Alanis Obomsawin, a member of the Abenaki Nation, is one of Canada's most distinguished filmmakers. For over four decades, she has directed documentaries at the National Film Board of Canada that chronicle the  lives and concerns of First Nations people and explore issues of importance to all.

Her latest film, When All the Leaves Are Gone, had its world premiere in 2010 at the Montreal World Film Festival. Based on her own experiences as a child, this short film blends autobiography with fiction, exploring the power of dreams and the strength of the human spirit.

Previous films
In 2009, the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival presented the World Premiere of her latest film, the NFB documentary Professor Norman Cornett - "Since when do we divorce the right answer from an honest answer?" a thought-provoking tribute to an exceptional educator and a reflection on the true nature of learning.

In her 2007 documentary Gene Boy Came Home, Obomsawin turns her camera on the ugliness of war through the eyes of one survivor, Vietnam War veteran Eugene "Gene Boy" Benedict, from her home community of Odanak.

The people of Odanak and their stories are also the subject of her award-winning 2006 feature documentary Waban-Aki: People from Where the Sun Rises. Obomsawin's 2005 drama Sigwan focuses on a young girl who is aided by the animals of the forest. Her 2003 NFB documentary Our Nationhood chronicles the determination and tenacity of the Listuguj Mi'gmaq people to use and manage the natural resources of their traditional lands. The Mi'gmaq of Esgenoopetitj (Burnt Church), New Brunswick were the subject of her 2002 documentary, Is the Crown at war with us?, a powerful and painstakingly researched look at the conflict over fishing rights.

The 2000 NFB release Rocks at Whiskey Trench was Obomsawin's fourth film in her series about the 1990 Oka crisis. The first, Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993), was a feature-length film documenting the 1990 Mohawk uprising in Kanehsatake and Oka, which has won 18 international awards. It was followed by My Name is Kahentiiosta (1995), a film about a young Kahnawake Mohawk woman who was arrested after the 78-day armed standoff, and Spudwrench - Kahnawake Man (1997), profiling Randy Horne, a high-steel worker from the Mohawk community of Kahnawake.

Obomsawin began her career as a singer, writer and storyteller, but dove into filmmaking in 1967 with Christmas at Moose Factory, which she wrote and directed. Since then, Obomsawin has made over 30 uncompromising documentaries on issues affecting Aboriginal people in Canada. Her other films include: Incident at Restigouche (1984), a powerful depiction of the Quebec police raid of a Micmac reserve; Richard Cardinal: Cry from a Diary of a Métis Child (1986), the disturbing examination of an adolescent suicide, and No Address (1988), a look at Montreal's homeless.

Box set
In 2008, the NFB released the DVD box set, Alanis Obomsawin: The Collection - 270 Years of Resistance, featuring her landmark documentary Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance along with My Name Is Kahentiiosta, Spudwrench: Kahnawake Man and Rocks At Whiskey Trench.

Joining the NFB
In 1960, Obomsawin made her professional debut as a singer in New York City. In 1967, NFB producers Joe Koenig and Bob Verrall saw Obomsawin on TV. They invited the singer/storyteller to the Film Board to work as an advisor on a film about Aboriginal people. Obomsawin went on to direct films of her own, while continuing to perform and fight for justice for her people.

Music and art
As a singer/songwriter, Obomsawin has toured Canada, the United States and Europe performing for humanitarian causes in universities, museums, prisons and art centres, as well as at folk art festivals. Her 1988 album Bush Lady features traditional songs of the Abenaki people, as well as original compositions.

For over 25 years, Obomsawin has worked as an engraver and print-maker, with exhibitions in Canada and Europe. Mother and child imagery is prominent in her work, which also combines material from her own dreams with animal spirits and historical events.

Her artwork has been exhibited at the Maison Lacombe in Joliette, Quebec; the Cinémathèque québécoise and the Canadian Guild of Crafts in Montreal; the Musée des Abénakis in Odanak, Quebec; as well as at the Maison des Arts de Créteil, in Créteil, France.

Early years
Alanis Obomsawin was born in New Hampshire on Abenaki Territory. When she was 6 months old, her mother returned to the Odanak reserve north east of Montreal where Alanis lived until she was 9. Théophile Panadis, her mother's cousin, initiated Alanis into the history of the Abenaki Nation and taught her many songs and legends. Obomsawin and her parents then left Odanak for Trois Rivières, where they were the only Native family. Cut off, speaking little French and no English, Obomsawin held fast to the songs and stories she had learned on the reserve.

