Is the Crown at War with Us?

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Friday Night Docs by Cinema Politica Fredericton
Friday October 3, 2008
Screening begins 19h00
Venue: Conserver House, 180 St. John St.

Canada / 2002 / 96 min

It was the summer of 2000 and the country watched with disbelief as federal fishery officers appeared to wage war on the Mi'gmaq fishermen of Esgenoopetitj, or Burnt Church, New Brunswick. Why would officials of the Canadian government attack citizens for exercising rights that had been affirmed by the highest court in the land? What happened at Burnt Church? Alanis Obomsawin casts her cinematic and intellectual nets into history to provide a context for the events on Miramichi Bay. Delineating the complex roots of the conflict with passion and clarity, she builds a persuasive defence of the Mi'gmaq position. Obomsawin's numerous credits include Incident at Restigouche (1984) and Kanehsatake 270 Years of Resistance (1993). With Is the Crown at war with us?, she once again offers compelling insight into the complex relationship between Canada and its First Nations.

Andrea Bear-Nicholas will facilitate the discussion after the film.

Directed and produced by Alanis Obomsawin

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