Filmmakers answering audience questions a hit at Biindigaate

A handful of directors who had their films screened at this years’ Biindigaate Indigenous Film Festival were on hand after their screening to answer audience questions.
The festival flew in these directors from all over Canada as a special feature to enhance the audience experience.
Attending filmmakers included Henry Beardy, Jeff Dorn, Adam Garnet Jones, Jason Hunter, Joe Ironstand, Lisa Jackson and Darlene Naponse.
Naponse of Whitefish Lake First Nation, located near Sudbury, was on hand after the screening of her feature film Every Emotion Costs. The film was shot on location at Whitefish Lake and was about a young woman who returns to her home community to attend her mother’s funeral and reconnects with her past.
“I’ve always wanted to make films. Ever since I was a kid,” Naponse said.
Her film took six years to complete. The first draft was written in 2003, with the last three years of preparation dedicated to pushing the process of finding dollars to make the film.
With all the preparation to get the film to come together there was only 16 days to actually shoot it. Originally there was 18 days, but production had to be wrapped up quickly because it started to snow.
“We had to improvise on the spot,” Naponse said.
Naponse said there were advantages of shooting the film in her home community, like being able to go home every night after a long production day, and that 75 per cent of crew was from the community and area.
“It was powerful being able to have the community actually working on the film,” she said.
When asked how she views the film now after spending so many years in preparation she said, “the film is more emotional now looking at it then when I was writing it. In after thought you think you could have done things differently, but you have to just enjoy what you did and the way the film turned out.”
Currently, Naponse is working on a drama about a couple who’s going in the bush to fix their relationship and think a seven day canoe trip will help. It’s on the lines of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf.
“It’s not my story, but it’s a reflection of stories I’ve heard or seen or friends have told me along the way,” she said.
Naponse owns and runs a studio called Pine Needle Productions. Every Emotion Costs is her second feature film.
Jason Hunter from Weenusk First Nation had his documentary called Bannock screened at the festival. Hunter was also present to answer questions from the audience.
“I only had a week to shoot and edit the documentary, so it was really fast paced,” he said after been asked how long it took him to complete the film. Bannock was done as a project while he was a film student at Confederation College in Thunder Bay.
Hunter also gave young and upcoming filmmakers some advice: “Keep going at it and don’t give up. Since 2006, I’ve been going at it and it takes a lot of hard work and sleepless nights. Just put your heart and soul into it and love what you’re doing.”
The fourth annual film festival was held Sept. 27-30 at the Paramount Theatre in Thunder Bay.