Human Rights Arts Festival showcases Indigenous short films

By Carrie MacKenzie

KINGSTON—As part of the Isabel Human Rights Arts Festival, Queen’s University hosted An Evening of Indigenous Short Films on March 22.  These films were:  Nucca (Take) and Nimmikaage (She Dances for People), both directed by Michelle Latimer; Savage written and directed by Lisa Jackson; and Indictment: The Crimes of Shelly Chartier directed by Shane Belcourt and Lisa Jackson.

Nucca is a thought-provoking short film exploring the negative effects of the oil boom in North Dakota and exposes the oil company’s exploitation of the land and the Indigenous women living there. This is illustrated when scenes showing lush fields and animals with gentle background music change, without warning, to scenes and sounds of trucks on a highway and fields of oil wells.  This also illustrates how fast change can happen. The female narrator of the film adds a personal touch and validity, strengthening its impact.  The tone of this film is gentle but firm in its delivery of this lesson.

Another provocative short film is Nimmikaage.  It moves between a graceful Inuit dancer, breathtaking shots of wildlife and older footage of Indigenous people meeting dignitaries or appearing on stage.  There is no narration, only throat singing.  A soprano vocalizing is added later on.  It is a gentle but firm reminder of when Indigenous people and their culture were seen as a source of entertainment and a curiosity making the audience slightly uncomfortable.  The frantic energy of the throat singing adds to this feeling, encouraging the viewer to think about what they are seeing.  This is further strengthened by the fact that the film was shot in black and white. There is no colour distracting the viewer from the film’s message.

Savage is a short musical film contrasting a Mother’s pain, as her child is taken to a residential school, with humour as the children perform a dance routine in zombie make-up.  The scenes go from the mother singing a lullaby, to the child’s drive to the residential school and arrival.  The little girl has a bath, a haircut and is dressed in European clothing that is visually jarring.  Adding to this is the coinciding change in music when a sound like feedback is added to the guitar instrumental.  There is also symbolism to the dance scene.  The zombie make-up represents the loss of one’s identity, reflecting the experiences of residential school survivors.

The longest of these films Indictment: The Crimes of Shelly Chartier is a well-rounded documentary examining the crimes of Shelly Chartier and her life after being released from prison.  As the film progresses, the viewer develops a fondness for Ms. Chartier while never trusting her. The audience sees the contrast between life in this small Manitoba town and that of some of Ms. Chartier’s victims.  The title “Indictment” has a double meaning, refering to the indictment of Ms. Chartier in the courts and the documentary’s indictment of Canada’s legal system.  This film also touches on the effects of the relocation of Easterville, Manitoba and the Chemawawin Cree Nation in 1962. This film was commissioned by the CBC and Jackson said “as someone who cares a lot about making change, one should not shun the television universe to reach a really broad audience of maybe people who don’t think just like I think.  Maybe television is a good form.”

All of these films offer an interesting and thoughtful look into the experiences of Indigenous peoples.