“Seeds” is most often categorized in reviews as a horror movie with comedic elements. I agree but there is an angrier political layer germinating under the horror moniker namely an Indigenous strike back against colonization both past and present.
We are introduced to Ziggy (Kaniehtiio Horn) as a struggling urban Indian “influencer” surviving on bicycle food deliveries in Toronto as she is influencing very few followers hence without revenue. Her big break is a contract with Nature’s Oath a seed and fertilizer company to promote their seeds.
Someone is watching her at the outset and throughout the film. Suspense!
While watching a horror show (with her beloved cat Potato) narrated by Graham Greene one night after landing her seed gig she dozes off woken up by Graham Greene on the television speaking directly to her. Is the severed bloody ear she finds on the couch just a dream?
The next morning, she receives a call from her cousin Wiz (Dallas Goldtooth) asking her to return to her Mohawk rez to watch Auntie’s house who is in New Zealand. Ziggy returns to the rez and Auntie’s car is not working leaving poor Ziggy alone deep in the woods. Eyes are upon her and next a break in by a man, Drake (Patrick Garrow) that was having his car repaired by Nookie in the rez watching Ziggy with intensity. Potato the cat attacks intruder Drake ripping his ear off and is rewarded by being bludgeoned to death. Ziggy returns and discovering Potato’s murder vows revenge. This airy influencer starts to show her mettle handy with a rifle and knife and brimming with revenge.
Graham Greene appears again and warns Ziggy people are coming to take something special from her but does not say what even when Ziggy asks if these people are after the seeds but he shows Ziggy a past time where Mohawks were farming the land. Greene later says to Ziggy that she is a strong Mohawk woman and go fuck em up!
Aunty had called Ziggy previously and said seeds were stolen at a Māori’s home in New Zealand and please guard the seeds in her house with her life. They are unique to the Mohawk people. Nature’s Oath is genetically modifying seeds which produce plants with sterile seeds so seeds must be purchased again driving up the profits of this near monopoly seed company.
Drake appears yet again at Auntie’s house and a fight ensues with Ziggy a true Mohawk warrior. Mystery and suspense veers toward horror and I can’t tell you what comprises the horror as the film would be ruined. Why don’t we say it is very hearty type of horror!
My thoughts are horror is a smoke screen as disguised in the smoke is razor sharp political and social commentary:
- A pure Indigenous strike back at colonialism
- A defeat of the Christian missionary colonizers. Look at the cross worn by Drake
- A defeat of post Christian missionary colonizers. Look at the underwear with the maple leaf’s
- A dressing down of fifth column Uncle Tom Indigenous traitors
- Pride in and protection of Indigenous culture
- Lambasting trinket trickery of the colonizers
- The reverence of the land and environment as central to Indigenous culture
- Mistrust of corporate interests as to Indigenous land
- The easy manipulation of the media by corporate interests including the use of ignorant profit driven social influencers
The powerful and angry soliloquy of Ziggy crosses the line from acting to a heartfelt lecture against Indigenous exploitation and colonization. Horn, and not Ziggy, is speaking from the heart.
Certainly, there are, thrills, mystery, horror and a tad of comedy but distill these outer layers and there is an intense political-cultural message dominating the film.
The writer and director (and Ziggy) is Kaniehtiio Horn.
You may watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-EzLysgD1I&t=12s
Some gaps and weakness in the writing, continuity editing and at times the acting
RKS 2025 CANADIAN Film Rating: 86/100.
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