Alanis Obomsawin

My Friend the Green Horse (2024)

Often feeling alone in her waking life, the young Alanis Obomsawin found friendship with the Green Horse, a benevolent being she visited regularly in her dreams. Together with other animal spirits, the Green Horse guided Alanis to realize the immensity of ...

The Spirit of the Tsilqot'in People is Hovering over the Supreme Court (2023)

The Tŝilhqot'in Nation is represented by six communities in the stunningly beautiful interior of British Columbia. Surrounded by mountains and rivers, the Tŝilhqot'in People have cared for this territory for millennia. With increasing external pressures ...

Wabano: The Light of the Day (2022)

Nestled at the heart of Canada's national capital, the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health has been a haven for generations of Indigenous people from many cultures since its founding in 1998. A place of togetherness, thecentre celebrated a large expansion ...

Upstairs With David Amram (2022)

Bill Reid Remembers (2022)

Renowned Haida artist Bill Reid shares his thoughts on artistry, activism and his deep affection for his homeland in this heartwarming tribute from Alanis Obomsawin to her friend's life, legacy and roots. ...

Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair (2021)

Murray Sinclair's acceptance speech for an award in honor of his role as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, intercut with the testimonies of survivors of the Indian residential school system. ...

Mary Two-Axe Earley: I Am Indian Again (2021)

After marrying a settler, Mary Two-Axe Earley lost her legal status as a First Nations woman. Dedicating her life to activism, she campaigned to have First Nations women's rights restored and coordinated a movement that continues to this day. Kahnawake fil ...

Don Burnstick In Kattawapiskak (2021)

Cree comedian Don Burnstick is a legend across Turtle Island. His trademark brand of comedy is deeply rooted in the First Nations experience. Like many great stand-ups before him, Burnstick had a harsh and troubled childhood. Since he became sober at the a ...

Theo Fleury Visits Kattawapiskak (2021)

Filmed in front of a captivated audience during a visit to Attawapiskat (Kattawapiskat), Fleury shares his arresting story of surviving abuse and overcoming severe addictions. ...

Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger (2019)

The story of a young boy forced to spend all five years of his short life in hospital while the federal and provincial governments argued over which was responsible for his care, as well as the long struggle of Indigenous activists to force the Canadian go ...

Walking Is Medicine (2017)

The Nishiyuu walkers made the trek from Whapmagoostui in Quebec to Ottawa, a 1,600-kilometre journey whose roots date back millennia. At the heart of legendary director Alanis Obomsawin's latest short documentary, her 51st film in 50 years of filmmaking, i ...

Our People Will Be Healed (2017)

Legendary documentary filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin provides a glimpse of what action-driven decolonization looks like in Norway House, one of Manitoba's largest First Nation communities. ...

We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice (2016)

The new film from celebrated documentarian Alanis Obomsawin (Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance) chronicles the events following the filing of a human-rights complaint by a group of activists, which charged that the federal government's woefully inadequa ...

Trick or Treaty? (2014)

Legendary Canadian documentarian Alanis Obomsawin digs into the tangled history of Treaty 9 — the infamous 1905 agreement wherein First Nations communities relinquished sovereignty over their traditional territories — to reveal the deceptions and disto ...

Hi-Ho Mistahey! (2013)

Alanis Obomsawin tells the story of Shannen's Dream, a national campaign to provide equitable access to education for First Nations children, in safe and suitable schools. She brings together the voices of those who have successfully brought the Dream all ...

The People of the Kattawapiskak River (2012)

Alanis Obomsawin's documentary The People of the Kattawapiskak River exposes the housing crisis faced by 1,700 Cree in Northern Ontario, a situation that led Attawapiskat's band chief, Theresa Spence, to ask the Canadian Red Cross for help. With the Idle N ...

The People of the Kattawapiskak River - Six Months Later (2012)

Six months following the events of her documentary The People of the Kattawapiskak River, Alanis Obomsawin returns to the Cree community of Attawapiskat in northern Ontario, whose severe housing crisis in 2011 made international headlines. While the public ...

