EMMEDIA presents
A N
A l t e r N AT I V E INDIGENOUS FILM SERIES
Curated by Nakoda A/V Club Thursday, May 5, 2016 | EMMEDIA Screening Room
Logo design by Whitney Ota
INTRODUCTION EMMEDIA presents the AlterNATIVE film series, showcasing the rich landscape of works produced by Indigenous artists throughout the year. The second screening this year is curated by the Nakoda A/V Club based out of Morley, Alberta. About the Nakoda A/V Club: The Nakoda A/V Club is a volunteer run production society. We believe in the potential of youth and the power of story. We follow the guidance of Elders, and of our own hearts. The Nakoda A/V Club is a collective, a group of people who gather to support each others artistic endeavours. We believe in the ability of people to accomplish their goals, no matter what they may be, through hard work, dedication, and support. Our aim is to raise interest in film as a modern form of the ancient tradition of story telling, and to use this to support the strengthening of local cultural for Nakoda youth. We believe that filmmaking is a means for youth to gain wellness and communication skills which will help them to be successful in all aspects of their lives. We hope that by watching film about and by Aboriginal people, our community will be able to see it’s own successes and strengths reflected on the screen. We believe in the power of storytelling, and it’s transformative capacity to alter human lives.
CURATORIAL STATEMENT
Still from Morning Star îrha, Jarret Twoyoungmen, 2014, 10:06 min.
When the A/V Club was asked to curate a selection of Indigenous films, the first ones that came to our minds were the classics, the ones that everyone knows the lines to, the ones that first showed us that our lives could actually be reflected on the screen. But many of these movies were written and directed by outsiders in our community, and they shed light on the interesting question of what exactly is a Native film. There are over 600 Indigenous nations across Canada, and within each of these are hundreds of individual Aboriginal people who think independently and have their own ideas about what exactly constitutes an Indigenous film.
As a group, the Nakoda A/V Club places value on Native control; for too long natives have played roles in other peoples’ stories, or worse, our stories are told completely without us. Our film history was born with Nanook of the North, and it grew up in Westerns where we were made into stereotypes in wigs played by Italians and directed by white men. Today, Indigenous film is beginning to occupy the place it deserves. We earned this in Canada when the Inuit people claimed the right to a share of the space being broadcast into their homes from a distant and different south. Their work contributed to the founding of APTN, the world’s first Indigenous television station. With help from allies such as the National Film Board of Canada, Native people across Canada have built strong and healthy film traditions. There were many films that we considered for tonight, from coast to coast to coast, Native people have become adept at telling beautiful and compelling stories. But for tonight we’ve selected films from this area. You are sitting in the Treaty 7 region, traditional home to the Blackfoot, Tsuu T’ina, and Stoney Nakoda people. But we are all Treaty people, whether your historic home is in southern Alberta or you are a newcomer, our forefathers made a trade: land for broken promises. Our historic relationship with the treaty and the colonial practices that surround it are the subject for much Indigenous film. It may not always be recognizable, but our stories are deeply impacted by the colonial legacy and its bearing on our lives. This is our trauma and comedy; our struggle and our dysfunction; our sense of community and hope. These are the feelings that all Indigenous film embodies. They are the reason we picked films from this region, to support and share the messages of our peers. Tonight we ask only that you listen, learn, and speak when spoken to. We are honoured by your presence here tonight, and it is our deepest hope that you enjoy this work. Îsniyes (With Thanks).
SCREENING PROGRAM Kids of the Flood Directed by the Nakoda A/V Club (Morley) 2013, 1:02 min. Children aged 5 - 9 express their feelings about living at an emergency shelter in Morley during the 2013 flood that devastated parts of Alberta. The childrens’ experiences are documented through an animation that captures an important moment in their lives, and a unique perspective on an event that impacted many.
Little Blue Bird Directed by Amber Twoyoungmen (The Nakoda A/V Club) 2014, 1:50 min. A collaboration between the Nakoda A/V Club and the Stoney Education Authority Culture Team, Little Blue Bird was designed as a teaching tool for teaching the Stoney language to young children. This animation illustrates a children’s nursery rhyme that has been used in Stoney schools for generations. It is dedicated to one of the Nation’s most committed teachers, the late Kim Fox.
The Old Way Directed by Trevor Solway (Siksika) 2013, 10:50 min. The Old Way follows a family of ranchers located in Southern Alberta, exploring the lives of three Indian Cowboys and how their regimented upbringing has an impact on who they are today. Sonny Solway, a Blackfoot Rancher set in his lifestyle, raised his eight children the only way he knew, The Old Way. Sonny’s sons Cedric and Ike were not only his children, but his pupils. Both are a spitting image of their father and have followed in his footsteps. Being an Indian Cowboy isn’t just a hat you put on, it’s a way of life, a way of life that is fading.
