NFB Collection
Love is the First Sacred Lesson
20206 min 55 secFilm: Documentary
Direction: Jess Murwin
Production: David Oppenheim (National Film Board of Canada)Anita Lee (National Film Board of Canada)
Script: Jess Murwin
A coproduction of the National Film Board of Canada and POV Spark.
Queerness, Indigeneity, integration, and love are only some of the themes explored is Love Is the First Sacred Lesson, an intimate short doc that blends live action with animation. Through this highly personal film, Jess Murwin explores their Mi’kmaq identity while figuring out how to be in the world. Triggered by their grandmother’s death, Jess returns home in search of answers and discovers parts of their heritage along with cherished kinship.
Subject categories
- Indigenous Peoples in Canada (First Nations and Métis) > Atlantic RegionCultural Identity
- Psychology and Psychiatry > Emotional LifeIndividual in Society
- Families > Interpersonal Relationships
- Sexuality and Reproduction > Sexual minorities (2SLGBTQ+ people)
- Indigenous Peoples: Canada > Mi'kmaq (L'nu)
- Indigenous Language > Mi’kmaq
- Roles & Relationships > Two-Spirit, Queer, LGBTQ
Credits
- writer
- Jess Murwin
- director
- Jess Murwin
- producer
- David Oppenheim
- executive producer
- Anita Lee
- director of photography
- Jess Murwin
- sound recordist
- Jess Murwin
- Charly Gilpin
- editor
- Charly Gilpin
- sound designer
- Amanda Ann-Min Wong
- additional editing
- Karina Garcia Casanova
- featuring
- Kennlin Bawlow
- Lenita Denny
- Duane Isaac
- Paige Isaac
- Misiksk Jadis
- Isaac Jeddore Gould
- Dante Joe Pierro
- Geordy Marshall
- Jennifer Murrin
- Tyler Patterson
- Margaret Robinson
- John R. Sylliboy
- Rosie Sylliboy
- Stéphanie Vautour
- Rowan White
- production coordinator
- Katie Murray
- Frances Nyarko-Mensah
- manager, studio operations
- Mark Wilson
- production supervisor
- Marcus Matyas
- technical coordinator
- Kevin Riley
- studio administrator
- Patricia Bourgeois
- Andrew Martin-Smith
- program mentor
- Sisa Bueno
- Lauren Hutchinson
- Roslyn Kalloo
- Sarah Rothberg
- Kerri Sakamoto
- Ziv Schneider
- Pat Shiu
- program production assistant
- Rand Jitan
- post sound
- Sim Toronto
- post picture
- Sim Toronto
- online editor
- Darren Hinchy
- colourist
- Arlene Moelker
- finishing producer
- Mateusz Sklarzyk
- re-recording mixer
- James Bastable
- assistant re-recording mixer
- Will Stephens
- project coordinator
- Louise Finn
- head of operations
- Alex Aslund
- general manager
- Peter Gibson
- publicist
- Jennifer Mair
- marketing manager
- Gabrielle Harvey
- Laurianne Désormiers
- social media strategist
- Hannah Martin
- legal counsel
- Peter Kallianiotis
- title design
- Yazmin Monet