Christmas at Moose Factory

C'est avec ce court documentaire poétique, sorti en 1971, qu'Alanis Obomsawin a entamé son parcours derrière la caméra. Filmé dans un pensionnat du nord de l'Ontario, il se compose entièrement de dessins touchants et souvent amusants faits par de jeunes filles et garçons cris, ainsi que d'histoires qu'ils racontent à l'occasion de Noël. Le film donne la parole aux nombreux enfants forcés de fréquenter un pensionnat au Canada et nous fait constater leur beauté et leur résilience.

Inspired by the life of the late teen activist Shannen Koostachin, children and community members from Attawapiskat created Shannen's Dream, a national campaign to provide equitable access to education in safe and suitable schools for First Nations children. Hi-Ho Mistahey! follows the grassroots movement from northern Ontario to the United Nations in Geneva, where the children's voices calling for a new school were finally heard, prompting a response back home in Canada.

Our People Will Be Healed, Alanis Obomsawin's 50th film, reveals how a Cree community in northern Manitoba has been enriched through the power of education. Forging their own path and setting new benchmarks of success, the community of Norway House receives a level of funding that few Indigenous institutions enjoy. This uplifting story demonstrates how meaningful support can help students develop their abilities, creating a strong sense of dignity and community.