FNIGC Documentary

One of the jobs of the organization is to design and administer health and wellness surveys (similar to the Canadian census) to First Nations people. One of their biggest challenges as an organization is earning the trust of the people in First Nations communities, some of whom might be reluctant to participate.

We determined that a short, emotionally engaging documentary – a kind of personal case study – was the best fit for this objective. So, after some research and creative development, we traveled all the way across Canada to a small First Nations community in Nova Scotia called Sipekne’katik to begin production.

The final piece brings us into the life of a young fieldworker whose story sheds light on the bigger ideas at play in the FNIGC’s work. With careful attention to detail, and some original music, this intimate portrait is a great example of how video can strike that delicate balance between informative and evocative.