Trick or Treaty?
Dir. Alanis Obomsawin
Documentary
English and Cree with English subtitles
85 mins
Against the backdrop of key recent events, such as Chief Theresa Spence’s hunger strike and the rise of Idle No More, Obomsawin interviews a string of legal, historical, and cultural experts, as well as people whose ancestors were present when the treaty was signed more than a century ago, about the corrupt genesis of Treaty 9.
The deeper she digs, the more disturbing the revelations. It becomes clear that the printed copy of the treaty is not the only valid version. More startling, the First Nations signatories themselves were not able to see the written treaty until decades after the signing, and then in a language they didn’t understand.
As powerful, provocative, and important as any of her previous films, Trick or Treaty? again demonstrates why Obomsawin is one of our most vital cinematic voices.
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