Bad Influence
Vancouver International Film Festival
No country is perfect. Not even Canada. Recent events have shed light on a truly ugly part of the Canadian past: The Residential School system. Leave it to a compassionate Canadian film producer and the vision of Elevation Pictures to shed light on this troubled discriminatory entrenched system. Relive some troubled times by taking in Indian Horse. Powerful performances and vivid imagery highlight this painful journey. Without doubt the toast of drama at this year’s Vancouver International Film Festival Indian Horse is brilliantly filmed with a take no prisoner’s attitude.
Despite the beauty of rural Ontario one can’t escape the tortured path taken by a young Aboriginal boy. Due to a family tragedy and literal abduction by some Canadian authority Saul is “places” in a residential school run by the church. Along with other children of Indian descent e child has his heritage and dignity stripped away from him. Even one in authority who allegedly cares for the children run up against a regimental system of brute force and Indoctrination designed to wipe out these kid’s self and turn them into puppet of the white man and their religious beliefs. Forget about charity. These kids are victimized and abused. Pure and simple. Sometimes the truth is not a pretty sight.
Against his harsh remote backdrop of living inside a bubble Sol develops a fondness for hockey. Against all odds the boy excels at the sport – so much so that it allows him to break free of his imprisonment – or does it?
Full of unmistakable symbolism and an honest portrayal of discrimination Sol, faces both on and off the ice Indian Horse turns out to be an emotional experience that will likely bring tears to many an eye. This is one bit of Canadian history that must be exposed and Indian Horse does a better visualizing the pain and suffering better than any boring text book could ever achieve.
For more information on the Vancouver International Film Festival go to www.viff.org or call
(604) 683-3456
Showtimes:
Saturday. Sept. 30 6:30 pm. – The Vancouver Playhouse
Monday. Oct. 21 6:30 pm. – The International Village Theatre Auditorium 10
By Alan Samuel