Angelina McLeod's five-part series, Freedom Road, from the Shoal Lake 40 Anishinaabe First Nation, will have its world premiere November 5 at NFB.ca as well as at a free opening night special presentation to kick off the 11th Gimme Some Truth Documentary Festival (November 5 to 10) in Winnipeg.
This series of short films from Shoal Lake 40, located on the border of Manitoba and Ontario, tells the inspiring story of the community's battle to build a road after it was forcibly relocated and cut off from the mainland, over 100 years ago, so that water could be diverted to the city of Winnipeg.
Director and Shoal Lake 40 member Angelina McLeod uses an innovative, community-driven approach to storytelling that highlights the community's dignity, strength and perseverance, as they take back control of their narrative and their future in the process of building Freedom Road.
Freedom Road was produced in Winnipeg by Alicia Smith and executive produced by David Christensen for the NFB's North West Studio.
Opening night special presentation
The official world premiere of Freedom Road will take place Tuesday, November 5, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
A post-screening panel discussion will feature band members Daryl Redsky and Roxanne Green, Angelina McLeod and Winnipeg-based historian Adele Perry, and will highlight the complex, ongoing work of Shoal Lake 40 in resolving a brutal colonial legacy-one that is inseparable from the history of this place.
This free screening is being presented by the Winnipeg Art Gallery, The Decolonizing Lens, Gimme Some Truth, Friends of Shoal Lake 40 and the NFB.
About Angelina McLeod
Angelina McLeod is an activist, scholar, filmmaker and mother from Shoal Lake 40 Anishinaabeg First Nation, located on the border of Manitoba and Ontario. She was the Indigenous Scholar-in-Residence at the Manitoba Museum and is currently a University of Manitoba graduate student working on her thesis under the supervision of Dr. Niigaanwewidam Sinclair. Angelina is studying sacred Midewiwin birch-bark scrolls, which have been passed down through her family for generations.
She was also featured in Charlene Moore's When the Children Left, a documentary about her life and the death of her sister, who went missing after leaving the community to attend high school. She is collaborating with Jessica Kornwall on a photo-archival project about Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and her family that's scheduled to be completed by summer 2020.
About the NFB
The NFB is Canada's public producer of award-winning creative documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories and participatory experiences. NFB producers are embedded in communities across the country, from St. John's to Vancouver, working with talented creators on innovative and socially relevant projects. The NFB is a leader in gender equity in film and digital media production, and is working to strengthen Indigenous-led production, guided by the recommendations of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. NFB productions have won over 7,000 awards, including 24 Canadian Screen Awards, 21 Webbys, 12 Oscars and more than 100 Genies. To access this award-winning content and discover the work of NFB creators, visit NFB.ca, download its apps for mobile devices or visit NFB Pause.
