Having studied both theatre and film studies at Concordia University, Michelle Latimer distinguished herself as a director, actor and producer. Her many film credits include Rise, a documentary series on contemporary Indigenous activism, Nimmikaage (She Dances for People), a beautifully crafted archive-based short made for the NFB’s Souvenir series, and the feature-length documentary Inconvenient Indian. She produces work through her own company, Streel Films, and has programmed for Hot Docs, imagineNATIVE and other festivals.
In this time of radical change and essential re-examination, Inconvenient Indian brings to life Thomas King’s brilliant dismantling of North America’s colonial narrative, reframing this history with the powerful voices of those continuing the tradition of Indigenous resistance. Please note: This film was temporarily withdrawn from active distribution after the director’s Indigenous identity was called into question in late 2020, when the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, an Algonquin First Nation, denied any connection to her during a CBC investigation. After 2022 series of meaningful consultations involving all the Indigenous participants whose stories the film presents, as well as the NFB’s Indigenous Advisory Committee, the NFB, 90th Parallel Productions and producer Jesse Wente arrived at an accountable path forward for the film, one that acknowledges the collective contribution of the on-screen Indigenous participants. Inconvenient Indian premiered on APTN on April 8, 2022, and it has been made available on APTN’s online viewing platform. Inconvenient Indian is available for educational distribution and community screenings, along with supplementary resource material that has been created to encourage reflection and discussion. Please contact the NFB Client Relations and Support team to find out how to obtain the film as an educational resource (classroom use) and for community screenings.