The People of the Kattawapiskak River

The People of the Kattawapiskak River
Directed byAlanis Obomsawin
Distributed byNational Film Board of Canada
Release date
  • 2012 (2012)
CountryCanada
LanguagesEnglish, Cree

The People of the Kattawapiskak River is a 2012 documentary film by Alanis Obomsawin exploring conditions inside the Attawapiskat First Nation, which in October 2011 declared a state of emergency due to health and safety concerns over a lack of housing and infrastructure, and remained in the public spotlight during the Idle No More protests.[1]

Obomsawin was present in the community in 2011, working on another film for the National Film Board of Canada, Hi-Ho Mistahey!, when the housing issue came to national attention.[2] The film follows the crisis up to the Federal Court of Canada decision in August 2012 that ruled the appointment of a third-party manager to fix the housing crisis was unjustified.[3] In addition to filming conditions in the community and interviewing residents, Obomsawin recounts the history of the village, which dates back to 1850 when Catholic missionaries built a chapel on the land.[4][5]

Obomsawin has stated that she uses the name "Kattawapiskak" in place of Attawapiskat in the film and its title because she believes it to be the community's correct name.[3]

  1. ^ Laurence, Jean-Christophe (16 November 2012). "The People of the Kattawapiskak River : Attawapiskat vue de l'intérieur". La Presse (in French). Montreal. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  2. ^ Adams, James (1 November 2013). "Hi-Ho Mistahey!: Earnest doc on native education has heart in the right place". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  3. ^ a b Wyatt, Nelson (15 November 2012). "One year later, film chronicles housing crisis on Attawapiskat reserve". Canada.com. Canadian Press. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  4. ^ Dunlevy, T'cha (9 November 2012). "The People of the Kattawapiskak River examines a community on the edge". Montreal Gazette. Postmedia Network Inc. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  5. ^ Nahwegahbow, Barb. "Meet "The People of the Kattawapiskak River"". Windspeaker. Aboriginal Multi-Media Society. Retrieved 14 January 2013.