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 Stand
This rousing doc explores a 1985 dispute over logging in the Haida Gwaii. Taking us from canny retrospective commentary to the thick of the action, director Chris Auchter employs animation and a wealth of archival footage to riveting effect.
There's Still Tomorrow
A critical and box office sensation in Italy, Paola Cortellesi's triumphant directorial debut is the tale of a Roman housewife in 1946, who stands up against the routine sexist abuse she suffers. Funny, heartbreaking and inspiring.
Housewife of the Year
This gently mind-blowing doc revisits the glory days of the long-running Irish TV show Housewife of the Year, where women proudly showed off their capacity to keep multiple kiddies fed and clothed, usually with minimal help from their hubbies.
The Way, My Way
All manner of pilgrims flock to France and Spain to walk the 800 km Camino de Santiago. One such is Bill, a stroppy sexagenarian Australian filmmaker who's determined to do the Camino with minimal prep, a dickey leg, and no firm idea why.
Sugarcane
"Deeply impactful", Sugarcane is an important contribution to the ongoing process of Truth & Reconciliation in this country, a compassionate, sensitive account of the investigation into residential school abuse at Williams Lake, BC.
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).