Wapawekka

Directed by Danis Goulet

Canada, 2010 (fiction, 16 minutes, colour, Cree / English)

Film Description:
"Josh, a hip hop artist, would rather be anywhere than with his dad on a final trip to their isolated cabin on their family's traditional Cree territory in northern Saskatchewan. As the intergenerational gap between them becomes more apparent, so does the pull of a much greater force."
-- V tape (source)

Film Credits (partial):
Written by:	Danis Goulet
Produced by:	Danis Goulet, Christine Kleckner
Principal Cast:	Josh Goulet, Keith Goulet
Cinematography:	Daniel Grant
Film Editing:	Lawrence Jackman

(sources)

Notes about Wapawekka

Shown at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010.

(sources)

Quote by the Director

"With [Wapawekka, I was trying to address the tension that lies in the cultural gap from one generation to the next, where the old and new collide. My dad grew up on the land, hunting, trapping, speaking Cree as a first language and I live in Toronto and don't speak much Cree at all. The story is tragic on one hand but I also tried to convey a sense of promise—a beauty in the way that culture evolves. My shooting approach was inspired by neo-realist drama and cinema vérité documentary filmmaking. [...] I headed out with a small crew to my family's cabin and spent the week with my family. [...] The lead is my cousin Josh, a hip hop artist based in Saskatoon and the dad character is played by my own dad."
-- Danis Goulet (source)

Quote about Wapawekka

"Wapawekka [...] follows a Native hip-hopper on a father-son fishing and hunting trip. Superbly filmed by director Danis Goulet and starring members of her own family, the story maintains a quiet pace, allowing us to feel the lack of communication between the dad and his uninterested teenage son. Yet it takes a surprising, enigmatic turn, showing that the bond between the two is much stronger than thought. A beautiful film."
-- Guy Dixon (source)

Bibliography for Wapawekka

Articles from Newspapers, Magazines, or News Websites

Fuller, Cam. "Filmmaker looks forward to Sundance." Interview with Danis Goulet. Saskatoon Star Phoenix, December 15, 2010.
Grebinski, Leisha. "Indigenous filmmaker depicts gap between generations." Saskatchewan Sage, vol. 15, no. 2, November 2010.

Web Sites about Wapawekka

"IMDb: Wapawekka." Internet Movie Database, Inc. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663227/reference.