“SPIRIT TO SOAR” – COMPELLING DOCUMENTARY ON ANTI-INDIGENOUS RACISM DEBUTS AT HOT DOCS

Toronto, ON –
The Hot Docs festival recently featured the debut of the documentary Spirit to Soar. Co-directed by Tanya Talaga and Michelle Derosier, the film tells the vital, difficult story of anti-Indigenous racism in Thunder Bay. The film is a passion project for the co-directors. Derosier is a filmmaker whose work, exploring the themes of healing and empowerment, has won multiple awards. Talaga is an award-winning journalist who has long covered these issues, including in her critically acclaimed book Seven Fallen Feathers.

Like Seven Fallen Feathers, the documentary Spirit to Soar centers on the deaths of seven Indigenous youth – Jethro Anderson, Reggie Bushie, Robyn Harper, Kyle Morrisseau, Paul Panacheese, Curran Strang, and Jordan Wabasse. While the film focuses on racism that is continually experienced by Indigenous people and how that permeates their every day interactions, it is also intended to celebrate the strength and bravery of Indigenous youth in Thunder Bay and surrounding communities.

Falconers LLP is honoured to have worked with many of the families and communities who appear in the film, including representing families at the Seven Youth Inquest. Founding partner Julian Falconer himself appears on-screen in the documentary, speaking movingly about his experiences representing Indigenous communities harmed by the systemic racism that permeates Canadian institutions and society.

For more on Spirit to Soar, see here:
https://boxoffice.hotdocs.ca/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=141755~367cbc04-eb03-453a-90f8-88ca48c4cf79&epguid=da382742-ea7c-44b6-ab36-80af94cedc7f&

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-edition-1.6011957/tanya-talaga-explores-racism-in-thunder-bay-and-her-own-indigenous-roots-in-spirit-to-soar-1.6011988

Publisher’s website for Seven Fallen Feathers.

 

For more on Falconers LLP’s work representing First Nations communities, including our work on the “Seven Youth Inquest”, see here:
“Inquest into the Death of Seven First Nations Youth”, https://falconers.ca/casestudy/inquest-into-the-death-of-seven-first-nations-youth/ February 17, 2016

“Mamakwa-McKay Inquest to Consider Video Depicting Acts Proving Systemic Racism in Thunder Bay Police Service”, https://falconers.ca/mamakwa-mckay-inquest-to-consider-video-depicting-acts-proving-systemic-racism/ January 14, 2021

“Stacy Debungee Death Investigation Disciplinary Proceedings Commence Against Thunder Bay Police”, https://falconers.ca/stacy-debungee-death-investigation-disciplinary-proceedings-commence-against-thunder-bay-officers/ April 13, 2021

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