Regina director Jessie Ray Short will be in attendance for her hometown premiere at the 2026 Regina International Film Festival and Awards (August 12-22), where the National Film Board of Canada production Moon Noonk Edouard (My Uncle Edouard) will be screening in-person in the Documentary Shorts competition.
Moon Noonk Edouard is written and directed by Short, the great-grandniece of Edouard Beaupré (1881-1904)-also known as the "Willow Bunch Giant" and one of the tallest men in recorded history. This intimate and poetic documentary follows the family's efforts to reclaim the identity and Michif heritage of the legendary strongman and circus performer, who died at the age of just 23 from complications of tuberculosis.
This 35-minute documentary had its world premiere in the "Legendary Lineages" short program at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in Toronto.
A family that never forgot its giant
In this intimate portrait blending archival footage and dreamlike reenactments, Jessie Ray Short retraces her great-granduncle's journey from his hometown in Saskatchewan to his tragic death at the St. Louis World's Fair, and his bizarre posthumous voyage.
Produced by Marie-France Guerrette, Moon Noonk Edouard is an act of healing in which Beaupré's loved ones share emotional memories and stories to take back ownership of his giant-sized legacy.
About the filmmaker
Jessie Ray Short's artistic process explores a variety of themes to examine the history and memories of Michif communities on the Prairies. Based in Regina, Short is a bilingual filmmaker descended from Michif lineage in Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan, and the great-grandniece of Edouard Beaupré. Drawing on accounts from her/their family and the Michif community, Moon Noonk Edouard is the filmmaker's attempt to mend the damage caused by dehumanizing stories about Beaupré that have been told and retold over the past century.
