People First Radio – September 24, 2026People First Radio – September 24, 2026
People First Radio
People First Radio features conversations on three screen projects: a feature about queer Indigenous sex workers, a docuseries on an Indigenous canoe club, and a documentary on cryonics in Western Canada. The episode touches on community, representation, health, housing and how people seek hope through film and unconventional ideas.
0:00•24 Sept 2026
Sex Work, Canoes and Cryonics: Stories of Community and Hope on Screen
Episode Overview
- Representation of queer Indigenous sex workers can centre tenderness, friendship and housing struggles rather than only trauma.
- Community consultation and involvement from Indigenous sex work and queer, trans and Two-Spirit communities shaped the film "Seventeen".
- The Island Brave Canoe Club grew from a simple push to "get a canoe" into a long-term health and wellness pathway for young paddlers.
- Cryonics advocates emphasise transparency, acknowledging that freezing works but revival remains completely uncertain.
- Legislation aimed at consumer protection can complicate emerging practices like cryonics, influencing where facilities are built.
“I think if you're interested in like a story about Indigenous female friendship, then like, this is the movie for you.”
Experience the emotional and inspiring tales of recovery and resilience through three very different screen stories discussed on People First Radio. This episode centres on how film and storytelling connect with issues like housing, stigma, health, and community — all core concerns for people dealing with mental health, addiction, and social marginalisation. First up, filmmaker Justin Ducharme talks about "Seventeen", his feature-length directorial debut about three queer Indigenous sex workers in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Drawing on his own experiences, he explains how the film focuses less on trauma and more on "giving a voice back to these characters" through moments of tenderness, friendship, and urgent struggles for housing and safety.
As he puts it, "I think if you're interested in like a story about Indigenous female friendship, then like, this is the movie for you." The tone shifts to community sport and wellness with Snuneymuxw First Nation Chief Mike Wyse, sharing the origin story of the Island Brave Canoe Club and the docuseries "Racing Waters".
His late mother urged him to "bring those kids together and get them out there racing," leading to decades of paddling, youth development, and a way of life built around health and wellness that now reaches as far as Brazil and Hawaii. Finally, filmmaker David Ehrenrich chats about "Relax, Open Your Eyes", a documentary on cryonics in Western Canada.
He describes cryonics as a pursuit fuelled by hope and transparency, following Carrie Radomsky and her husband Vitek as they work to build a facility in Calgary amidst confusing British Columbia legislation. Ehrenrich stresses that the film is "really a family story" and that cryonics, for its advocates, is an extension of modern medicine rather than a promise of eternal life.
If you're interested in how people use art, sport, and unconventional science to seek safety, meaning, and a "good life", this episode offers plenty to think about and talk over — which part speaks most to your own journey?
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