After the Spill explores the devastating impact of the 2016 Nathan E. Stewart oil spill on the waters near Bella Bella, home to the Heiltsuk Nation. The film tells the story of how a tugboat carrying diesel and other pollutants ran aground in a critical food harvesting area, spilling 110,000 litres of toxic fuel and lubricants into the ocean. The response was delayed by 17 hours, leaving the Heiltsuk Nation’s own Guardian Watchmen to step in and take immediate action to try to contain the damage.

Through powerful firsthand accounts and striking visuals of the pristine coastal environment, After the Spill highlights the Heiltsuk’s deep cultural and spiritual connection to the land and sea — a relationship that was put at risk by the spill. The film documents the community’s frustration with the slow response and the lasting environmental damage, but also their strength and determination to reclaim control over the protection of their territory.

Central to the story is the Heiltsuk Nation’s push to establish the first-ever Indigenous Marine Response Centre — a proposal born from the hard lessons of the spill. The centre would reduce response times and ensure that Indigenous knowledge and leadership are at the forefront of protecting their coastal waters. After the Spill is both a sobering reminder of the consequences of industrial activity in fragile ecosystems and a testament to Indigenous resilience and stewardship. It captures a community’s fight to protect their home and restore the balance between human activity and the natural world.