A new film about Esk’etemc (Alkali Lake) First Nation will premiere in Williams Lake on National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21.
“We are wanting to share with everybody what we’ve been working on,” said Heather Johnson, Esk’etemc creative projects and marketing manager of the film’s intent. “We’ve gone through a process as a community and what it took for us to get to this point.
Some of the footage used in Ctsenmewsctem re Stsmemelt - Showing the way for the Children is from when the community declared title and rights over its traditional territory and lands on May 8, 2017, with a community celebration.
The decision to make a film came afterwards through the leadership of former Chief Charlene Belleau, Johnson said.
There is also a plan to distribute the film and filmmaker Jeremy Williams said he has submitted it to film festivals far and wide.
The film will be shown at the Cariboo Memorial Complex’s Gibraltar Room and the doors will open at 4 p.m. The film is 39 minutes and will be followed by a panel discussion.
Johnson said they also have self-published a book titled Celebration and Ceremony with photographs by Casey Bennett that commemorates the declaration day and there will be copies of the book available at the film premiere as well.