Endless Cookie traces a long period of time where animator Seth Scriver attempts to make an animated feature out of conversations and connections with his half-brother Peter, who lives in the isolated First Nations community of Shamattawa. Through a series of vignettes – some tragic, some funny, all a little bizarre, the film is an honest portrait of a family, the state of Canada, the state of First Nations peoples and the complexities that their relationship and their past entail.

The film is thriving and full of creativity. As a result, a great deal of effort is put into small jokes and references placed in the background to show off what these characters are thinking, but also leaving room to set up future stories. In this endless period of stories (representing the ‘endless cookie’), they reflect on the past and the stories it contains. In doing so, they reveal a great amount inside depth and humor. Their stories illustrate Canada’s complex and often dark history. They also highlight the uniqueness that makes Canada a place worth living and telling stories about, despite the constitutional structures that have harmed many people, particularly indigenous people. What’s more, the film reveals the ways that race affects people’s perception but also isn’t a barrier to friendship. This shapes the film up as a wholly unique creation that covers many topics in its runtime but never fails to feel complete. 

The character design help communicate the vibe of each person. Each character’s unique design helps make them memorable, distinct and communicates a lot more about them then a simple photo would. At the same time, they also show each person in a creative manner, playing on jokes or quirky personality traits which bring us into their world. For example, the character of Cookie is drawn as a cookie. The take unique animation designs that look nothing like the real people, but still managed to create something that encompasses their personality and the important bits of who they are. 

In this way, Cookie is very interesting family portrait that uses animation to constantly engage the audience. Its ideas and storytelling make the film feel that much more visual for us. It feels plucked straight from the imagination or dream of someone who is hearing a story. Through their unique realization of these stories we get to feel like time travelling witnesses to unique and delightful vignettes. The film also uses the impressionistic approach to the animation as a way to show some more vulgar and honest moments that show the flaws of its subjects and goes into territory you wouldn’t expect from an animated film, let alone a documentary. 

Reflecting on the filmmaking itself, you become aware of not only how grueling this process of animation was but also how this desire for stories allowed this family to connect. In doing so, they have created a piece of art that can be universally shared. I hope that everyone sees this creative vision as it takes the complexity of family conversations and makes them cinematic. This is a great film that everyone should see.

Endless Cookie is in theatres on June 13th, 2025.