TRIPLE BILL FOLLOWED BY A POST-SCREENING DISCUSSION

Mobilize, by Caroline Monnet, 2015

3 min, Documentary, G

This short film, crafted entirely out of NFB archival footage by First Nations filmmaker Caroline Monnet, takes us on an exhilarating journey from the Far North to the urban south, capturing the perpetual negotiation between the traditional and the modern by a people moving ever forward. Part of the Souvenir series, it's one of four films by First Nations filmmakers that address Indigenous identity and representation, reframing Canadian history through a contemporary lens.

No Reservations, by Trevor Carroll, 2017

11 min, Comedy, G

When Peter & Marilyn Whiteman’s peaceful existence is uprooted by an unforgiving yet jovial corporation, they take matters into their own hands to stop the disruptive installation of a pipeline underneath their house. “No Reservations” is social commentary inspired by true-life events, giving a hypothetical look at what life would be like if the roles in Standing Rock were reversed. Protests erupt as an upper-middle class Caucasian neighborhood attempts to thwart the construction of a pipeline from an Indigenous Corporation. No Reservations was created as part of Crazy8s annual 8-day short filmmaking challenge.

Reserve 107, by Brad Langendoen, 2015

33 min, Documentary, G

Indigenous rights and title to the land remains a taboo topic for many across Canada, but in the small town of Laird, Saskatchewan, an old injustice is providing new opportunities for dialogue, friendship and a fierce determination to right the wrongs of the past.

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Sisters & Brothers, by Kent Monkman, 2015

3 min, Documentary, G

In a pounding critique of Canada's colonial history, this short film draws parallels between the annihilation of the bison in the 1890s and the devastation inflicted on the Indigenous population by the residential school system. This film is part of Souvenir, a series of four films addressing Indigenous identity and representation by reworking material in the NFB's archives.

Angry Inuk, by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, 2016

85 min, Documentary, PG

We all know about the terrible “brutality” of the Arctic seal hunt — or do we? Turns out there are other sides to this story: it's the story of families that need to be fed, the story of a hunting practice that began centuries ago and the story of a tradition that is central to the economy and food security of Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. Angry Inuk contains a story that’s over 4,000 years old. The seal hunt is not exactly a laughing matter, but humour and technical savvy go a long way to debunk certain claims. Wryly tackling both misinformation and aggressive appeals to emotion, Inuk filmmaker Arnaquq-Baril equips herself and her community with the powers of social media — and yes, #sealfies — to reframe a controversial topic as a cultural issue in this 2016 Audience Award-winning Hot Docs hit.

Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance, by Alanis Obomsawin, 1993

1 h 59 min, Documentary, PG

In July 1990, a dispute over a proposed golf course to be built on Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) lands in Oka, Quebec, set the stage for a historic confrontation that would grab international headlines and sear itself into the Canadian consciousness. Director Alanis Obomsawin—at times with a small crew, at times alone—spent 78 days behind Kanien’kéhaka lines filming the armed standoff between protestors, the Quebec police and the Canadian army. Released in 1993, this landmark documentary has been seen around the world, winning over a dozen international awards and making history at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it became the first documentary ever to win the Best Canadian Feature award. Jesse Wente, Director of Canada’s Indigenous Screen Office, has called it a “watershed film in the history of First Peoples cinema.”