Erica Tremblay’s debut film captures the heartbreaking search to find family
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY APPLETV+
Oscar-nominated actor Lily Gladstone is back for another brilliant performance in Erica Tremblay’s new film Fancy Dance. Coming to AppleTV+ on 28 June, this drama follows the story of Jax (Lily Gladstone) who is searching for her missing sister all while taking care of her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) who is preparing for an upcoming powwow.
Following her sister’s disappearance, Jax has taken care of her niece, using every spare minute to find her sister – regardless of how it may impact her own safety. When Jax discovers that she may be at risk of losing custody of Roki if she cannot find her sister, the film becomes a tense investigation in the hopes of tracking her down. While the search for Jax’s sister is at the heart of this film, Erica Tremblay masterfully explores the complex reality of being an Indigenous woman today.
Lily Gladstone came to acclaim in the Martin Scorsese’s film Killers Of The Flower Moon, and this new film showcases once again why they are such a force in cinema. While this drama doesn’t have the violent intensity that we saw in Killers Of The Flower Moon, Lily still delivers a standout performance of a woman on the brink. We see Jax struggle to juggle the different parts of her life: a sister, aunt, daughter, lover, and eventually a detective of sorts.
While Lily’s character Jax is given a queer storyline, it’s refreshing to see how seamlessly it was slotted into the film. Jax’s sexuality is not a plot point in her narrative, it is simply who she is. Filled with a stoicism that only Lily Gladstone could pull off, Fancy Dance fits neatly into the new wave of cinema where queer characters are not defined by their sexuality alone.
Alongside Lily is a stellar cast, with Isabel DeRoy-Olson shining in the role of Roki. Alongside the tense search for Roki’s mother, the film captures a rare glimmer of hope in Roki’s passion for preparing to dance in the upcoming powwow. As shown in the film, the powwow is more than a dance. It’s a place for community, connection, and love.
The film also doesn’t shy away from the challenges facing the Seneca–Cayuga Nation Reservation, with discussions about police enforcement, social services, and the way Jax’s sister’s disappearance is treated in the community.
This remarkable debut feature from Erica Tremblay is not to be missed. You can stream Fancy Dance on AppleTV+ from 28 June.
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