First Peoples Festival coming soon

When the first International First Peoples Festival (IFPF) happened in 1991, with the Siege of Kanehsatake still fresh in the minds of many, there was initial resistance to having an event like this take place in Tiohtià:ke.

“All of a sudden, Indigenous people no longer looked like the nice little folkloric Indians, but people who were able to affirm ourselves and defend our rights,” said André Dudemaine, the Innu director and co-founder of Land InSights, who organizes the IFPF.

“Even from the side of certain First Nations, there was a mistrust. There had been a lot of difficult events to live through, and the social climate weighed heavily on many.”

Artists including multidisciplinary artist Alanis Obomsawin and singer-songwriter Florent Vollant put together a small benefit show, a small film festival, and the festival has not looked back from there, steadily growing and gaining support from artistic institutions from the city, but also political ones; going from having to do door-to-door visits to galleries and cinemas to find places to hold the festival’s events - to being recognized as one of the city’s marquee cultural events, with events happening this year at the Outremont Theatre, the Place des Festivals, and the Grande Bibliotheque, among others.

“For us, it’s important to be present in the city, but also have friendships and collaborators in the city,” said Dudemaine.

“We are present in the city, not as a marginalized, secondary event, but a full participant in its cultural events.”

After all this time, he’s comfortable saying that they have done a great thing with their humble beginnings.

“Being 35, after seeing the difficult beginning, we can say that we have accomplished something,” said Dudemaine.

Kahnawake will also be host to IFPF activities, with the Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center (KOR) partnering with the festival to hold screenings at the KOR Arts Center behind the protestant church on Old Malone Highway.

“Our continued collaboration here at KOR with the International First People’s Festival has had a lot of great impact on directors’ lives as well as the history of our stories being promoted, recorded, heard and seen,” said Marion Delaronde, the KOR’s artistic director and producer.

“I have so much respect for all the work they do every year to put on this fantastic programming.  Excellent festivals like this don’t just happen, they take planning, hard work, cooperation of many dedicated people, and I wish their team continued success and growth in the future.”

For his part, Dudemaine said holding screenings in Kahnawake was natural given the proximity to the city.

“Kahnawake and Montreal are neighbours, Haudenosaunee culture is a part of the cultural spirit of Montreal,” he said.

“Kahnawake is also a cultural hub in and of itself, with its active cultural centre.”

No tickets are required for the screenings in Kahnawake, although places are limited.

Three films will be screened there, from August 8-10.

On August 8 at 7 p.m., Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel’s documentary Deskaheh Levi General: The Quest for Justice will be screened. The next day at 7 p.m. it will be Shelby Adams’ Radio Bingo documentary, followed by the revenge thriller Seeds by Kaniehtiio Horn.

The addition of more genre films to the festival’s lineup, including Seeds, is a change for the festival according to Dudemaine.

“We’ve had a few here and there in the past, but this year, it seems like an avenue that more and more Indigenous filmmakers are taking,” said Dudemaine.

“It’s a nice change of pace, and the films are good, too. It allows us to broaden ourselves.”

The festival will have its opening ceremony at the Outremont Theatre on August 5, featuring speeches from elders, and drumming from Sedalia Fazio.

Space issues have meant the festival has had to hold its opening ceremony in progressively bigger spaces, so as to not have to turn away people - or at the very least, not as many, with 735 seats available.

“It’s a magnificent place,” said Dudemaine.

Films won’t be the only thing on the menu for the festival, with tons of activities every day of the festival. That includes photography workshops with Martin Akwiranoron Loft, traditional Mohawk and Wendat music and dance performances, galleries showcasing Indigenous artists across many different art forms, and more.

“We became multidisciplinary quickly,” said Dudemaine.

“As soon as the second year, an Algonquin painter asked us if he could put his paintings at the entryway of the cinema.”

The full schedule is available on the IFPF website.

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