Jonah Malak’s short documentary Spare My Bones, Coyote! is making a splash on the film festival circuit. It was recently picked up by h264 for international sales and Canadian distribution rights. The film will have its world premiere at Canada’s prestigious Hot Docs festival. Toronto audiences will get a chance to see it on April 27, with another screening only two days later. This year, the event runs from April 24 through May 4 and is expected to draw thousands of filmmakers and cinephiles.
Spare My Bones, Coyote! provides a beautiful, heartbreaking look at the human consequences of migration through the eyes of Águilas del Desierto’s dedicated volunteers. Marisela & Ely Ortiz co-founded this organization to facilitate the recovery and identification of migrants’ remains. Whether their families sought a better life, safer situation, or an escape, these people died unnecessarily trying to make the trek on foot across the desert from Mexico to the United States. The film goes further into this volatile topic than any other project. It’s a testament to the humanitarian community artfully responding to one of the world’s most challenging and complicated emergencies today.
A Timely Reflection on Migration
The documentary’s timeliness is further highlighted by Malak’s statement about the growing difficulties in responding to mass displacement. He states,
“It is an irrefutable truth that mass displacement will increase over the years, and with it, exile, distress, and social conflict. With the new American administration, Spare My Bones, Coyote! is not only timely in subject matter but also in form. Its raison d’être is the emergency, and its vocation is to communicate a forgotten truth and offer a counter discourse to the prevailing media polarisation.”
This perspective captures the essence of the film’s mission: to shed light on a critical issue that often goes unaddressed in mainstream media narratives.
Collaboration and Support
h264’s participation in this work was possible due to a significant history of collaboration with Malak. h264 co-presidents Jean-Christophe J. Lamontagne and Stephanie Demers have a rich history of collaboration with him. They first collaborated on the immersive experience project, “Dave Not Coming Back.” They went on to voice their excitement about this new endeavor, elaborating,
“In today’s troubling geopolitical climate, it feels particularly crucial to highlight a film that boldly addresses migration issues. It’s an honour to bring such a timely, and important film to audiences.”
Plus, the collaboration between h264 & Nemesis Films turned out to be a successful match for their last collaboration “Red Rooms.” Dominique Dussault, CEO of Nemesis Films and producer of “Spare My Bones, Coyote!”, remarked on the continued relationship between their company and h264:
“After our successful collaboration with h264 on the international sales of Red Rooms, Nemesis Films is delighted to further our strong relationship with the Montreal-based sales agency.”
Future Screenings and Impact
Spare My Bones, Coyote! debuted at Hot Docs earlier this year and made waves for its powerful story. Now, it will be featured at DOXA in Vancouver, one indication of a burgeoning interest in the film. The documentary aims not only to inform viewers but to provoke thought and discussion surrounding migration—a critical issue that remains increasingly relevant in today’s society.