Wildhood is a 2021 Canadian dramatic romantic coming-of-age film, directed by Bretten Hannam. It was filmed in Nova Scotia, Canada.
The film tells the story of Lincoln ("Link"), a young Métis man who runs away from his abusive white father to try to find his Indigenous mother and reconnect with his culture. He brings his white little half-brother, Travis, and they attempt a life on the streets of rural Nova Scotia. In the process, Link meets Pasmay, a two-spiritnote Indigenous boy, and they form a romance and sexual relationship.
Wildhood was based on a short film called Wildfire (2019) by Hannam that was similar in many respects (the short film gives the abusive father a slightly more sympathetic portrayal). The film is, according to Hannam, based on his own life, childhood, heritage and orientation.
This film contains examples of the following tropes:
- Abusive Parents: Arvin.
- Adorably Precocious Child: Travis, wise beyond his years but too young to do most things alone.
- Badass Native:
- Michael Greyeyes as "Smokey".
- Pasmay is pretty awesome and street-smart.
- Big Bad: Link and Travis's abusive father, Arvin. He physically abuses and torments his sons.
- Missing Mom: Arvin has lied to Link for years that his estranged mother, Sarah, is deceased. Link finds a written letter confirming that his mother is alive, and he hopes to seek her out and ask her why she left him behind.
