Written by Isabelle Titcomb
Canadian WMM filmmaker of Abenaki descent Alanis Obomsawin has been awarded the $100,000 Glenn Gould Prize in recognition of Obomsawin’s passionate advocacy for Indigenous people in filmmaking. She has directed more than fifty films about First Nations culture and history for the National Film Board of Canada on a wide array of topics. The Glenn Gould Prize is given to honor “an individual for a unique lifetime contribution that has enriched the human condition through the arts.”
Some of Obomsawin’s work includes GENE BOY CAME HOME (2007); WABAN-AKI: PEOPLE FROM WHERE THE SUN RISES (2006); and WMM release MOTHER OF MANY CHILDREN (1977). Her documentary KANEHSATAKE: 270 YEARS OF RESISTANCE (1993), about the Mohawk Nation protests against a golf course expansion into sacred burial lands, achieved international acclaim. Her films may be characterized by their meticulous research, historical detail, and compassion for their subjects. Alanis Obomsawin is widely recognized as one of Canada’s most distinguished filmmakers for her dignified and authentic portrayals of the lives and stories of First Nations people.
Join us in congratulating Alanis Obomsawin for her well-deserved honor!
