Abstract
This article examines the pedagogical potential of Indigenous-created genre film—specifically, Jeff Barnaby’s Rhymes for Young Ghouls (Barnaby, 2013)—in promoting critical engagement with the legacies of colonial violence in Canada. Drawing on Susan Dion’s (2009) concept of the perfect stranger and film activist Ariel Smith’s analysis of Indigenous horror cinema, the study examines how three educators responded to the film and reflected on its curricular applications. Using constructivist grounded theory and cultural studies frameworks, the research reveals both the transformative promise and institutional constraints of integrating emotionally intense media into classroom settings. Findings suggest that while the film evokes affective responses conducive to decolonial learning, educators must navigate bureaucratic, cultural, and ethical challenges to achieve this goal. Ultimately, the article argues that Indigenous genre film can catalyze critical media literacy and relational accountability when scaffolded with care, reflection, and contextually grounded pedagogical strategies.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Burrows, B. M. (2026). Too Close for Comfort: Indigenous ‘genre’ film as impactful in pedagogies of Reconciliation. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 18(2), 110-119. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2026-18-2-8
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