Film screenings & discussion with Alanis Obomsawin

My Friend the Green Horse

Blending live-action footage and stop-motion animation, My Friend the Green Horse shares the remarkable true story of the childhood of Alanis Obomsawin, one of the world’s great documentary filmmakers. Often feeling lost and alone, the young Alanis found solace and companionship in the Animal World.

In her sleeping life, she was visited night after night by the Green Horse, a kind and generous being who became Alanis’s best friend. Together with other animals, the pair explored the beauty of her territory in the dreamscape and danced to the setting sun. The animals also helped Alanis realize she was given a tremendous gift—life itself—and demonstrated generosity and kindness, values she would carry throughout her life.

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Jordan River Anderson — The Messenger

In this film, Alanis Obomsawin tells the story of Jordan River Anderson, and how as a result of his short life, thousands of First Nations and Inuit children today receive the same standard of social, health and education services as the rest of the Canadian population.

Because of Jordan’s Indian status, a dispute arose between the governments of Canada and Manitoba over who was responsible for his care, and Jordan did not receive the appropriate home-based assistance that would have allowed him to end his life in his own community.

Jordan’s Principle was passed into law by the House of Commons, and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal issued a ruling guaranteeing the same standard of service, yet many First Nations and Inuit children were still denied access. It took sustained commitment and the issuance of several mandatory orders for justice to be done.