On August 9, 2016, a young Cree man named Colten Boushie died from a gunshot to the back of his head after entering Gerald Stanley’s rural property with his friends. The jury’s subsequent acquittal of Stanley captured international attention, raising questions about racism embedded within Canada’s legal system and propelling Colten’s family to national and international stages in their pursuit of justice. Sensitively directed by Tasha Hubbard, nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up weaves a profound narrative encompassing the filmmaker’s own adoption, the stark history of colonialism on the Prairies, and a vision of a future where Indigenous children can live safely on their homelands.
(155 words)
On a summer day in 2016, a young Indigenous man named Colten Boushie died from a gunshot to the head after entering Gerald Stanley’s rural property with his friends. The emotionally charged trial and acquittal of Stanley caused shock and outrage across Canada, capturing international attention and raising questions about prejudice within the judicial system, and anti-Indigenous racism in the nation.
Award-winning filmmaker Tasha Hubbard follows the journey of Colten’s family as they search for justice, taking their fight to the highest echelons of power and, ultimately, to the United Nations. Hubbard deftly illustrates how the long history of violence against Indigenous people continues to define life in parts of Canada, and the impact of systems that have been the instruments of colonial domination for centuries. At once urgent and intimate, nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up is a profound portrait of a family standing up for a more just and fair society for future generations.
Long Synopsis (295 words)
On a summer day in 2016, a young Indigenous man named Colten Boushie died from a gunshot to the head after entering Gerald Stanley’s rural property with his friends. The emotionally charged trial and ultimate acquittal of Stanley caused shock and outrage across Canada, shattering the shaky confidence that Colten’s family had placed in the justice system.
Award-winning filmmaker Tasha Hubbard follows the trial and its aftermath, revealing questions about bias that became apparent following the RCMP investigation and jury-selection process. Hubbard traces the long history of violence against Indigenous people, and their erasure from the systems of law and power, to the present day, exposing the need for systemic changes.
Emerging from the tragedy are the powerful and resilient voices of Colten’s family and community, who stand up for a better future for the next generations. Taking strength in the memory of their beloved son, brother and cousin, the family embarks on a search for justice that brings them to the country’s highest echelons of power, and ultimately to the United Nations, where they challenge Canada’s justice system in front of the international community.
Hubbard, whose previous films with the National Film Board of Canada have delved into forced Indigenous family separations during the Sixties Scoop (Birth of a Family) and the alleged involvement of Saskatoon police in the infamous freezing deaths of Indigenous men (Two Worlds Colliding), steps in front of the camera for the first time in a desire to highlight the personal toll the case has taken on the lives of Indigenous people. nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up weaves a profound narrative encompassing the filmmaker’s own adoption, the stark history of colonialism on the Prairies, and a vision of a future where Indigenous children can live safely on their homelands.
Written and Directed by
Tasha Hubbard
Producers
Tasha Hubbard
George Hupka
Jon Montes
Bonnie Thompson
Executive Producers
Kathy Avrich-Johnson
David Christensen
Janice Dawe
Director of Photography
George Hupka
Editor
Hans Olson
Composer
Jason Burnstick
Camera Operator
Damien Kent
Drone Operator
Shannon Scott
Artistic Imagery Productions
Additional Cinematography
Tasha Hubbard
Darryl Kesslar
Ryan Lalonde
Andrea Cessna
Jon Montes
Sound Recordists
Tracy Westgard
Tim Bender
Additional Sound
Lanny Westgard
Frederic Edwards
Lisa Kolisnyk
Spencer Plassman
Kyle Burgess
Animation
Justin Stephenson
Illustrations
Elizabeth LaPensée
Courtroom Sketches Courtesy of
Cloudesley Hobbs
Digital Animation and Compositing
Even Steven Inc.
Compositors
David Desjardins
Justin Stephenson
Storyboards
Gregory McEvoy
Cel Animation
Solis Animation Inc.
Cel Animators
Lou Solis
Les Solis
Leah Solis
Brian Evinou
Chris Hudson
Corey Stokes
Business Affairs
Bizable Media Inc.
