Viff ‘08: Canadian Images: Passage
8 October 2008
I have to admit I avoided this film, but I’m so glad to have experienced it. I think I was resistant because I’m so done with history from a colonizer’s point of view, but although this is a white man’s film in many ways, it undermines much of accepted colonial history.
Moreover, this film is interesting in how it is made. It is a documentary, a historical story, and a making of, all rolled together in inventive and dramatic ways.
Essentially, it is about John Rae, born in the Orkney Islands into the upper class, but who chose to not only live in “Canada” before it became a country, but actually respect and learn from the people who have always lived there (here).
The reason why this story is historically important is that the search for a Northwest Passage was one of the most sensationalized stories of the time in the media and the raison de siecle to funnel taxes to rich people both in and outside of the navies (think Iraq and Afghanistan today).
This film searches for the truth regarding a British exploration headed by Franklin: the official story says they got lost and died; John Rae’s story says they descended into madness and cannibalism. Franklin’s widow was hugely influencial and both pushed for some sign of life or death from her husband’s failed expeditation, but also led the cover-up and misinformation campaign once the truth was unearthed.
And surprise, the Inuit took the fall.
The National Film Board has a series of winners in this year’s Fest…this is certainly one of them.
