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9ARTSCULTUREFILMTuesdayFebruary102015ByMEAGANWOHLBERGAnewlmportrayinglifeintheNorthin-tendstobreakawayfromthenegativemes-sagingthatsooftenaccompaniesportrayalsofindigenouspeoplesinthemediainsteadshowcasingthethrivingland-basedcultureoftheDene.Iwantedtoshowthatevenafter100yearsofcolonialismthereisanewgenerationthatisrisingthatishopefulaboutthefutureoftheirpeopleandthatgenerationreallyinspiredmesaidlmmakerNicolasPaquetofQuebecwhocametotheNWTtolmforthersttimein2009.PaquetsCeuxCommedeTerreorLivingLiketheLandmadeitsMontrealdebutlastweekatCinemaExcentris.Thefeature-lengthlmprolesanumberofDenefromtheNWTincludingDenezeNakehkooriginallyfromtheDehchoStephaniePooleofLutselKeYel-lowknivesDenecouncillorBobbyDrygeeseandtrapperAileenDrybones.PaquetsaidthelmwasoriginallyinspiredbythewritingsofReneFumoleauaCatholicmis-sionarywhosestoriesandphotographsdepictthestrengthandresilienceofDenelifeontheland.IthoughtthatthestoryoftheDenepeoplewasastoryofastrongpeopleandthelmthatIwantedtodowasmoreabouthowstrongthosepeoplearethanaboutproblemsthatwesooftenhearaboutsaidPaquetwhofeaturedFumo-leaureadingoneofhisstoriesinthelmduringavisittoLutselKewheretheretiredpriestnowlives.Iwantedtoseetheothersideofthestory.ThoughFumoleausstoriesarehistoricalthecharactersinthelmaremodernDeneembracingtheirtraditions.Theyknowthestorytheyarelivingwiththeintergenerationalimpactsofresidentialschoolsbutstilltheyarelookingaheadandtryingtogetbacksometraditionsliketan-ningorgettingbacktheirnamesaidPaquetwhoisalsodoinghismastersinindigenousresurgence.ThatideaofresurgenceiswhatIvebeenseeinginthepeopleImet.NakehkooneofthelmsmaincharactersattendedtheMontrealpremierelastweekwithhisdaughter.ThoughhewassurprisedtobefeaturedsoprominentlyinthelmhesaidheadmirestheapproachtakenbyPa-quetinhistreatmentofthesubjectmatter.Thelmisverybeautifullyshot.Weliveinapartoftheworldwhereitsreallyhardnottobetakenabackbythesceneryandna-tureNakehkosaid.IreallylikeditbecauseitwasasliceoflifeofDenepeopleandallowsustotellourownstories...Hejustallowedustoexplainhowwesawthingstoday.Nakehkowasgladtohavetheopportu-nitytotalkaboutwhatitmeanstobeDeneinmoderntimes.Usuallywhenindigenouspeopleareinthemediaalotofthestoriesarereallynegativeorperpetuatethispaternalisticcolonialste-reotypethismonolithicculturelikewerealloneAboriginalpeopleNakehkosaid.Butthislmallowsustohavesometimetotellourstorytothepointwherewebringmoreawarenessandhopefullythatawarenessleadstounderstanding...Thelmisanex-cellentvehicletohaveconversationsaroundindigenouspeopleandourrelationships.SofarPaquetsaidtheresponsehasbeenpositiveandhighlightsthelmseducationalpotential.TherewerepeoplewhohadneverheardoftheDenebeforehesaidfollowingtheMontrealscreening.Educationisabouthearingthesestoriescollectingbitshereandthereandwiththatyoucangetideasaboutwhatsgoingon.ThelmisavailableforviewingonlineacrossCanadaathttpcinemaexcentris.comLiving-like-the-landFilmmakerprolesDenewayoflifeinLivingLiketheLandPhotoNicolasPaquetAileenDrybonespicksjuniperberriesinCeuxCommedeTerreadocumentarythatshowcasesmodernDenepeoplepracticingtheirtraditionsintheNorthwestTerritories.