Woman kneeling in front of totem pole

Two films from northwest B.C. shed light on MMIWG issues

Terrace Standard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Two northwest B.C. films shedding light of the issue of the region’s Murdered & Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) are set to be premiered this month.

While Journey 4 Justice profiles prominent MMIWG activist Gladys Radek and her walk across Canada for the cause, Adwaak is directed and produced by Radek’s sister, Lorna Brown, and gives a glimpse into the lives of people who have lost loved ones to Canada’s infamous Highway of Tears (Hwy 16).

Journey 4 Justice was locally produced in Terrace, and Adwaak was shot across Gitxsan, Wet’suwet’en and Tsimshian territories.

Produced by Jaylene Mathews, with cinematography by Storm Carroll, Journey 4 Justice won ‘Best Short Documentary’ at the Toronto Women in Film Festival on Oct. 9 and has been nominated for several other film festival awards across North America. The film will premier on Telus Optik TV this fall.

Brown’s film Adaawk, co-produced by Wanda Good and shot by Michael Bourquin, will be premiering at the ImagineNATIVE Film Festival between Oct. 21-23.

Both films feature the raising of the Highway of Tears Memorial totem pole also known as the Grandmothers’ pole on the highway pullout just west of Terrace, in 2020. Mike Dangeli, who carved the pole, and his wife Dr. Mique’l also recorded the musical score for Journey 4 Justice.

Top photo credit: An MMIWG activist kneels near the Highway of Tears Memorial totem pole on Hwy 16, near Kitsumkalum. Two locally produced films from northwest B.C. shed light on the MMIWG issue and activists involved.- Photo by Binny Paul

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