Alanis Obomsawin, Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance, 1993
- Sunday, October 22, 2017
- 2:00pm – 4:00pm
- Cinematheque, 100 Arthur St.
Alanis Obomsawin, a member of the Abenaki Nation, is one of Canada’s most distinguished filmmakers. For over four decades, she has directed documentaries at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) that chronicle the lives and concerns of First Nations people and explore issues of importance to all.
Alanis Obomsawin has directed almost 50 films with the NFB, including such landmark works as Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993), documenting the 1990 Mohawk uprising in Kanehsatake and Oka. Her latest film, the 2016 documentary We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice, focuses on a court challenge by the Assembly of First Nations and Child and Family Caring Society of Canada that argued that welfare services provided to First Nations children on reserves are underfunded. The film had its world premiere in the Masters program at the Toronto International Film Festival. Obomsawin is presently back in production on her next project, the upcoming NFB documentary Norway House (2017).
The Wendy Wersch Lecture is an annual event that celebrates the memory of Winnipeg artist Wendy Wersch and is dedicated to exploring issues related to autonomy for women artists. The lectures focus on women in the arts as role models for innovative cultural investigation. The series builds awareness of feminist art criticism, activism and practice. This lecture, organized by the Wendy Wersch Memorial Committee, is supported by Mentoring Artists for Women’s Art (MAWA) and The Winnipeg Foundation.
Free, everyone is welcome.
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Obomsawin has received numerous awards for film and social activism. In 2015, Obomsawin was named a Companion of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec. In November 2016, she received the Technicolor Clyde Gilmour Award from the Toronto Film Critics Association, given to artists whose work has enriched the understanding and appreciation of film in Canada. Earlier in 2016, she was honoured with two of Quebec’s highest distinctions when she was named a Grande Officière of the Ordre national du Québec and awarded the Prix Albert-Tessier, for lifetime achievements in cinema. She is also the winner of 18 international awards.