TORONTO -
A new documentary called the 鈥楽cattering of Man鈥 details the horrors experienced by the Tsay Keh Dene Nation before and after a flood caused by the W.A.C. Bennett Dam in B.C. in the 1960s.
鈥淔or years and years it was a hidden story, and there鈥檚 a lot of hidden history in this country,鈥 filmmaker Luke Gleeson said on 愛污传媒 Channel Saturday. 鈥淲e had seen the history of this [story] told through [B.C.] Hydro and other people, but it鈥檚 really an unknown history and our people were finally ready to tell our story.鈥
Gleeson said he brought the idea of the documentary to Tsay Keh Dene Nation and wanted to move the film ahead as there had been attempts from people in the past to make short films on the subject - but now 鈥減eople were really ready to tell our story.鈥
Leadership approved the film and the documentary is fully funded by the Nation, Gleeson said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a completely independent First Nation film,鈥 he continued. 鈥淚t took us a number of years, but we got there.鈥
The Tsay Keh Dene and Kwadacha First Nations of B.C. in 1999 and 2001 respectively, claiming damages from the impact of the construction and operation of the Bennet Dam and the Williston Resevoir.
Gleeson said the dam and the flood are still impacting the Tsay Keh Dene Nation to this day.
鈥淔rom the flood there, our people were forcibly relocated outside of the Nation,鈥 he said, adding that members of the Nation eventually moved back to parts of the territory. 鈥淎nd then the government called us squatters for 20 years.鈥
鈥淥ur people lived very much hidden from the real history, so we made a deal with the government to build a modern community and have reserves reallocated to us鈥t wasn鈥檛 until the '90s we got the modern community, but it wasn鈥檛 until 30 years later they actually went into action and reallocated that land,鈥 Gleeson said.
The Tsay Keh Dene Nation live with 鈥渙ngoing major impacts鈥 from the ordeal, Gleeson said, citing the water reservoir, dust storms and debris from the dam and the flood. In the lawsuits filed, the First Nations listed impacts including dislocation of community member, lost hunting, trapping and fishing areas, as well as traditional gathering sites and burial grounds.
Gleeson said he wants viewers to take away what they will from it, but especially the 鈥渟trength and dignity of the Tsay Keh Dene people, and the spirit to persevere,鈥 he said. 鈥淭o me, I really want people to see the beauty of our country and the spirit of our people.鈥
The film will have its first in-person screening on Oct. 25 at the Paradise Theatre in Toronto, Ont.