NFB Collection
We Were Children
20121 h 22 min 50 secFilm: Fiction, Feature-length fiction
Direction: Tim Wolochatiuk
Production: Kyle Irving (Eagle Vision Inc.)Lisa Meeches (Eagle Vision Inc.)David Christensen (National Film Board of Canada)Laszlo Barna (Entertainment One)Loren Mawhinney (Entertainment One)
Script: Jason Sherman
Produced by Eagle Vision Inc. and Entertainment One in co-production with the National Film Board of Canada with financial investement from Manitoba Film & Music, with the participation of the Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit and with the assistance of the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit, with the assistance/participation of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit Program, and in association with Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.
As young children, Lyna and Glen were taken from their homes and placed in church-run boarding schools. The trauma of this experience was made worse by years of untold physical, sexual and emotional abuse, the effects of which persist in their adult lives. In this emotional film, the profound impact of the Canadian government’s residential school system is conveyed unflinchingly through the eyes of two children who were forced to face hardships beyond their years. We Were Children gives voice to a national tragedy and demonstrates the incredible resilience of the human spirit.
Directed by Tim Wolochatiuk and written by Jason Sherman, We Were Children is produced by Kyle Irving for Eagle Vision Inc. and David Christensen for the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).
Availability
Other versions
Subject categories
- Indigenous Peoples in Canada (First Nations and Métis) > DiscriminationEducationResidential Schools
- Education > Indigenous Peoples
- Family Studies/Home Economics > Child Development
- Indigenous Studies > History/Politics
- Health/Personal Development > Mental Health/Stress/Suicide
- Social Studies > Social Policies and Programs
Credits
- director
- Tim Wolochatiuk
- writer
- Jason Sherman
- producer
- Kyle Irving
- David Christensen
- executive producer
- Lisa Meeches
- Laszlo Barna
- David Christensen
- Kyle Irving
- Loren Mawhinney
- associate producer
- Jessica Lo
- director of photography
- Jeremy Benning
- Kim Bell
- production designer
- Gordon Wilding
- first assistant director trainee
- Richard Duffy
- editor
- John Whitcher
- music composer
- Shawn Pierce
- sound designer
- Daniel Pellerin
- cast
- Lyna Hart
- Glen Anaquod
- Alicia Hamelin
- Jade Hamelin
- Jennie Morin
- Rebecca Gibson
- Ross McMillan
- René Batson
- Bruin Montour
- Justin Ducharme
- Dustin Courchene
- Tyrone Brooks
- Rachel Seenie
- Glenn Cochrane
- Fawnda Neckoway
- Maggie Nagle
- Shawney Moar
- Kohl Bohemier
- Tasha Weight
- Robert Kostyra
- John B. Lowe
- Curtis Moore
- Jon Ted Wynne
- Kayla Contois-Moar
- Kristen Harris
- Carlos Swampy
- Daina Leitold
- Jeff Skinner
- Jenelle McPherson
- Rivers Thomas
- Darcy Fehr
- Lois H. Brothers
- Ashley Hirt
- Darren M. Felbel
- Ramsey Bruce
- Alice Dano
- spiritual advisor
- Colin Mousseau
- production manager
- Danielle Dumesnil
- director observer
- Riel Munro
- researcher
- Vanessa Hill
- Sam Vint
- Tobias Duggan
- production co-ordinator
- Ashley Hirt
- Khali Weanus
- Faye Yoneda
- Ginette D'Silva
- Monique Perron
- assistant production coordinator
- Reed Makayev
- Karen Stermscheg
- Caitlin Brown
- second assistant director trainee
- Megan Basaraba
- Megan Heke
- third assistant director
- Kate Godley
- set production assistant
- Bryan R. Burns
- Dustin Courchene
- production accountant
- Paul Zonneveld
- legal counsel
- Paul Popeski
- John Robinson
- A camera operator
- Kim Bell
- Jeremy Benning
- Paul Suderman
- A camera 1st assistant
- Casey Harrison
- Marcus James
- A camera 2nd assistant
- Aaron Mallin
- Caley Gibson
- B camera operator
- Marcus James
- Jason Vieira
- Paul Suderman
- B camera 1st assistant
- Caley Gibson
- Casey Harrison
- camera trainee
- Michael Cabral
- Devon Unrau
- steadicam operator
- Jason Vieira
- digital imaging technician
- Ryan McGregor
- stills photographer
