Places Not Our Own (1986)

Places Not Our Own: Directed by Derek Mazur. With Diane Debassige, Tantoo Cardinal, Steve Isfeld, Dale Willier. By 1929, Canada’s west, which had been home to generations of Métis, was taken over by the railroads and new settlers. The Métis became a forgotten people, relegated to eking out a living as best they could. In Places Not Our Own, Rose l’Esperance, a Métis, is determined that her children will have a normal life and an education. Her hopes reside in her daughter Flora, but the harshness of their situation culminates in a devastating and dramatic event.

“I liked this film because it gave a truly realistic view of how Metis families lived back during the Great Depression. No, this film isnu0026#39;t supposed to impress the audience with any kind of action or excitement since its a right-down-to-earth and conservative type of film. Thatu0026#39;s what makes it so unique. But what really got to me was when no one in society ever gave the Metis family a chance to live with them!! Everyone in the town kept giving the family a hard time and always ended up short changed!! For example, they had been forced to eat gophers NOT because they wanted to but because the townsfolk refused them access to the proper nutrition they needed just like anyone else. The family was also refused access to public places such as supermarkets, stores, schools etc JUST BECAUSE they were Metis and everyone had thought they were u0026quot;squattingu0026quot; on their land. The fact was that the whole land belonged to the Metis as well as the other First Nations so therefore they werenu0026#39;t u0026quot;squattingu0026quot; on it like the others wrongly believed. However life was so hard for them that they were lucky that they even found a decent place to live in. Imagine if they were treated with the same respect like everyone else in town?? Their lives would have been a lot more meaningful and fulfilling.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut……….. anyways…….. this is why I gave this one a 4 out of 10.”