Film Library

Daughters of the Country. (four-part series.)

•  Ikwe . N. Bailey. 1986. Drama. VHS. 58 minutes.

A young Ojibwa girl of 1770, Ikwe awakens one night from a disturbing dream about a strange man. The arrival of a young Scottish fur trader transforms her dream into reality. Marrying him, Ikwe leaves her village on the shores of Georgian Bay . Although the union promises prosperity for her tribe, it means hardship and isolation for Ikwe. Values and customs clash until, finally, the events of Ikwe's dream unfold with tragic clarity. Part one of the series Daughters of the Country . Award winner. (source: tape case copy)

•  Mistress Madeleine . A. K. Johnston. 1986. VHS. 57 minutes.

Set in the 1850s, "Mistress Madeleine" unfolds against the backdrop of the Hudson 's Bay Company's monopoly of the fur trade. In protest, some Metis are trading with the Americans. Madeleine, the Metis common-law wife of a Hudson 's Bay Company clerk, is torn between loyalty to her husband and loyalty to her brother, a freetrader. Even more shattering, a change in company policy destroys Madeleine's happy and secure life, forcing her to re-evaluate her identity. Award: Toronto . (source: tape case copy)

•  Places Not Our Own . D. Mazur. 1986. Drama. VHS. 57 minutes. (William Ballantyne, Kate Berry.)

By 1929, Canada 's west was largely tamed. The land that had been home to generations of Metis was taken over by the railroads and new settlers. The Metis became a forgotten people, relegated to eking out a living as best they could. Rose l'Esperance, a Metis, is determined that her children will have a normal life and an education. Her hopes reside in her daughter, Flora, but the harshness of their situation culminates in a devastating and dramatic event. Award winner. (source: www.imdb.com)

•  The Wake . Norma Bailey. 1986. Drama. VHS. 58 minutes. (Frank Adamson, Bill Alcorn.)

Set in contemporary Alberta , "The Wake" is the story of the love affair that blossoms between a well-meaning Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer and a young Metis woman. The Metis have a strong sense of community but there is also a feeling of separateness defined by racial origins and economics. In this atmosphere, the romance offers a new sense of hope. Then, during a dark winter's night on a frozen lake, something happens to change the lovers' lives forever. Awards: Montreal , Toronto , Yorkton . (source: Tape Case Copy)