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Directors (1787)
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Gary Farmer (1)

Gary Farmer

Gary Farmer

A member of the Cayuga Nation, actor Gary Farmer has appeared in over 90 films and TV programs, earning critical praise for roles in feature films like Dead Man, Smoke Signals and Powwow Highway. He’s received numerous honours, including a Best Actor Award from the American Indian Film Festival and Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native American Film + Video Festival. His director credits include The Gift, a NFB documentary on the central place of corn within certain Indigenous cultures. An accomplished musician, Farmer plays harmonica with his band Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers.

  • The Gift
    The Gift
    Gary Farmer 1998 48 min
    This short documentary examines the role of corn in the lives of Indigenous peoples in the Americas. Before colonization, corn was widely used as a beverage, a food staple, an oil, and a ceremonial object. It was respected and revered as a critical part of creation. This film explores the powerful bond and spiritual relationship that continues to exist between people and corn.

    Combining interviews, dance, and song, The Gift captures the traditional, spiritual, economic, and political importance of this sacred plant.

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