Discussion moderated by Charles Bender
A member of the Abenaki Nation and one of Canada’s most distinguished filmmakers, Alanis Obomsawin is a filmmaker and producer at the National Film Board of Canada, where she has worked since 1967.
In September 2019, TIFF presented the world premiere of Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger—Ms. Obomsawin’s 52nd film, completed in the 52nd year of a legendary filmmaking career, during which she has devoted herself to chronicling the lives and concerns of First Nations people and exploring issues of importance to all.
“Young people are leading the way. Their leadership and strength is beautiful andinspiring. We are on the road to a place we’ve never been before, to a new age for Indigenous peoples, and it is our youth who are leading us. This is what I am trying to show in these films.”
On June 27, 2019, Obomsawin was named a Companion of the Order of Canada—its highest honour.
On October 15th 2020, Alanis won the wins prestigious Glenn Gould Prize. Obomsawin, who is a visual artist and a musician as well as a director of engaged documentaries about the First Nations experience, is the second female laurate among the award’s 13 recipients.
After his Gémeaux nomination for hosting the youth television program C’est parti mon tipi, Charles has become an increasingly noticed presence on the First Nations television network APTN. He was invited to take on the main role in a new fictional series, Sioui-Bacon as well as in the series Mohawk Girls, both for the same network. Although he started his career in French on the floors of Quebec City, Charles decides de complete his training in acting for the theatre in English at Concordia University. Therefore, at the end of his studies, he has the opportunity to work on many productions in French as well as in English, notably Destinée, En Thérapie and Being Human. On stage, he collaborates regularly with the Ondinnok Theatre, the first Native theatre company in Quebec. Recently, he was noticed as a presenter in 8e Feu, a shock documentary series produced by Radio-Canada (CBC), which tackles the contemporary Native question.
A member of the Abenaki Nation, Alanis Obomsawin is a filmmaker and producer at the National Film Board of Canada, where she has worked since 1967. Obomsawin’s body of work includes such landmark films as Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993), documenting the 1990 Mohawk uprising in Kanehsatake and Oka, as well as her groundbreaking Incident at Restigouche (1984), a behind-the-scenes look at Quebec police raids on a Mi’gmaq reserve.
