Yintah

8:15pm SATURDAY 9.14, Strand Theatre

ABOUT

Filmed over more than a decade, YINTAH (meaning “land”) follows the Wet’suwet’en nation’s relentless struggle for sovereignty in the face of a massive pipeline project advanced by fossil fuel corporations, the Canadian government and militarized police. Wet’suwet’en leaders Howilhkat Freda Huson and Sleydo’ Molly Wickham demonstrate the power of grassroots organizing rooted deeply in relationships to land and people. In their frontline battles unfold, the film reveals how each of our lives is part of a history of colonization still unfolding on this continent. Co-presented with the Sierra Club, Maine Chapter.

Program Feature
Section Best of Fest
Runtime 2:05
Country Canada
Language English, Witsuwit’en

Jennifer Wickham, Co-Director & Producer Jen is Cas Yikh (Grizzly House) from the Gidimt’en (bear/wolf) clan of the Wet’suwet’en people. Jennifer grew up in and around Wet’suwet’en territory, and has actively participated in her nation’s governance system since 2008. Jen's background is in writing and Indigenous resurgence, with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Victoria and an Education degree from the University of Northern British Columbia. She has worked as an educator, a mental health advocate, and community support worker. She is a founding member of the Indigenous Life School on Wet’suwet’en territory. From 2018 to 2020, Jen worked as the Executive Director of the Witsuwit’en Language and Culture Society. Since 2018, and currently, Jen has been the Media Coordinator for the Gidimt’en Checkpoint.

Brenda Mitchell is Tsakë ze’ K-eltiy of the Unist'ot'en people of the Wet'suwet'en Nation. She has lived in the Wet'suwet'en communities of Witset and Burns Lake all her life, and was groomed to participate in Wet'suwet'en governance from a young age. Brenda is trained as a Wet'suwet'en language instructor and has worked as a post-secondary education coordinator for the Lake Babine Nation Band for decades, and is currently the resident Elder, language teacher, and addictions counselor at the Unist’ot’en Healing Centre. Brenda is a grandmother of ten and this fight is about protecting the Yintah for her grandchildren. She believes that this film is an important way to tell her people’s story and listen to the words of her Grandmother Knedebeas who always told her children, “Don’t let no white man take my yintah.”

Michael Toledano, Co-Director & Producer & Director of Photography Michael Toledano is an award winning filmmaker and photojournalist based in British Columbia Canada. Michael’s work has been published by outlets including VICE, Al Jazeera America, and Democracy Now!, and has been shown across every major Canadian television news network. They are known for vibrant, ground-level documentation of social movements ranging from Black Lives Matter to the Wet’suwet’en resistance to pipelines.

Theatre Screening
Closed Captioning available upon request prior to and at screenings

CREDITS

Director
Jennifer Wickham
Brenda Michell
Michael Toledano
Producer
Jennifer Wickham
Brenda Michell
Michael Toledano
Bob Moore
Editor
Ryan Mullins
Cinematographer
Michael Toledano
Additional Personnel
FEATURING Tsakë ze’ Howilhkat Freda Huson, Tsakë ze’ Sleydo’ Molly Wickham
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Sam Vinal, Doris Rosso, Daniel Cross, Mila Aung-Thwin
CO-PRODUCERS Katie McKay, Valerie Shamash, Franklin López
CAMERA Melissa Cox, Dan Loan, Jesse Freeston, Sam Vinal, Keir Knight, Grace Burke, Alexandra Kotcheff
MUSIC Olivier Alary
ADDITIONAL MUSIC Johannes Malfatti
SOUND DESIGN Benoît Dame, Catherine Van Der Donckt






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