# Eva Thomas > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Eva_Thomas > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Eva_Thomas.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Thomas > Source revision: 1338186409 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Eva Thomas** is a Canadian [First Nations](/source/First_Nations_in_Canada) ([Walpole Island First Nation](/source/Walpole_Island_First_Nation)) filmmaker and screenwriter. ## Early life and education Thomas attended [Arizona State University](/source/Arizona_State_University), where she studied Communication and Broadcasting.[1] She went on to study at the [American Academy of Dramatic Arts](/source/American_Academy_of_Dramatic_Arts) in New York City, the [Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art](/source/Webber_Douglas_Academy_of_Dramatic_Art) in London,[2] and [Capilano University](/source/Capilano_University).[3] ## Career Thomas was initially interested in acting in Hollywood, but after realizing the limited number of roles available for Indigenous actors, she decided to become a script writer and editor instead. She went on to run the imagineNATIVE Features Lab, doing script editing. While there, she worked with [Kaniehtiio Horn](/source/Kaniehtiio_Horn) as a story editor and later executive producer on a project called *Seeds.[2]* After completing the Harold Greenberg Fund's Indigenous Story Editing Mentorship, Thomas decided she would aim to create her own short film as a way to break into the feature film industry.[2] Thomas worked as an associate producer on the 2021 film *[Night Raiders](/source/Night_Raiders_(2021_film))*.[2] In 2021, Thomas was chosen as one of five Indigenous women to participate in Women in View's Five in Focus: Indigenous program.[4] In 2023, Thomas debuted her short film *Redlights* at the [2023 Toronto International Film Festival](/source/2023_Toronto_International_Film_Festival).[2][5] The film stars [Kaniehtiio Horn](/source/Kaniehtiio_Horn) and Ellyn Jade, and its story was inspired by the [Starlight Tours](/source/Starlight_Tours) in [Saskatoon](/source/Saskatoon) and the 1991 film *[Thelma & Louise](/source/Thelma_%26_Louise)*.[2][5] In September 2023, it was announced that Thomas would be co-directing and co-writing her first feature film, *[Aberdeen](/source/Aberdeen_(2024_film))*, alongside Ryan Cooper. The film, about an indigenous women who relocates to [Winnipeg](/source/Winnipeg), stars [Gail Maurice](/source/Gail_Maurice), [Billy Merasty](/source/Billy_Merasty), [Jennifer Podemski](/source/Jennifer_Podemski), Liam Stewart-Kanigan and [Ryan Rajendra Black](/source/Ryan_Rajendra_Black).[6] It premiered at the [2024 Toronto International Film Festival](/source/2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival).[7] Thomas has also filmed documentaries for the [Walpole Island First Nation](/source/Walpole_Island_First_Nation), and directed episodes of the [CBC](/source/CBC_Television) docuseries *[Still Standing](/source/Still_Standing_(Canadian_TV_series))*,[2][8] for which she won a [Canadian Screen Award](/source/Canadian_Screen_Award) for Best Direction in a Factual Program or Series at the [12th Canadian Screen Awards](/source/12th_Canadian_Screen_Awards) in 2024.[9] She has also written for [CTV's](/source/CTV_Television_Network) *[Shelved](/source/Shelved)* (2023) and CTV/APTN's *[Acting Good](/source/Acting_Good)* (2022).*[8]* In November 2024, Thomas was announced as entering production on *[Nika and Madison](/source/Nika_and_Madison)*, a feature-length expansion of *Redlights* which is her full-length debut as a solo director.[10] It premiered in the Discovery program at the [2025 Toronto International Film Festival](/source/2025_Toronto_International_Film_Festival).[11] ## Personal life Thomas is a member of the [Walpole Island First Nation](/source/Walpole_Island_First_Nation),[2][5] and is also of [Tohono O’odham](/source/Tohono_O%CA%BCodham), [Cherokee](/source/Cherokee) and [Scottish](/source/Scottish_people) descent.[4] She is based in Toronto and [Wallaceburg](/source/Wallaceburg), Ontario.[8] She is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States.[1] ## References 1. ["Eva Thomas"](https://laskinsfest.com/2018/07/16/eva-thomas/). *LA Skins Fest*. 2018-07-06. Retrieved 2024-01-25. 1. Saito, Stephen (2023-09-07). ["TIFF 2023 Interview: Eva Thomas on "Redlights""](https://moveablefest.com/eva-thomas-redlights/). *The Moveable Fest*. Retrieved 2024-01-25. 1. ["Indigenous CapU film students head to Cannes Film Fest"](https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/capu-indigenous-film-students-cannes-film-festival-5361614). *North Shore News*. 2022-05-13. Retrieved 2024-06-26. 1. Townsend, Kelly (2021-01-27). ["Women in View unveils participants for Five in Focus: Indigenous"](https://playbackonline.ca/2021/01/27/women-in-view-unveils-participants-for-five-in-focus-indigenous/). *Playback Online*. Retrieved 2024-01-25. 1. Laskaris, Sam (2023-08-29). ["First Nations director hopes to raise awareness of Starlight Tours with film premiering at TIFF"](https://windspeaker.com/news/windspeaker-news/first-nations-director-hopes-raise-awareness-starlight-tours-film-premiering). *Windspeaker.com*. Retrieved 2024-01-25. 1. Townsend, Kelly (2023-09-26). ["Ryan Cooper, Eva Thomas set feature debut with Aberdeen"](https://playbackonline.ca/2023/09/26/ryan-cooper-eva-thomas-set-feature-debut-with-aberdeen/). *Playback Online*. Retrieved 2024-06-26. 1. Zac Ntim, ["TIFF 2024: Laura Carreira’s ‘On Falling’ & ‘Bonjour Tristesse’ Starring Chloë Sevigny Among Titles Set For Discovery Sidebar"](https://deadline.com/2024/07/tiff-2024-discovery-laura-carreira-on-falling-bonjour-tristesse-chloe-sevigny-1236019758/). *[Deadline Hollywood](/source/Deadline_Hollywood)*, July 24, 2024. 1. ["'Starlight Tours' fear felt by Indigenous people in Canada explored in TIFF short film"](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/starlight-tour-indigenous-canadians-fear-tiff-1.6962874). *CBC*. 2023-09-11. Retrieved 2024-01-25. 1. Thiessen, Connie (2024-05-30). ["Canadian Screen Awards winners: Documentary, Factual, Lifestyle & Reality"](https://broadcastdialogue.com/canadian-screen-awards-winners-documentary-factual-lifestyle-reality/). *Broadcast Dialogue*. Retrieved 2024-06-26. 1. Jamie Casemore, ["Eva Thomas directs first solo feature with Nika & Madison"](https://playbackonline.ca/2024/11/12/eva-thomas-directs-first-solo-feature-with-nika-madison/). *[Playback](/source/Playback_(magazine))*, November 12, 2024. 1. John Hazelton, ["Toronto film festival unveils Discovery selection with 23 world premieres"](https://www.screendaily.com/news/toronto-unveils-discovery-selection-with-23-world-premieres/5207225.article). *[Screen Daily](/source/Screen_Daily)*, July 23, 2025. ## External links - [Eva Thomas](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2199384/) at IMDb --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Eva Thomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Thomas) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Thomas?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.