Three Feathers – A VIFF Film

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Join Tasha Simms as she speaks with Carla Ulrich Director and  Co-writer of Three Feathers, one of the great films playing at this years VIFF. The film follows Flinch, Bryce and Rupert, who, after committing a shocking crime that devastates the innocence of their small community, are sent to live on the land for nine months to explore the power of restorative justice.

Three Feathers 44 min,

Canada

English Bush Cree Chipewyan (Dëne Dedliné) South Slavey (Dene Yatıé)

Synopsis

When harm is done, justice must heal. After committing a shocking crime that devastates the innocence of their small community, Flinch, Bryce and Rupert are sent to live on the land for nine months to explore the power of restorative justice. The Elders they live with reconnect them to a life that was taken from them long ago, but it is up to the boys to acquire the humility needed to return home and face their past.

www.threefeathersthemovie.com

www.facebook.com/threefeathersmovie

VIFF Showtimes

Richard Van Camp – Executive Producer Author of Three Feathers; the graphic novel

An internationally renowned storyteller and best-selling author, Richard Van Camp was born in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, and is a member of the Dogrib (Tlicho) Dene Nation. He acted as a cultural consultant for CBC Television’s North of 60. A graduate of the En’owkin School of Writing in Penticton, he completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing at the University of Victoria and completed his Masters of Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. His baby book, Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns, was the official seletion of the Books for BC Babies program and was given to every newborn baby in British Columbia in 2008. Richard has been awarded Storyteller of the Year for both Canada and the US by the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers.

I am so proud of Three Feathers, the film and the graphic novel. I feel that Director Carla Ulrich has taken our graphic novel with Krystal Mateus and Highwater Press and amplified and deepened the beauty of the message that Restorative Justice can work.

I love Craig Kovatch’s work as our Director of Photography. I love the acting I want the whole world to see this movie! I feel like this is a movie we can show anyone anywhere, any time–even if they can’t speak English, Bush Cree, Dene, or South Slavey and they can feel the message.

They can feel the acting, see the beautify of Fort Smith, understand the message and appreciate the work on shooting 9 months on the land. “We have something so precious here With this movie.” The movie was shot over two years at five different times to capture the seasonal changes and it was shot at 46 below Celsius and 23 above.

Our actors had to act in five languages including sign language. I can’t think of any movie that asked for so much from any actor.

I love that everyone in this movie is from my home town. I didn’t realize that “Irene” played by Eileen Beaver used to babysit me when I was 14 months old. I’ve known she and Henry Beaver since forever.

I am forever indebted to the South Slave Divisional Education Council, to Carla Ulrich and our producers Brent Kaulback, Liz Levine and our Associate Producer Ann Lepine.

I’m grateful to our editor Ashley Lynch and to our soundtrack guru Red Heartbreaker.
We have something so precious here with this movie and the three years that it took to create the English, Bush Cree, South Slavey and Dene versions were all worth it.
Mahsi cho!

 

Thank you very much..

Richard Van Camp Executive Producer, Three Feathers

Producers Liz Levine, Brent Kaulback

Associate Producer Ann Lepine

Writers Carla Ulrich, Anna Lumberjack, Jax Smith, Meeshelle Neal

Cast

Henry Beaver // Raymond

Eileen Beaver // Irene

David Burke //Flinch

Joel Evans //Bryce

Dwight Moses // Rupert

Languages

The film was also shot in four languages, including Bush Cree, Chipewyan (Dëne Dedliné), and South Slavey (Dene Yatıé). American Sign Langauge was also used in multiple scenes.

All the actors learned their lines in these other languages and we reshot each scene four times to capture their dialogue in all four languages. We had language coaches work with the actors throughout the film. This is the first time ever in cinematic history that a film has been shot in four languages.

Location

Another noteworthy items is that the film was shot entirely in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, in all four seasons. In one of our shoots we were dealing with outdoor shots in temperatures as low as -42C.

Our cast are all current or former Fort Smith residents and all but two were amateur actors and it was their first time in front of a camera. Our entire cast was Indigenous and 95% of our crew were as well.

 

 

  Carla Ulrich, Richard Van Camp, Three Feathers, VIFF