Mary and Molly: In the Spirit of the Ancestors

Set between Bangor, Maine in the 1950’s and 1970’s, this animated film follows Mary, a young woman raised as African American, who learns on her 21^st birthday that her late mother left her a letter revealing her hidden Penobscot heritage. Struggling with questions of identity, Mary seeks answers in the Bangor Public Library – where she encounters the spirit of legendary Penobscot elder, Molly Molasses.

Molly takes Mary back in time, teaching her about the strength, resilience, and pain of her ancestors. Once feared in Bangor for her fierce presence and sharp tongue, Molly Molasses (1775-1867) carried the memories of land loss, betrayal, and survival. Through her guidance, Mary comes to understand that while her mother is gone, the spirit of her family and ancestors will always remain with her.

Mary and Molly: In the Spirit of the Ancestors is a story about loss, resilience, and the power of reclaiming identity – an intergenerational journey that connects past to present.

This film was produced by Donna Loring, David Camlin, and Speedwell Contemporary.

Q&A with the Filmmakers

Panel Bios

• Donna Loring, Penobscot Nation Tribal Elder, author, playwright, and former Tribal Representative to the Maine State Legislature.
• David Camlin, independent documentary filmmaker and editor from Maine whose work explores stories of human connection and historical recovery.
• Bunny McBride, writer and anthropologist focused on Indigenous histories and women’s lives, author of Women of the Dawn and Molly Spotted Elk: A Penobscot in Paris.
• Margo Lukens is professor emerita of English at the University of Maine, where she specialized in literature of Anglo-American colonization, and Native American literatures.
• Darren Ranco, Chair of Native American Programs at the University of Maine and a member of the Penobscot Nation, specializing in Indigenous environmental diplomacy and research ethics.