Interview With Directors Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip On Their New Film, “Dawnland”
Learn about the forces that drove Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip to make the film Dawnland.
“Boston-based filmmaker Adam Mazo is quick to admit that he knew little about Native populations growing up in Minnesota.
He’s committed to changing that for future generations with “Dawnland,” the 90-minute documentary premiering this month at the Cleveland International Film Festival. The film centers on the decades of government policy that forced Native children from their families and into adoptive homes, foster care and boarding schools. The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards will sponsor three screenings.
The idea for “Dawnland” was sparked from Mazo’s work on another film, “Coexist,” about the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. “We were talking about how it felt wrong to not be teaching about genocide in this country’s history,” he said.”
Continue reading at Anisfield Book Awards.
Rethinking Schools Review of First Light
Thanks to Rethinking Schools for reviewing First Light!
Courtesy: Rethinking Schools
Teaching about Cultural Genocide
Conversation between Upstander Project’s Adam Mazo and Dr. Mishy Lesser with Education Talk Radio’s Larry Jacobs.
Upstander Project was featured today on Education Talk Radio. Thanks to Larry Jacobs for the coverage. Listen to the archived show here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/edutalk/2016/12/12/teaching-about-cultural-genocide
WATCH: FIRST LIGHT
A review of First Light that finds the film “quiet and informative, carried by testimonials from tribal leaders, academics, and survivors of these culturally oppressive programs.” “First Light tells the story of the systematic displacement of the Wabanaki people and what the state of Maine did to help them heal.”
“‘Imagine you’re about to have a little one, the love that you have for that little one. Imagine somebody outside of your family you don’t even know making claims on your little one. They don’t like the way you live and they’re going to take your little one by force. Imagine what the loss is when this is not just your family, but your entire community.” gkisedtanamoogk
This is is the subject of First Light, a short documentary by Adam Mazo in collaboration with the Upstander Project. The film examines how the native Wabanaki people of Maine were subjected to discriminatory child welfare practices and how the state, through The Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission, worked towards acknowledging those practices as wrong, quantified the effects of the discriminatory practices, and created space for people to share their stories.”
Continue reading at The Take Magazine.
First Light plays at Camden International Film Festival
We're honored to share our short film First Light at CIFF!
Sunday, September 18th at 10am in Rockport, Maine at the Rockport Opera House.
Details here: https://pointsnorthinstitute.org/
Dawnland selected to participate in Good Pitch 2016 in New York
We're honored that our feature film Dawnland is among seven projects selected by BRITDOC for Good Pitch 2016!
First Light Wins Audience Award at One Nation Film Film Festival
From the One Nation Film Festival: The AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM goes to FIRST LIGHT directed by Adam Mazo, Ben Pender-Cudlip and produced by Upstander Project.
Congratulations!
The Award was presented by Miss Northern Navajo Vanessa Sloan Lister and was accepted on your behalf by Don Anderson. Don is member of the One Nation Walking Together Board and is a registered member of the Chickasaw Tribe.
The awards were designed by Bowen Pottery
The Laurels were designed by Olivier Sabatier.
Upstander Project Presents at Harvard Graduate School of Education
Participants at the Upstander Project workshop at HGSE studied First Light learning resources and historical texts.
Upstander Project Learning Director Dr. Mishy Lesser
