of Ghosts achieves the seamless blend of supernatural elements and real-world themes involving confronting one’s demons that it aims for. 

Furthermore, the shadow spirit creeping its way back into the brothers’ lives only to not reappear expertly plays into the film’s themes. Serving as a manifestation for one’s crippling anxieties and the worst possible scenario of a scary situation, the spirit feels like a reflection of how such heavy situations begin appearing so monstrous as we stare at them in the face before we confront them head on. Otherwise, we let our fears consume us like the mysterious black substance that slowly invades the body of one of the brothers.

Despite the story getting almost lost in the woods as it goes on its various time jumps, the film remains an ambitious genre-twister with intriguing ideas and engaging visuals, including its detailed production design seen in the forest’s future section. As much as it has a less focused narrative scope than their last film, At the Place of Ghosts still proves Bretten Hannam to be a skilled storyteller and a filmmaker to continue keeping an eye on. 

Grade: B

This review is from the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival where Sk+te’kmujue’katik (At the Place of Ghosts) had its world premiere. The film is currently seeking U.S. distribution.

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Matt St. Clair

Matt is a New England-based freelance journalist who lives and breathes the world of cinema and has been an Oscar watcher since the age of eight. His writing can be found on outlets such as The Film Experience, Roger Ebert, Digital Spy, and Slashfilm. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and a Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association member. You can follow him on Twitter @filmguy619. (He/They)

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