Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance
In July 1990, a dispute over a proposed golf course to be built on Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) lands in Oka, Quebec, set the stage for a historic confrontation that would grab international headlines and sear itself into the Canadian consciousness. Director Alanis Obomsawin—at times with a small crew, at times alone—spent 78 days behind Kanien’kéhaka lines filming the armed standoff between protestors, the Quebec police and the Canadian army. Released in 1993, this landmark documentary has been seen around the world, winning over a dozen international awards and making history at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it became the first …
In July 1990, a dispute over a proposed golf course to be built on Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) lands in Oka, Quebec, set the stage for a historic confrontation that would grab international headlines and sear itself into the Canadian consciousness. Director Alanis Obomsawin—at times with a small crew, at times alone—spent 78 days behind Kanien’kéhaka lines filming the armed standoff between protestors, the Quebec police and the Canadian army. Released in 1993, this landmark documentary has been seen around the world, winning over a dozen international awards and making history at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it became the first documentary ever to win the Best Canadian Feature award. Jesse Wente, Director of Canada’s Indigenous Screen Office, has called it a “watershed film in the history of First Peoples cinema.”
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writerAlanis Obomsawin
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directorAlanis Obomsawin
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editorYurij Luhovy
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cameraRoger RochatJean-Claude LabrecquePhilippe AmiguetSusan TrowFrançois BraultBarry PerlesZoe DirseJocelyn SimardAndré-Luc DupontSavas Kalogeras
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additional photographySylvain JulienneJean-Pierre RancourtMarcel Poulin
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still photographerRobert GalbraithJohn KenneyRyan Remiorz
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location soundRaymond MarcouxRobert VerebelyIsmaël CordeiroMarie-France DelagraveCatherine Van Der DoncktSerge FortinJuan Gutiérrez
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original music composerClaude VendetteFrancis Grandmont
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musicianClaude VendetteFrancis GrandmontPierre Gauthier
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traditional songLeonard, Chef NelsonKahentiiostaTom Paul
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assistant cameraMichel BissonnetteJocelyn SimardMichel MotardStephen ReizesYves BeaudoinNash ReadSimon LeblancGuylaine DionneJeff Patenaude
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electricianGuy RémillardRoger MartinFrançois WarotJean Berthiaume
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first assistant editorCarrie Katz
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second assistant editorRuby-Marie Dennis
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cutting room assistantRené RobitailleClaudia MorgadoDoreen StevenSia Koukoulas
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sound editorTony ReedDon Ayer
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assistant sound editorDonna Vekteris
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music editorChris Crilly
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assistant music editorCatherine Merklinger
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voiceJack BurningHerbie Barnes
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researchAlanis Obomsawin
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narratorAlanis Obomsawin
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production assistantJulie Ferland
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original drawingsRobert Verrall
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re-recording mixerJean-Pierre Joutel
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apprentice mixerTerry Mardini
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voice recordingMichel Chalut
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music recording studioStudio 270
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animation cameraPierre LandryLynda Pelley
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visual opticalSusan Gourley
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title designVal Teodori
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graphic artistKate De Volpi
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studio administratorMarie Tonto-Donati
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post-production coordinatorGrace Avrith
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producerWolf KoenigAlanis Obomsawin
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executive producerColin Neale
School Subjects
Notes
Begin with a discussion of why Indigenous people feel so strongly about the need to protect their land. Discuss whether the government over-reacted by calling in the army. Could this dispute have been settled by any other means? Who would you consider “the bad guys” in this confrontation? Has this film challenged your views concerning Native issues in Canada? Were all parties involved represented fairly in this film?
More educational content
Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance, Alanis Obomsawin, provided by the National Film Board of Canada