Decolonizing Lens Film Series at WAG

Winnipeg, Manitoba, March 7, 2017: The Winnipeg Art Gallery is pleased to host the Decolonizing Lens film and discussion series, featuring free screenings of work by Indigenous filmmakers. Organized by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and the University of Manitoba, this year’s first screening at the WAG is a double feature with Fire Song and The Grandfather Drum on March 16 (reception at 6:00pm, films start at 7:00pm). The films will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers/directors Michelle Derosier and Adam Garnet Jones.

“The Winnipeg Art Gallery has forged collaborative community partnerships such as the one with Decolonized Lens. Working to be a cultural advocate, the WAG provides a platform for people to see and experience more through art, supporting Indigenous voices and dialogue through film is significant in that path,” states Jaimie Isaac, the WAG’s Canada Council Curatorial Resident of Indigenous & Contemporary Art.

Fire Song (85min) tells the story of Shane who planned to move from his Northern Ontario community to the city for university in the fall until his sister took her own life. He was trying to convince his secret boyfriend to come with him, but now everything is uncertain. When circumstances take a turn for the worse and Shane has to choose between his family and his future, what will he do?

The Grandfather Drum (13min) is a stunning short animation that tells the story of how Naamowin’s drum became trapped by colonial forces, disrupting the delicate balance between the sky-world and the underworld.

“Decolonizing Lens is significant because it makes accessible to everyone the beautiful and meaningful work of Indigenous filmmakers, work that doesn’t always play in mainstream venues,” states Kaila Johnston, NCTR Research Coordinator, and Jocelyn Thorpe, University of Manitoba Women’s and Gender Studies Associate Professor. “It also brings audiences and filmmakers together to learn from discussions about topics that matter.”

Mark your calendar with upcoming film dates at the WAG (rush seating/reserved seating for Elders):
May 11
September 7
November 9
February 8, 2018

Check wag.ca/events for details and films.

Decolonizing Lens is a free series with two screenings and discussions per month: one during the day on the U of M Fort Garry Campus, the other in the evening downtown. The program is sponsored by the NCTR, the Margaret Laurence Endowment Fund, and the University of Manitoba. A Decolonizing Lens screening of the National Film Board of Canada’s this river was filled to capacity in October 2016 at the WAG, and the series continues to attract large audiences.

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For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Catherine Maksymiuk
Manager, Media & Marketing
Winnipeg Art Gallery
204.789.1767
Media-Manager@wag.ca

Tammy Sawatzky
Public Relations Coordinator
Winnipeg Art Gallery
204.789.1295
Publicrelations@wag.ca

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