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We Were Children

  • 2012
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
758
YOUR RATING
We Were Children (2012)
For over 130 years till 1996, more than 100,000 of Canada's First Nations children were legally required to attend government-funded schools run by various Christian faiths. Most children were sent to faraway schools that separated them from their families and traditional land.
Play trailer1:39
1 Video
9 Photos
Drama

Lyna and Glen, indigenous Canadian children, experience years of mistreatment at a residential school, depicting a harsh reality faced by many in the past.Lyna and Glen, indigenous Canadian children, experience years of mistreatment at a residential school, depicting a harsh reality faced by many in the past.Lyna and Glen, indigenous Canadian children, experience years of mistreatment at a residential school, depicting a harsh reality faced by many in the past.

  • Director
    • Tim Wolochatiuk
  • Writer
    • Jason Sherman
  • Stars
    • Lyna Hart
    • Glen Anaquod
    • Alicia Hamelin
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    758
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Tim Wolochatiuk
    • Writer
      • Jason Sherman
    • Stars
      • Lyna Hart
      • Glen Anaquod
      • Alicia Hamelin
    • 22User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:39
    Trailer

    Photos8

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    + 5
    View Poster

    Top cast38

    Edit
    Lyna Hart
    • Self
    Glen Anaquod
    • Self
    Alicia Hamelin
    • Lyna (4 Yrs Old)
    Jade Hamelin
    • Lyna (10 Yrs Old)
    Jennie Morin
    • Lyna (18 Yrs Old)
    Rebecca Gibson
    Rebecca Gibson
    • Sister Mary
    Ross McMillan
    • Father Y
    Rene Batson
    • Glen (6-7 Yrs Old)
    • (as Rene' Batson)
    Brun Montour
    • Glen (12 Yrs Old)
    • (as Bruin Montour)
    Justin Ducharme
    • Glen (18 Yrs Old)
    Justin Courchene
    • Glen (Adult)
    Tyrone Brooks
    • Glen's Cousin (6-7 Yrs Old)
    Rachel Seenie
    Rachel Seenie
    • Glen's Aunt
    Glenn Cochrane
    • Lyna's Grandfather
    Fawnda Neckoway
    • Lyna's Mother
    Maggie Nagle
    • Sister 1
    Shawney Moar
    • Girl at Sink
    Kohl Bohemier
    • Cree Speaking Altar Boy
    • Director
      • Tim Wolochatiuk
    • Writer
      • Jason Sherman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews22

    7.7758
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    Featured reviews

    8jzhangzq

    I couldn't watch this movie in whole

    I could not stomach these fragments. This movie will bring you to tears and disappointment with this past history of Canada that no one knew about until recent years. Should this movie be for truth and reconciliation? Never.

    We should always talk about this.
    8bendabook

    An important film. I had no idea.

    Pediphiles in the Catholic Church. Cruelty in the Catholic Church. This time innocent Native American children are victims of terrible crimes. Taken from their homes and abused in the name of God. These were not Gods people. Quite the opposite. Their reckoning must have been blazing.
    8ivygraves

    Heart Breaking

    All I can say about this movie is it is heartbreaking. It is a very honest but sad and truthful movie about how lives were taken and how identities were stolen from the indigenous children.

    Being forced to change who you were and they took every inch of their pride and dignity.

    This movie will make you cry and break your heart, but it's important we learn about the indigenous culture and what they went through.

    We must heal in order to move forward.
    10gibbs-18172

    A must watch to understand recent history of Canada

    Tear jerking and anger provoking. This half dramatic part documentary tells how the Canadian government tried to eradicate a race out of their society by making aboriginal children leave their homes and attend church run boarding schools.

    Some of the nuns are God crazy and some of the priests put the children through physical, emotional and sexual and mental abuse.

    2 of the 80'000 survivors narrate this harrowing true story that only ceased in 1996
    8JulianJohnJunior

    Review from a Native in Canada.

    Hello my name is Julian, I am currently 17 years old and born 1997 to let you know my age for the future. It was an experience to see my people back in the day, and also sad. I am a Cree Native and never really got to learn my language fully, though I believe the people in my community gave up on that since we aren't getting classes for it now from grade 9 to 12. But focus on the movie. This movie is a must-see for those who want to know our history. I believe race shouldn't matter, it's sort of stupid to judge someone based on their skin. What if aliens exist? They would say we are stupid for fighting each other. Sorry if this review isn't mostly about the movie, but I have to speak my mind on how it made me think through it, not to mention I don't want to spoil too much. Just watch it, trust me.

    Edit: I corrected and deleted a few sentences from this review. I'm updating this in 2025, but want the review to remain somewhat the same. I still believe this movie is a must-watch given the global acknowledgement of residential schools from when I update this.

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    FAQ

    • How long is We Were Children?Powered by Alexa

    Details

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    • Release date
      • March 3, 2013 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Canada
    • Languages
      • English
      • Cree
      • French
    • Filming locations
      • Manitoba, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Eagle Vision
      • Entertainment One
      • National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $16,500,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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