A New Warrior for Hope Produced by Cathy Arcega (Morley) 2015, 13:57 min. This film is a community-based project created in response to issues facing youth and families in Stoney Nakoda First Nation. The story is inspired by true events and follows a young man named Weddu as he struggles to balance his life between the call of tradition, the needs of his young sister, and the lure of drugs and gangs. This film is a community cinema project and was created over a period of one year by a team of youth storytellers, actors and technicians. The project was initiated by Cathy Arcega as a Stoney Nation Youth Engagement Strategy, and facilitated by cinematographer and producer Jason Gondziola. Working with Elders and community members, the production team gathered stories and put them together in a script. Community members acted in the script alongside partners of the RCMP.
Crush Directed by Amber Twoyoungmen (Morley) 2013, 4:00 min. A young girl gets burned when a love letter she writes earns her the scorn of her would-be boyfriend. But she shows him that she knows just how to play with fire. This short film is Amber Twoyoungmen’s directorial debut, it was written, shot, and edited entirely by youth.
Morning Star ĂŽrha Directed by Jarret Twoyoungmen (Morley) 2014, 10:06 min. Morning Star is a girl stuck in the cycle of poverty and abuse that stems from the systemic oppression that First Nations people experience. Her story is a call to action for adults living on reserve, but also a glimpse into the impact years of violence from colonialism have had on her people. Will life change for this little girl? Is one smile enough?
The Native Tongue – Learn the Blackfoot Language Produced by Jeanette Many Guns (Siksika) 2015, 12:15 min. The Blackfoot Warrior party Horsemanship Film Society is a non profit organization whose mission is to preserve, protect, and promote the Blackfoot culture and language for future generations and is committed to the betterment of the community. By helping and promoting youth today, the spirit of the Blackfoot warrior can grow tomorrow.
The Curse of the Snagging Blanket Directed by Kevin Littlelight (Tsuu T’ina) 2011, 28:00 min. An ominous curse falls on the people of the Papaweenis First Nation, when Tybalt steals a blanket before it’s blessed at a round dance give-away. It’s up to Prince to stop the cursed murdering snagging blanket, as it looms over the reserve causing chaos and death. With the help of magic moccasins, Prince dodges bullets and sets out to kill the snagging blanket.
BIOGRAPHIES Cathy Arcega is the Program Manager of the Youth Engagement Strategy, and has served in this role in her home community on the Stoney Nakoda First Nation for the past 3 years. Arcega is a member of the Bearspaw Band. She is also a university graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioural Science from Ambrose University College (2007). In 2012, she completed all of her coursework for a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Criminology from Simon Fraser University. Kevin Lance Littlelight is the creator and founder of Aboriginal Zombie film production company. He is a graduate of the New York Film Academy Film program in New York City. Originally from the Tsuu T’ina Nation (Sarcee Tribe), he has just finished a highly anticipated segment for a four-part horror anthology, Herschell Gordon Lewis’ Blood Mania. Kevin’s segment is entitled, GOREgeous, and was released in the spring of 2015. Jeanette Many Guns is a Blackfoot who resides on the Siksika (Blackfoot) Nation. She grew up with her great grandmother who was very active in the Blackfoot traditional ceremonial Sundances and is fluent in the Blackfoot language. Jeanette is a Blackfoot historian and proud of her culture, religion, language and history. She is also an entrepreneur, actively trail rides, interpreting the Blackfoot history, and a beginner in film making.
Oki, my name is Trevor Solway. My traditional name is Sinaksin, which means a piece of writing, or a picture. I am Blackfoot from Siksika Nation located east of Calgary. Storytelling has always been a passion of mine and in 2012 I moved to North Vancouver to attend Capilano University taking the Independent Indigenous Digital Filmmaking program. For the past three years, I have been pursuing my Bachelor of Communications degree with a major in Journalism. I believe First Nation’s are gifted with the craft of storytelling and should use it for the betterment of the people. Amber Twoyoungmen is an inspiring young woman who is driven to celebrate her community though film and the arts. One of the first members of the Nakoda A/V Club, she has created three of her own short films, and collaborated on many projects. She dreams of attending film school, and has worked her way through various film education programs near her Morley, Alberta home. Jarret Twoyoungmen is an emerging filmmaker whose passion is improving the lives of children and youth. He co-founded the Nakoda A/V Club which is dedicated to helping people tell their own stories through film animation and audio visual arts. He enjoys animation and music design, and lives on the Morley Reserve west of Calgary.
ABOUT EMMEDIA EMMEDIA Gallery & Production Society is a non-profit media arts organization that supports both the production and presentation of media arts. EMMEDIA offers affordable access to media art production tools, services, technical and educational support, and an array of year round public exhibition programs including screenings, installations and performances. Our programs strive to foster artistic dialogue and engagement through complementary activities such as artist talks, panel discussions, publications, workshops, artist residencies, production awards and scholarships. For more information, go to emmedia.ca.
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