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
If you are in Montreal before August 8, the Cinéma sous les étoiles festival will be presenting free film screenings, including six Wapikoni short films created by First Nations youth (click here for the full schedule). Covering a range of topics from the legacy of residential schools to the memories of a man who travelled through his community by bike, the films are sure to hold insight and creative experimentation.
Wapikoni is a non-profit organization utilizing mobile studios equipped with cutting-edge technology to travel to First Nations communities and train youth in documentary film and music recording. To date, Wapikoni has visited 26 communities in 9 different nations and trained over 3000 young people. Additionally, the organization offers customized audiovisual services that maintain training as well as mediation and awareness workshops.
The mission of Wapikoni is to “combat isolation and suicide among First Nations youth while developing artistic, technical, social, and professional skills.” The organization was founded by Manon Barbeau, who was devastated by the number of youth suicides in her community and the accidental death of her collaborator Wapikoni Awashish. The work produced by the organization aims to raise public awareness about issues faced by First Nations communities while preserving and enhancing a rich cultural heritage.
