Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance

In July 1990, a dispute over a proposed golf course to be built on Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) lands in Oka, Quebec set the stage for a historic confrontation that would grab international headlines and sear itself into the Canadian consciousness. Pathbreaking filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin – at times with a small crew, at times alone – spent 78 days behind Kanien’kéhaka lines filming the armed standoff between protesters, the Quebec police, and the Canadian army. The result is a uniquely harrowing, unsettling, and impactful cinematic experience.

One of the most important Canadian films of all time, this landmark documentary has been seen around the world, winning over a dozen international awards and making history at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it became the first documentary ever to win the Best Canadian Feature award. In addition to Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance, this disc includes the three subsequent films in Obomsawin’s acclaimed Oka Crisis quartet – My Name Is Kahentiiosta, Spudwrench: Kahnawake Man, and the feature-length Rocks at Whiskey Trench – expanding on key incidents, characters, and themes from the original film.