the alanis obomsawin collection

270 Years of Resistance

The camera of Alanis Obomsawin does not simply see. It speaks. And it listens. What it hears are North America’s First Peoples — the Aboriginal voices so often cast aside and overlooked in official history.

From an extraordinary artistic journey that took her from the folk clubs of Greenwich Village to the barricades of Mohawk protest, Obomsawin emerges as a cultural leader of singular fearlessness and grace — one of the most important filmmakers of our time.

Her lifelong documentary project finds vibrant expression and focus within this remarkable collection of four films.

The 1990 Oka Crisis re-ignited historic First Nations grievances and galvanized collective resolve like few other events in recent history. With characteristic courage and generosity, Obomsawin was present to record the experience, crafting this compelling four-part tribute to cultural resistance and pride.

Woven around her subjects’ testimony is her own unmistakably elegant narration — measured and impassioned, committed and clear — the voice of a storyteller who’s always listening.

[+] Learn more about Alanis Obomsawin

News

RETROSPECTIVE AT THE MoMA

The Musem of Modern Art (MoMA) celebrates the work of director Alanis Obomsawin with a major retrospective from May 14-26.

[+] Find out all about it here