Making the world's first Haida-language feature film | CBC Short Docs

In 2017, two filmmakers set out to make "Edge of the Knife," the first-ever feature film told entirely in Haida. The Haida language is critically endangered - many actors had to learn the language to learn their lines. #CBCShortDocs
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Retake follows the journey of co-directors Gwaai Edenshaw (Haida) and Helen Haig-Brown (Tsilhqot'in) as they work to produce Edge of the Knife, a feature-length film told entirely in the critically-endangered Haida language. The film tells the story of a traditional Haida legend, showcasing the Haida culture in many ways that have never been seen by a broad audience.
In this short documentary, you’ll meet the cast and crew of the film as they live, work and learn alongside Haida elders and speakers. Today, there are only 24 fluent Haida speakers left; many of the actors had to learn the language to learn their lines.
See the celebration - and the struggle - as Gwaai, Helen and a 56-person cast and crew seek to make a movie in the historic Haida village site of Yan.
The islands of Haida Gwaii, off British Columbia’s west coast, have been home to the Haida people for thousands of years - the land, sea and forest sustain them. In 1862, a smallpox epidemic in BC devastated many communities and the effects of the illness still echo today. Yan itself suffered a 90 percent loss of its population. Survivors resettled in the nearby community of Masset where they were met with racist and genocidal government policies, seeking to assimilate the Haida people and erase their culture and language. The Haida people resisted; holding on to their way of life in secret, speaking their language quietly and behind closed doors.
In 2017, over 150 years later, Gwaai and Helen chose Yan for this ambitious film project; one that would help preserve and revitalize the Haida language. Retake offers an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the filming of The Edge of the Knife, including the challenges of working in a remote, formidable location and in a critically-endangered Indigenous language.
For the cast and crew, the project was an opportunity to learn or reconnect with the language that lives deep within themselves and Haida Gwaii.
Directed by Kristi Lane Sinclair (Haida/Cree), this stunning film captures the difficulties and the joys of filmmaking and ultimately, the land and the language that make the Haida people who they are.
More Shows:
bit.ly/CBCDocs-WatchMore
Stay Connected:
Twitter: bit.ly/CBCDocs-Twitter
Facebook: bit.ly/CBCDocs-Facebook
Instagram: bit.ly/CBCDocs-Instagram

Пікірлер: 27

  • @WDDudeofallDudes
    @WDDudeofallDudes4 жыл бұрын

    Just bought it and watched it with my gf, I got it on AppleTV if anyone’s wondering. We enjoyed it a lot and I feel very fortunate and privileged to watch such a film! Thank you for all who helped make it!!! Also major props to Tyler York for his performance!

  • @danachos
    @danachos4 жыл бұрын

    This is awesome, but please, CBC, accessibility is /not/: "(speaking in a foreign language)" 1- These are not foreign languages 2- Accessibility means ensuring people have access to the information. If someone reading the subtitles speaks Haida Kíl, Lingít or any other language, then they are systematically excluded from accessing that content, and that is not okay. Please fix this ASAP!

  • @AnotherWittyUsername.
    @AnotherWittyUsername.5 жыл бұрын

    Howa'a for this amazing doc. It was the best 25 minutes of my very long and busy day. I used to live there and it was nice to see a couple familiar faces. On a side note, My son attended the Sk'aadgaa Naay Elementary school in Skidegate and Haida was taught to all kids, regardless of race, starting in Kindergarten. That was 15 years ago though and their language policy may have changed to include French as a second language like other schools.

  • @CBCdocs

    @CBCdocs

    5 жыл бұрын

    So glad you enjoyed it!

  • @DirtyDickson82
    @DirtyDickson82 Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely perfect! Thank you so much for sharing this.

  • @KetaVancouver
    @KetaVancouver5 жыл бұрын

    So beautiful ... have been to Haida Gwaii twice (even randomly met some of the people involved in the film!) Will be returning to this amazing place.

  • @georgeelgreco450
    @georgeelgreco4504 жыл бұрын

    I'm drawn to this place to visit in my life time.. Beautiful Place and People

  • @ahousat
    @ahousat5 жыл бұрын

    Our living languages. Would love to see this, so inspiring!!

  • @mikebasil4832

    @mikebasil4832

    2 жыл бұрын

    I finally saw Edge Of The Knife this year on the movie channels. It’s quite extraordinary indeed.

  • @kristallonee1590
    @kristallonee15905 жыл бұрын

    WOW! so excited for this!! well done team!!

  • @SophiePassmore
    @SophiePassmore5 жыл бұрын

    Awesome! Can't wait.

  • @ShanonSinn
    @ShanonSinn5 жыл бұрын

    beautiful... really looking forward to seeing this movie

  • @808wtf808
    @808wtf8083 жыл бұрын

    This video hits home. Hawaii faces similar struggles as you. Recently I heard of Hawaiians who lived on some islands in British Columbia. That history is resurfacing. A lot of them married Indigenous individuals. Very interesting. Keep pushing forward!

  • @buriedjam
    @buriedjam5 жыл бұрын

    massive respect

  • @danbushman7509
    @danbushman75095 жыл бұрын

    Glad I watched this. That country is magic.

  • @kathryndiminico1213
    @kathryndiminico12134 жыл бұрын

    This looks fascinating.

  • @johnscanlon3362
    @johnscanlon33625 жыл бұрын

    Great Doc

  • @BC-tm7ks
    @BC-tm7ks5 жыл бұрын

    Beautiful I really want to watch it ❤️

  • @bobgillis1137
    @bobgillis11375 жыл бұрын

    I was lucky enough to visit Masset once. Went crabbing on the beach there once during the mating period. Queen Charlottes/ Haida Gwai (spell) is very relaxing.

  • @africaRBG
    @africaRBG3 жыл бұрын

    Haida sounds so southern African. There is definitely a connection

  • @xhalidaseptember
    @xhalidaseptember4 жыл бұрын

    What is the opening song ?!? ❤️

  • @ali-gailreskablazic5513
    @ali-gailreskablazic55134 жыл бұрын

    I’m part of the Eagle clan as well so is my mother and so was my Nani

  • @bobgillis1137
    @bobgillis11375 жыл бұрын

    Well done. You may take inspiration from the open support the New Zealand community has had for the idigenous of that land.

  • @hehunches
    @hehunches3 жыл бұрын

    everyone give everyone else a ribbon for participation and say good job!

  • @heatherswanson1664
    @heatherswanson16644 жыл бұрын

    Nice idea but I think the execution is weak. Why not get the 24 fluent speakers in the movie? Hearing the unusual sounds of it and knowing that the actors only spent 2 weeks learning the language, I feel like this is an extremely limited sense of understanding the language. Even the intonantion and the way the actors deliver the lines it's clear they speak as if they are speaking English in thr intonation. Can you imagine if Hollywood actors spent 2 weeks learning Chinese to make a movie entirely in Chinese? I know there is probably budgetary constraints but it would be much more valuable to document the stories told by the fluent Haida speakers.

  • @friskasu

    @friskasu

    2 жыл бұрын

    Because there is about 30 fluent speakers in the whole world. And most of them are elders

  • @longjiang2005
    @longjiang20054 жыл бұрын

    It’s a lost cause.