By Lucy Spicer
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent filmmaking. While we can learn a lot about the filmmakers from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival through the art that these storytellers share with us, there’s always more we can learn about them as people. We decided to get to the bottom of those artistic wells with our ongoing series: Give Me the Backstory!
Getting your family to agree to appear in a documentary is no small task. Making that feature-length documentary entirely animated is another feat entirely. But co-directors and half brothers Seth and Peter Scriver did both with a goal of enjoying themselves and bringing laughter and connection to others. For them, obstacles to making their film together included such logistical issues as location. “Geographical location of Shamattawa to Toronto — there’s no roads to or out of Shamattawa, only the ice road in the winter, and it’s a doozy,” they explain. Although they did concede some artistic challenges: “Also, Seth did 90% of the animation, which was quite an undertaking.”
The Scrivers’ Canada-set documentary, Endless Cookie, is premiering in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The film uses bright, whimsical animation to chronicle the lives of the two half brothers — one of whom is Indigenous, and the other white. With help from their families and pets, Seth and Peter explore their bond, discussing the differences in their identities and upbringing, but finding plenty of laughter along the way.
Read on to learn more about Endless Cookie and its filmmakers — who aren’t just filmmakers. “Well currently I’m working as a carpenter,” says Seth, “Until I have time to sketch out a new movie.” Peter continues, “I work as the maintenance person at a nursing station and am a Northern Ranger.”
What was the biggest inspiration behind Endless Cookie?
Connecting with family.
Films are lasting artistic legacies; what do you want yours to say?
Whatever your dreams are, stick to them.
Describe who you want this film to reach.
The dreamers
Your favorite part of making Endless Cookie? Memories from the process?
Being able to hang out with family that lives far away from each other and laughing.
Why does this story need to be told now?
Well jeez, we wished we finished it earlier! Ha! the world is so messed up right now; who knows, maybe this’ll make it better or at least make some people laugh a lil.
Tell us why and how you got into filmmaking.
Seth: I used to hang out in the computer lab at my school and go through the garbage cans on the computers in the animation class, which I wasn’t taking, and raise other people’s projects from the trash and mess them all up and deconstruct them and put them back together. It was a fun way to learn how to do animation.
Why is filmmaking important to you? Why is it important to the world?
The love of telling stories that make people think and make people laugh.
What is something that all filmmakers should keep in mind in order to become better cinematic storytellers?
I guess make sure you enjoy what you’re doing.
Who are your creative heroes?
Seth: The Great Creator, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Simone Scriver, Juzo Itami, Stephen Chow, The Fugs, Nog a Dod Family, Boredoms, Akira Kurosawa, Akira Toriyama, Michael Hurley, Mike Constable, jeez, I feel like I could ramble a long line here…
Which of your personal characteristics contributes most to your success as a storyteller?
Seth: I think that I’m loud and move my hands a lot, haha, make eye contact, get real worked up. I think Pete is amazing because of his voice; it’s hypnotizing, the same as our dad’s.
Tell us about your history with Sundance Institute. When was the first time you engaged with us? Why did you want your film to premiere/screen with us?
Seth: I would see videos at the local rental place when I was a kid; the ones with Sundance laurels and usually weren’t half bad.
Who was the first person you told when you learned you got into the Sundance Film Festival?
Seth: Pete doesn’t do email, and we heard through email, so I heard first and then told my wife, Koko, and then called Pete.
What’s your favorite film that has come from the Sundance Institute or Festival?
Seth: I’m not sure it’s my favorite, but I always think about that Blackfish movie, and when I saw Get Out in the theater, people were yelling at the screen and it was hilarious and fun. I’m betting I’m gonna see my favorite this coming year!