The Federal Court Hearing (2012)

Amid a severe housing crisis that made international headlines in 2011, the federal government imposed third-party management on the Attawapiskat First Nation. In response, the First Nation's leadership filed a challenge in federal court, claiming the appo ...

When All the Leaves Are Gone (2010)

As the only First Nations student in an all-white 1940s school, eight-year old Wato is keenly aware of the hostility towards her. She deeply misses the loving environment of the reserve she once called home, and her isolation is sharpened by her father's s ...

Professor Norman Cornett: 'Since when do we divorce the right answer from an honest answer?' (2009)

This feature documentary by Alanis Obomsawin is a thoughtful tribute to Norman Cornett, a McGill University professor celebrated by scores of students appreciative of his unconventional yet powerful teaching methods who was controversially dismissed from h ...

Gene Boy Came Home (2007)

A portrait of Eugene "Gene Boy" Benedict from Odanak Indian Reserve near Montreal, Quebec. At 17, adrift and beginning to lose his way, he accepted a dare and enlisted in the US Marines – and was sent to the frontlines of the Vietnam War. This film is th ...

Waban-Aki: People from Where the Sun Rises (2006)

Having dedicated nearly four decades to chronicling the lives of Canada's First Nations, Alanis Obomsawin returns to the village where she was raised to tell her own people's history of prosperity, displacement, endurance, and revitalization. ...

Sigwan (2005)

Sigwan tells the touching story of a young girl who is comforted and counselled by the animals of the forest. Written and directed by distinguished filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin, the film addresses issues of exclusion and prejudice that exist within many comm ...

Our Nationhood (2003)

In this feature-length documentary, Indigenous filmmaker and artist Alanis Obomsawin chronicles the determination and tenacity of the Listuguj Mi'kmaq people to use and manage the natural resources of their traditional lands. The film provides a contempora ...

Is the Crown at war with us? (2003)

In the summer of 2000, federal fishery officers appeared to wage war on the Mi'gmaq fishermen of Burnt Church, New Brunswick. Why would officials of the Canadian government attack citizens for exercising rights that had been affirmed by the highest court i ...

Rocks at Whiskey Trench (2000)

The fourth film in Alanis Obomsawin's landmark series on the Oka crisis uses a single, shameful incident as a lens through which to examine the region's long history of prejudice and injustice against the Mohawk population. ...

Spudwrench - Kahnawake Man (1998)

This documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin introduces us to Randy Horne, a high steel worker from the Mohawk community of Kahnawake, near Montreal. As a defender of his people's culture and traditions, he was known as "Spudwrench" during the ...

My Name Is Kahentiiosta (1995)

This documentary short by Alanis Obomsawin tells the story of Kahentiiosta, a young Kahnawake Mohawk woman arrested after the Oka Crisis' 78-day armed standoff in 1990. She was detained 4 days longer than the other women. Her crime? The prosecutor represen ...

Kanehsatake, 270 Years of Resistance (1993)

In July 1990, a dispute over a proposed golf course to be built on Kanien'kéhaka (Mohawk) lands in Oka, Quebec, sets the stage for a historic confrontation that would grab international headlines and sear itself into the Canadian consciousness. ...

Le patro Le Prévost - 80 Years Later (1991)

Alanis Obomsawin turns her lens to Le Patro Le Prévost, a recreational centre in the Villeray quarter of Montreal. On the eve of its 80th anniversary in 1989, Le Patro is a vital focal point in the predominantly working-class neighbourhood. Beloved by the ...

Walker (1991)

Walker is a young Aboriginal foster child whose only playmate is his dog. Jamie is a lonely young white boy who is afraid of dogs, and has some strange ideas about Aboriginal people. Walker ignores the racist jeering and taunting of the bigger boys and rea ...

No Address (1988)

Far from home and cut off from family and friends, Montreal's Indigenous homeless population is the focus of No Address. Dreams of a better life in the big city can be met with harsh realities, as the individuals in this documentary recount. Often trying t ...

Poundmaker's Lodge: A Healing Place (1987)

Just north of the City of Edmonton lies Poundmaker's Lodge, an addiction and mental-health facility specializing in treatment for Indigenous people. Founded in 1973 and still operational today, the Lodge's programs and services are Indigenous-run and based ...

