THIRD WORLD CANADA, a film by Gemini nominee and inspirational speaker Andree Cazabon, was viewed by a capacity audience at last week's Reframe Film Festival in Peterborough.
The hour-long film is not easy viewing. It tells the story of eight children, orphaned when their parents and step-father all committed suicide, and how their lives continue while the community learns to cope with the tragedy. The Chief and people of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) First Nations (Big Trout Lake) in north-western Ontario, struggle to survive in their homeland against the inroads of mining companies, and the oppressive Indian Act legislation which prevents them from achieving a stable, sustainable life for their children.
This film premiered in both Ottawa and Toronto at the end of last year, with reports that as the lights came up, the large audiences sat in stunned silence, as if unable to comprehend what they had just seen. By contrast, when Andree took the microphone for a question and answer session immediately following the viewing in Peterborough, people were ready to talk. What made the difference?
The Peterborough audience, in fact, had been viewing films during the previous 24 hours that showed children living in poverty and oppressive conditions all around the world. Now they were confronted with children living in the same kind of poverty and devastation in our own country, our own province, so they were ready to ask: “What can we do to help?”
Andree did not offer them easy answers, but challenged them to explore for themselves how they were going to help. “This film was not made for the government,” Andree said,” but for all of us. I'll put it back to you: are you willing to let this continue to happen? Our government is an extension of our values,” she told us. “When we demand changes, our government will respond.”
Although a young woman and single mom, Andree has already achieved notable success with her films seen by over one million viewers on CBC-Newsworld, Radio-Canada, and CBC Television. Now she has committed herself to helping the KI Youth to tell their story across the country, convinced that when people sit face to face to listen to the stories, we will find ways to work together towards healing and reconciliation.
“The voice of the Drum has been re-awakened,” Andree told her listeners. “We would love to see the Youth and the Drum travel across the country to bring awareness to the needs of the northern First Nations communities.” Quoting Mike Hardy, executive director of Tikinagan Child & Family Services, she said they don't need the “great white hope to come in and fix things” for them. We need to let people know what they need, and how they can help, and how we can work together. This will be the purpose of the first leg of a train tour which Andree hopes to launch this spring.
Time was up in the theatre, so people followed Andree into the lobby to offer help. Names and e-mails were exchanged, and as the Train Tour Task Force begins to take shape, there will be further announcements about where you can come to meet with and listen to the Youth of the North – to share their dream for a future of respect, peace and friendship.
Check the web site: http://www.andreecazabon.ca and thanks for listening,
Jean.
