This River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids This River |
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| Directed by |
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| Produced by | Alicia Smith |
| Written by |
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| Starring | Kyle Kematch |
| Cinematography | Iris Ng |
| Editing by | Erika MacPherson |
| Studio | National Film Board |
| Release date(s) | 2016 |
| Running time | 18 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
This River is a short Canadian documentary film from 2016. It was directed by Katherena Vermette and Erika MacPherson. The film focuses on a group of volunteers called Drag the Red. This group searches the Red River in Manitoba for people who have gone missing. They work to bring closure to families looking for their loved ones.
Alicia Smith, the film's producer, said that Katherena Vermette's book, North End Love Songs, helped her understand the feelings of young Indigenous people. It showed her what it was like for families when someone they loved went missing.
Making the Film
Filming for This River happened from August 8 to 16, 2016. The film crew was made up of only women. They documented the work of Kyle Kematch, a volunteer with Drag the Red.
The crew spent much of their time filming from small boats. These boats were given to them to use. Iris Ng was the director of photography, meaning she was in charge of how the film looked. Anita Lubosh recorded all the sound for the movie.
Awards and Recognition
This River received an award in 2016 called the Coup de coeur du jury. This happened at the Terres en vues/Land InSights First Peoples' Festival in Montreal.
The film was first shown to the public in Katherena Vermette's hometown of Winnipeg. This premiere took place on October 5 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. In 2017, at the 5th Canadian Screen Awards, the film won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Short Documentary Film. This is a big award for short films in Canada.
Related Project: What Brings Us Here
Katherena Vermette and producer Alicia Smith also created a project for Instagram. It is called What Brings Us Here. This project shows pictures of volunteers from Winnipeg search teams. These teams, like the Bear Clan and Drag the Red, are run by the community.
What Brings Us Here includes photos taken by Winnipeg photographers Janine Kropla, Mark Reimer, and Karen Asher. This online project combines pictures of the searchers with their own words. They share why they keep looking for their missing family members and for answers.
