A new film about an emotional probe surrounding a B.C. residential school has made its premiere at a prestigious American film festival.

B次元官网网址楽ugarcaneB次元官网网址� premiered Saturday, Jan. 20, in Park City, Utah at Sundance, the largest independent film festival in the United States.

The film follows several members of Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) and neighbouring communities during WLFNB次元官网网址檚 investigation into the abuse and disappearance of children at the former St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 Mission Residential School.

B次元官网网址淚t is really good,B次元官网网址� said WLFN Kukpi7 (Chief) Willie Sellars. B次元官网网址淚t will be something that should be in every school in this country as a part of the curriculum around education about the legacy of residential schools.B次元官网网址�

Thousands of children from First Nations communities around B.C. attended St. JosephB次元官网网址檚, which was operated by the Catholic Oblates of Mary Immaculate between 1891 and 1981.

WLFN launched its investigation in July 2021,, which has involved geophysical investigation, archival and photographic research, survivor interviews and engagement at community, family, frontline and political levels.

Featured in the film are Sellars, Charlene Belleau, former chief of EskB次元官网网址檈temc and member of the investigation team, Anna Gilbert and the late Rick Gilbert, former chief and councillor of WLFN who died on Sept. 11, 2023, filmmaker Julian Brave NoiseCat and his father Ed Archie NoiseCat, a father, artist and survivor from Canim Lake.

B次元官网网址淪eeing and hearing Rick on the screen is pretty special,B次元官网网址� said Sellars who saw the film before the colour and sound were edited.

Interviewed prior to the premiere, Sellars was flying to Utah early Jan. 19, to attend, joined by Belleau, Whitney Spearing, WLFN senior manager for title and rights, and WLFN cultural coordinator David Archie.

Julian Brave NoiseCat will be there, as well as Emily Kassie and Chris LaMarca.

Julian is a descendant of the LilB次元官网网址橶at Nation of Mount Currie, Kassie is a Canadian filmmaker and investigative journalist who has produced work for The New York Times, PBS, and Netflix and LaMarca is a director, photojournalist and Emmy-nominated cinematographer.

The crew captures more than 1,000 hours of footage while making the film.

B次元官网网址淲e extend a heartfelt thank-you to the filmmakers Emily, Julian, and Chris LaMarca, director of photography, and to the community members who worked with them to see this project through,B次元官网网址� Sellars noted in a news release in December.

B次元官网网址淚t is because of the bravery of the survivors of St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 Mission who told their stories that this film will shed important light on the atrocities that took place in the Canadian residential school system.B次元官网网址�

Sellars said he hopes everyone will see the film, which will also be available to watch online through the festivalB次元官网网址檚 website between Jan. 25 and 28, 2024.

A red-carpet screening of the film is planned for the Cariboo, with details to be released at a later date.

With files from Brandon Hoffman

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