About Us

The origin story of Little Pine Productions …

Little Pine Productions was named after a wild horse from Little Pine Mountain on the SnPink’tn Indian Reservation in Penticton BC.

Sara bought this horse because she wanted another Okanagan wild horse like she had while she was growing up.  Jughead was a young stallion that had not been handled – and Sara is not officially a horseperson (more of a casual horse rider) so she found Aaron Stelkia to help her with her figure out what was next.  Aaron Stelkia is a well known Syilx horseman and operator of Stelkia Ranch.  The friendship that blossomed between Aaron and Sara was the foundation of Little Pine Productions. With both Aaron and Sara’s husband, Lucas, having backgrounds in film, it became clear that sharing stories through filmmaking was a natural progression for their creative journey.

Little Pine Productions was formed to make films about friendship, community and wild horses.

Our first collaborative effort, “Indian Grove,” is a short narrative film about the Stelkia Family Cattle Drive. The production itself was an adventure, providing valuable lessons in teamwork. One unforgettable moment occurred when Aaron pinpointed a likely spot for filming, only for the cows to take an unexpected route. Undeterred, the Stelkia Ranch Team skillfully turned around over 200 hundred cows for a successful “take two.”

This film earned the Audience Choice Award at the Red Deer Film Festival and showcased our commitment to storytelling.

(Red Deer Film Festival with Dora Stelkia, Brianna Stelkia, Linda Mitchell and our Red Deer support!)

While filming Indian Grove, a significant announcement emerged from the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation regarding 215 potential burial sites at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. This moment reinforced our belief in the importance of horses within the Okanagan community. In solidarity with the “For the Children” Caravan organized by the Syilx Okanagan Nation, Aaron transported around 30 horses, allowing survivors and their families to ride to the school from a position of power.

Little Pine Productions was able to film the convoy and made a short film “We Ride for the Children”.  This was a special moment for our team when we realized the importance of sharing modern stories of snkɬc̓aʔsqáx̌aʔ, the Horse Nation, as part of the truth and reconciliation process.

Photo from Jane Stelkia’s Collection

“Okanagan Wild” would not have been possible without Telus STORYHIVE.  This short documentary begins to unravel the story of the Okanagan Wild Horses.  With over 10,000 views in the first year on Telus OPTIK Youtube Channel, Okanagan Wild has been a big success for Little Pine Productions.

Additionally, we collaborated with local Okanagan Filmmaker, Dolly Kruger on “Chief Thunderbird,” a narrative inspired by the true story of Okanagan elder Thomas Pierre. This production also funded by Telus STORYHIVE showcased incredible performances from our community and was narrated by Nsyilxcen speakers. The weekend of filming was filled with support from friends, family, and community members, making it a truly special experience.

In 2024, Dolly Kruger won the RBC Award for Emerging Indigenous Filmmaker, propelling the completion of a five-year documentary project Little Pine has Co-produced with Dolly Kruger and her cousin Ace Kruger titled “Stayena: A Stickgame Story.”

(Dolly and Lucas in the early years of Little Pine Productions talking about Chief Thunderbird).

So, what’s next for Little Pine Productions?

Stay connected with us through social media for the latest updates and explore our Film Portfolio to see our projects. For more information, please Contact Us