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Meadowlarks (2025) Film Review
- Holly Baker
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Directed by: Tasha Hubbard
Written by: Tasha Hubbard, Emil Sher
Starring: Michael Greyeyes, Michelle Thrush, Carmen Moore, Alex Rice
Film Review by: Holly Baker
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Meadowlarks, directed by Tasha Hubbard, follows 5 siblings who are reunited after being separated from their parents during the Sixties Scoop of 1955-1985, in which over 200,000 Indigenous Canadian children were forcibly taken from their families and adopted by white families or placed under foster care. This Canadian drama piece is rich and moving, using a real-life story to create a motion picture which captures the beauty and tragedy of the character's situation. The film is based on a documentary called Birth Of A Family which was released in 2017. Birth Of A Family informs viewers about the lives of Betty Anne, Rosalie, Ben, and Asther who grew in white families and have now found one another and seek to formulate their true, new family. Meadowlarks takes a dramatic approach, presenting the siblings’ struggle with identity as well as the way they have all suffered with feeling as though they are lesser due to being indigenous as a result of the way society and their white families treated them.
The film opens in a scenic cottage looking over a lake, a holiday lodge picked by one of the siblings for the five of them to stay whilst they get to know each other and recite their childhood memories. Aesthetically, this location is beautiful, allowing for many wide landscape shots which emphasise the natural beauty of the Canadian wilderness, as well as importantly drawing attention to the fact that these gorgeous woodlands and plains were once inhabited by the siblings' ancestors. Therefore by placing the film's characters in this timeless setting, the film importantly emphasises the siblings’ belonging here, as this was their land before it was unjustly taken away from them during the infamous Sixties Scoop.
The casting of the five siblings is impressively accurate to their real life counterparts, making it easy for viewers of the documentary to identify which actor is playing which sibling. As well as this, the performances are naturalistic and raw. Viewers can sense the awkwardness and tension between the siblings, as they are initially unsure how to act around one another, and face tribulations along the way as they disagree on important matters. Such a unique true story is handled with care in Meadowlarks, as details are not brushed over, for instance during a dusting ritual. The ritual is carried out respectfully and accurately in order to capture the vibrancy and intensity of the performance and the way it impacts the siblings, perhaps eliciting discomfort and intrigue in viewers unfamiliar with the practice. The siblings endure many emotionally intense moments when reflecting on the past and their choices meaning there are several heartfelt scenes in the film which aptly take their time to present the characters feelings. Here, the acting is always on point, as the cast lean into their emotional vulnerability and the power of the words they say, rewriting a perspective for themselves from weak and small to having a right to be themselves and carrying their pain with pride.
The story flows slowly, lingering through the siblings' reunion gradually and carefully. This gives the film a steady feel, with a meandering pacing as the narrative has no clear direction. This works for the film as there is no definitive plot, viewers are rather witnessing a reunion and a reflection, therefore the slow, lingering pace aptly portrays the feelings of the siblings and crucially focuses on moments of connection between them, rather than involving any key plot events. Viewers may struggle to engage with this approach as it lacks excitement, so it is important to surrender to the film’s style, and allow oneself to take in what the film presents to us, without attempting to rush through anything.
Overall, Meadowlarks is an insightful and beautiful film. The film tells a unique true story which many viewers may not have been aware of before viewing, capturing the realness of each character and moment, looping itself into the true history of what occurred in 20th century Canada. It is refreshing to see stories which have been forgotten or brushed over, able to take their time to present themselves through several different mediums. From documentary to film, this story matters, as does history.
Meadowlarks will screen at the 2026 Palm Springs Film Festival on January 3rd, 5th, 9th, and 10th.
