The premiere showing of The Squaw Hall Project — A Community Remembers
will be held this Saturday, Oct. 29 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, Theatre Room at 1607 E. Hastings St. in Vancouver.
The documentary, shot entirely by Williams Lake and area youth, is the culmination of a three-year project in the lakecity facilitated by urban ink and Twin Fish Theatre of Nelson.
A Community Remembers captures the memories of Secwepemc and Tsilhqot’in elders of being young and growing up in the Cariboo Chilcotin.
Looking through the camera lens, Williams Lake youth discover their past, present and future together with their elders.
With a background of beautiful archival images, the elders speak powerfully to their youthful interviewers, with words of wisdom directed to all First Nations youth of today, especially those who are now city dwellers with diminishing contact and context to their ancestral roots.
Presented in association with the Heart of the City Festival the screening of this documentary film will be followed by an open discussion with Williams Lake project participants Raeanne Elkins, Taylor Myers, Larissa Myers and Sage Birchwater. Co-facilitators Rose Georgeson and Nicola Harwood will be exploring the theme of reconnecting — a value for all of us to embrace regardless of our origins. Birchwater says this is the first time the film will have been shown outside of the Cariboo. He says the film has also been re-edited with additional footage added including an interview with George Keener.
He says the three young filmmakers, Raeanne, Taylor and Larissa will also present a copy of the DVD to Lieutenant Governor Steven L. Point on Sunday.
He says the film version of the student-written play — Damned if You Do, What if You Don’t — will also be shown at the festival and a copy presented to Point.
“It’s very exciting,” says Birchwater. “We are really looking forward to the event.”