By Trace Hentz
I have watched Little Bird (5 episodes so far) and it takes me days to recover after each show... I watched the 5th episode yesterday... yes... crying my eyes out... hurting... depressed...soon I realize I needed to cry this hard to feel better.
It's our story. It's us. It is so hard to live this. It's so hard for anyone but us to "get" how hard it is.
Have you watched?
“There’s something about understanding each other’s trauma and trying to be human beings,” star Lisa Edelstein tells TheWrap
Without directly addressing the harrowing Hamas attacks on Israel this week, she added, “Even in this horrific time period that we’re in right now, there’s something about storytelling and understanding each other’s trauma and trying to be human beings. This is very profound right now.”
In the series, Esther Rosenblum (Darla Contois), who was cruelly ripped away from her mother, father and siblings when she was 5 years old, begins searching for her birth family in her 20s. Her adoptive mother Golda (Edelstein) has always discouraged her from finding out more about her past, having been told that Esther, whose given name was Bezhig Little Bird, had been rescued from a “neglectful” family.
READ: https://www.thewrap.com/lisa-edelstein-pbs-indigenous-drama-little-bird-interview/
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See also United States Settler Colonialism: Erasing Indigenous Identity – A Policy of Cultural Genocide.They are still trying to dismantle American Indian culture and traditions through the removal of our children. They have cunning arguments which, with their large and boisterous words and white privilege, carefully shadow the fact that they just aren’t seeking our children, but ethnic annihilation. Through court cases, such as Baby Veronica, A.D. vs Washburn, and Texas v. Zinke powerful groups are working at a frantic pace to undo the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, which was put into place to stop the wholesale removal of children who were flying off the reservation by the early 1970s.
Recently, I spoke to a friend who follows these legal battles. ‘Why do they want to undo ICWA,’ I asked, perplexed because I don’t believe any of those litigators care one whit about what happens to American Indian children or American Indian families. My friend replied, ‘If they can get rid of ICWA, they can begin to work to disassemble all the laws and protections that have been put into place by American Indian treaty rights.’
The bottom line, economic interests want the land, and the resources beneath that land. They always have. They are hiring legal experts to take away our kids to achieve that goal, like they always have. I’m fighting to keep that from happening. And that fight starts with keeping our children.
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Photo by Doug Bedard
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Jennifer Podemski is an unstoppable force in Canadian film and TV. Over her 30+ year career, the Anishinaabe/Ashkenazi actor, writer, director and producer has broken barriers and pushed Indigenous storytelling and meaningful representation further, both on-screen and off.
As well as starring in titles like Dance Me Outside, Degrassi TNG, Empire of Dirt, and Reservation Dogs, she’s led a variety of series through her production company Redcloud Studios Inc. Most recently, Jennifer blew us away with Little Bird, a breathtaking six-part series about the Sixties Scoop, that will soon be airing on PBS.
Her commitment to uplifting Indigenous creatives led her to founding The Shine Network Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers Indigenous women face in film and TV, by providing training, mentorship and professional development.
To honour her ground-breaking creative work across platforms, Jennifer will be awarded the Blaze Award this week, an annual award given out by The Firecracker Department, an empowering community of women and non-binary artists founded by Naomi Snieckus. “I was caught off guard when I got the call from Naomi,” says Jennifer. “She has built a beautiful and deeply meaningful platform and I was just so honoured to be recognized!” Jennifer joins a star-studded list of previous recipients, including Amanda Brugel, Jo Vannicola, Jann Arden and Michelle Buteau.
Ahead of her receiving the Blaze Award at the Firecracker Department TIFF Brunch on Saturday, we asked Jennifer some questions about Little Bird and her remarkable career.
Can you tell us about what making Little Bird meant to you?
In the long road of repairing the damage done since the beginning of screen stories, a story like Little Bird dismantles harmful narratives and introduces a truth never told before. For me, Little Bird was devastating to tell and make but as I moved through it, it became the most healing and transformative thing I have ever made.
