Haida artists taakeit g aayaa corey bulpitt and kwiaahwah jones were hard at work at hlyaalan lngee hiellen village tattooing actors in preparation for their performances oncamera. Island of haida gwaii, northern canada, 19th century. Adiitsii, the lead character in the film, is mentally and physically pushed to the brink of survival. When a man accidentally causes the death of the son of his best friend, the man is wracked by grief and runs off into the woods. Jun 11, 2017 georgia bennett weaving a traditional haida garment for edge of the knife in the village of masset, on graham island in british columbia. Haida language drama edge of the knife premieres at tiff. The gaagiixiid is one of haidas most popular stories, sustained over the years though song and performance. Edge of the knife is a feature film in the haida languages, shot entirely on location. Edge of the knife is a feature film in the haida languages, shot entirely on location in haida gwaii. Gwaai edenshaw and helen haigbrowns edge of the knife, a period story shot on haida gwaii and featuring nonactors, was honoured at the vancouver. Gwaii edenshaw, cowriter and codirector of sgaawaay kuuna edge of.
The firstever haida language feature film, edge of the knife, premieres this week at the toronto international film festival. Creating the first featurelength haidalanguage film was a laborintensive process. After adiitsii causes the accidental death of kwas son, he flees into the rainforest, descending into madness and transforming into gaagiixid the wildman. Vancouver film critics circle names edge of the knife top. After adiitsii causes the accidental death of kwas son, he flees into the rainforest, descending into madness and. Gwaai edenshaw and helen haigbrowns stunning looking and emotionally rich film is the first feature to be told in haida dialects. Abandoned by his mother and raised by a proud activist father, george must learn to adapt the old ways to the realities of modern life.
A reasonable question from tsilhqotin director helen haigbrown, who filmed her debut fiction feature, edge of the knife, in haida an endangered language that neither she, nor half of her starring cast, spoke fluently. Oct 10, 2018 edge of the knife aka sgaawaay kuuna is a film whose reputation will precede it, but for all the right reasons. Edge of the knife 2018 directed by gwaai edenshaw, helen haigbrown. The letters cm on the knife are the initials of the character played by anthony hopkins, charles morse, in the 1997 movie, the edge. Tyler york plays the fabled gaagid in edge of the knife, set in 19thcentury haida gwaii. Set in the 19th century on the island of haida gwaii on british columbias north coast, edge of the knife is the legendary indigenous tale of adiitsii, who retreats alone into the forest after a tragic accident at sea. Gwaai edenshaw and helen haigbrowns edge of the knife, a period story shot on haida gwaii and featuring nonactors, was honoured at the vancouver playhouse, prior to the screening of anthem of. With curtis brown, diane brown, greg brown, toddi lauren brown. The cast of edge of the knife rehearse their lines in hiellen, haida gwaii, b. Tormented, he runs away to the wilderness as his mind embraces madness. With its roots in mythical, supernatural folklore, first nations filmmakers gwaai edenshaw and helen. The filmmakers hope to use the film as an educational tool to encourage fluency there are currently less than 25 fluent haida speakers in the world.
Sgaawaay kuuna retells the old haida tale of gaagiixiid. Vancouverthe vancouver film critics circle has named the haidalanguage drama edge of the knife best canadian feature of 2018 the 19thcentury mysterythriller, from indigenous directors. Shot entirely on the remote, beautiful bc island of haida gwaii, edge of the knife sgaawaay kuuna, is the first featurelength narrative film spoken entirely in the haida language one that is so endangered, with less than 20 fluent speakers, that a dialect coach was needed. Actors in the upcoming haida language feature film edge of the knife are helping to revive the handpoked haida tattoo. Sgaawaay kuuna edge of the knife trailer canadas top. Director charles wilkinsons film explores the breathtakingly beautiful archipelago off bcs northwest coast home to a. A haida feature film 2020 sgaawaay kuuna edge of the knife, 1037125 b. The story was inspired by a traditional haida legend. At a seasonal fishing camp two families endure conflict between the nobleman adiitsii and his best friend kwa. Apr 03, 2019 haida language drama edge of the knife is as sharp and thrilling as its title promises. The first feature film made in haida had its toronto international film festival premiere friday. Inspired by the gaagiixiidgaagiid wildman of haida mythology, the film charts a simple narrative about a reckless uncle who cant bear the. During a fishing gathering, adiitsii commits an unfortunate act.
Haidalanguage drama edge of the knife is as sharp and thrilling as its title promises. Sep 04, 2018 in 2017, two filmmakers set out to make edge of the knife, the firstever feature film told entirely in haida. Sgaaway kuuna, or edge of the knife tells the classic haida story of gaagiixiidgaagiid the wildman and is the first feature film to be features entirely in haida, tiff. Edge of the knife is a 2018 canadian drama film codirected by gwaai edenshaw and helen haigbrown. Set in 19thcentury haida gwaii, it tells the classic haida story of a traumatized and stranded man transformed into gaagiixiid, the wildman.
