Cowboy and western culture in Alberta has been whitewashed since its inception, ignoring the vital contributions that countless BIPOC and Indigenous people have offered since the first settlers ambled westward across the prairies. Shane Ghostkeeper works within this reclaimed territory, bringing his own upbringing growing up in Northern Alberta Métis communities to bear on traditional western and swing barnburners. His gravelly voice is as essential as the land his feet stomp in rhythm and blues, and for a moment, he holds his family whole in his hands.
By Prabhjot Bains
Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga sing and dance in a film that inherently struggles to justify its existence.