♪ [bold drums] ♪ ♪ [traditional vocalizing] ♪ ♪ ♪ Ariel: Hello, and welcome to Native Shorts, presented by Sundance Institute's Indigenous Program.

I'm Ariel Tweto!

Bird: And, I'm Bird Runningwater.

Ariel: And, you guys are in for a treat today!

Animation!

Bird: Yes, more animation.

Ariel: I love animation.

It's so fun because the world is your oyster.

You could be a bear, could be a cloud.

Bird: Be a horse.

Ariel: Could be a horse.

Bird: Could be a drum.

Ariel: You could be music.

You could be a drum, like today's (he laughs) film.

Good segue!

Bird: I know.

Right?

Yes!

So, this film is called "Grandfather Drum", and it's coming to us from Canada.

This film took 4 years to make.

Ariel: That's crazy!

Bird: That's like some great dedication.

But, this story I think is particularly special to the director.

I don't want to give too much away but I'll tell a little bit more about her process at the end.

Ariel: Okay.

Bird: But, I think to get funding for 4 years to work on an animated short film?

Something like that can probably only happen in Canada.

Ariel: 'Cause everyone's so nice!

Bird: Yeah.

Ariel: Is that why?

That's what I was gonna ask.

Why?

Is it the funding that made it take so long?

4 years?

Bird: No, no.

I think it's just the creative process because it's animation.

Ariel: OK. Bird: You know?

Frame-by-frame, image-by-image.

It has to be constructed, drawn, animated, created.

Ariel: Yeah.

Like we talked about in a previous episode, every second, every frame, has to mean something.

Bird: Yeah.

Ariel: And so, man!

I don't think I could work on a project 4 years!

Bird: I know.

Ariel: We work on this for like 5 days, and I'm like "I'm out!"

(laughter) On to the next project!

But, yeah.

It's- what was the director's name?

Bird: Michelle Derosier.

Ariel: OK. Bird: And, she's from the Eagle Lake First Nation in northern Ontario.

Ariel: OK. Bird: But, the story that she's telling here is kind of connected to- she's Anishinaabe, but it's also an Anishinaabe story from the people in the upper Berens River.

Kind of like northern Manitoba, northern Ontario.

That region.

Ariel: Do you think it's pretty wide-known?

That story in Canada?

Or, is it pretty specific?

Bird: Yeah.

It seemed very regionally specific.

Ariel: OK. Bird: But, let's watch it and see what we think!

Ariel: OK.

Perfect!

Bird: OK.

Here we are.

"Grandfather Drum" by Michelle Derosier.

♪ [VO vocalizing] VO: Deep in the boreal forest along the upper Berens River live the forest people who call themselves the Anishinabek.

[breezy wind blows] VO: The Anishinabek who have inhabited this land for thousands of years are deeply connected to this place.

The connection goes far beyond the physical world and transcends into the sky world, and the underworld where powerful and mystical beings have always lived.

Connection, balance, and respect between all worlds was necessary for it was this very balance that maintained life.

♪ (men speaking Anishinaabe language) (women speaking Anishinaabe language) (children laughing) (speaking Anishinaabe language) ♪ [drums/guitar] ♪ [insects buzzing/ water splashing] (speaking Anishinaabe language) [water splashing] [birds chirping] (speaking Anishinaabe language) (flick-flick-flick)!

[crickets chirping] (water splashing) (ominous hissing) [water splashing] (speaking Anishinaabe language) (spirit rises like steam) (high-pitched/ shrill bird call) (spirit rises like steam) (high-pitched/ shrill bird call) [moaning voice] (flick-flick)!

[birds calling/singing] [footsteps crunching grass] [birds singing] (flick)!

♪ [distant thunder rolling] [birds singing] [breezy wind blowing] (shrieking) (thwack)!

(crack)!

(drum thuds) [whispers in Anishinaabe language] [bird cawing/calling] (thwack)!

♪ (flick-flick-flick)!

(scrape, scrape) [crickets chirping] (tapping drum lightly) (flick-flick)!

(flick)!

(flick)!

[whispering in Anishinaabe language] (ominous hissing) (drum taps/vibrates) (thunder crash) [bird shrieking] (water splashing) (spirit descends) (gasps) [crickets chirping] (speaking Anishinaabe language) (rhythmic pounding of drum) (singer sings in Anishinaabe language) (group singing in Anishinaabe) [Naamiwin speaks in Anishinaabe] [group singing in Anishinaabe] (church bell tolling) [VO whispers in Anishinaabe] (groaning) (spirit rises like steam) (engine puttering) Preacher: Truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never- [Naamiwin speaks in Anishinaabe] ♪ Preacher: Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is heaven.

[uplifting vocals] Preacher: Give us this day our daily bread [vocalizing] and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us.

And, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, [vocalizing] for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever.

[uplifting vocals] Agent: Agents in the west should in every way possible discourage gatherings which tend to destroy the civilizing influence of the education imparted to Indian children at the schools, and its work against the proper influence of agents- [uplifting vocals] Agent: Dances involving the giving away features and the wounding or mutilation of bodies are forbidden by law.