- Rebecca Sandulak
- set decorator
- Scott Rossell
- set dresser
- Grant MacDonald
- Laura Souter
- Lindsey Bart
- Matthew Holm
- Scott Hopper
- Ryan Sandford
- property master
- Allan McGowan
- Crystal Biloski
- assistant property master
- Sloane Brook
- key makeup
- Alisha Talbot
- Brenda Magalas
- special effects makeup
- Alisha Talbot
- Brenda Magalas
- 1st makeup assistant
- Nina Kvaternik
- key hair stylist
- Pina Robinson
- hairstylist assistant
- Ashley Burdett
- Brenda Rocchio
- Catharina Saites
- costume designer
- Jody Chalmers
- Katelynd Johnston
- Patti Henderson
- assistant costume designer
- Brenlee Coates
- Wanda Farian
- location manager
- Neal Baksh
- G. Thom Arnold
- Carmen Lethbridge
- key locations production assistant
- Tim Morgan
- locations production assistant
- Andrew Harrison
- Ian MacPherson
- location production assistant
- Kyle Phillip Kok Sching Wong
- construction co-ordinator
- Edward Preston
- carpenter
- Brent Letain
- Michael Madill
- Ted Hnatishin
- construction greens assistant
- Zeke Preston
- scenic painter
- Paul Zacharias
- Richard Duncan Lenna
- key sound
- Stan Mak
- Dino Schiavone
- boom operator
- Dallas Pomedli
- key grip
- Bill Mills
- Rob Thomson
- best boy grip
- Christophe Nachtigall
- dolly grip
- Roger Wiebe
- Terence Fuller
- Rob Thomson
- grip
- Conroy Finnigan
- Wes Grycki
- grip driver
- Jonathan Kennedy
- gaffer
- John Clarke
- best boy lighting technician
- Jeremy Milmine
- lead lamp operator
- Nicholas Phillips
- generator operator
- Lorne Bailey
- Mark Motoch
- lamp operator driver
- Marvin Klein
- script supervisor
- Connie Wachsmann
- script co-ordinator
- Colleen Wowchuk
- casting director
- Shelly Anthis
- stunt coordinator
- Rick Skene
- stunt double
- Daniel Skene
- chef
- Corby Pearce
- sous chef
- Chris Deckko
- key craft service
- Cindy Harrison
- first aid
- Cindy Harrison
- picture vehicle coordinator
- James Alexander
- transport coordinator
- James Alexander
- Jean-Marc Prairie
- driver
- Greg Marlow
- Dale Bracken
- Jean-Marc Prairie
- Marty Churko
- Doug Arsenault
- unit move driver
- Calvin Pochinko
- Dale Bracken
- Pat Martin
- acting coach
- Rebecca Gibson
- child co-ordinator
- Lois H. Brothers
- French language coach
- Léo Dufault
- Cree language coach
- Sheila North-Wilson
- Virginia Thomas
- on set health support
- Louis Young
- security coordinator
- Timothy D. Vincent
- watchperson
- Curtis Riddell
- post-production supervisor
- Julie Arnal
- Jessica Lo
- colourist
- Tony Wytinck
- online editor
- Andrew Shire
- assistant editor
- Javier Sinisterra
- visual effects
- Brad Hoplock
- edit supervisor
- Daniel Pellerin
- ADR recording
- Ben Wytinck
- Dan Cherkas
- dialogue editing
- Rob Hutchins
- ADR editing
- Rob Hutchins
- sound effects editing
- Jeremy MacLaverty
- foley artist
- John Sievert
- foley recordist
- Randy Wilson
- re-recording mixer
- Howard Rissin
- closed captioning
- Patricia Garry
- French translation
- Carole Freynet-Gagné
- Cree versioning
- Sheila North-Wilson
- Audrey North
- Gilbert North
- Sadie North
- John Schritt
- legal services
- Diana Cafazzo
- equipment rental
- William F. White
- survivor
- Agatha Komakisatiksak
- Jimmy Hunter
- Percy Ballantyne
- Tobasonakwut Kinew
- Jacquie Fletcher
- Martin Tylee
- Sam Copenace
- Virginia George
- camera assistant
- Matt Schween
- best boy electric
- Ryan Beresford
- hair
- Angie Lindsay
- makeup
- Angie Lindsay
- sound recordist
- Anita Lubosh
- director general
- Cindy Witten
- marketing manager
- Leslie Stafford
- production supervisor
- Mark Power
- centre administrator
- Darin Clausen
- Cyndi Forcand
Awards
- Best Public ServiceAnnual American Indian Film Festival
- Best Sound in an Information/Documentary or Lifestyle Program or Series (Daniel Pellerin, Howard Rissin, Jeremy Maclaverty, John Sievert, Randy Wilson, Rob Hutchins, Stan Mak, Stefan Fraticelli)Canadian Screen Awards
- Best Photography in a Documentary Program or Series (Jeremy Benning CSC, Kim Bell)Canadian Screen Awards
- Honourable Mention for Best in Unscripted- History & BiographyWorld Media Festival
- Best History and Biography ProgramWorld Media Festival