Richard Cardinal: Cry from a Diary of a Métis Child (1986)

This short documentary is a moving tribute to Richard Cardinal, a Métis adolescent who committed suicide in 1984. Taken from his home at the age of 4 due to family problems, he spent the rest of his 17 short years moving in and out of 28 foster homes, gro ...

Incident at Restigouche (1984)

Incident at Restigouche is a 1984 documentary film by Alanis Obomsawin, chronicling a series of two raids on the Listuguj Mi'gmaq First Nation (Restigouche) by the Sûreté du Québec in 1981, as part of the efforts of the Quebec government to impose new r ...

Canada Vignettes: June in Povungnituk - Quebec Arctic (1980)

On a beautiful summer's day in Nunavik, a family enjoys the pleasures of berry picking and fishing as the sound of two Elders throat-singing fills the environment. ...

Canada Vignettes: Wild Rice Harvest Kenora (1979)

Wild rice is an important source of food and revenue for many Anishinaabe people, who sometimes travel hundreds of kilometres to harvest the grain in the region around Kenora, Ontario. ...

Sounds from Our People: Old Crow (1979)

The village of Old Crow and the people from the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation are located on the banks of the Porcupine River 80 miles inside the Arctic Circle. The film shows the lifestyles and spirit of the people of Old Crow, reflected in the writings of ...

Sounds From Our People: Gabriel Goes to the City (1979)

Obomsawin narrates as children learn of the traditions and life of Gabriel, a Cree boy from Fort George, James Bay. The Northern Cree "Walking Out Ceremony" is one such tradition. This is followed by scenes of Gabriel touring Old Montreal. ...

Mother of Many Children (1977)

This film is an album of Native womanhood, portraying a proud matriarchal society that for centuries has been pressured to adopt different standards and customs. All of the women featured share a belief in the importance of tradition as a source of strengt ...

Amisk (1977)

A performing arts film by Alanis Obomsawin, it documents efforts to raise funds for the James Bay Cree and was made at a time when Cree territory was threatened by hydro-electric projects. Amisk represents early work by Obomsawin, a trailblazer in Canadian ...

L’íl’wata (1975)

The people of the L'íl'wat First Nation record their personal narratives about their culture, history, education, and the impact of residential schools. ...

Xusum (1975)

Accompanied by a song in the Lil̓wat7úl language, we follow a woman as she makes gwùshum, a Líl̓wat dessert and a very special treat. From the harvesting of the xúsum (soapberries or salmonberries) to the construction of the corn-husk whisk, a dish i ...

Basket (1975)

A series of still images follows master Líl̓wat basket maker Mathilda Jim, from the harvesting of materials to the creation of a functional work of art. Told in the Lil̓wat7úl language, this short documentary evokes the powerful connection between lang ...

Salmon (1975)

Expert fishers for their entire lives, Líl̓wat Elders Cora and Daniel Wells share their deep knowledge of salmon fishing, cleaning and smoking. ...

Puberty - Part 1 (1975)

An intimate portrait of Marie Leo, a Sto:lo woman who was adopted into a Líl̓wat family as a baby. Marie's gentle narrative of her remarkable early childhood demonstrates a deep connection to culture, land and family that continues to endure. This short ...

Puberty - Part 2 (1975)

Elder Marie Leo recounts her experiences going through puberty. Growing up on the Líl̓wat Nation near Mount Currie, B.C., Marie details the important process of preparing for womanhood. The various tasks and duties she undertakes demonstrate a complex, b ...

Farming (1975)

The farming practices of residents of the Líl̓wat Nation near Mount Currie, B.C., are presented in a series of snapshots that illustrate the fertility of their territory and the people's deep connection to their land. This short is part of the L'il'wata ...

Mount Currie Summer Camp (1975)

In a series of playful portraits, Líl̓wat children and youth go about their daily duties at the community's summer camp outside Mount Currie, B.C. Infused with a sense of love, togetherness and pride, this short documentary is a remarkable visual archive ...

Objects in Our Daily Lives (1975)

Close-up photographs of baskets, tools and utensils used in the past and still used today by the L'ilawat of Canada. ...

