On Demand

A Right to Eat

by Janelle Wookey & Jeremie Wookey

Exposing the frightening realities of food insecurity faced by two of Canada’s most isolated First Nation communities in Northern Manitoba.

2015 · 49m · Canada

Cree, English

Cree, English subs

About the Film

With a jug of milk ringing in at over $14 in some of Northern Manitoba’s lowest income communities, it’s not difficult to imagine how grocery bills can account for up to 80% of the household budget or why diabetes rates have hit 50% in some regions. Local studies have shown that food insecurity rates in Northern Manitoba are coming in between 70% and 80%, approximately eight times the national average. Poor diets and restricted access to fresh, healthy foods are having a devastating impact on people’s mental and physical health.

A RIGHT TO EAT follows two families in Northern Manitoba in their fight to put healthy food on the table, as their communities re-ignite hereditary skills for raising their own food, fishing and hunting. This essential film offers a sobering look at the frightening realities of food insecurity faced by two of the most isolated northern First Nation communities in Canada—Cross Lake and Barren Lands—and their courageous battle against hunger, disease and dependency.

Upcoming Screenings

Stay tuned for upcoming screenings!

In the Press

Review

CBC

Editor

Janelle Wookey and Jeremie Wookey

Cinematographer

Christopher Paetkau and Trevor Gill

Producer

Janelle Wookey and Jeremie Wookey

Translator

Trina Halkett

About the Director

Janelle Wookey

Janelle and Jérémie Wookey are a Franco-Métis brother-sister filmmaking team born and raised on the Canadian prairies. The two have been creating film projects together since the ages of 7 and 9. After years of play led them to professional careers, their first independent documentary, Mémére Métisse garnered national attention, premiering on opening night of the 2008 ImagineNATIVE Film Festival and airing on CBC, Radio-Canada and APTN. After accruing a combined 7 years of experience working in news and production series with CBC/Radio-Canada, the two launched their own production company, Wookey Films Inc. In 2013 they co-produced, directed, shot, wrote and edited Treading Water; Plight of the 2011 Manitoba First Nation Flood Evacuees. The film aired nationally on APTN, regionally on CBC and earned the award for Best Short Documentary at the 2014 ImagineNATIVE Film Festival in Toronto.
In 2014 they went on to produce two more projects including La Légende de la cloche, a half-hour documentary for Radio-Canada and A Right to Eat, which focused on food security issues in Northern Manitoba’s First Nation communities. A Right to Eat aired nationally on CBC in October 2015.
In 2015 they delivered three major French-language productions including the one-hour documentary Les boys du ballet for Unis as well as two web series projects for TV5 and APTN. In 2016, they will be delivering three more one-off documentaries including a follow-up to their first film Mémére Métisse, currently entitled Le souhait d’Augustine as well as a short English-language piece for BRAVO Canada on another brother-sister duo, Ron and Natalie Pollock.

Jeremie Wookey

Janelle and Jérémie Wookey are a Franco-Métis brother-sister filmmaking team born and raised on the Canadian prairies. The two have been creating film projects together since the ages of 7 and 9. After years of play led them to professional careers, their first independent documentary, Mémére Métisse garnered national attention, premiering on opening night of the 2008 ImagineNATIVE Film Festival and airing on CBC, Radio-Canada and APTN. After accruing a combined 7 years of experience working in news and production series with CBC/Radio-Canada, the two launched their own production company, Wookey Films Inc. In 2013 they co-produced, directed, shot, wrote and edited Treading Water; Plight of the 2011 Manitoba First Nation Flood Evacuees. The film aired nationally on APTN, regionally on CBC and earned the award for Best Short Documentary at the 2014 ImagineNATIVE Film Festival in Toronto.
In 2014 they went on to produce two more projects including La Légende de la cloche, a half-hour documentary for Radio-Canada and A Right to Eat, which focused on food security issues in Northern Manitoba’s First Nation communities. A Right to Eat aired nationally on CBC in October 2015.
In 2015 they delivered three major French-language productions including the one-hour documentary Les boys du ballet for Unis as well as two web series projects for TV5 and APTN. In 2016, they will be delivering three more one-off documentaries including a follow-up to their first film Mémére Métisse, currently entitled Le souhait d’Augustine as well as a short English-language piece for BRAVO Canada on another brother-sister duo, Ron and Natalie Pollock.