Film deals with depression

Shooting for a film about First Nation youth dealing with depression and suicide is underway in Thunder Bay.

May 31, 2007: Volume 34 #11

In the lead role of the film Bimadiziwin, which means ‘the good life,’ is Bearskin Lake band member Brittany Angeconeb.

“My character has to cry a couple of times,” said the soft-spoken 15-year-old on the set on the first day of the shoot.

“After reading the script I can kind of relate to her character,” the Thunder Bat resident said.

There is a reason for that, said scriptwriter/screenwriter Michelle Derosier.

“It deals with common issues that take place in First Nation communities everywhere,” said the Eagle Lake First Nation member who is also a qualified social worker with accrediation from Lakehead University. “Real issues are presented through fictional characters and fictional situations, which are actually often dealt with by First Nation peoples.”

Dave Clement, one of the film’s directors, said four different main characters were cast in the film.

One comes from the Far North, another is an urban character who grew up in foster homes, a third comes from a drive-in reserve and the fourth is an urban Indian who grew up in the city.

“The urban Indian is of First Nations descent, but doesn’t look it and is actually the traditional one who brings the group together,” he said. An additional 21 characters were cast in supporting and background roles out of 115 people who auditioned.

Added Derosier: “The characters are deep and diverse. We were trying to be reflective of what’s going on in our society when we wrote the script because we wanted our audiences to be able to relate to the story being told.”

Filming is taking place in and around Thunder Bay over 10 days.

Angeconeb said she’s looking forward to doing the shoots because her real life mother Sharon is going to play her mother and her younger sister is going to play her younger sister in the film.

“So it won’t be too much of a stretch to act that part,” she said.

“What’s funny is my mom is clean and sober and she has to play a drunk in the movie.

“I’ve been having a lot of fun with the other cast members and get really excited about it.”

The story told in the film deals with issues given to its makers as part of a mandate from local First Nations people and a steering committee after they conducted a survey about what is lacking where educational tools are concerned, Clement said.

“When you are dealing with a subject of this magnitude, it’s easier to make a dramatic picture out of it instead of a documentary and still be truthful to the topic,” he said.

Derosier took the mandate she was given and used her experience as a social worker, First Nation member and wrote the script for the film around the content.

“We know the stories about First Nations youth and dealing with depression and suicide,” she said, adding the film, once completed, will be geared more toward the youth.

“Our intent is to use the film as a learning tool and to help these young people.”

Bimadiziwin is a co-production of Shebandowin Films and Thunderstone Pictures - both Thunder Bay-based film production companies.

A second film, a documentary that deals with the same type of content, is also in the works, Derosier said.

“This one will be used as an educational tool for working professionals and to teach cultural competency,” she said.

Shebandowin Films and Thunderstone Pictures expect to release the film later this summer.