The Klabona Keepers is a fierce account of the Tahltan Nation’s struggle to protect the Klabona Sacred Headwaters, an important natural habitat in northwest British Columbia, from commercial mining. The documentary, which premiered at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival this year, intersperses verité cinematography with intimate interviews. It is an in-depth account of the different methods of resistance used by Indigenous elders, which include blockades and tense stand-offs with police and mining industry workers. Powerful moments of reflection are felt throughout the film as the trauma of residential schools and forced relocations are brought to light.
In an ongoing struggle against colonization, the film is continuing a long tradition of filmmakers who have documented Indigenous land defenders, such as Alanis Obomsawin’s Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance, and Nettie Wild’s Blockade. The project is a collaboration between non-Indigenous filmmakers and Indigenous elders, who were given ownership of the intellectual property, with all proceeds from the film going towards youth programming at the Klabona Sacred Headwaters.
Q&A Oct 3 & Oct 5
Rob Stewart Changemaker Screening, with a $5,000 award presented by
Media Partner
Community Partner
Canada
2022
English
Residential Schools, Drug & Alcohol Abuse
Open to youth!
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
The Richest Woman in the World
Isabelle Huppert plays cosmetics CEO Marianne in this teasingly ambivalent satire inspired by the Bettancourt Affair, when L'Oreal heir Francoise Bettancourt scandalized France by frittering away her fortune on a notorious celebrity photographer.
Departures
Two lads meet at an airport gate and begin monthly trips to Amsterdam together. Their chemistry is off the charts, but it's Jake who's calls the shots while Benji is the one who's emotionally invested. Comparisons to Pillion and Trainspotting are on mark.
The Python Hunt
Strange but true: the Florida Everglades are overrun with unwanted visitors. Not tourists, but invasive Burmese pythons decimating the local critters. The state's solution: an annual contest: $10 000 to whomever bags the most snakes in ten days.
Mistura
This foodie film from Peru tells the story of a newly single socialite reinventing herself — and the local cuisine — after her husband has left her for a younger woman. Along the way, she finds support from unexpected places...
Credits
Producer
Rhoda Quock
Screenwriter
Bertha Louie, Rita Louie, Rhoda Quock, Mary Quock, Tamo Campos, Jasper Snow-Rosen
Cinematography
Tamo Campos, Jasper Snow-Rosen
ANIM
Michael Mann, Huey Carlick, Peter Jakesta, Rhoda Quock
Editor
Tamo Campos, Jasper Snow-Rosen
Directors
Tamo Campos
Tamo Campos is a filmmaker, impact practitioner, community organizer, and extreme sports athlete. His films include The Klabona Keepers (2022), Ru-Tsu (2020), The Radicals (2018), A Last Stand For Lelu (2016), Northern Grease (2013), and over fifty shorts. Campos embeds himself in the community wherever he goes, and is dedicated to combining social impact with his adventures in sport, activism, and filmmaking. His previous projects have had a strong outreach focus that collaborated deeply with participants within his films. His work has focused on Indigenous land defense, Indigenous health models, climate justice, and anti-racism.
Filmography: Northern Grease (2013)
Jasper Snow-Rosen
Jasper Snow Rosen grew up in the southern gulf islands with a family dedicated to youth outdoor education, respecting the land, and being a part of a strong local community. Snow Rosen’s love for the outdoors has had him exploring the coast by kayak, surfing, mountaineering, and facilitating youth programs to give the up-and-coming generation a reason to protect what we have. He has been involved in direct action to advocate for social and environmental justice and helping to lift voices from the front lines through filmmaking.
Filmography: Northern Grease (2013)
Rhoda Quock
Producer
Rhoda Quock is from the Wolf Clan. Her parents are Jenny Quock and Robert Quock. She lives in Iskut, in Tahltan Territory. She was born on April 29, 1971 in Terrace, B.C. and was raised in Iskut. She is the youngest of six siblings. She was taught to go out on the land to camp every summer. Her husband is Peter Jakesta. They have four kids and two grandsons. She is a spokesperson and organizer for the Klabona Keepers. She is also the producer of The Klabona Keepers (2022).