We heard the incredible news about Little Bird coming to PBS! What do you hope this wider audience takes away from the series?
I hope it touches people so deeply that they stop themselves before they write us off. I hope it moves people to their core and reminds them of our humanity and sheds light on some of their own history that has been erased. People deserve to know the truth and we, Indigenous People, deserve to have the truth told.
What needs to be done to ensure authentic Indigenous stories are being told on screen?
Indigenous-led process and Indigenous-led storytelling combined with culturally informed non-Indigenous partners and teams. This is the only way.
What do you think is missing in Canadian TV & film right now? Which kinds of stories do we need to hear more of?
Our screens are still dominated by white people and that simply doesn’t reflect our society. There is often a BIPOC character, usually supporting, but the way our screens look is not how our society looks. The industry as a whole is still largely focused on non-BIPOC people and stories and the centering of these perspectives is inauthentic and not reflective of who we are as a society.
Can you tell us more about your vision for the Shine Network Institute?
I fought the urge to launch it for months, but after much consideration I just came to terms with the need. It was a massive undertaking and I wasn’t sure I had it in me but the Shine Network Institute is filling a very specific need that didn’t exist. It’s grown over the past three years and I am so blown away by what we have done but at its core, it is a solution-driven organization, dedicated to creating safer spaces, access to opportunity and training for Indigenous people within the sector with a special focus on women.
What was the first film you saw that made you realize the power of film, or really made an impact on you?
Wizard of Oz…that was the first movie I watched over and over and just sat there awestruck at how this thing could inspire me so much and make me feel things that I had never felt before. It definitely changed the way I watched movies.
What is your best wisdom for someone new to the industry?
You must think about your career as a whole, from now for 30 + years. I realize now how important it is to play the long game. This business is not about instant gratification, it may look like that from the outside, and it may happen to a few but for the majority, it is all long game and big vision and sticktoitiveness and relationships. Everything in this business is built on relationships.
What is a memorable moment from your career that will always stick with you?
I have so many!!! Recently, I got to be with both of my sisters on Reservation Dogs, that was epic because it had never happened before. When I got to train with Franco Dragone from Cirque Du Soleil for two weeks for a movie called Bogus, I was a clown and flew on airplane wire for ten days. It was amazing. When I was shooting my first drama series Moccasin Flats in Regina, the Chief of Police told me that crime in the neighborhood went down during shooting because of our presence and training program. There have been too many to count.
(courtesy photo)
American public broadcaster PBS has announced the premiere of Canadian drama Little Bird, which follows the life of a First Nation woman who was forcefully removed from her family as a child during Canada’s Sixties Scoop.
The six-part, one-hour limited series, created by Canadian First Nations filmmaker Jennifer Podemski and playwright Hannah Moscovitch, stars Darla Contois and Lisa Edelstein and follows the life of Bezhig Little Bird, a victim of the Sixties Scoop in Saskatchewan during which indigenous children were taken from their families and adopted by white families.
Removed from her home in Long Pine Reservation, Bezhig Little Bird is adopted into a Montreal Jewish family at age five. Now in her 20s, Bezhig longs for the family she lost and is willing to sacrifice everything to find them. Her search lands her in the Canadian Prairies. As she begins to track down her siblings, she unravels the mystery behind her adoption and discovers that her apprehension is connected to a racist government policy.
“It is a powerful narrative that not only engages and pulls on your heartstrings but also educates on a profoundly disturbing time in North American history that is rarely portrayed,” Germaine Sweet, Managing Director, Content Acquisitions at PBS Distribution, said in a press release.. “In addition to the creative brilliance of Jennifer Podemski and Hannah Moscovitch, this series was delivered by a wealth of Indigenous talent both in front of and behind the camera.”
The character-driven drama features Indigenous actors, including Ellyn Jade, Osawa Muskwaa, and Joshua Odjick. Rounding out the cast is award-winning actress Lisa Edelstein, playing Esther’s adoptive mother, Golda Rosenblum.
