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Second Stories - It Had to Be Done

This short documentary explores the legacy of residential schools through the eyes of two extraordinary women who not only lived it, but who, as adults, made the surprising decision to return to the school that had affected their lives so profoundly. This intimate and moving film affirms their strength and dignity in standing up and making a difference on their own terms. Second Stories follows on the heels of the enormously successful First Stories project, which produced 3 separate collections of short films from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Second Stories builds on that success by continuing the training with 3 …
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This short documentary explores the legacy of residential schools through the eyes of two extraordinary women who not only lived it, but who, as adults, made the surprising decision to return to the school that had affected their lives so profoundly. This intimate and moving film affirms their strength and dignity in standing up and making a difference on their own terms.

Second Stories follows on the heels of the enormously successful First Stories project, which produced 3 separate collections of short films from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Second Stories builds on that success by continuing the training with 3 of the 12 Indigenous filmmakers who delivered such compelling short documentaries. Produced in association with CBC, APTN, SCN, SaskFilm and MANITOBA FILM & SOUND.

Indigenous Peoples in Canada (First Nations and Métis) Education Women Women - Portraits All subjects
Indigenous Cinema
  • director
    Tessa Desnomie
  • producer
    Joe MacDonald
  • executive producer
    Derek Mazur

Education

Ages 16 to 18
Study Guide
Guide 1
School subjects
Indigenous Studies - History/Politics Indigenous Studies - Identity/Society Indigenous Studies - Issues and Contemporary Challenges

Ideal for class discussion, essays, and research on the realities of residential schools and actions that can be taken to make positive change within unjust systems. Discuss how taking action to ignite change for social justice is imperative in the reshaping of Canada’s future, to ensure the harms of the past do not continue. What are the long-term effects of malnutrition and physical and psychological abuse on children? Research nutrition experiments done on students at residential schools and discuss whether this was ethical. If healthy and nurturing supports are not put in place for children who suffer abuse, what are the common long-term social implications? What sort of healing support systems can be put in place to encourage healing for adults who suffered abuse as children? 

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