Seeking Expressions of Interest for participants for an In Focus with Alanis Obomsawin
Seeking Expressions of Interest for participants for an In Focus with Alanis Obomsawin
Monday 4 September 10am-3pm
We are seeking expressions of interest for an In Focus session led by distinguished Abenaki filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin in the context of her solo exhibition To move between: Healing and Resistance 2 September – 4 November 2023.
The In Focus will offer a unique opportunity for emerging and independent Indigenous filmmakers or filmmakers working with the community to have an intimate dialogue with Obomsawin. This seminar will include a presentation and close reading of a film by Obomsawin followed by conversation in the round where participants are encouraged to present works in progress for discussion. This session aims to provide professional development through the modality of exchange, across generations and between cosmologies.
This In Focus is free to attend. Shared kai will be provided.
Spaces are limited to 15. Please register your interest by sending your CV, a brief statement about your work, and the project you would like to discuss in the following formats: (1 A4 page max + 1 A4 page images if you wish), audio (maximum 5 minutes) or video (maximum 5 minutes) by Monday 31 July to info@artspace.org.nz
This session prioritises engagement from Indigenous filmmakers and filmmakers working with community. We encourage early and emergent practitioners to apply.
About Alanis Obomsawin
Alanis Obomsawin is a member of the Abenaki Nation and one of Canada’s most distinguished filmmakers, and leader of the Indigenous struggle. Alanis Obomsawin is a director and producer at the National Film Board of Canada, where she has worked since 1967. Her upcoming films are Wabano: The Light of the Day and The Green Horse(working title). These films will be her 56th and 57th films in a career now spanning 56 years, devoted to chronicling the lives and concerns of First Nations people and exploring issues of importance to all. Her body of work includes such landmark films as Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993), documenting the 1990 Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) uprising in Kanehsatake and Oka, as well as her groundbreaking Incident at Restigouche (1984), a behind-the-scenes look at Quebec police raids on a Mi’kmaq reserve. This year Obomsawin will receive the Edward MacDowell Medal, recognizing individuals who have made significant cultural contributions. She is the first woman filmmaker to receive this award in its 63-year history. In 2021, the Toronto International Film Festival presented Obomsawin with the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media, recognising leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema. In 2020, Obomsawin received the Rogers-DOC Luminary Award at the DOC Institute Awards, in addition to the Glenn Gould Prize.