Film about First Nations hockey team has world premiere at TIFF

By Sam Laskaris

TORONTO – Though he does serve as a volunteer hockey coach when time permits, Cody Lightning wants to get one thing straight: his real-life coaching style is far from the head coach he portrays in the film Smudge The Blades, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sept. 12.

Lightning, who is from Samson Cree Nation, co-wrote and directed the film.

And he also stars in the movie as a foul-mouthed hockey coach who deals with a vice. Plus, he only agreed to coach an all-Indigenous youth squad as he was hoping to become romantically involved with the mother of one of his players.

Lightning laughed when asked if his coaching in the movie resembles his real-life coaching style.

“Our film is fictitious, but loosely based off of young teenage Indigenous players,” he said. “And then me being a rambunctious coach coming in. That’s fictitious.”

In reality, Lightning has been coaching First Nations youth teams, that have included his daughter as well as nieces and nephews, for seven years.

“There’s a lot of kids from the community where I’m from that play on the teams that I coach,” he said. “They know me because I was a youth worker as well. So, they know youth department me. They know coaching me. And they know uncle me. There are three different versions. I have to wear different hats depending on what I’m doing and how I’m interacting with them.”

Lightning said he had to get permission to use the title Smudge The Blades for his film. That’s also the name of an Indigenous apparel company owned by his friend Harlan Kingfisher.

Lightning allowed Kingfisher to read his script when he went seeking approval for his movie’s name.

“He read it and he said, ‘I love this. This is rez hockey. This is what me and so many others have gone through,’” Lightning said. “I’m super happy that he hopped on board and that we were able to call this Smudge The Blades.”

Though his own coaching style was not properly displayed in the film, Lightning did not shy away from featuring several off-the-ice issues Indigenous teens deal with, including drinking and difficulties at home.

“It’s life,” he said. “It’s reality. You have some households that are more, I’d say, healthier than others, but at the end of the day, we’re all community. We all come together at the end of the day. You have to play with the cards that you’re dealt and make the best that you can…That’s what so many Indigenous people, especially our young ones, have to go through. It’s a resilience. And it’s a tough world out there. I’m glad that I got to showcase that in an honest way.”

Lightning is confident Smudge The Blades will be a hit with Indigenous people, but also appeal to those who are non-Indigenous as well.

“It’s a hockey film,” he said. “It’s Canada. That’s our sport other than lacrosse. Hockey has a huge Indigenous presence in Canada, especially Alberta. I think it’s going to hit with everybody in Canada and around the world.”

Lightning said he has no desire to move up in the coaching ranks, but will continue to coach First Nations youth teams when he can.

“I have so much going on that it’s a full-time gig,” he said of his commitments in the film industry. “And I have a lot of film work that I have coming up.”

Smudge The Blades also features well-known actor Ed Helms, known widely for his roles on the TV series The Office and the series of The Hangover films.

Lightning said actor Jana Schmieding, his love interest in Smudge The Blades, played a key role in landing Helms for the film.

“They had worked with each other on Rutherford Falls,” he said. “And we were looking for someone to plug into that role. We reached out to her and said, ‘Hey, can you get us in touch with his people?’”

Helms agreed to join the Smudge The Blades cast.

“I’m not surprised to get anybody really,” Lightning said. “I love Ed, but we’re a legitimate company. We’re making an awesome film. So, I’m sure people would love to be a part of it.”