Nava Rastegar
Philippa Nicholl
Associate Producer
Trudy Stewart
Legal
Danny Henry
Insurance
Hub International
Transcription
Pat Garry
Cree Language Consultants
Keith Goulet
Dorothy Thunder
French Translation
Henri Biahé
Apprentice Editors
Lese Skidmore
Darian Desjarlais
Hot Docs Doc Accelerator Fellow
Andrea Cessna
Production Assistants
Tia Angus
Tim Bender
Erica Lee
Logan Vanghel
Valerie Zink
Research
Tasha Hubbard
Kellie Wuttunee
Clearances
Kathy Fisher
Visual Research
Kathy Fisher
Jon Montes
Alex Williams
Historical Consultant
Doug Cuthand
Marketing Manager
Kelly Fox
Publicists
Cynthia Amsden
Katja De Bock
Jennifer Mair
Audio Post Production
Cosmic Pad Studios
Audio Post Coordinator
Ross Nykiforuk
Sound Editor & Re-Recording Mixer
Evan Rust
Foley & FX
Ross Nykiforuk
Narration Recordist
Johnny Blerot
Described Video
Lisa Unrau
Online Video Post Production
Java Post Production
Java Post Coordinator
Joan Speirs
Online Editor
Trevor Bennett
Colourist
Jack Tunnicliffe
For the NFB:
Studio Operations Manager
Darin Clausen
Studio Administrator
Bree Beach
Devon Supeene
Production Coordinator
Faye Yoneda
Production Supervisor
Esther Viragh
Technical Coordinator
Luc Binette
Head of Business Affairs
Mary Graziano
Legal Counsel
Christian Pitchen
Executive Director, English Program
Michelle Van Beusekom
For the CBC:
General Manager, Programming
Sally Catto
Executive Director, Unscripted Content
Jennifer Dettman
Senior Director, Documentary
Sandra Kleinfeld
Senior Director of Production, Unscripted Content
Alexandra Lane
Executive in Charge of Production
Charlotte Engel
Produced in association with
Representatives for APTN
Jean La Rose
Chief Executive Officer
Monika Ille
Executive Director of Programming & Scheduling
Archival Images Courtesy of
Glenbow Archives Saskatoon Public Library
Debbie Baptiste
Doug Cuthand
Joanne Taylor
Archival Footage Courtesy of APTN
CBC Archive Sales
The United Nations
Rally Footage Courtesy of
Shane Calder
Jessie Curell
Rae Draycott
Candy Fox
Farah Mawani
Tony Tracy
The views in this film are not those of the United Nations.
22 SONGS
Prayer Written and Performed by Burnstick
Dancing in the Sky
Written by Danielle Nelson, Elizabeth Nelson and Jason Traub
Special Thanks
Bonnie Leask
Christine Kleckner
Kelly Daniels
Joanne Taylor
Robert McIntyre
Donna Angus
Albert Angus
Sid Fiddler
Danis Goulet
Barb Tootoosis
Dawn Blaus
Kim Pate
Marc Desforges
Jason Warick
Leslie Stafford
Eldon Wuttunee
Lovina Tootoosis
Lorne Duquette
Kiera Ladner
Sharon Angus
Aloys Fleischmann
Janine Windolph
Special Thanks
Lisa Jackson
Charles Officer
Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers
Marilyn Poitras
Sheryl Lightfoot
Kat Baulu
Lea Marin
Donald McWilliams
Glenn Forbes
Jelena Popovic
Sherry Farrell-Racette
Erin Leonzio
David Stirrup
Rob Innes
Shalene Jobin
Dallas Hunt
Gina Starblanket
Project FACTA
Poundmaker Drum Group
Young Thunder Drum Group
University of Alberta
University of Saskatchewan
Produced with the participation of
Production made possible through the Feature Film Production Grant Program
Produced with the participation of
and the
through the Theatrical Documentary Program
Produced with the assistance of the
nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up
A Downstream Documentary Productions Inc. and National Film Board of Canada co-production
© 2019 Downstream Documentary Productions Inc. and the National Film Board of Canada