From the front lines of the fight to preserve BC’s old growth forests, Rematriation is both an urgent wake-up call and an inspiring tribute to land defenders. Aggressive logging destroys more than 10,000 hectares of our province each year. Less than 3% of our virgin forests remains. At Fairy Creek, a coalition of First Nations and environmental activists refuse to stand down. Alex Liotti’s passionate, respectful film gives these protesters a platform and amplifies their call to action.
Jury citation:
The 2023 VIMFF Jury presents the festival’s Best Environmental Film award to Rematriation, a vital documentary feature about Ada’itsx (Fairy Creek) and the ongoing fight to protect old growth forests on southern Vancouver Island. The film’s articulate human subjects make compelling arguments for why these remaining forests are important, and important to preserve; more broadly, they remind us – if anyone needs reminding by this point! – why environmental stewardship is the central issue of our age. A wide range of social, political, cultural, historical, and, crucially, indigenous perspectives inform Rematriation’s frequently stirring 67 minutes. The film’s ravishing images underscore the urgent case being made and capture the awe-inspiring beauty of the natural wonders we are in such danger of squandering.
Jim Sinclair, VIMFF 2023 Jury
Alexi Liotti
Grandma Losah, Elder Bill Jones, Tzeporah Berman, Rainbow Eyes, Kathy Code
Canada
2022
English
Best Environmental Film, Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival
Indigenous & Community Access
Also in This Series
Riceboy Sleeps
Raising her son Dong-hyun (Dohyun Noel Hwang, then Ethan Hwang) in Vancouver’s suburbs, So-young (Choi Seung-yoon), a South Korean immigrant, desperately wants to instill a sense of pride in the boy. Meanwhile, he just wants to fit in.
A Cedar Is Life
The cedar tree has always been central to First Nations cultural practice on the northwest coast. It is, you could say, foundational flora. A Cedar Is Life is an illuminating, passionate film which speaks to a defining aspect of this part of the world.
