Makkovik filmmaker making debut at Toronto's Hot Docs festival with Hebron Relocation

A Makkovik filmmaker used her own home for inspiration for her first-ever film, and it's debuting this month at one of the biggest film festivals in North America.

Holly Andersen's short film,Hebron Relocation,is screening the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festivalin Toronto. Each year, the festival presents more than 200 films from around the world.

Andersen's story is personal. She grew up in one of the houses constructedfor the people ofHebronwho were forced by the Newfoundland governmentto relocateto Makkovikin 1959.Today, she lives in anotherhome that was builtfor those who relocated.

Her film weaves together intimate stories from Labrador'snorth coast, along with archival footage, in a look at the difficult past that changed the lives of many Labrador Inuit.

At the time, the province's relocation program was done without consulting the Inuit. Many extended families were separated grandparents from their grandchildren, adult siblings from each other with some sent to Makkovik, others to Nain.

The government of Newfoundland and Labradorformally apologized to the Inuit in January, 2005 over the resettlement of Hebron and nearby Nutak a community that was resettled in 1956.

A monument was unveiled in Hebron in 2009.

As a child, Andersen said, she didn't learn about the Hebron relocation. Nowshe hopes herfilm can help people understand more about what has happened in the past and the lingering effects.

She points to what Janine Lightfoot said in the film.

"I hope that people understand what happened so we're kinder to each other as Inuit," Andersen said. "It's kind of that quote where it's like you never know what anyone's going through. So just be kind."

Holly Andersen on Hebron Relocation and compassionate storytelling

1 year ago

Duration 2:02

A Makkovik filmmaker made her debut at the Toronto International Film Festival Hot Docs. Holly Andersen is the director of Hebron Relocation.

Compassionate storytelling key, says filmmaker

There weremany scenes filmed but will not be used because they are "not meant for film," Andersen said.

"It's just some knowledge from being around here and things that happen to people," she said.

Andersen said she wanted to balance the capturing of the story of the relocation with not wanting to cause further harm.At the heart of her storytelling was wanting to not trigger those who experienced the trauma of being forced to relocate, she said.

"It's kind of like put yourself in their shoes," Andersen said. "I don't want that trauma to resurface in any way by watching this.Let's do it the gentlest way possible but still get the facts out."

Andersen's film was created through the National Film Board's Labrador Documentary Project, which supports Indigenous storytelling by working with first-time Labrador Inuit filmmakers.

Andersen hopes to show the film in Labrador as soon as it is done on the festival circuit.

Hebron Relocationis available to stream online from May 5-9.

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