Jeff Barnaby, Indigenous director of ‘Blood Quantum,’ dead at 46

Jeff Barnaby, an Indigenous writer and director known for “Blood Quantum“ and “Rhymes for Young Ghouls,” died Thursday, his publicist said. He was 46.

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Barnaby died Thursday in Montreal after a yearlong battle with cancer, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Barnaby was born Aug. 2, 1976, and raised in the Mi’gmaq community of Listuguj in Canada. According to Variety, he was known for his early film shorts: “The Colony,” which was nominated for a Claude Jutra Award; and 2010′s “File Under Miscellaneous,” which was nominated for a Genie Award.

Barnaby made his feature film debut with the 2013 drama, “Rhymes for Young Ghouls,” which starred Devery Jacobs, the Times reported. Jacobs would later be featured in the Starz series “American Gods” and FX’s hit, “Reservation Dogs,” according to the newspaper.

“I wouldn’t have a career today if it wasn’t for Jeff and for that project,” Jacobs told the Times in 2020. “‘Rhymes’ was my first leading role and also the first role I could really sink my teeth into, and the first project that really reflected my experience and that of my family.”

Barnaby came to prominence with the zombie-horror movie “Blood Quantum,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, according to the newspaper. It was released via streaming on Shudder.

The film traced an apocalyptic event where Indigenous peoples were immune to a zombie plague, according to Deadline. The film won seven Canadian Screen Awards and Barnaby won an achievement in editing award and was nominated for best original screenplay, the website reported.

“Jeff Barnaby’s films changed Canada, and played an outsize role in advancing the cultural and political imperative to reconcile with Indigenous peoples,” Barnaby’s friend and producer, John Christou, wrote in a statement. “His mastery of the craft, his storytelling, his uncompromising vision, and his humanity, shine through his work. My greatest hope is that the next generation of Indigenous filmmakers will pick up the torch and honor his legacy by being equally uncompromising in the realization of their vision.” 

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