Bridges To The North
A story 15 years in the making, Marten Falls and Webequie First Nation have started the process of talking about roads into their communities, opposition has stepped in and created a much more complex story. The communities face deep issues concerning joblessness, suicide and poverty and are taking a long look at roads as a solution, while balancing their indigenous lifestyles, a story about the, "Ring of Fire."
AltFF Award Winner
Vox Popular Media Arts - People's Choice Award
Berlin Art Film Festival Nomination
Sault Film Festival Nomination
LWIFF Festival - Semi Finalist
Art Film Spirit Awards - Nomination
Canadian Independent Film Festival - Nomination
Imaginative - Mediatheque
Tokyo Indie Shorts Fest - Awards Nominee
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Tony McGuireDirectorThe Hag, Cry Of The Loon
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Tony McGuireWriter
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Tony McGuireProducer
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Brandon RodeghieroAssociate Producer
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Jason StasiwDOP
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Roman CoopermanSoundtrack
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Adrienne HarpelleSound Recordist
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Project Title (Original Language):(Coming Soon Oji Cree)
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Project Type:Documentary
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Runtime:1 hour 39 minutes 30 seconds
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Completion Date:July 1, 2023
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Production Budget:150,000 USD
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Country of Origin:Canada
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Country of Filming:Canada
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Sony F55, FX3, FS7, RED
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Aspect Ratio:2.35
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
I was born in Thunder Bay, a small city near the Minnesota border, the traditional lands of my people. Our historical territory extended from Sault Ste Marie, through to St Paul, Minnesota, all the way to Kenora, now the USA border splits it up, many of the stories we tell around the fire are no longer about our learning, teaching and joy but instead are only about our sadness, anger and dispossession.
I have been trying to change that narrative.
I was asked to tell the story of two First Nation reservations who are trying to reclaim their past while they have been finding opposition from amongst the parties they are working with. It was going to be a hard story to tell but a year and a half later we have something accurate and most importantly, Anishinawbe told.
(Tony McGuire is an Ojibwe/Chippewa man.)
Tony McGuire - (Redhawk Tailfeather)
Bingwi Neyaashi First Nation - Ojibwe/Chippewa First Nation Reservation
The latest update of the film is in place with tighter coloring, sound and pacing. I may try to cut another couple minutes off of it to speed it up, and new end credits will come but they're "ok" at the moment. Things are always being tweaked right up to it's final North American release.
This is a real story about a controversial topic, it was hard to tell but I think I was able to neutrally tell it while injecting the humor us Anishinawbek people share on hard topics. Anecdotally I have not had many people say they did not like it, so I am feeling good about this film. I hope you do too.