Film makers take cultural accuracy seriously

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And the Leo goes to . . .

Well, this year the award for Best Documentary didn't go to Ravens and Eagles: Haida Art, which was written, produced and directed by Jeff Bear and Marianne Jones of Urban Rez Productions. But there's always next year, and the year after.

Held at the Westin Bayshore Resort and Marina on May 11, the fourth annual Leo Gala Awards ceremony celebrated excellence in British Columbia film and television. The Leo awards, which have become the largest regional awards program in Canada, was attended by approximately 700 people.

Jones and Bear were in heavy competition in their category for Best Documentary-Arts/Performing Arts. At the end of the evening, Stan Feingold and Blair Reekie took home the Leo for the documentary Heroines.

Bear and Jones are keeping the experience in perspective. "I think it was nice to have the recognition," said Jones, "It's definitely a large market setting."

Bear, who won a Leo in 2000 for VTV's First Story, a series he created, wrote and directed in its first three years, said, "There's a disappointment factor," adding jokingly, "I have a Leo and I wanted another alongside it, to give the living room esthetic appeal."

On a more serious note Bear said, "You never want to look at life like you are going to lose. You're still a winner because you are among others that have produced documentaries. You won a nomination and leave it at that."

Bear said he and Jones are proud of the series, which is currently airing on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network and the Knowledge Network. Beginning July 15, the 13-episode series will air on Bravo.

Filmed entirely on location in Haida Gwaii, the series is heavy on issues and profiles, documenting the historical and contemporary work of Haida artists. Bear commented on how important it was to understand the delicate nature of the issues the documentary presented. "You have to be very sensitive. You're dealing with people who nearly disappeared off the face of the earth because of the Haida holocaust (small pox epidemic)."

He added, "Were it not for Marianne, I doubt that a series like this could have been done. Everybody up there trusts Marianne."

Jones, who is from Haida Gwaii and a member of the Eagle Clan, said, "For me the odds are loaded. I am Haida, so I feel a certain responsibility to portray things well." She points to the abundance of works written by archaeologists, anthropologists and university professors, saying "We're a culture that's been studied to death. There's books and books written. Not that I don't respect the work that they do, it just seems that no one has ever gone exclusively to those (Haida) people."

Bear agreed, adding, "I hope it doesn't sound like we're critiquing (the works of others), because we've benefited from their immense body of work, but it's important to note that no one owns it-it still belongs to the Haida."

For years, Bear was what he called "an in-house monkey" for several mainstream television stations, where the support for Native programming was often weak, and resources were minimal. "The whole reason why I do what I do is that mainstream media doesn't portray us properly. It's like they're peeping in through the window. All this time we've been peeping back, wanting to get out and tell our own stories."

By going independent, Bear has been able to do just that, but he pointed out that it's not always easy. "The cards are stacked against us. No matter what we say we're always painted as an Indian with a chip on our shoulder," said Bear, joking about the three-chip video camera he carries on his own shoulder for filming.

Jones and Bear recently cut six vignettes for the Haida Gwaii Heritage Society to use at the World Summit in Johannesburg. "They will use the imagery to enhance and further their cultural objectives," said Jones.

The future holds many more projects for the pair, who last year won the Telefilm Canada/APTN Best English Program Award for the docuentary Burnt Church, Obstruction of Justice. "We'll maintain the level of production as we walk into our second season," said Bear.

Jones agreed, adding, " It was a real challenge to finish last year (Ravens and Eagles). I'm really focusing on this next season and the kinds of stories and profiles we'll be doing."