By Emily Thomas
Indigenous film is an up-and-coming genre, and indigenous women are making important contributions to it. This essay analyzes the 2019 film Kuessipan by Canadian filmmaker Myriam Verreault and Innu co-writer Naomi Fontaine and discusses the history of indigenous female representation in film. This essay also explains the concept of representation through polyphony (multivocality), which encourages viewers of this film to feel empathy for Native women. Using a humanist lens, this essay explores the depth of Kuessipan’s female protagonists and explains how the film could serve as a catalyst for change in the real world.
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