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We Were Children

2012 1 h 22 min
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In this feature film, the profound impact of the Canadian government’s residential school system is conveyed through the eyes of two children who were forced to face hardships beyond their years. As young children, Lyna and Glen were taken from their homes and placed in church-run boarding schools, where they suffered years of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, the effects of which persist in their adult lives. We Were Children gives voice to a national tragedy and demonstrates the incredible resilience of the human spirit. Warning: this film contains disturbing content and is recommended for audiences 16 years of age …

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This work deals with mature subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised.
We Were Children

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In this feature film, the profound impact of the Canadian government’s residential school system is conveyed through the eyes of two children who were forced to face hardships beyond their years. As young children, Lyna and Glen were taken from their homes and placed in church-run boarding schools, where they suffered years of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, the effects of which persist in their adult lives. We Were Children gives voice to a national tragedy and demonstrates the incredible resilience of the human spirit.

Warning: this film contains disturbing content and is recommended for audiences 16 years of age and older. Parental discretion, and/or watching this film within a group setting, is strongly advised. If you need counselling support, please contact Health Canada.
This work deals with mature subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised.
  • director
    Tim Wolochatiuk
  • writer
    Jason Sherman
  • producer
    Kyle Irving
    David Christensen
  • executive producer
    Lisa Meeches
    Laszlo Barna
    David Christensen
    Kyle Irving
    Loren Mawhinney
  • associate producer
    Jessica Lo
  • director of photography
    Jeremy Benning
    Kim Bell
  • production designer
    Gordon Wilding
  • first assistant director trainee
    Richard Duffy
  • editor
    John Whitcher
  • music composer
    Shawn Pierce
  • sound designer
    Daniel Pellerin
  • cast
    Lyna Hart
    Glen Anaquod
    Alicia Hamelin
    Jade Hamelin
    Jennie Morin
    Rebecca Gibson
    Ross McMillan
    René Batson
    Bruin Montour
    Justin Ducharme
    Dustin Courchene
    Tyrone Brooks
    Rachel Seenie
    Glenn Cochrane
    Fawnda Neckoway
    Maggie Nagle
    Shawney Moar
    Kohl Bohemier
    Tasha Weight
    Robert Kostyra
    John B. Lowe
    Curtis Moore
    Jon Ted Wynne
    Kayla Contois-Moar
    Kristen Harris
    Carlos Swampy
    Daina Leitold
    Jeff Skinner
    Jenelle McPherson
    Rivers Thomas
    Darcy Fehr
    Lois H. Brothers
    Ashley Hirt
    Darren M. Felbel
    Ramsey Bruce
    Alice Dano
  • spiritual advisor
    Colin Mousseau
  • production manager
    Danielle Dumesnil
  • director observer
    Riel Munro
  • researcher
    Vanessa Hill
    Sam Vint
    Tobias Duggan
  • production co-ordinator
    Ashley Hirt
    Khali Weanus
    Faye Yoneda
    Ginette D'Silva
    Monique Perron
  • assistant production coordinator
    Reed Makayev
    Karen Stermscheg
    Caitlin Brown
  • second assistant director trainee
    Megan Basaraba
    Megan Heke
  • third assistant director
    Kate Godley
  • set production assistant
    Bryan R. Burns
    Dustin Courchene
  • production accountant
    Paul Zonneveld
  • legal counsel
    Paul Popeski
    John Robinson
  • A camera operator
    Kim Bell
    Jeremy Benning
    Paul Suderman
  • A camera 1st assistant
    Casey Harrison
    Marcus James
  • A camera 2nd assistant
    Aaron Mallin
    Caley Gibson
  • B camera operator
    Marcus James
    Jason Vieira
    Paul Suderman
  • B camera 1st assistant
    Caley Gibson
    Casey Harrison
  • camera trainee
    Michael Cabral
    Devon Unrau
  • steadicam operator
    Jason Vieira
  • digital imaging technician
    Ryan McGregor
  • stills photographer
    Rebecca Sandulak
  • set decorator
    Scott Rossell
  • set dresser
    Grant MacDonald
    Laura Souter
    Lindsey Bart
    Matthew Holm
    Scott Hopper
    Ryan Sandford
  • property master
