Truth, Reconciliation and R31
- R31
- Sep 29
- 1 min read
Over the years of producing television series and feature films, we have had the privilege of working alongside Indigenous filmmakers, broadcasters, elders, and community members. It has been an honour to collaborate in whatever roles we have played at Refuge 31 Films, but we also recognize that Indigenous stories are for Indigenous filmmakers to tell.
That being said, our upcoming film Russlaender (soon to be officially announced) re-examines the story of Mennonite settlement in Canada—giving intentional space to the voices of those who were on these treaty territories long before the migrations of the 1870s and 1920s. Our aim is to acknowledge the impacts that settlement caused and to contribute, in our own work, toward a more honest relationship and a stronger future together.
Acknowledgement is just the beginning.
R31
"Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process."