PBS will also broadcast Coming Home, which is a 90-minute companion documentary directed by Erica Daniels, which explores the connections between the movement for Indigenous narrative sovereignty and the impact of the child welfare system.
Little Bird and Coming Home will be available for streaming on October 12, 9:00 E.T., on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS app, and on Apple T.V., Android T.V., Amazon Fire T.V., Samsung Smart T.V., Chromecast, and VIZIO.
for CANADA TV VIEWERS
From Cassandra Szklarski of the Toronto Star:
Link: ‘60s Scoop grief and Holocaust trauma entwine in limited series ‘Little Bird’
“These
are extremely triggering stories to tell – not just for Indigenous
people and not just for people who experienced the current reality of
colonial violence in whatever form that is, which is an everyday reality
for us as Indigenous people, but for non-Indigenous people who were
realizing the gravity of the situation and feeling guilty.” Continue reading.
From Elisabetta Bianchini of Yahoo News:
Link: ‘Little Bird’ Crave, APTN drama follows Sixties Scoop survivor’s search for home
Famed
Canadian producer and actor Jennifer Podemski has taken on the role of
showrunner for the new Crave and APTN lumi drama series Little Bird,
authentically and honestly telling the story of a Sixties Scoop survivor
uncovering her family history, starring Darla Contois. Continue reading.
From Debra Yeo of the Toronto Star:
Link:
They woke up with four kids. By the end of the day, they had one.
Inside the devastating new ‘Sixties Scoop’ drama ‘Little Bird’
One
morning, Patti and Morris Little Bird wake up with their four children.
By the end of the day they have one child left, the other three having
been shoved into a car and taken away, screaming for their mother. Continue reading.
From Ilana Zachon of The Canadian Jewish News:
Link: ‘Little Bird’ called on Jewish and Indigenous writers and actors to tell the story of a child caught in the Sixties Scoop
“I
thought: how is it possible that I’ve lived all my life in Canada… and I
didn’t know the story. When I read the script, I just thought this will
illuminate a lot of things for a lot of people and it’s very
important.” Continue reading.
From Matthew Simpson of That Shelf:
Link: Little Bird Review: A Must-Watch Canadian Story
It
is Contois who is the star of this show. Her portrayal of Esther is
nuanced and empathetic. The character’s journey in the first episode –
from thinking she might have it all to realizing she will never belong –
is masterfully performed, almost entirely with body language and tone
as she navigates a party to celebrate her happiness. Continue reading.
From Julia Mastroianni for Streets of Toronto:
Link: Toronto showrunner is behind this powerful new Indigenous-led series
“Everything
I’ve done as a producer has intersected with historical trauma and
colonial violence. There is also a lot of joy, love, rich culture and
teaching, but there are so many urgent stories that need to be told as a
way to move forward and heal.” Continue reading.
From Crystal St. Pierre of Windspeaker:
Link: New series hits close to home for creator Jennifer Podemski
“It
is really the closest thing to me that I have ever done. Even though
I’m not adopted, those are my two worlds. Those are the exact worlds I
grew up in. And it was the perfect way for me to dive into something in a
very personal way because I’ve never really explored both of those
sides of my family.” Continue reading.
From David Briggs of Toronto.com:
Link: Young Nipissing First Nation actor spreads his wings in Little Bird TV show
Tayton
Mianskum recently starred in a soon-to-be-released series on CRAVE
television. And, if that’s not remarkable enough, this was Tayton’s
first time auditioning or acting, so his first role is in a major
television production. Continue reading.
From Louise BigEagle of CBC News:
Link: New series tells story of Sixties Scoop survivor learning about her past
“I
just hope people feel the love that was put into this, and I hope that
non-Indigenous people feel connected to it because the stories are
relatable, but also I guess unique, in the sense that nobody really
knows very much about the Sixties Scoop.” Continue reading.
