319:), is portrayed as sympathetic and she becomes repelled by the bigotry of others at the school. She offers Komi help in the form of giving her English lessons which culminate in cultural exchange, where Kathleen learns Kainai words from Komi in exchange for her learning their English counterparts. Now Amelia, Komi improves her English quickly with the kindness and support of her teacher, gradually adjusting to the school environment while retaining her Kainai identity. However, when Amelia learns that the teachers lied to her by telling her her parents had died, she decides to escape again, this time successfully.
31:
303:
ways and learn
English, often under harsh treatment. Combined with the rejection of her peers (as she is a so-called "Bush Indian" who has not learnt white customs), Komi attempts to escape one night on foot with her little brother, Pita (Clayton Julian). However her plan is quickly foiled as the
454:
and as a result was able to be screened in theaters. It was shown at various film festivals in Canada and the United States from 1989 through 2002. It was also screened at some colleges and universities, as part of college film festivals, classes, or special events related to
299:) is kidnapped along with several other children from a village as part of a Canadian policy to educate Aboriginal children and assimilate them into Canadian/British society. She is taken to a boarding school, where she is forced to adopt Western,
312:), catches up and brings them back to the school, where Komi is subjected to further punishment. Eventually Rachel (Heather Hess), Komi's only ally among the students, plead with the teachers to free her by promising to teach Komi to behave.
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system of the 1930s. The system was an attempt to have aboriginal youth to assimilate into the majority
European-Canadian culture. Amelia resists assimilation and plans her escape. The film's cast includes
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427:"personally contributed $ 12,500, half the cost of making a theatrical print for film festivals", with the other half supplied by the Ontario Film Development Corp.
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Russell, Candice (October 28, 1990). "60 Independent Films, Seminars and Galas Will Send
Greater Fort Lauderdale Film Festival Goers Reeling".
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The idea for the film originated when the producers and screenwriter were working on the 13-episode CBC television series
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Television
Production – Feature Film Made for TV – Network Special Achievement in Direction (Gold Plaque)
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Adilman, Sid (October 7, 1989). "Little movie that was a big hit at film fest bound for small screen".
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Russell, Candice (October 20, 1989). "Word's Really Out on Fourth Film Fete: Film
Festival Schedule".
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Zerbisias, Antonia (December 4, 1990). "CBC celebrates at k.d.'s cafe as it sweeps Gemini awards".
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Bawden, Jim; Knutzen, Eirick (September 9, 1989). "Minis, Specials, Movies: Fall 1989 Preview".
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Millar, Jeff (April 29, 1992). "WorldFest
Houston: Film Fest Offers World Premiere Tonight".
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Burliuk, Greg (September 8, 1989). "Jewison Film About Native
Schoolgirl Is Festival's Gem".
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1191:"Keepers of Fire Powwow April 17 – 18 at University of Wyoming". US Fed News. April 2, 2010.
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series and was screened at multiple film festivals in Canada and the United States.
1094:. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. September 27, 1988. p. Entertainment section, B3.
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Coto, Juan Carlos (September 29, 1989). "Film Fest
Features Wood Retrospective".
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Cohen, Betsy (April 18, 2005). "Talks at
University Cover Wide Range of Topics".
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Anderson, Bill (December 5, 1990). "CBC's Love and Hate, Avonlea lead
Geminis".
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Bell Gease, Heidi (December 10, 2001). "Indian Film Fest Coming to Rapid City".
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Gemini and Canadian Screen Award for Best Television Film or Miniseries winners
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Ruth, Daniel (June 6, 1990). "PBS' 'Spirit' conjures strong images of racism".
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Strickler, Jeff (May 11, 1990). "Probing the blackness of Hiroshima 'Rain'".
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1296:. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. p. Features Arts & Leisure section, 1G.
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Ishoy, Ron (December 14, 1990). "Majors Feel Right at Home in Lauderdale".
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1281:. Seattle, Washington. July 20, 1990. p. What's Happening Section, 8.
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Stone, Judy (November 9, 1989). "American Indian Festival Opens Tonight".
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Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series
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Greater Fort Lauderdale Film Festival, "Back By Popular Demand" series
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The film won nine awards and was nominated for two additional awards.
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Primary financing for the film's $ 2.6 million budget was provided by
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Lucas International Festival of Films for Children and Young People
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Sachs, Lloyd (October 1, 1989). "Cinema of the Great White North".
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The film began shooting on September 26, 1988. Locations included
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Stone, Judy (November 8, 1990). "New Films Faithful to Indians".
1236:. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. p. Features Showtime section, 3.
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Hartl, John (May 3, 1991). "Assimilating the Indian Population".
627:
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on October 29, 1989. It was also shown in the United States on
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children in Canada being taken from their tribes to attend
1165:. Grand Forks, North Dakota. October 22, 2011. p. C6.
1121:"Where the Spirit Lives (1989): Filming & Production"
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872:, a 2012 Canadian documentary about residential schools
1266:. Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. Variety section, 1E.
