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The Gods of Our Fathers

1994 50 min
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"Human nature" is not fixed. We can, and do, reshape ourselves every time we change our culture. Nor is there anything natural or innate in male domination. In ancient Egyptian villages along the Nile, The Gods of Our Fathers explores the evolution of patriarchy as one effective way of organizing mass societies. The patriarchal order was not inevitable--it was merely functional. But the world is different now, and it's time to find alternatives to hierarchies and militarization.

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The Gods of Our Fathers

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"Human nature" is not fixed. We can, and do, reshape ourselves every time we change our culture. Nor is there anything natural or innate in male domination. In ancient Egyptian villages along the Nile, The Gods of Our Fathers explores the evolution of patriarchy as one effective way of organizing mass societies. The patriarchal order was not inevitable--it was merely functional. But the world is different now, and it's time to find alternatives to hierarchies and militarization.

  • director
    Anne Henderson
  • producer
    Marrin Canell
    Catherine Mullins
    Kent Martin
    Bob Culbert
    Mark Starowicz
    Darce Fardy
  • executive producer
    Catherine Mullins
  • co-executive producer
    Stephen Low
  • script
    Gwynne Dyer
  • cinematography
    Kent Nason
  • sound
    Philippe Scultéty
    Dominique Chartrand
  • editing
    Anne Henderson
    Yurij Luhovy
  • re-recording
    Hans Peter Strobl
  • music
    Osvaldo Montes
  • host
    Gwynne Dyer

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Education

Ages 15 to 18
School subjects

Introduction to a feminist perspective of history and politics, useful for class discussion, essays and research projects. What is patriarchy, what did it replace, and how did it arise? Is there a difference between “patriarchy” and “sexism,” and if so, what is it? Has North American society made progress in addressing patriarchy since this film was produced? What else can be done? Discuss the presence of patriarchy in your life: school, family, work, hobbies, and in the media you consume.

The Gods of Our Fathers
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