What We Carry
In 1963, a restless Jennifer Notley spots an ad in a teacher’s magazine for a position in Northern Alberta. She leaves her life in England and arrives by bush plane to Wabasca-Desmarais—a isolated place with bad roads, no electricity, limited services, and a residential school. Jennifer taught 5 years at Desmarais Indian Residential School as it transitioned from a residential school to a day school. In 2022, her daughter Katrinka and granddaughter Bracken return to this beautiful northern lakeside community in the heart of Treaty 8 territory (one of the largest Treaty Nations in Canada) with questions, carrying a trunk full of history.
Kat McDermott and Willow Auger, both members of the Bigstone Cree nation, introduce Bracken and Katrinka to the community. Together, they open the trunk and open the doors to discovery. In the feature documentary What We Carry, the team searches for truth: who was the Jennifer Notley the students knew, did she help or harm? Along the way, the real teachings arise: we all carry the effects of residential schools, we all lose when a culture is lost.
What We Carry is a message of healing and the first steps on the path to reconciliation. We are all connected, sometimes in unexpected ways.
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Jessie AnthonyDirectorBrother I Cry, Amplify, Acting Good, Don't Even, Tom Longboat
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Katrinka ScottWriter
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Jessie AntonyWriterBrother I Cry, Amplify, Acting Good, Don't Even, Tom Longboat
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Bracken BurnsProducerFalling, Frankie Drake, peopleWatching, Wasting Love
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Kat McDermottProducer
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Bracken BurnsKey Cast"Jennifer"Falling, Frankie Drake, peopleWatching, Wasting Love
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Project Type:Documentary
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Runtime:60 hours 28 minutes 14 seconds
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Completion Date:May 9, 2025
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Production Budget:805,000 CAD
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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:RED, Alexa
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
Distribution Information
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Cutting Class MediaDistributorCountry: Worldwide
Writer/Director/Producer Jessie Anthony is a proud Haudenosaunee woman from the Onondaga Nation, Beaver clan, born and raised in the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Ontario, Canada. Jessie graduated from the Indigenous Independent Filmmaking Program with a Bachelor of Motion Picture Arts from Capilano University. Jessie is a Telefilm Talent to Watch winner for her first feature film, "Brother, I Cry," which won the 2020 B.C. Emerging Filmmakers Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Audience Choice Award in the 2020 imagineNative Film Festival, Best Screenwriting Award at the 2021 Vancouver International Women's Film Festival and Best Screenwriting and Best Direction in a motion picture at the 2021 Leo Awards. Jessie is also the producer of the Canadian Screen Award-nominated Indigenous Queer series Querencia, which won the imagineNATIVE Pitch Competition, gaining a broadcast deal with APTN/The Bell Fund and Telefilm Talent to Watch. Jessie is in development with a television slate supported by CMF, AMAZON, ISO, CREATIVE BC and BELL MEDIA. Jessie recently wrapped up a writer's room for a brand new Indigenous T.V. comedy series titled "Acting Good." with CTV and a director's mentorship on The Handmaids Tale with Emmy award-winning cinematographer and director Dana Gonzales.
My name is Jessie Anthony, and I am from the Onondaga Nation Beaver Clan. My grandmother and mother were both Residential School Survivors who attended the Mohawk Residential School, and I am a Day School Survivor. When I was first invited to join the team of What We Carry, I had no idea the journey it would take me on, along with Bracken, Kat, Katrinka, and Willow. I was hesitant because there was so much emotional weight tied to the question, "Why do I want to tell this story?" However, as I moved through the experience, immersed in the land and the stories, I came to realize what I was carrying — and that it finally had permission to heal.
I was angry, scared, and I wanted to be seen. Meeting Jennifer Notley and directing that scene brought me to tears. It was as if I was exactly where I was supposed to be, surrounded by my amazing team, capturing a rare moment in history. In Jennifer, I saw my grandmother, and that connection was soothing. It reminded me of the strength of our people and the power of sharing our stories. This moment, like so many others in the making of this documentary, showed me how far I’ve come and how far we have yet to go.
This entire documentary was made to provide a different perspective to non-Indigenous audiences, to challenge Canada and ask, "What is it that you can do?" We hope it will inspire a collective acknowledgment that, in order to continue the healing process, Canada must be accountable and unafraid to learn from its past. Through Bracken’s journey, we watch a woman discover her role and her part in mending the wounds that Canada has created. She embodies the path of healing, both personal and collective, and her story is a testament to the resilience of our people.
Filming on the land, visiting with Elders, and listening to the wisdom they shared were some of the most profound experiences of this project. But most of all, I loved the message that this film carries. It is a message of healing, growth, and the importance of reconciliation. It encourages Canadians and newcomers to Canada to reflect deeply: based on where you live in Canada, which Residential School would you have gone to? What is your connection to the land, and how can you contribute to the healing journey?
This story is for the non-Indigenous community — for all Canadians. Healing requires participation, and it requires the willingness to face difficult truths. We all have a part to play in this process. I encourage you to watch this film, listen to the voices of those who have carried the burden for so long, and ask yourself, “What can I do to help heal the wounds of this land?”
Thank you for watching, and I hope What We Carry resonates with you as deeply as it has with me.
Nyaweńha