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Although created for television, the film was shot in
1090:"Blackfoot girl's story told in $ 2.6 million film".
1020:"Where the Spirit Lives (1989): Full cast & crew"
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Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Program or Series
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Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series
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Assimilation of indigenous peoples of North America
1429:. Miami, Florida. p. Living Today section, 1E.
1277:"Summer of '90 A Memorable One on the Big Screen".
742:South Florida Critics Special Jury Prize for Drama
825:Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series
1049:. Seattle, Washington. p. Tempo section, 25.
611:American Indian Film Festival (repeat screening)
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1389:"Brando may be villain in new David Lean film".
587:Goodwill Film Festival: A Forum of Young Cinema
1206:. Chicago, Illinois. p. Show section, 10.
864:, a 1992 documentary about residential schools
16:1989 Canadian television film by Bruce Pittman
1161:"Indian Film Festival Begins Nov. 1 at UND".
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1311:. San Francisco, California. p. E4.
1251:. San Francisco, California. p. E4.
1064:. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. p. J1.
913:. Kingston, Ontario, Canada. p. 1.
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880:(2008), a documentary film about
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1399:. October 18, 1989. p. C4.
975:. Chicago, Illinois. p. 41.
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253:on June 6, 1990, as part of the
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1599:1980s English-language films
1395:. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
1326:. Houston, Texas. p. 4.
637:The Best of the 27th Annual
543:1989 October 22, 26, and 28
432:Waterton Lakes National Park
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1341:. Rapid City, South Dakota.
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370:John Friesen – Mr. Babcock
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1518:Where the Spirit Lives
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1489: – via
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1339:The Rapid City Journal
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910:Kingston Whig-Standard
746:Where the Spirit Lives
730:Where the Spirit Lives
578:Minneapolis–Saint Paul
349:– Kathleen Gwillimbury
233:for assimilation into
218:Where the Spirit Lives
23:Where the Spirit Lives
1589:1989 television films
1513:, Screen Door Website
884:in the United States.
385:Heather Hess – Rachel
1609:1980s Canadian films
1180:. Missoula, Montana.
603:Fort Lauderdale, FL
331:– Ashtoh-Komi/Amelia
1559:First Nations films
794:Ann-Marie MacDonald
550:Fort Lauderdale, FL
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402:residential schools
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317:Ann-Marie MacDonald
277:Ann-Marie MacDonald
266:as Amelia, a young
231:residential schools
73:Kim Bruisedhead Fox
1397:The Canadian Press
1163:Grand Forks Herald
828:Keith Ross Leckie
614:San Francisco, CA
513:1989 September 23
498:1989 September 13
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367:– Reverend Buckley
272:residential school
256:American Playhouse
167:Production company
86:Buffy Sainte-Marie
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1047:The Seattle Times
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565:San Francisco, CA
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329:Michelle St. John
297:Michelle St. John
291:In 1937, a young
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239:Keith Ross Leckie
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159:Running time
153:Michael Todd
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1374:October 13,
1131:October 15,
1030:October 15,
1004:October 13,
840:Lucas Award
628:Houston, TX
522:Sudbury, ON
507:Toronto, ON
355:– Miss Weir
301:Eurocentric
171:Screen Door
143:Rene Ohashi
125:Eric Jordan
51:Directed by
1549:1989 films
1543:Categories
1178:Missoulian
889:References
831:Nominated
820:Nominated
671:Recipient
457:Indigenous
452:35 mm
446:Screenings
397:Spirit Bay
390:Production
227:Aboriginal
221:is a 1989
207:1989-10-29
162:96 minutes
108:Production
41:Written by
1485:436315677
1455:275185740
1405:436052329
1100:435774540
1070:436057948
951:436032190
919:353348770
668:Category
665:Ceremony
478:Location
475:Festival
343:– Taggert
341:Ron White
310:Ron White
113:Producers
1534:AllMovie
1491:ProQuest
1481:ProQuest
1461:ProQuest
1451:ProQuest
1411:ProQuest
1401:ProQuest
1368:IMDb.com
1125:IMDb.com
1106:ProQuest
1096:ProQuest
1076:ProQuest
1066:ProQuest
1024:IMDb.com
998:IMDb.com
957:ProQuest
947:ProQuest
925:ProQuest
915:ProQuest
854:See also
82:Music by
61:Starring
674:Result
591:Seattle
440:Toronto
436:Alberta
205: (
200:Release
190:Network
103:English
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652:Awards
419:, and
293:Kainai
268:Kainai
225:about
177:Budget
149:Editor
95:Canada
755:1990
679:1989
662:Year
472:Date
1523:IMDb
1376:2019
1133:2019
1032:2019
1006:2019
847:Won
809:Won
798:Won
785:Won
772:Won
750:Won
734:Won
716:Won
700:Won
438:and
323:Cast
287:Plot
279:and
1532:at
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459:or
413:CBC
251:PBS
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