    Allan McGowan
    Crystal Biloski
  • assistant property master
    Sloane Brook
  • key makeup
    Alisha Talbot
    Brenda Magalas
  • special effects makeup
    Alisha Talbot
    Brenda Magalas
  • 1st makeup assistant
    Nina Kvaternik
  • key hair stylist
    Pina Robinson
  • hairstylist assistant
    Ashley Burdett
    Brenda Rocchio
    Catharina Saites
  • costume designer
    Jody Chalmers
    Katelynd Johnston
    Patti Henderson
  • assistant costume designer
    Brenlee Coates
    Wanda Farian
  • location manager
    Neal Baksh
    G. Thom Arnold
    Carmen Lethbridge
  • key locations production assistant
    Tim Morgan
  • locations production assistant
    Andrew Harrison
    Ian MacPherson
  • location production assistant
    Kyle Phillip Kok Sching Wong
  • construction co-ordinator
    Edward Preston
  • carpenter
    Brent Letain
    Michael Madill
    Ted Hnatishin
  • construction greens assistant
    Zeke Preston
  • scenic painter
    Paul Zacharias
    Richard Duncan Lenna
  • key sound
    Stan Mak
    Dino Schiavone
  • boom operator
    Dallas Pomedli
  • key grip
    Bill Mills
    Rob Thomson
  • best boy grip
    Christophe Nachtigall
  • dolly grip
    Roger Wiebe
    Terence Fuller
    Rob Thomson
  • grip
    Conroy Finnigan
    Wes Grycki
  • grip driver
    Jonathan Kennedy
  • gaffer
    John Clarke
  • best boy lighting technician
    Jeremy Milmine
  • lead lamp operator
    Nicholas Phillips
  • generator operator
    Lorne Bailey
    Mark Motoch
  • lamp operator driver
    Marvin Klein
  • script supervisor
    Connie Wachsmann
  • script co-ordinator
    Colleen Wowchuk
  • casting director
    Shelly Anthis
  • stunt coordinator
    Rick Skene
  • stunt double
    Daniel Skene
  • chef
    Corby Pearce
  • sous chef
    Chris Deckko
  • key craft service
    Cindy Harrison
  • first aid
    Cindy Harrison
  • picture vehicle coordinator
    James Alexander
  • transport coordinator
    James Alexander
    Jean-Marc Prairie
  • driver
    Greg Marlow
    Dale Bracken
    Jean-Marc Prairie
    Marty Churko
    Doug Arsenault
  • unit move driver
    Calvin Pochinko
    Dale Bracken
    Pat Martin
  • acting coach
    Rebecca Gibson
  • child co-ordinator
    Lois H. Brothers
  • French language coach
    Léo Dufault
  • Cree language coach
    Sheila North-Wilson
    Virginia Thomas
  • on set health support
    Louis Young
  • security coordinator
    Timothy D. Vincent
  • watchperson
    Curtis Riddell
  • post-production supervisor
    Julie Arnal
    Jessica Lo
  • colourist
    Tony Wytinck
  • online editor
    Andrew Shire
  • assistant editor
    Javier Sinisterra
  • visual effects
    Brad Hoplock
  • edit supervisor
    Daniel Pellerin
  • ADR recording
    Ben Wytinck
    Dan Cherkas
  • dialogue editing
    Rob Hutchins
  • ADR editing
    Rob Hutchins
  • sound effects editing
    Jeremy MacLaverty
  • foley artist
    John Sievert
  • foley recordist
    Randy Wilson
  • re-recording mixer
    Howard Rissin
  • closed captioning
    Patricia Garry
  • French translation
    Carole Freynet-Gagné
  • Cree versioning
    Sheila North-Wilson
    Audrey North
    Gilbert North
    Sadie North
    John Schritt
  • legal services
    Diana Cafazzo
  • equipment rental
    William F. White
  • survivor
    Agatha Komakisatiksak
    Jimmy Hunter
    Percy Ballantyne
    Tobasonakwut Kinew
    Jacquie Fletcher
    Martin Tylee
    Sam Copenace
    Virginia George
  • camera assistant
    Matt Schween
  • best boy electric
    Ryan Beresford
  • hair
    Angie Lindsay
  • makeup
    Angie Lindsay
  • sound recordist
    Anita Lubosh
  • director general
    Cindy Witten
  • marketing manager
    Leslie Stafford
  • production supervisor
    Mark Power
  • centre administrator
    Darin Clausen
    Cyndi Forcand

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Education

Ages 16 to 18
Study Guides
School subjects
We Were Children is a difficult film, asking important questions about who bears responsibility for the legacy of Canada’s residential schools as well as considering how the schools affected their students. Discuss the most evident effects of the experience on individuals who went through the system. Are financial reparations an appropriate response? What other supports are necessary to give former residential school students an opportunity to overcome their experience?
We Were Children
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