Sugarcane

Nominated this year for Best Documentary feature comes this sobering tale of sexual improprieties inflicted by the Catholic church upon Canadian Indigenous children up until shockingly recently. Taking testimony from survivors of the atrocities, now in their later years, which detail multiple deaths (infants born of rape were disposed of in mass graves or in incinerators) that a small group of investigators try to solve (even though we hear in voice over a mass grave was found) while memories of the past are pried open to reveal past evils. Just as a piece exposing historical sins by the church is enough for someone to tune in & be horrified but as these stories keep emerging (similar feats were performed by the church in Australia & Ireland in fictional accounts like RabbitProof Fence & The Magdalene Sisters) people wonder how far the church has fallen in the minds of most parishoners.

This remarkable film was the most memorable one I saw at Sundance this year. It has stayed with me for weeks. The film is beautifully shot and captures the landscape of Williams Lake. The directors artfully weave several narratives into the film. Each participant has a compelling and moving story of their horrific experiences at St. Joseph's mission. Although this was difficult to watch, the filmmakers handled these moments with much sensitivity and compassion. The film is lightened with colorful coverage of ceremonies and celebrations. All the participants, with the exception of the late Rick Gilbert, were at the q and a. Their testimonies were as moving and heart rendering as the film. The film well deserved the extended applause and standing ovation. A vital story that needed to be told. Most importantly, the making of the film was a healing process for the survivors. I cannot overstate how excellent this film. It should be seen by every Canadian and American...

I feel bad for all Indigenous people. In Canada and The United States. They have bad treated as bad if not worse than any other people on the plant. However, this documentary did not help me to understand their experience. It was poorly done in my opinion. It jumped around way to much. And had a lot of wasted scenes. The people in Canada who this documentary was about suffered greatly. No doubt about that. But, their story wasn't told here. They are still investigating things that happened way back into like the thirties. The Catholic Church is really made out to be the devil. And no doubt some were. But, anytime there is a church as large as they are. There will be a percentage of bad. The problem goes way deeper. They were lied to over and over again. They received no justice all around the world. No apology will ever fix all the tragedy they have suffered.

I watched this film at the Sundance Film Festival this year. The difficult subject of abuse in mission school, unanswered questions and consequences for the abuse victims and their descendants. Despite its noble intentions and the significance of the subject matter, this film falls short of delivering a masterful narrative with some repetitive scenes. The pacing felt uneven, with certain segments dragging on while others lack sufficient depth. Moreover, the editing occasionally undermines the emotional resonance of the testimonies, detracting from their impact. A more refined approach to story telling and presentation could have elevated this documentary to a more impactfull level.

Watched this at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

"Sugarcane" is an emotionally, chilling and disturbing documentary that explores the abuse indigenous individuals had experienced in residential schools and explores the horrifying actions from the government with strong discussions from the participants, great sense of direction and deeply personal insights of the situation.

Many of the camerawork, sound designs and the conversations from the participants were beautiful, depressing, and emotional as learning about what the people have encountered in these schools is horrifying and upsetting. No individuals should have to suffer should abuse.

Despite some of the documentary structure feeling slow, it still remains an important documentary to see.