The films in this program delve into the various practices that keep us connected to our lands. Each of these films is marked by a displacement or disruption from the land that is ours: some are exiled from their homes, while others have never known it from their place in the diaspora. Nevertheless, the connection to the land is maintained through shared experiences that are passed on from generation to generation. These practices include making food, collecting herbs, upholding artistic rituals, preserving family memories, and reimagining ancient tales. The films show that, by carrying out these activities, we also exercise our self-reliance. The land has always provided all that we need to sustain ourselves for decades to come. Even if we are not physically there, we will always remain.
Curated by Nanor Vosgueritchian & Yasmina Tawil
We would be freer / بنكون اكتر احرار is a short film reflecting on the relationship between native plants and colonized peoples. Through story and knowledge sharing, the film takes a close look at the sumac plant as a medicine, a powdered spice, a dye, and more. Known for its zesty taste and bright colour, different varieties of sumac are found around the world. In particular, staghorn sumac is native to parts of Turtle Island and tanner’s sumac to the eastern Mediterranean. Weaving between the voices of two women, one from the Mohawk community of Kahnawá:ke and the other an internally displaced refugee in Ramallah, we would be freer invites you to contemplate the role of the sumac plant in two occupied lands that lie far apart. Mimicking the progression of the plant’s flowers from yellow to green to red, the short film is a cyclical reflection on connection to land, sustainability, and wild plants.
About the filmmaker:
Rana Nazzal Hamadeh is a Palestinian-Canadian artist. Her photography film, and installation works look at issues related to time, space, land, and movement, offering interventions rooted in a decolonial framework and using memory and story to engage intimately with broad concepts. Her practice is deeply informed by the knowledge emerging from grassroots movements for justice, both in occupied Palestine and across Turtle Island. Rana holds an MFA in Documentary Media from Toronto Metropolitan University and is based between occupied Ramallah and Ottawa on unceded Anishinaabe territory.
- Year2023
- Runtime9 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Arabic
- CountryCanada
- GenreDocumentary
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- DirectorRana Nazzal Hamadeh
The films in this program delve into the various practices that keep us connected to our lands. Each of these films is marked by a displacement or disruption from the land that is ours: some are exiled from their homes, while others have never known it from their place in the diaspora. Nevertheless, the connection to the land is maintained through shared experiences that are passed on from generation to generation. These practices include making food, collecting herbs, upholding artistic rituals, preserving family memories, and reimagining ancient tales. The films show that, by carrying out these activities, we also exercise our self-reliance. The land has always provided all that we need to sustain ourselves for decades to come. Even if we are not physically there, we will always remain.
Curated by Nanor Vosgueritchian & Yasmina Tawil
We would be freer / بنكون اكتر احرار is a short film reflecting on the relationship between native plants and colonized peoples. Through story and knowledge sharing, the film takes a close look at the sumac plant as a medicine, a powdered spice, a dye, and more. Known for its zesty taste and bright colour, different varieties of sumac are found around the world. In particular, staghorn sumac is native to parts of Turtle Island and tanner’s sumac to the eastern Mediterranean. Weaving between the voices of two women, one from the Mohawk community of Kahnawá:ke and the other an internally displaced refugee in Ramallah, we would be freer invites you to contemplate the role of the sumac plant in two occupied lands that lie far apart. Mimicking the progression of the plant’s flowers from yellow to green to red, the short film is a cyclical reflection on connection to land, sustainability, and wild plants.
About the filmmaker:
Rana Nazzal Hamadeh is a Palestinian-Canadian artist. Her photography film, and installation works look at issues related to time, space, land, and movement, offering interventions rooted in a decolonial framework and using memory and story to engage intimately with broad concepts. Her practice is deeply informed by the knowledge emerging from grassroots movements for justice, both in occupied Palestine and across Turtle Island. Rana holds an MFA in Documentary Media from Toronto Metropolitan University and is based between occupied Ramallah and Ottawa on unceded Anishinaabe territory.
- Year2023
- Runtime9 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Arabic
- CountryCanada
- GenreDocumentary
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- DirectorRana Nazzal Hamadeh