Alanis Obomsawin – Abenaki, Odanak First Nation, filmmaker

In 1966 children in Odanak, Quebec, could no longer swim in the St. Francis River.

A pool was built for the children in the neighbouring town but First Nations children were banned.

So Alanis Obomsawin, who was a singer, held fundraising concerts to build a pool for Odanak.

Filmmakers at the NFB heard the story and invited Obomsawin their studios.

At an early age, Alanis Obomsawin immediately saw the power of film to transmit culture and ideas.

She has made more than 30 films with the National Film Board of Canada.

Her stories often challenge misconceptions and have educated Canadians about inequities in child welfare, and education.

She is best known for her story Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance.

Now in her 80s, Obomsawin is still making films.

Alanis Obomsawin, storyteller, advanced Indigenous realities in mainstream Canada.