With edge of the knife, filmmakers intended to preserve haida language and culture for future generations. Tiff is a charitable cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world, through film. It is the first feature film spoken only in the haida language. Based on a haida gwaii myth, the film focuses on the harrowing journey of adiits ii tyler york, a charming haida tribal member who, during a fishing expedition. Sep 05, 2018 sgaawaay kuuna edge of the knife, premiering at the toronto international film festival, is the first feature film about the haida people and in the haida language. Edge of the knife 2018 directed by helen haigbrown, gwaai. Adiitsii, the lead character in the film, is mentally and physically pushed to the brink of survival and becomes gaagiixiidgaagiid the haida wildman. This project is a community initiative with strong support from the haida people as.
Director charles wilkinsons film explores the breathtakingly beautiful archipelago off bcs northwest coast home to a dedicated community uniting to protect land and sea for the next generation. To develop the script, sandercock and haida collaborators held communitybased storygathering and screenwriting workshops and the classic legend of gaagiixid eventually became. Adiitsii, the lead character in the film, is mentally and physically. Jun 22, 2017 the cast of edge of the knife rehearse their lines in hiellen, haida gwaii, b. Reviving a lost language of canada through film the new.
In fact, only 24 people on the planet understand haida. Nature and environment, social issues, knowledge originals. Edge of the knife shot entirely on the remote, beautiful bc island of haida gwaii, edge of the knife sgaawaay kuuna, is the first featurelength narrative film spoken entirely in the haida language one that is so endangered, with less than 20 fluent speakers, that a dialect coach was needed. An epic film performed entirely in an endangered language. On the islands of haida gwaii off the coast of british columbia, in the 1800s, two families reunite at their. The edge of the knife is the 1st featurelength film made using haida dialects. Georgia bennett weaving a traditional haida garment for edge of the knife in the village of masset, on graham island in british columbia. Edge of the knife 2018 directed by helen haigbrown. Sgaaway kuuna, or edge of the knife, tells the haida story of gaagiixiidgaagiid the wildman. Sep 09, 2018 the firstever haida language feature film, edge of the knife, premieres this week at the toronto international film festival. It is the first feature film spoken only in the haida. The haida language is critically endangered many actors had to learn the. On the edge of the world tells the story of the inhabitants of haida gwaii, the remote archipelago off the northwest coast of canada that national geographic recently named one of the must see places in the world.
Gwaai edenshaw and helen haigbrowns stunning looking and emotionally. Edge of the knife 2018 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Meet helen haigbrown, the codirector of edge of the knife. In 2017, two filmmakers set out to make edge of the knife, the firstever feature film told entirely in haida. In a 19thcentury summer, two large families gather for their annual fishing retreat on the farremoved island of haida gwaii. The haida language is critically endangered many actors had to. Skaawaay kuuna edge of the knife directed by hluugitgaa gwaai edenshaw and jaada yahlangnaay helen haigbrown niijang xyaalas productions sunday march 10, during the lunch hour, followed by a presentation and discussion 2. Edge of the knife is set in this sparse but beautiful coastal landscape in the mid1800s. George dull knife is the youngest in a long line of legendary lakota leaders. Clint and i went to a showing of the first film that was strictly filmed in the haida language yaad kil, with haida actors, on the haida land of haida gwaii. Edge of the knife is a sharp, powerful indigenous story. Edge of the knife sgaawaay kuuna subtitled on itunes. Haidalanguage feature edge of the knife wins viffs top b.
Apr 29, 2019 edge of the knife is set in this sparse but beautiful coastal landscape in the mid1800s. Directors gwaai edenshaw and helen haigbrown are aiming to do more than merely tell a diverting story with their fiction feature debut edge of the knife sgaawaay kuuna, as they also intend it to serve as a document of the fast disappearing haida language, from canada, which is now spoken fluently by only about 20 people. Apr 02, 2019 a reasonable question from tsilhqotin director helen haigbrown, who filmed her debut fiction feature, edge of the knife, in haida an endangered language that neither she, nor half of her starring cast, spoke fluently. The gaagiixiid is one of haida s most popular stories, sustained over the years though song and performance. In the film, two haida communities come together to prepare food for the winter. Gwaii edenshaw, cowriter and codirector of sgaawaay kuuna edge of the knife, who lives near haida. Against a backdrop of rising tensions, george finds himself clashing with the police and his tribal council as he finds his place in a climate of social injustice and family. Clint and i went to a showing of the first film that was strictly filmed in the haida language yaad kil, with haida actors, on the haida land of haida.
Edge of the knife is a feature length haida language film about pride, tragedy, and penance. To develop the script, sandercock and haida collaborators held communitybased storygathering and screenwriting workshops. Sgaawaay kuuna edge of the knife, premiering at the toronto international film festival, is the first feature film about the haida people and in. The film, which has been in the works since 2015, is the first feature film to be made in the haida. The film project has given a boost to the local economy.