See Section 140 of the Indian Act.

(heavy sigh) (crying children) [mournful vocals] (sobbing) (engine whirring) [mournful vocals] [VO whispering in Anishinaabe] [Naamiwin speaks in Anishinaabe] [crickets chirping] [dogs barking] (dogs growling) [crickets chirping] [dog barking] [crickets chirping] (inhales) (coughs) [crickets chirping] Boy: Hey!

You wanna get high?

Boy 2: Naw, that's okay.

Boy 3: What's the matter?

You think you're too good for us?

[woman wailing] [woman wailing] (TV voices chattering) [TV voices chattering] [thunder crashing] [breezy wind blowing] [thunder rolling] (eagle shrieking) (drum vibrates/ shakers shaking) [eagle shrieks] [spirit of drum speaking Anishinaabe] (gasps) ♪ ♪ [gentle guitar picking] ♪ ♪ VO: I am just a simple drum.

♪ ♪ I carry out a simple song ♪ ♪ and breathe the heartbeat ♪ ♪ of the Mother Earth.

♪ ♪ ♪ VO: Every song is my voice.

♪ ♪ Every heartbeat is a choice ♪ ♪ to live, to die, ♪ ♪ to dream and to belong.

♪ ♪ (music fades) Ariel: That was pretty heavy, but necessary.

Bird: A lot of history, right?

Ariel: Yeah!

Bird: Back to the creation of time, and living on the back of a turtle.

You know, these pristine- I'm kind of like, history is not always pristine with the Anishinaabe people.

Like, there was sickness that came and then this drum came, and had healing properties.

And, I love how the drum is- Ariel: Symbolic?

Bird: Well?

It's kind of like, it's personified.

It has a voice!

Ariel: Yeah.

Bird: You know, it's alive.

Ariel: I feel like that's so similar- I feel like drums and the creation of everything is so universal to indigenous culture.

Bird: Yeah.

Ariel: Like, in our culture, a drum represents life.

Bird: Yeah.

Ariel: Like, how life keeps going.

Even if you die, you'll come back.

But it's a like a circle.

It's just so important to a lot of cultures.

Bird: Yeah!

Ariel: And so, that was cool to see that unfold.

I mean, this story is, like, sad.

Bird: The drum?

Well, it is.

But, I feel like drum is a character.

So, the drum kind of enters this world when there's sickness.

You know?

With the grandson being ill, but then has healing powers.

And then, unifying the community where people would come- Ariel: Yeah.

Bird: to the drum to seek healing, you know?

And then, kind of that transition of the arrival of Europeans and Christianity to this community, and all of the disruption that happens and devastation.

Ariel: Yeah.

The government, and stuff.

But then, I mean even in that last 30 seconds of the boy asking for drugs.

It's that whole- Bird: Oh, yeah.

Ariel: That whole is just like-?

Bird: It's harsh realities.

Ariel: I know.

It is, and that's why I'm saying it's sort of sad.

Just to see- I mean, you have just from my experience, you have these kids and people that are living in- they're trying to live this traditional and cultural lifestyle but with this modern world with technology, and with- Bird: Beepers and flip phones.

Ariel: Yeah.

Like, all that.

Bird: I know.

Ariel: It had a big impact on the indigenous people.

Bird: Yeah.

It does but I also feel like- (clears throat) I think that some strong themes that we've seen this season have really kind of focused around that creative ability and constructive ability.

As long as you kind of keep creating and keep constructing, especially, it kind of extends the cultural continuum.

Ariel: Yeah.

Bird: No matter what the situation is.

And I feel like that drum- that drum is so well personified.

I love that it has a voice and it's telling a story, and it has a point-of-view.

Because, you travel through this drum.

Even the drum is kind of present.

Like, when the priests are there and when the kids are being taken off to residential school.

And then, it ends up in a museum.

So even by the time you- with the drum as a character, you kind of go through all of this history, this continuum.

At the end, they show the actual photo- Ariel: Yeah.

Bird: of the drum, and I feel like it's a photo of a real person.

Ariel: Yeah.

That is true.

Bird: I love that.

I think that's kind of a really powerful- Ariel: I just got chills.

Bird: a sign of a very powerful story.

Ariel: Yeah.

Man, and this is what I like about you.

Always positive.

Finding the positive!

'Cause sometimes when I watch certain films, I get fixated on just like small aspects of it that are- to me, it was the kids asking for drugs.

I'm like, 'that was the last second in the movie.

Why am I thinking of that?'

(Bird laughs) You're just like 'oh?

This happens, 'and there's all these reasons for why the director stuck it in there'.

Bird: I know.

Ariel: No.

I enjoyed this and I think it's very important for people to see it.

Bird: She chose, she kind of-?

Michelle kind of came across this story when she was working in a trauma unit as a social worker.

So, I think the fact that she's a social worker and then she ends up with this animated short film that ends up at Sundance Film Festival, and travels and wins awards at other festivals and everything.

I think it's just kind of a testament that if somebody has a story to tell, they should tell it.

Ariel: Yeah.

And everyone has a story to tell, though!

