础听documentary made locally is getting screen time at the longest-running social justice film festival in the province.听
The 24-Hour Drum: Aboriginal Youth in the Sea to Sky will play at the World Community Film Festival in Courtenay in February.听
Filmmaker Ed Carswell recorded preparations by the corridor鈥檚 Aboriginal Youth Leadership and the 24-Drum event that started at Howe Sound Secondary in 麻豆社国产on May 1, then travelled to Whistler and Pemberton.听
The 24-Hour Drum event aims to draw attention to aboriginal issues by focusing on the current generation of young 麻豆社国产Nation leaders, according to district principal of aboriginal education, Susan Leslie, who organized the event and filming.
鈥淔or reconciliation and walking forward together, I thought it would be great if the students鈥� voices were heard, because they are the future generation,鈥� Leslie said. 鈥淎nd people always say, 鈥榃ell, that happened a long time ago, what does that have to do with us?鈥� Well, let鈥檚 talk to 鈥榰s鈥� who are here right now and hear what they have to say.鈥澛�
In the film, the students are seen in workshops gaining confidence and creating their performances, such as spoken word poems, for the event, as well as performing. There are interviews with the students as well, recounting their experiences in performing throughout the day.
Leslie said the students are excited that the film is going to be screened but don鈥檛 really understand what a big deal that is.听
鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 really understand that they truly had a voice and that they can have an impact and that they are important and that they are change-makers,鈥� she said.听
鈥淭hey were overwhelmed when they saw the film, and I think that the fact that others are going to see it now is very exciting.鈥澛�
This isn鈥檛 the first time Leslie has been involved with a film shown at the festival. A previous documentary also with Carswell, Project Heart, about the impact of residential schools, was shown at the festival last year.听
The screening of 24-Hour Drum will be a big affair for students in the district, Leslie said. 鈥淚 will take a whole group with me and they will probably be presenting on stage and they will be opening 鈥� it will be a huge event.鈥澛�
The entire 34-minute film is also free to watch on the district鈥檚 Aboriginal Education webpage at .听
