The Road Forward film poster
A film showcasing the rise of First Nations activism in Canada will be screened in Saskatoon.
The Road Forward is a musical documentary exploring the rise of Indian Nationalism in the 1930s, all the way to modern First Nations activism.
The film tells this history through musical sequences, performed by an ensemble, with several Canadian musicians.
Shatki Hayes is from the George Gordon First Nation and is a featured musician on this film. Hayes currently lives in Bellingham, Washington, and is a noted actress, musician and songwriter.
Hayes says the documentary is an important story in Canada’s modern landscape.
“These are very relevant issues today,” she said. “A lot of this activism started in the 1930s, however, a lot of these same issues are going on today.”
The musician and actor says it is also an important documentary for First Nations activism moving forward.
“We need to have a voice to stand up for our rights as Indigenous people today, this is why I feel this moving is so important right now because we have to rise up and share what we think and how we feel,” she said.
The Road Forward film will be screened at the Broadway Theatre on December 10, along with a panel discussion with the filmmakers.
The film was originally released in early 2017 and has received positive criticism since its debut.