Moose Call (1972)

Elders Mariane and Athanas Jacob – of the Atikamekw community of Manawan – demonstrate a moose-call horn constructed from bark. The beautiful horn is a vital tool in attracting moose, an essential animal in their culture and community. ...

History of Manawan - Part One (1972)

"It's not how it used to be." The words of Cézar Néwashish resonate throughout this short documentary that explores the history of the Atikamekw community of Manawan, Quebec. Less than a century old in name, Manawan embodies the experiences of so many In ...

History of Manawan - Part Two (1972)

Atikamekw elder Cézar Néwashish continues to recount the history of the community of Manawan that first began in The History of Manawan: Part One. As Christianity and European customs take deeper root in the community – abetted by residential schools a ...

Children (1972)

Through a series of still images, the bright, inquisitive and beautiful faces of the children from the Atikamekw community of Manawan are seen at play and at rest. ...

The Canoe (1972)

Utilizing engineering ingenuity that is centuries old, Atikamekw elders Agatha and Cézar Néwashish build a small-scale version of a birch-bark canoe. With their expert hands, a stunning work of art is created. ...

Partridge (1972)

François Néwashish was the only one in his family from the Atikamekw community of Manawan not to go to residential school. He recollects a story of hunting with his father and how the spirit of the partridge protects children. ...

Snowshoes (1972)

The remarkable construction of the venerable snowshoe is demonstrated from start to finish. Atikamekw Elders Mariane and Athanas Jacob take us into the forest to select the tree that will become a fresh new pair of snowshoes. ...

Walk With Dignity (1972)

First Nations documentary ...

Christmas at Moose Factory (1971)

A study of life at Christmastime in Moose Factory, an old settlement mainly composed of Cree families on the shore of James Bay, composed entirely of children's crayon drawings and narrated by children. ...

The Hoarder (1969)

A greedy little blue jay carries away whatever his beak can grasp. Berries, birds' eggs (nests and all), and even the sun in the sky go into his secret cache. ...

My Friend the Green Horse (2024)

Often feeling alone in her waking life, the young Alanis Obomsawin found friendship with the Green Horse, a benevolent being she visited regularly in her dreams. Together with other animal spirits, the Green Horse guided Alanis to realize the immensity of ...

Dans un cinéma près de chez vous (2024)

Karine Vanasse goes behind the scenes of our cinema and showcases the talent of our artists and artisans. The objective? Make as many people as possible want to see local films all year round! ...

Bones of Crows (2023)

Cree matriarch Aline Spears survives a childhood in Canada's residential school system to continue her family's generational fight in the face of systemic starvation, racism, and sexual abuse. She uses her uncanny ability to understand and translate codes ...

Bill Reid Remembers (2022)

Renowned Haida artist Bill Reid shares his thoughts on artistry, activism and his deep affection for his homeland in this heartwarming tribute from Alanis Obomsawin to her friend's life, legacy and roots. ...

Le grand solstice (2021)

Mary Two-Axe Earley: I Am Indian Again (2021)

After marrying a settler, Mary Two-Axe Earley lost her legal status as a First Nations woman. Dedicating her life to activism, she campaigned to have First Nations women's rights restored and coordinated a movement that continues to this day. Kahnawake fil ...

Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger (2019)

The story of a young boy forced to spend all five years of his short life in hospital while the federal and provincial governments argued over which was responsible for his care, as well as the long struggle of Indigenous activists to force the Canadian go ...

Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen (2019)

This film is an intimate portrayal of pioneering filmmaker Merata Mita told through the eyes of her children. Using hours of archive footage, some never before seen, her youngest child and director Hepi Mita discovers the filmmaker he never knew and shares ...

The Devil's Share (2018)

Quebec, on the cusp of the 1960s. The province is on the brink of momentous change. Deftly selecting clips from nearly 200 films from the National Film Board of Canada archives, director Luc Bourdon reinterprets the historical record, offering us a new and ...

Walking Is Medicine (2017)

The Nishiyuu walkers made the trek from Whapmagoostui in Quebec to Ottawa, a 1,600-kilometre journey whose roots date back millennia. At the heart of legendary director Alanis Obomsawin's latest short documentary, her 51st film in 50 years of filmmaking, i ...

