The Road Forward

June 8, 2017
Doors: 6:30 PM | Show Time: 7:00 PM
Djavad Mowafaghian Theatre, SFU Woodward’s Location: 149 West Hastings

We will watch the National Film Board of Canada documentary musical The Road Forward from Métis/Dene playwright and director Marie Clements.

The Road Forward (Trailer) from NFB/marketing on Vimeo.

The Road Forward, an inventive documentary musical by Métis/Dene playwright and director Marie Clements, connects a pivotal moment in Canada’s civil rights history—the beginnings of Indian Nationalism in the 1930s—with the powerful momentum of First Nations activism today. The Road Forward’s stunningly shot musical sequences, performed by an ensemble of some of Canada’s finest vocalists and musicians, seamlessly connect past and present with soaring vocals, blues, rock, and traditional beats. A rousing tribute to the fighters for First Nations rights, a soul-resounding historical experience, and a visceral call to action.

Clements first conceived of The Road Forward as live performance, premiering the piece in 2010 at the Aboriginal Pavilion of the Vancouver Cultural Olympiad, which ran in conjunction with the 2010 Winter Olympics. “It’s exciting to be marrying music to documentary content,” says Clements.

Clements is an award‐winning writer, director and producer of film, television, radio, new media and live performance.

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Lu’ma Native Housing Society was incorporated in 1980 and is guided by a volunteer board of directors. The Society was initially incorporated to provide affordable housing to Aboriginal families and individuals with low to moderate income. The Society currently owns and operates an affordable housing portfolio of just under 500 units of housing. Though their primary focus is to build, own and operate affordable housing, they have evolved as a Society and now provide a broad range of services that improve social determinants of health such as: Lu’ma Medical Centre; the Aboriginal Patients’ Lodge; Community Voice Mail; the Aboriginal Children’s Village; and Aboriginal Youth Mentorship & Housing Program.

In response to the challenge of finding solutions to critical Aboriginal concerns, the Society partnered with the Federal government and the broader community and became the First Aboriginal community entity responsible for funding Aboriginal projects that provide front-line homelessness services to the Aboriginal community. The Aboriginal Patients’ Lodge is a shining example of a best practice in Canada that highlights not only the needs of health and wellness for Aboriginal communities, but demonstrates the capacity of the Aboriginal community when governments allow the community to create its own solutions to critical problems.

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Reel Causes partners with filmmakers and Canadian causes dedicated to addressing global social justice issues. We host film screenings followed by a Q&A session to educate and inspire our community, and provide a forum for authentic conversation around the issues that affect us locally.

City of Vancouver
BC Arts Council
Canada Council for the Arts
SFU's Vancity Office of Community  Engagement
Consumer Protection BC