« — I have to be gone September 10th.
— That’s tomorrow!
— That’s why I’s fucking freaking out! »

The lives of three young queer Indigenous sex workers in downtown Vancouver intersect and overlap over the course of 17 hours in downtown Vancouver as they face major challenges. 

With Seventeen, Justin Ducharme delivers a film that offers viewers a glimpse into the complex realities of queer Indigenous people living on the margins of the urban spaces that surround us.

Indigenous characters without making it the main issue

Even though Seventeen features characters of Indigenous origin, the plot does not focus specifically on their origins. Nor is the drama about each of their jobs in the sex industry, but rather about the important deadlines they must meet: Tamara (Nizhonniya Austin) has to find a passport before being deported from the country, Aiden (Taio Gélinas) needs to scrape together money for a deposit on a new apartment, and December (Aalayna) must deal with an urgent family situation on her reserve.

It is refreshing to see Indigenous people placed in situations where we could find people of any other origin. We need to bring Indigenous actors and characters beyond the typical issues associated with these peoples.

Sex Workers

This is a successful feature debut for Justin Ducharme. He handles a multitude of sensitive subjects while effectively pushing them into the background. We understand the issues without them becoming a distracting element in a story that, ultimately, is about something else.

The characters are well developed and well performed. There is no sense of judgment or moral stance taken toward them. They live their lives and we watch them. The fact that they are sex workers does not even jump out at you. The viewer sees what is happening, but in the end, it simply becomes a part of the character’s life, just like following someone who works in finance or at an amusement park. This characteristic becomes secondary, and something else takes center stage. Bravo!

Seventeen is screening at the TIFF on September 14 and 15, 2026.

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