‘Endless Cookie’ animated documentary satisfies the appetite for the unseen, unknown
Through storytelling and animation, the film explores the lives of two half-brothers, from the remote Shamattawa First Nation to urban Toronto, offering a unique glimpse into Indigenous culture and experiences, from the mundane to the deeply political
Peter Scriver and Seth Scriver attend on Jan. 25 the documentary premiere of “Endless Cookie” an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah (Photo Credit Andrew H. Walker).
The Sundance Film Festival brings together artists from around the world. Their assorted stories blow across the snowy mountains surrounding Park City, Utah, capturing imagination and emotions, allowing audiences to hear tales that can leave viewers in disgust, cheering with laughter, or stunned in silence. Sometimes, all of the above. In any case, the opportunity for artists to present their works to the world takes center stage.
“Endless Cookie” was one such film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 25. It brought two brothers together across thousands of miles of Canadian landscape to write and produce a documentary. Peter Scriver and Seth Scriver’s film showcases underrepresented perspectives that explore artistry, culture, and glimpses into worlds audiences may never see otherwise.
The Scriver film unites one brother’s storytelling with the other’s animation skills to weave a tapestry that intertwines each brother’s life from the remote northern Shamattawa, Manitoba, to the vast urban metropolis of Toronto. I’ve been to Toronto, but I can’t say I ever plan to travel to Shamattawa First Nation. But the film makes me feel I’ve already been there, as “Endless Cookie” allows us to see inside the life of an Indigenous family and share a brotherhood of humor that transcends thousands of miles.
It took the brothers—half-siblings, one white, one Indigenous—nine years to finish a film consisting of the recorded stories told by Peter Scriver. He speaks of growing up in Manitoba’s rural First Nation territories, pieced together with original animations, drawings you could call goofy and kooky, from Seth.
These stories are told amid the constantly growing din of a refrigerator, spanning years of living room audio recordings that have probably been replaced since then. Peter’s stories cover Sasquatch, hunting, puppy herds, and eating one of his first candies, a special recipe made from caribou intestine.
Each man’s humor and storytelling allowed them to express their views, from the mundane to deep political issues. “Endless Cookie” delivers an Indigenous portrait that sears the memory. Within the film, Peter’s grandmother speaks the Cree language, reminding viewers of our shared humanity, one sprinkled with plenty of humor.
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