Still from Another Word For Learning
Still from Another Word For Learning
 
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Another Word For Learning

by Jadis Dumas
In this inspiring story of Indigenous resilience, decolonization and family bonds, a Kwakwaka'wakw girl living in Vancouver navigates her own path to education.
2019  ·  1h13m  ·  Canada
English
About the Film

What does it mean to decolonize schooling, and to create environments of learning that challenge capitalist modes of education? Co-produced by Cinema Politica Productions and Wide Open Exposure, ANOTHER WORD FOR LEARNING examines the disconnect between the contemporary colonial educational system and Indigenous communities, in light of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the painful legacy of the Sixties Scoop.

An inspiring production that puts autodidacts and alternative education at the forefront, filmmaker Jadis Mariette Dumas—who is mostly self-taught herself—spotlights the story of 11 year old Aisha, a Kwakwaka’wakw girl who is navigating choices on her schooling while living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Along the way, Aisha is guided by her mother—Vancouver-based radio host, producer and activist Gunargie O’Sullivan—as she explores alternative modes of learning while asserting her Indigenous sense of identity and knowledge. Clever, creative and fierce, Aisha pulls no punches as she critiques the colonial institutions that seek to fit her into a box she finds unrelatable and unjust at the core.

Gunargie herself is a residential school survivor, and lends a critical voice to their legacy, alongside the intersectional issues of the opioid crisis as it unfolds in Vancouver, and the potency of self-education outside of the confines of traditional schooling. ANOTHER WORD FOR LEARNING is a thoughtful portrayal of this compelling and outspoken young protagonist and her relationship to her mother, while offering a nuanced view of one of Canada’s principle colonial institutions, where so many learn precisely what it means to be “Canadian”.

Upcoming Screenings

Stay tuned for upcoming screenings!

Festivals and Awards
2020
Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival, Official Selection
2020
Northwest Film Forum, Official Selection
2020
DOXA International Film Festival, Official Selection
In the Press
Review
POV Magazine
POV Magazine
Credits
Editor
Nicolas Renaud and Boban Chaldovich
Writer
Jadis M. Dumas
Cinematographer
Farhad Ghaderi and Kaayla Whachell
Sound Recorder
Alex Shamku
Sound Editor
Chris Leon
Producer
Jadis M. Dumas, Amy Miller, and Svetla Turnin
Production Company
Wide Open Exposure and Cinema Politica Productions
About the Director

Jadis Dumas

Jadis Mariette Dumas is a multidisciplinary artist working for over 7 years as an independent filmmaker and editor, specializing in documentary and video art. Primarily self-taught, she also completed Capilano University’s Documentary Film Programme. Since then she has been a videographer and editor on various films being shown through international festivals, and is excited to be sharing her first feature film on decolonizing education, premièring at Montreal’s RIDM. She is passionate about producing honest and beautiful storytelling through film which inspires social justice engagement.

 

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