Edge of the Knife (2018)

January 3, 2025 2:26 PM

[TRAILER] Set in 19th-century Haida Gwaii, it tells the classic Haida story of a traumatized and stranded man transformed into Gaagiixiid, the wildman. The film was created primarily by indigenous people, including the co-directors, a mostly amateur crew, and the Haida cast with a budget of close to $2 million CAD, funded by the Council of the Haida Nation, the Canada Media Fund, and Telefilm Canada with an aim to preserve and teach Haida, an endangered language.

Haida title: SG̲aawaay Ḵʹuuna

Starring Tyler York, William Russ, Adeana Young.

Directed by Gwaai Edenshaw, Helen Haig-Brown. Written by Gwaai Edenshaw, Jaalen Edenshaw, Graham Richard, Leonie Sandercock. Produced by Jonathan Frantz, Stephen Grosse for Niijang Xyaalas Productions. Cinematography by Jonathan Frantz. Edited by Sarah Hedar. Music by Kinnie Starr.

100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes (with 5 reviews).

Available to rent on Apple TV. Also included in the new All the Haunts Be Ours Volume 2 set from Severin films. JustWatch listing.

posted by DirtyOldTown (9 comments total)

maybe this is a Canada-only rental? not seeing it as available from my US based location
posted by kokaku at 2:44 PM on January 3

Hmmm. The link on their distributor's site is to the Canada version of Apple TV, so that may be.

I currently only have Apple TV via Prime which for some damn reason is not searchable.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 3:08 PM on January 3

Caught this on Shudder last year, but it seems to be gone now. I appreciated how thoroughly this remains a Haida story, as opposed to a basic-ass horror flick appropriating a First Nations legend for the atmosphere. I caught myself a couple of times anticipating standard horror tropes that never materialized, because that's not where this movie is interested in going.
posted by ormondsacker at 8:56 PM on January 3 [1 favorite]

To the best of my knowledge it hasn't had a physical release here in Canada or elsewhere (other than the Severin volume 2 folk horror set).

In fact I think it is this film in particular that makes the set as desirable as it is (IMO).
posted by Ashwagandha at 4:12 PM on January 4 [1 favorite]

There are DVDs of it at least.

There are several films in the set you can't get anywhere else right now, but, some of them may come out on individual Severin releases later.

Didn't they put out a few separately later last time?
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:04 PM on January 4

Severin did in fact release a few films from volume 1 separately. Here’s hoping this will also get one; it’s a really interesting movie from a fascinating place. My wife and I made the great decision to spend a few days up there several years ago. It’s amazingly beautiful and the work the Haida Nation has done to reclaim their islands and heritage is remarkable.
posted by Bryant at 10:36 AM on January 5 [1 favorite]

I've been imagining a trip there for a while that's going to happen this year so I'm really excited to see this movie.
posted by kokaku at 6:42 PM on January 5

Didn't they put out a few separately later last time

Yes, some of the better known titles. The point I was making is that this Canadian film is not available physically in Canada outside of this set. Which might not matter to some but.. the thing is it is otherwise buried here in Canada in the back catalogues of streaming services. And I think it is a more important film than some horror film.
posted by Ashwagandha at 6:42 PM on January 5

Good news, though: Canadians can buy it on Blu Ray directly from the Haida Nation museum shop.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:10 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]