We Were Children

A harrowing, necessary reckoning that bears witness to stolen childhoods with unflinching honesty and deep sorrow.

Directed by

Tim Wolochatiuk

Genres

Documentary

Starring

Lyna Hart, Ross McMillan, Glen Anaquod

Overview

For over 130 years till 1996, more than 100,000 of Canada's First Nations children were legally required to attend government-funded schools run by various Christian faiths. There were 80 of these 'residential schools' across the country. Most children were sent to faraway schools that separated them from their families and traditional land. These children endured brutality, physical hardship, mental degradation, and the complete erasure of their culture. The schools were part of a wider program of assimilation designed to integrate the native population into 'Canadian society.' These schools were established with the express purpose 'To kill the Indian in the child.' Told through their own voices, 'We Were Children' is the shocking true story of two such children: Glen Anaquod and Lyna Hart.

How it feels

Dark, bleak, melancholic and earnest. Measured and demanding.

About

Trauma, race, identity, power

Content

Strong violence. Mild gore, sexual content and language.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)