Coming Home
An Indigenous adult-adoptee returns to her rural home community after building an unlikely friendship with a seven-term Chief, brought together by fate to explore hope, healing, forgiveness, and coming home to our whole selves.
Coming Home is an one-off short documentary profiling a seven-term former First Nations Chief, Wayne Christian. Hosted by adult-adoptee and foster care survivor, Charlene SanJenko, from the same home community and filmed in the scenic Shuswap Valley of rural British Columbia, Coming Home is a multi-sensory exploration of conversation, cultural practices, and reciprocal care dedicated to reconciliation-in-action by prioritizing courageous dialogue that heals one person, one family, and one community at a time.
The reGEN media team have been to the Splatsin Nation twice in 2022 for two legs of production and filming. From the first leg in May of 2022, a 10-minute mini-documentary was produced as a way to capture the context of the larger story that is developing in real-time. After completing a second leg of filming in October 2022 and anticipating a third leg in Spring of 2023, a feature short film is in the works to be released in the Fall 2023.
The process of delivering Coming Home is an interactive experience: you can bring Charlene and Chief Wayne to your own community for a live screening and talk-back session as part of reGEN media's For The Children initiative. Keep reading to discover how you can support the film by signing up for updates, donating, or partnering as a brand activation partner.
Quick Facts
Status: In production
Estimated release date: Fall 2023
Genre: Short documentary film
Impact: Healing families

Watch the mini-documentary:
"We have the ability to change, and we can transmit healing through generations."
~ Wenecwtsin (Wayne Christian)
Listen to the full audio clip:

Meet the Creative Team




Behind the scenes
Join our crew behind the camera and experience the making of Coming Home: a process nearly a year-long in the making! Featuring exclusive photos, videos, and tours of critical storytelling moments - updated in real-time as the story continues to unfold. BONUS: add your own thoughts and reflections to our interactive space!
What's next:
Late Spring 2023:
Early planning is underway for a Matriarch's Picnic in Splatsin. This special event is related to the filming of our Coming Home short film. Stay tuned for further details as they are confirmed.
Please contact Charlene if you are interested in learning more.
Future Possibilities for the Film:
reGEN media will pitch a Coming Home limited series to streaming partners in 2024/2025, stories of hope, healing, and humour that celebrate Coming Home of adult adoptees and former kids-in-care who are returning, connecting, and contributing to community across Turtle Island.