Film review: nanekawâsis
Eternal You, A Man Imagined, Black Box Diaries, nanekawâsis, and other intriguing offerings at DOXA Documentary Film Festival
IN A VISUAL style redolent of the artist’s works, archival footage, poetry, and language are stitched together between contemporary interviews with George Littlechild in his biography film, nanekawâsis.
At the age of 65, the nêhiyaw (Cree) visual artist reflects on the evolution of his career, while the evocative score guides viewers through scenes from his life, from cathartic to serene. Vision Chant by Cree composer Andrew Balfour opens the work on a note of Indigeneity, but with resemblance to a hymn.
A survivor of the ’60s scoop, Littlechild grew up in the foster system. Viewers are invited into the home where he grew up, and to visit his birth mother’s grave. The camera follows an early-career Littlechild while he explains a painting to its two buyers at an exhibition, telling them about each ancestor whose photos he’s incorporated. He recounts searching for information about his lineage, learning from elders, and seeing a photo of himself as a baby for the first time.
So Many Men, So Little Time by Miquel Brown shifts the film’s rhythm, as Littlechild reflects on his experience as a two-spirit person. An upbeat Easy Keepers by Tex Crick ushers in a film photo montage of Littlechild and two-spirit artist John Powell throughout their lives, warmth emanating from the screen.
Skillfully captured by Métis filmmaker Conor McNally, nanekawâsis allows viewers to get to know Littlechild in his own words, witnessing his humour and positivity, while being treated to an audibly captivating work about an artist who has led conversations on the harm of colonialism for decades through a distinct artistic style.
Originally published by Stir Magazine