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Customs Duties (2)
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PigbirdRichard Condie 1981 3 minThis Richard Condie animated short tells the zany story of a cagey citizen's success at getting a forbidden “animal” through customs and the disastrous results that follow. A humorous reminder that health and safety rules are made for a reason and broken at everyone's peril, this film was produced for Customs and Excise Canada. -
You Are on Indian LandMichael Kanentakeron Mitchell 1969 36 minReleased in 1969, this short documentary was one of the most influential and widely distributed productions made by the Indian Film Crew (IFC), the first all-Indigenous unit at the NFB. It documents a 1969 protest by the Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) of Akwesasne, a territory that straddles the Canada–U.S. border. When Canadian authorities prohibited the duty-free cross-border passage of personal purchases—a right established by the Jay Treaty of 1794—Kanien’kéhaka protesters blocked the international bridge between Ontario and New York State. Director Michael Kanentakeron Mitchell later became Grand Chief of Akwesasne. The film was formally credited to him in 2017. You Are on Indian Land screened extensively across the continent, helping to mobilize a new wave of Indigenous activism. It notably was shown at the 1970 occupation of Alcatraz.
