Cinema Politica Concordia was honoured to have Alanis Obomsawin present during a screening of her powerful new documentary, THE PEOPLE OF THE KATTAWAPISKAK RIVER, last night (with about 550 in attendance!). To mark the occasion, which occurred in soldarity with Idle No More and on a day of action, organizers gave Obomsawin the new book celebrating George Littlechild's artwork, The Spirit Giggles Within.

Littlechild is a West Coast based artist, educator and activist, whose work explores issues of identity, history, colonialism, racism and family. 

IDLE NO MORE

A torrent has been rising within communities on the margins of mainstream society.  Many have felt the injustice mounting, the oppression too unbearable, the lies and whitewashing too familiar. Enter Idle No More, launched in December 2012 by indigenous peoples. On the cusp of a groundswell, this season's lineup is curated in the spirit of solidarity with that movement.

We've gathered together 15 contentious, collective, capricious, cathartic, creative and combustible docs that might stop your heart while busting your joints - all the while fuelling fires built on the shorelines of our collective consciousness.

Above is the video of one of the largest CP events ever held - The Yes Men Fix the World at Concordia University (Montreal, Quebec) on Monday, December 6, 2010. Despite a massive snow storm—the first of the winter—people came out in droves and we filled H-110, an auditorium that holds just under 700 people. The video was shot and edited by the talented and generous Thomas Szacka-Marier, and has footage before the show as well as part of the Q&A with Mike and Andy.

Last night we were a little worried about turnout at our end of the year screening of The Yes Men Fix the World. A massive snow storm hit Montreal and the city seemed to grind to an eery (but also pleasant) halt. Cafés were empty and so were the streets. But alas, our intrepid audience braved the weather and with mitts, toques and scarves showed up in droves for the screening. In total we had about 700 in attendance, including of course the two Yes Men themselves, Andy and Mike. It was a fantastic screening, complete with a standing ovation that may have gone on all night if we hadn't stopped it, and a great Q&A afterward that lasted an hour. Andy and Mike are pictureed above at the screening, and in the shot below is the whole Concordia crew of volunteers, employees, Svetla Turnin (Executive Director of Cinema Politica), the Yes Men and myself (Ezra Winton). We're ready for the holidays!! Photo Credit: Thanh Pham 

For more on Aisheen: Still Alive in Gaza, visit the CP page for this film.

On Monday, October 12th, Cinema Politica premiered Liz Marshall's documentary Water On the Table in Quebec, at Concordia University. We were estatic to have the subject of Liz's doc at the screening, Maude Barlow, who was fantastic in the Q&A that followed the screening. Before the event we had a chance to do a short interview with Maude about her work, documentary, and her feelings on CP! Big thanks to intrepid videographer Thomas Szacka-Marier for camerawork, sound and editing.

On Tuesday, October 12th, we had about 500 people pack H-110 to see the Quebec Premier screening of Liz Marshall's Water on the Table, with both Liz and Maude Barlow in attendance. The documentary follows Maude for a year in her life, as she battles for water rights all over the world. The screening was great and the Q&A with Liz and Maude was incredible - we'll be posting that video soon. In the meantime, we have the picture above of CP Concordia organizers, volunteers, staff, Council of Canadians Montreal chapter member Abdul Pirani, Liz and Maude. Go water warriors!!

This is a nine minute edited version of the 40 minute Q&A that followed the Cinema Politica screening of Bas! Beyond the Red Light at Concordia University on Monday, September 20th, 2010. The conversation got pretty heated a few times, as some in the audience had some pretty tough questions around Western "rescue missions" to the third world, but Wendy did a fantastic job answering and defending her beautiful film. Thanks to Thomas Szacka-Marier for a great editing and filming job!