Where the Spirit Lives


Where the Spirit Lives is a 1989 television film about Aboriginal children in Canada being taken from their tribes to attend residential schools for assimilation into majority culture. Written by Keith Ross Leckie and directed by Bruce Pittman, it aired on CBC Television on October 29, 1989. It was also shown in the United States on PBS on June 6, 1990, as part of the American Playhouse series and was screened at multiple film festivals in Canada and the United States.
The film stars Michelle St. John as Amelia, a young Kainai girl captured and confined to the residential school system of the 1930s. The system was an attempt to have aboriginal youth to assimilate into the majority European-Canadian culture. Amelia resists assimilation and plans her escape. The film's cast includes Ann-Marie MacDonald and David Hemblen as teachers at the school.

Plot

In 1937, a young Kainai girl named Ashtoh-Komi is kidnapped along with several other children from a village as part of a Canadian policy to educate Aboriginal children and assimilate them into Canadian/British society. She is taken to a boarding school, where she is forced to adopt Western, Eurocentric ways and learn English, often under harsh treatment. Combined with the rejection of her peers, Komi attempts to escape one night on foot with her little brother, Pita. However her plan is quickly foiled as the Indian Agent assigned to the school, Taggert, catches up and brings them back to the school, where Komi is subjected to further punishment. Eventually Rachel, Komi's only ally among the students, plead with the teachers to free her by promising to teach Komi to behave.
One teacher, Kathleen Gwillimbury, is portrayed as sympathetic and she becomes repelled by the bigotry of others at the school. She offers Komi help in the form of giving her English lessons which culminate in cultural exchange, where Kathleen learns Kainai words from Komi in exchange for her learning their English counterparts. Now Amelia, Komi improves her English quickly with the kindness and support of her teacher, gradually adjusting to the school environment while retaining her Kainai identity. However, when Amelia learns that the teachers lied to her by telling her her parents had died, she decides to escape again, this time successfully.

Cast

Production

The idea for the film originated when the producers and screenwriter were working on the 13-episode CBC television series Spirit Bay, which focused on native children growing up on a Northern Ontario Indian reserve. They "kept hearing bitter stories about residential schools" and were inspired to tell a story about that system in a film.
Primary financing for the film's $2.6 million budget was provided by Telefilm Canada and the CBC, who secured first rights to the film. Other financing came from the Ontario Film Development Corporation, Mid-Canada TV, and Atlantis Releasing. Canadian film director and producer Norman Jewison "personally contributed $12,500, half the cost of making a theatrical print for film festivals", with the other half supplied by the Ontario Film Development Corp.
The film began shooting on September 26, 1988. Locations included Waterton Lakes National Park in southern Alberta and Toronto.

Screenings

Although created for television, the film was shot in 35 mm and as a result was able to be screened in theaters. It was shown at various film festivals in Canada and the United States from 1989 through 2002. It was also screened at some colleges and universities, as part of college film festivals, classes, or special events related to Indigenous or Native American studies.
DateFestivalLocation
1989 September 9Vancouver International Film FestivalVancouver, BC
1989 September 13Toronto International Film FestivalToronto, ON
1989 September 23Cinéfest Sudbury International Film FestivalSudbury, ON
1989 OctoberChicago International Film FestivalChicago, Illinois
1989 October 22, 26, and 28Greater Fort Lauderdale Film FestivalFort Lauderdale, FL
1989 November 11American Indian Film FestivalSan Francisco, CA
1990 May 13Rivertown International Film FestivalMinneapolis–Saint Paul
1990 July 22Goodwill Film Festival: A Forum of Young CinemaSeattle
1990 November 1Greater Fort Lauderdale Film Festival, "Back By Popular Demand" seriesFort Lauderdale, FL
1990 November 10American Indian Film Festival San Francisco, CA
1992 April 30WorldFest-Houston International Film FestivalHouston, TX
2002 DecemberThe Best of the 27th Annual American Indian Film FestivalRapid City, SD

Awards

The film won nine awards and was nominated for two additional awards.
YearCeremonyCategoryRecipientResult
1989American Indian Film Festival Best DirectorBruce PittmanWon
1989Chicago International Film FestivalTelevision Production – Feature Film Made for TV – Network Special Achievement in Direction Bruce PittmanWon
1989Vancouver International Film FestivalMost Popular Canadian Film Where the Spirit LivesWon
1989Greater Fort Lauderdale Film FestivalSouth Florida Critics Special Jury Prize for DramaWhere the Spirit LivesWon
1990Gemini AwardsBest TV MovieHeather Haldane, Eric Jordan, Mary Young Leckie, and Paul Stephens Won
1990Gemini AwardsBest Performance by a Lead Actress in a Dramatic Program or Mini-SeriesMichelle St. JohnWon
1990Gemini AwardsBest Performance by a Supporting ActressAnn-Marie MacDonaldWon
1990Gemini AwardsBest Picture Editing in a Dramatic Program or SeriesMichael ToddWon
1990Gemini AwardsBest Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-SeriesBruce PittmanNomitated
1990Gemini AwardsBest Writing in a Dramatic Program or Mini-SeriesKeith Ross LeckieNomitated
1990Lucas International Festival of Films for Children and Young PeopleLucas AwardBruce PittmanWon