Heritage Minutes: Kenojuak Ashevak (2016)

A founding member of Cape Dorset's famed printmaking co-op, Kenojuak Ashevak introduced Inuit art to the world. ...

Trick or Treaty? (2014)

Legendary Canadian documentarian Alanis Obomsawin digs into the tangled history of Treaty 9 — the infamous 1905 agreement wherein First Nations communities relinquished sovereignty over their traditional territories — to reveal the deceptions and disto ...

Documenting John Grierson (2014)

The life and work of the documentary pioneer. ...

Making Movie History: Alanis Obomsawin (2014)

Alanis Obomsawin talks about how she got her start at the NFB and the overarching importance of sound/story in her work. ...

Heritage Minutes: Queenston Heights (2013)

Mohawk Chief John Norton and 80 Grand River warriors hold off American soldiers until reinforcements arrive and the Battle of Queenston Heights is won (1812). ...

Waseteg (2010)

The story of a young Mi'kmaq girl whose name means "the light from the dawn. ...

Capturing Reality (2008)

From cinema-verite; pioneers Albert Maysles and Joan Churchill to maverick movie makers like Errol Morris, Werner Herzog and Nick Broomfield, the world's best documentarians reflect upon the unique power of their genre. Capturing Reality explores the compl ...

Dream Magic (2008)

Portrait of NFB filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin. ...

Is the Crown at war with us? (2003)

In the summer of 2000, federal fishery officers appeared to wage war on the Mi'gmaq fishermen of Burnt Church, New Brunswick. Why would officials of the Canadian government attack citizens for exercising rights that had been affirmed by the highest court i ...

Rocks at Whiskey Trench (2000)

The fourth film in Alanis Obomsawin's landmark series on the Oka crisis uses a single, shameful incident as a lens through which to examine the region's long history of prejudice and injustice against the Mohawk population. ...

Kanehsatake, 270 Years of Resistance (1993)

In July 1990, a dispute over a proposed golf course to be built on Kanien'kéhaka (Mohawk) lands in Oka, Quebec, sets the stage for a historic confrontation that would grab international headlines and sear itself into the Canadian consciousness. ...

Incident at Restigouche (1984)

Incident at Restigouche is a 1984 documentary film by Alanis Obomsawin, chronicling a series of two raids on the Listuguj Mi'gmaq First Nation (Restigouche) by the Sûreté du Québec in 1981, as part of the efforts of the Quebec government to impose new r ...

Canada Vignettes: June in Povungnituk - Quebec Arctic (1980)

On a beautiful summer's day in Nunavik, a family enjoys the pleasures of berry picking and fishing as the sound of two Elders throat-singing fills the environment. ...

Sounds From Our People: Gabriel Goes to the City (1979)

Obomsawin narrates as children learn of the traditions and life of Gabriel, a Cree boy from Fort George, James Bay. The Northern Cree "Walking Out Ceremony" is one such tradition. This is followed by scenes of Gabriel touring Old Montreal. ...

Mother of Many Children (1977)

This film is an album of Native womanhood, portraying a proud matriarchal society that for centuries has been pressured to adopt different standards and customs. All of the women featured share a belief in the importance of tradition as a source of strengt ...

Amisk (1977)

A performing arts film by Alanis Obomsawin, it documents efforts to raise funds for the James Bay Cree and was made at a time when Cree territory was threatened by hydro-electric projects. Amisk represents early work by Obomsawin, a trailblazer in Canadian ...

Eliza's Horoscope (1975)

A young woman arrives to Montreal to find love. A fortune teller tells her that a wealthy man meant for her is right around the corner so she goes looking even among her odd rag tag group roommates. ...

Our Dear Sisters (1975)

Alanis Obomsawin, a North American Indian who earns her living by singing and making films, is the mother of an adopted child. She talks about her life, her people, and her responsibilities as a single parent. Her observations shake some of our cultural as ...

Christmas at Moose Factory (1971)

A study of life at Christmastime in Moose Factory, an old settlement mainly composed of Cree families on the shore of James Bay, composed entirely of children's crayon drawings and narrated by children. ...