These Sámi siblings are committed to ensuring Indigenous voices and perspective take their place in cinema, and not having it told by others.

Brothers and sister Jonathan and Johannes Vang, and Wilhelmina Silba (Vang) present Borderline at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival for its North American premiere in June.

Humour cuts the tension, conflict and power dynamics in place through the tale of a Norwegian customs officer, a Finnish poacher, and Swedish traveler, set in the icy northern region where Norway, Finland, and Sweden borders intersect.

It's the complete collaboration between the trio, having already taken out the Tromsø Palm for Best Short Film at the Tromsø International Film Festival.

imagineNATIVE is the world's largest Indigenous film festival.

Borderline isn't simply a piece of a new wave of film out of its corner of the globe from emerging filmmakers, it's a statement.

"For too long, our history was written by others. As Indigenous filmmakers today, we have the vital opportunity to shift the perspective, using cinema to finally tell our stories in our own voices," Johannes Vang, director and producer told Global Indigenous Times (a National Indigenous Times publication).

"Collaborating with siblings means we're able to use a lifetime of shared experiences. Whether it's 'remember that one teacher?' or 'that trip we took,' those references create an easy understanding and a workflow that is as productive as it is hilarious."

Wilhelmina brought the film to life as writer, with Jonathan shaping viewers experience as editor.

The siblings discovered their roots in their teens.

Sámi are the Indigenous people of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula of far north-east Russia.

Johannes will further contribute to the festival in a panel discussion; Indigenous Resistance in the Industry + Building Cross-Racial Solidarity Panel.

He recently produced the feature doc LET OUR MOUNTAINS LIVE and won the Norwegian Society for the Advancement of Culture talent 2026 grant of 50,000 Norwegian kroner,

The trio recently came together again for their latest work ÁRBI- WHAT REMAINS.

Sister Wilhelmina said a "special freedom" comes from creating work with people you trust.

"Because of the legacy of Norwegianization, we didn't uncover our roots until our teens. We've spent our adulthood reclaiming an identity we didn't know we'd lost, and a part of that is simply normalising it on screen. We want to see Sámi and Kven voices in the mundane and the absurd—showing that our culture is part of everyday life," she said.

"There is a special freedom in creating with the people you trust most. With my brothers, no idea is 'too absurd.' Our shared history has given us a common language for our storytelling. Whether it's a serious drama or a weird comedy, we do it all with a shorthand that only exists between siblings."

For Jonathan it's a "surreal" experience to come at imagineNATIVE.

He said Borderline has been like a shared language between them, more so than a collaboration, hinging on trust.

Audiences resonating with the place they call home also came as a surprise.

"A story made by three Indigenous siblings from the far north of Norway travelling all the way to Toronto and connecting with audiences there is something I never imagined growing up," he said.

"What surprises me most is seeing people from completely different places recognize the humour, awkwardness and relationships we grew up with back home. I think that's the power of Indigenous storytelling, the details are deeply specific, but the emotions are universal.

"Sometimes nobody even finishes a sentence, someone just groans, gestures vaguely, and everybody understands immediately. Even though we work very closely together, our roles are completely separate.

"Wilhelmina writes the scripts, Johannes directs, and I shape everything together in the edit. There's a lot of trust in that process. We give each other space to add a bit of ourselves into the film, and I think audiences can feel that in the finished work."

Borderline premieres on Thurday, June 4, 8:30 PM at TIFF Lightbox Cinema in Toronto. On June 14 it's available to stream online.