JOIK the film, follows the frontman of the band Blind Pilot, Israel Nebeker on an odyssey through generations and across continents to rediscover his lost family lineage tied to the Sami of the Arctic. After the death of his father, renowned painter Royal Nebeker - Israel is left with many questions after finding a lost painting of his father’s entitled ‘Joik.' Joik is the sacred song of the Sami driven underground during a period of global colonization of indigenous cultures.
JOIK chronicles Israel’s journey back to the Arctic to understand the origins of his family and also redefine his music and understand a part of himself through the animate world of the Sami.
JOIK, THE FILM TEASER
(In development - production 2024)
“After a five-year hiatus, Blind Pilot released its third album, And Then Like Lions, last week. The group's frontman, Israel Nebeker, wrote the songs coming out of a period of grief following the death of his father (Oregon painter and teacher Royal Nebeker) and the end of a long relationship.
One of the most striking songs from And Then Like Lions is the reflective "Joik #3." It was written to honor the elder Nebeker, who came from Arctic indigenous heritage; in the language of the Sami people, the title word refers to a form of song that evokes another person.” - NPR
