Ellen Hodgson
Indigenous Knowledge
Ellen Hodgson is an Anishinaabekwe from the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe and a descendant of the Apsáalooke Nation. She is a filmmaker and researcher who grew up on Ngunnawal / Ngambri Country and currently resides in Naarm.
Ellen is undertaking a PhD at the University of Melbourne, based across the Biodiversity Institute and the Indigenous Knowledge Institute. Her interdisciplinary research explores film as a tool for Indigenous sovereignty, focusing on the rematriation of Manoomin, the sacred Ojibwe wild rice relative.
This work is grounded in more than a decade of professional experience across Indigenous and Western film industries, spanning roles in production, policy and archival research, teaching, programming, commissioning, and mentorship.
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Thesis
Kinship Beyond Occupied States: Film as a Vessel for Anishinaabe Philosophies in Land Rematriation
This project investigates film as a tool for Indigenous sovereignty, cultural resurgence, and ecological stewardship, with a focus on the habitat restoration of Manoomin (Wild Rice / Zizania Palustris). Outputs will include a 60–90 minute documentary film primarily constructed from tribal and public archives, and a 40,000-word thesis theorising filmmaking methodologies situated within Anishinaabe thought.The project demonstrates how Indigenous-led ecological practices can inform biodiversity policy and climate resilience, while modelling creative, culturally grounded PhD pathways. Communities will retain control over their data and outputs, ensuring film serves as both ecological advocacy and cultural resurgence.