Elders and chiefs from the Gwa’sala-’Nakwaxda’xw Nations will be in Powell River to witness a special showing of How a People Live during the Rossander World Community Film Festival.
The delegation from Vancouver Island will be in Powell River to introduce viewers to the film that documents the nations’ forcible relocation to Port Hardy from their traditional lands. In 1964, the Canadian government forced the Gwa’sala and ’Nakwaxda’xw peoples off their lands along Queen Charlotte Strait and Smith Inlet.
The one-hour documentary from first nations filmmaker Lisa Jackson won best documentary at the 2014 Vancouver Women in Film Festival.
“It will be so powerful to have the voices from Gwa’sala and ’Nakwaxda’xw at a community event like that,” said Jackson.
Sponsored by Powell River Diversity Initiative, in partnership with Tla’amin (Sliammon) First Nation Cultural Department, the screening is part of Powell River’s second annual Rossander film festival.
“It was so important to bring those archival images and that colonial lens to life and add first nations voices,” said Jackson. “In making the film, I was profoundly affected by how strong, resilient and loving the community is, even in the midst of so much pain.”
A screening condition of the film, which is part of the traveling community film festival, is that members of the Gwa’sala-’Nakwaxda’xw Nations be present.
“The Gwa’sala-’Nakwaxda’xw Nations commissioned this film, so for them it is a incredibly personal and powerful story,” said Phil Russell, who helped organize bringing over the delegation with Cyndi Palin and Dave Louie from the Tla’amin Cultural Department.
According to film fest organizer Jean MacKenzie, the special screening was only possible because of the collaboration of the Tla’amin cultural office and with permission and participation of Gwa’sala and ’Nakwaxda’xw elders.
“We wanted people from those first nations to come and help us interpret what is a very powerful and moving film,” said MacKenzie.
The afternoon screening also features offerings by local documentarian filmmaker Claudia Media, including a trailer about a 2015 canoe journey hosted by Tla’amin and a short film about the carving of a mural at James Thomson Elementary School.
The film festival is named for Powell River community member and activist Martin Rossander who passed away in 2012 at the age of 95.
According to Mackenzie, the films chosen for the festival focus on themes close to Rossander’s heart, including the environment, citizen rights and peace issues.
For more information on the Rossander World Community Film Festival, taking place October 16-18, readers can go to rossaderfilmfestival.org.
