Waban-Aki: People from Where the Sun Rises

20061 h 44 min 2 secFilm: Documentary

G

Direction: Alanis Obomsawin

Production: Alanis ObomsawinSally Bochner

Script: Alanis Obomsawin

Yvonne M'Sadoques rocks forward in her chair. She's lived in the Abenaki community of Odanak for over a century - and has no shortage of stories to tell.

"The priest would march into our home and order us to stop dancing. We were going to the devil, he said." She pauses, a humorous glint in her eye. "But you know - I don't really believe in the devil. Do you?"

M'Sadoques is in conversation with Alanis Obomsawin, another of Odanak's proud daughters - and one of Canada's leading documentary filmmakers.

Obomsawin's illustrious career comes full circle with Waban-Aki: People from Where the Sun Rises. Having dedicated nearly four decades to chronicling the lives of Canada's First Nations, she returns to the village where she was raised to craft a lyric account of her own people.

Subject categories


  • Crafts > BoatbuildingFirst Nations Crafts
  • Indigenous Peoples in Canada (First Nations and Métis) > HistoryQuébec and Ontario
  • Women > Indigenous Women
  • Indigenous Studies > ArtsHistory/PoliticsIdentity/Society
  • Geography > Territory: Indigenous
  • Indigenous Peoples: Canada > Abenaki (Alnôbak)
  • Tangible & Material Culture > Basketry
  • Intangible Culture & Literature > Biographies, Autobiographies

Credits


writer
Alanis Obomsawin
director
Alanis Obomsawin
editor
Alison Burns
camera
Philippe Amiguet
camera assistant
Sébastien Cassou
Denis Fortier
Yvan Gekoff
location sound
Raymond Marcoux
Ismaël Cordeiro
original music
Francis Grandmont
musician
Francis Grandmont
Normand Guilbeault
Christine Molnor
Claude Vendette
traditional song
Alanis Obomsawin
Ambroise Obomsawin
infographics
Louise Overy
voice
Anthony Robinow
Keith Ravenheart
artist
Georgette Obomsawin
Christine Sioui Wawanoloath
map design
Katy Silverstone
stills photographer
André Gill
etchings
Alanis Obomsawin
sound editing
Don Ayer
technical support - editing
Danielle Raymond
Chaz Oliver
online editing
Denis Pilon
digital input of archival images
Jean-Marc Brosseau
digital imaging assistant
Pierre Landry
Ochelle Greenidge
subtitles
Zoé Major
Frances Beames
production assistant
Nicole Bibeau
Frederick Wiseman
Watie Akins
Rodrigo Brinckhaus
Gail Nicholas
Miigam'agan
re-recording
Shelley Craig
music recording
Geoffrey Mitchell
Sylvain Cajelais
technician sound operation centre
Daniel Trépanier
Sylvain Cajelais
administration
Marie Tonto-Donati
Nickie Merulla
production administration assistant
Christine Williams
post-production coordinator
Claude Cardinal
Linda Payette
producer
Alanis Obomsawin
executive producer
Sally Bochner

Awards


  • Best Documentary AwardimagineNative Film + Media Arts Festival