World premiere of Thérèse Ottawa’s short film Le chemin rouge at the 2015 Montreal First Peoples’ Festival

MEDIA ADVISORY 

WORLD PREMIERE OF THÉRÈSE OTTAWA’S SHORT FILM LE CHEMIN ROUGE AT THE 2015 MONTREAL FIRST PEOPLES’ FESTIVAL

A film produced through Tremplin NIKANIK, a short documentary filmmaking competition launched by the NFB in partnership with Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN)
Trick and Treaty and Kanehsatake : 270 Years of Resistance also screens.

(On the photo : Tony Chaichai and Ronny Chaichai – Photo credit : Rachel-Alouki Labbé)

July 20, 2015 – Montreal, Quebec – Le chemin rouge, the debut short documentary by Atikamekw filmmaker Thérèse Ottawa, has itsworld premiere screening on Tuesday, August 4, 6:30 p.m., at the 25th Montreal First Peoples’ Festival. The festival runs July 29 toAugust 5. Shot in Opitciwan, Le chemin rouge offers an intimate look at the moving journey of Tony Chachai, a young Atikamekw man. His road to redemption— which begins with a promise to his dying mother—leads to a return to his roots and the passing on of his community’s cultural practices, culminating with him dancing in a powwow alongside his cousin, Ronny Chachai.

Director Thérèse Ottawa, protagonist Tony Chachai, his cousin Ronny Chachai, and NFB producer Johanne Bergeron will be present at the premiere.

Le chemin rouge was produced through the first edition of Tremplin NIKANIK, a competition for francophone First Nations filmmakers in Quebec launched in 2012 by the NFB in partnership with APTN. Describing her experience in the program, Thérèse Ottawa said, “The competition allowed me to be mentored throughout the whole process of directing my film, from writing to editing. Through film I was able to bring out the full humanity of this story, which is so inspiring for the community.”

Two films from Alanis Obomsawin, the grande dame of Aboriginal filmmaking in Canada, will also be screened at the festival. Trick or Treaty? (NFB), which profiles Indigenous leaders in their quest for justice as they seek to establish dialogue with the Canadian government, screens Friday, July 31, at 8:30 p.m. at UQAM’s Jean-Claude Lauzon theatre. And, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Oka crisis, Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (NFB) will be playing August 4 at 9 p.m. at Place de la Paix, presented in collaboration with the Société des arts technologiques.

Quick Facts

• Le chemin rouge (Red Path) – 15 min
  Produced at the NFB by Johanne Bergeron
  World premiere screening (in French) on Tuesday, August 4, 6:30 p.m.at UQAM’s Jean-Claude Lauzon theatreLe chemin rouge follows the journey of Tony Chachai, a young Aboriginal man in search of his identity, and highlights Manawan-born filmmaker Thérèse Ottawa’s concern with issues relating to her culture, the past, and the transmission of knowledge and traditions among members of the Atikamekw NationMoved by the desire to reconnect with his roots, Tony Chachai delivers touching testimony on the journey that brought him closer to his family and community. On the verge of becoming a father himself, he becomes increasingly aware of the richness of his heritage and celebrates it by dancing in a powwow alongside his cousin Ronny Chachai.
• About Thérèse OttawaOriginally from Manawan, Quebec, Thérèse Ottawa has been involved in numerous groups and organizations in her community, with the goal of promoting Atikamekw culture. After working in education, she participated in a training program at the NFB and, in 2012, co-founded Tewekan Vision, a production centre created to strengthen the Aboriginal presence in the film industry. The following year, Ottawa was one of the finalists in the Tremplin NIKANIK competition for aspiring francophone First Nations filmmakers in Quebec. Through the program, she directed her first short documentary, Le chemin rouge, about a young Atikamekw man’s search for identity.
• About Tremplin NIKANIKIn 2012, the NFB in partnership with APTN launched Tremplin NIKANIK, a competition for francophone First Nations filmmakers in Quebec hoping to make a first or second documentary with a runtime of 30 minutes or less. The six finalists chosen were provided with training at the NFB and the opportnity to work with a script advisor. The winner, Thérèse Ottawa, then received assistance from recognized professionals in producing and directing her short documentary Le chemin rouge.

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Associated Links

Montreal First Peoples’ Festival
Tremplin NIKANIK (in French only)
Société des arts technologiques (in French only)
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network

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