It was soon apparent to writer and director Marie Clements that a limited miniseries would not be enough to contain the multigenerational tale of an Indigenous family at the heart of her latest project, 91裸聊视频淏ones of Crows.91裸聊视频�

The Vancouver-born Dene/M茅tis filmmaker says the sweeping story was initially envisioned as a four-part TV venture, but plans grew to a five-part miniseries, and then again to a five-part miniseries plus a feature film.

That two-hour feature premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival one year ago, and this week the small screen version for CBC and CBC Gem fleshes out characters and relationships for a more fulsome look at an Indigenous family over some 90 years.

While the movie focused on the turbulent life of Cree matriarch Aline Spears, Clements says each hour-long TV episode delves into the myriad trials faced by Aline91裸聊视频檚 siblings and family members, offering an opportunity to explore new layers to the impact of decades of systemic racism.

91裸聊视频淭his time we get to see the stories of her sister, the stories of her brother and her kids,91裸聊视频� says Clements, who shot both versions at the same time.

91裸聊视频淲e get to see and breathe in the other points of view of her family and what they went through and how that relates to her and how it relates to their story as a family unit over decades.91裸聊视频�

Aline Spears91裸聊视频� story begins in 1930s Manitoba, in a happy music-filled household suddenly shattered when she and her siblings are forced into residential school and then separated. As an adult, Aline becomes a code-talker in the Second World War, marries and has a family but increasingly finds it impossible to ignore her traumatic past and ongoing systemic racism.

The largely Indigenous cast includes Graham Greene, Lorne Cardinal and a cameo by veteran documentary maker Alanis Obomsawin.

Secw茅pemc actress Grace Dove stars as Aline from age 16 to 70, and notes the shooting schedule was not chronological, adding a further acting challenge to the emotionally demanding material.

91裸聊视频淭his one was incredibly challenging, because one day, I91裸聊视频檓 30, and then the next day, I91裸聊视频檓 60,91裸聊视频� she says, nevertheless calling the gig 91裸聊视频渢he actor91裸聊视频檚 dream.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚f I had a choice, I would have said, 91裸聊视频楽o we start at 16 and then we go in till I91裸聊视频檓 70, right?91裸聊视频� But no, my first day, it was a very, very terrible scene, very hard scene, very traumatic for me, very triggering and I remember thinking, 91裸聊视频楥ome on, guys. We can91裸聊视频檛 figure out a better schedule?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

Child actress Summer Testawich plays young Aline while the performer known as Carla-Rae depicts the older Aline. Dove says she spoke with her younger and older counterparts to ensure continuity.

91裸聊视频淚 had a little chat with the younger version, Summer, just to support her and let her know my choices and where I91裸聊视频檓 going with the character. But she91裸聊视频檚 young, so I can feed off her,91裸聊视频� she says.

91裸聊视频淎nd then I remember Carla-Rae is such a hero, she came in very late, learned so much of the language91裸聊视频�. I just said: Remember that I was in the war, so there91裸聊视频檚 something about growing up in the 91裸聊视频�30s and having (body) structure that91裸聊视频檚 very different than a modern person today.91裸聊视频�

The film and miniseries draw obvious parallels to other atrocities as the story jumps in time between the past and present, such as when Aline91裸聊视频檚 soldier husband and his squad liberate a concentration camp in the Netherlands and that triggers flashbacks to his own time in residential school.

Clements says she hopes these connections help non-Indigenous audiences grasp the ongoing damage and trauma inflicted by decades of systemic racism that include disproportionate incarceration rates of Indigenous Peoples and an epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

91裸聊视频淪ome things in racism have things that we can all understand. It91裸聊视频檚 not specific to who we are, directly, but we understand it. And I think (it91裸聊视频檚 about) creating an empathy between peoples and for non-Indigenous people to be able to recognize Indigenous people as human, as real human beings who had dreams and who were a part of the world, and still are.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淏ones of Crows91裸聊视频� begins Wednesday on CBC and CBC Gem.

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