Bird: Yeah.

Ariel: Everyone.

If you walked to just an Average Joe walkin' down the street, if you talk to him and if you listen and if you are curious about another person, you'll find a story.

Bird: Yeah.

Ariel: Yeah.

But, I- Bird: That's hopeful!

Ariel: Yeah!

Oh, thank you!

(laughter) I know I'm usually positive but for some reason I watch some films, and I'm just like, 'hmm?'

Bird: Well, the thing is also she had heard about this story when she was working as a social worker.

And then, she kept coming around it.

She kept coming about this story of this drum in this area that she was working.

And then, she finally just started researching it and decided to tell it.

And, the style that she chose to tell it in- I think to kind of make some of the more tragic moments of the larger arc of this story, you know, not as tragic, I guess.

She kind of chose to tell it in the style of a children's story pop-up book.

Ariel: Yeah!

Bird: You know, it's very simplistic imagery.

Little paper figures moving around- Ariel: Yeah.

Bird: black-and-white, with the ominous- like, the serpent that's kind of popping up from the water.

That's kind of, like, a little freaky!

(laughter) Ariel: Yeah, I know it's a little odd.

But, no.

It's easy to watch and to understand what she's trying to get across with animation.

Bird: Yeah.

Ariel: I feel like you couldn't do this in, like- a real-?

Like, have people acting it out.

Bird: Yeah.

Ariel: it would just look corny.

Bird: She encapsulates a lot in a short story, right?

Ariel: Yeah.

Bird: That's really hard to do.

That's like a sense of really great- having a really great script!

A really tight script.

I think a lot of the sound design?

You know, she spent a lot of specific time on the sound design.

Like, really wanting a lot of the sound to be authentic, and real recordings.

And so, a lot of that is actual sound or working very closely with her composer who's from the Mohawk nation, Six Nations.

She is Elizabeth Hill, is her name.

But, worked very closely with all these collaborative moments of illustration and music, and sound, and frames, and animation.

All to this expansive story told in just a few minutes!

Ariel: Few minutes.

Yeah.

I really liked it.

So, this is just a general question.

Bird: Yeah?

Ariel: So, if someone watching this were to be like 'man, I have a great idea for a short film.

I want it to be on FNX.'

Like, how-?

What would be the process for someone with an amazing idea to hopefully get a short film made?

Bird: Yes.

Good question!

(laughter) Well?

I think depending on the country you live in-?

(laughter) Ariel: It's a broad question!

Bird: Like, say you're in the United States and you have an interest in making a short film, there are very few places you could go to get a short film funded.

One of them is the Indigenous program at Sundance Institute where I just happen to work.

I think I know somebody on the inside!

But, we have a fellowship which is our Native Lab Fellowship which accepts script submissions of short films, 15 pages or less, every spring.

I think that will be coming up soon.

And, we cull through them and we look for some of the most interesting ones, and those that are doing something kind of original and distinct, and unique with a really, what we call, "authentic voice".

Ariel: OK. Bird: And then, we kind of workshop them.

We haven't done any animation yet because most of our lab is really focused on live action fiction.

Ariel: OK. Bird: And so, we workshop.

We crew up.

We shoot scenes.

We help them get to a final draft of their script, and then we fund them for the production of their short film.

Ariel: What a cool program.

And then, just a note too.

You have to- just anything in the entertainment industry, you have to be sort of, like, not afraid to fail.

Because, you get rejected so much.

What were you saying?

You were telling me there's how many subscriptions, and you guys pick-?

Bird: There were 9400 submissions, and we picked 72.

Ariel: That's a lot of- Bird: The odds?

May the odds be ever in your favor?

(laughter) Ariel: No.

That's a lot of people to say 'no' to.

Bird: It is.

Ariel: But then, it's part of the whole thing, though.

You just kind of keep persevering and just keep- Bird: There's a festival out there for everyone somewhere.

Ariel: Yeah.

Bird: You know?

And, I think that Sundance?

We're one of the world's most competitive and selective festivals.

And so, we get those kinds of numbers.

But then there are other great indigenous festivals around the world, across the country.

In different countries, and Canada, and the U.S., and Australia and New Zealand.

Ariel: That's cool.

Bird: Different places.

Ariel: So, if you guys have ideas out there- Bird: Yes!

Ariel: Share your story!

As everyone has a story.

So, if you're passionate- Bird: Just do it.

Ariel: Just do it.

But, if you want to watch more of FNX and this show, you could go to fnx.org/nativeshorts, and watch all of FNX' shows.

Or-?

Bird: You could go download the app, the FNX app.

And, you can watch your content on-demand whenever you want to, off of your phone, or whatever tablet you have.

Ariel: Yeah.

You can watch it on the airplane, or all over.

Bird: Right.

Ariel: 'tar nation'!

Bird: How exciting!

Ariel: Yeah.

But that was a fun episode, Bird!

Bird: Thank you!

Ariel: As usual!

We'll see you guys the next time!

(pronounced) O-kaw!

(he laughs) ♪ [bold drums] ♪ [traditional vocalizing] ♪ ♪ ♪