Aunties

by Justin Neal

Aunties follows the lives of three generations of women of this “Indipino” family beginning with Coast Salish matriarch Rose and centring on her daughter Lizzy, who searches for her place in the community on both sides of the border. At an early age Lizzy finds her voice as a champion for justice, fighting for her relatives’ rights over a span of decades, whilst raising a son and her niece, Rita. We follow Lizzy through the volatile 1960s and the American Indian Movement to the right-wing backlash happening across present-day Turtle Island.

Justin Neal is a dramatic writer of offbeat narratives that weave comedy with high-stakes drama, creating uplifting tales of personal transformation. Justin’s screenplays have placed him in over thirty screenwriting competitions, programs, residencies, and festivals across North America. His feature The Skins Game received production funding from Telefilm Canada and will commence filming in August 2026 with director Jon Elliott. Justin has received development funds from Indigenous Screen Office, Creative BC, and Telefilm for a number of film and television projects. As a playwright and founder of Holy Crow Arts, Justin has been awarded grant funding (BCAC, CCA, FPCC, COV CASC, Squamish Nation, and others) for his original plays So Damn Proud (2021) and Keepers of the Salish Sea (2024).