Ohskennón:ten Owí:ra (Little Deer)
Jonathan Elliott (Mohawk) • 32 minutes 41 seconds • 2023 • Canada • English
On Christmas Eve, 1967, two young Indigenous girls are forced to battle the elements, confront their darkest secrets and work together in order to return home to their families after a daring escape from the Mohawk Institute Residential School. This harrowing coming-of-age story was developed with survivors of the Mohawk Institute and is based on their real experiences.
This film is a story about the resilience of Indigenous youth, the power of friendship, and the intergenerational impacts of the residential school system on Indigenous people and communities.
Radio Bingo
Now That We are Home We are Free
Now That We are Home We are Free
Shelby Adams • 8 minutes • 2023 • Canada • English
To help revitalize the Mohawk language, a local reservation radio station incorporates the Mohawk language into a game of Radio Bingo.
Now That We are Home We are Free
Now That We are Home We are Free
Now That We are Home We are Free
Colbi Jane Mike • 24 minutes • Canada • 2023
Indigenous communities coming together to learn and heal together.
Waiting for Justice
Silent Cries (Kiayunik Tuhanak)
Silent Cries (Kiayunik Tuhanak)
Matt LeMay & Crystal Marti • 16 minutes 46 seconds • 2023 • Canada
In this poignant 18-minute documentary, viewers are taken on a journey into the dark history of the Isle a la Cross Residential School. This institution was part of the Canadian government's policy of forced assimilation of Indigenous children. Survivors of the school bravely step forward to share their harrowing stories of physical and sexual abuse, cultural suppression, and the profound loss of their language and identity.
Through powerful interviews with the survivors themselves, as well as their families and community members, the documentary sheds light on the lasting impact of residential schools on Métis survivors, their families, and their communities. It explores the deep wounds inflicted by the school and the ongoing struggle for justice and recognition that the survivors have faced.
Despite their tireless efforts, the survivors have yet to receive a formal acknowledgment from the Canadian government for the immense harm they have endured. Nevertheless, the documentary also serves as a testament to the unwavering resilience and hope of the survivors. They continue to fight for their rights and for healing, sending a powerful message of strength and determination.
Silent Cries (Kiayunik Tuhanak)
Silent Cries (Kiayunik Tuhanak)
Silent Cries (Kiayunik Tuhanak)
Navalik Tologanak • 16 minutes 46 seconds • 2023 • Canada
"It happened every year during long weekends in September. That's when all the planes, little planes start flying around Nunavut and NWT (North-Western Territory) collecting kids at camps. As soon as you hear that plane coming around you know what was gonna happen, some of them hide, run away… But the parents were always threatened if their kids didn't get on that plane. All you could hear was mothers, grandmothers crying"
Navalik Tologanak (Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices 2023 Alumni), journalist and emerging filmmaker shares her experience as a residential school survivor. Silent Cries (Kiayunik Tuhanak) documents the private meeting between Pope Francis and Inuit survivors on their land in July 2022. As a respected Elder, Navalik weaves her personal story into the narrative to bring an intimate perspective to a historic event and what followed.