Past awards and honours
In September 2010, Ms. Obomsawin was inducted to the Canadian Film and Television Hall of Fame. In the spring of 2009, Obomsawin was honored with an Outstanding Achievement Award Retrospective at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. In 2008, she was honoured with the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. In May of that same year, she was also the subject of a special retrospective at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Obomsawin is the subject of the first-ever book on Native filmmakers, Alanis Obomsawin: The Vision of a Native Filmmaker, by Randolph Lewis, published in 2006 by the University of Nebraska Press.  

In 2002, Obomsawin was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, following her investiture as a Member of the Order of Canada in 1983.

Her many honours also include the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts, the Luminaria Tribute for Lifetime Achievement from the Santa Fe Film Festival, the International Documentary Association's Pioneer Award, the Toronto Women in Film and Television's (TWIFT) Outstanding Achievement Award in Direction, the Canadian Native Arts Foundation National Aboriginal Achievement Award, and the Outstanding Contributions Award from the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association (CSAA). The latter marks the first time that the CSAA has honoured someone who is not an academic in the field of sociology and anthropology.

In October 2007, Obomsawin received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Western Ontario. She has also been honoured with a fellowship from the Ontario College of Art, an Honorary Doctor of Letters from York University, an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Concordia University and an Honorary Doctor of Literature from Carleton University. She has taught at the Summer Institute of Film and Television in Ottawa.

Obomsawin is on the board of the Portrait Gallery of Canada as well as the Aboriginal Visual Culture Program: Art, Media, and Design at the Ontario College of Art & Design. She is also president of LAND InSIGHTS and is a mentor in the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation. She has chaired the Board of Directors of the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal and sat on the Canada Council's First People's Advisory Board. She was also a board member of Studio 1, the NFB's Aboriginal studio, and a former advisor to the New Initiatives in Film, a Studio D program for women of colour and women of the First Nations. As a member of the Board of Aboriginal Voices, she was part of an initiative to obtain a radio licence for the organization. A lifetime member of the Board of Directors for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Ms Obomsawin has also served as a Member of the Board for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) in Vermont and National Geographic International.

 2010     When All the Leaves Are Gone                                                    Director/Writer/Producer

2009     Professor Norman Cornett - "Since when do we divorce the right answer from an honest answer?"                                                                                           Director/Writer/Producer

2007     Gene Boy Came Home                                                     Director/Writer/Producer

2006     Waban-Aki: People from Where the Sun Rises                          Director/Writer/Producer

2005     Sigwan                                                                               Director/Writer/Producer

2003     Our Nationhood                                                               Director/Writer/Producer

2003     For John
dir. Dale Montour/Producer

2002     Is the Crown at war with us?                                          Director/Writer/Producer

2000     Rocks at Whiskey Trench                                                 Director/Writer/Producer

1997     Spudwrench - Kahnawake Man                                     Director/Writer/Producer

1995     My Name is Kahentiiosta                                                 Director/Writer/Producer

1993     Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance                            Director/Writer/Co-Producer

1991     Walker (Playing Fair series)                                            
Director

1991     Le Patro Le Prévost: 80 Years Later                                Director/Writer/Co-Producer

1988     No Address                                                                        Director/Writer/Co-Producer

1988     A Way of Learning                                                            Director/Writer/Producer

1987     Poundmaker's Lodge: A Healing Place                           Director/Writer/Co-Producer

1986     Richard Cardinal: Cry from a Diary of a Métis Child 
Director/Writer/Co-Producer

1984     Incident at Restigouche                                                  
Director/Writer/

1980     Canada Vignettes: June in Povungnituk                       
Director/Writer

1979     Sounds from Our People                                                 Director/Producer/Writer
(a six-part series of half-hour films)

Old Crow
Gabriel Goes to the City
Cold Journey
Cree Way
Mother of Many Children
Amisk

1979     Canada Vignettes: Wild Rice Harvest, Kenora 
Director/Writer

1977     Mother of Many Children                                               Director/Producer/Writer

1977     Amisk                                                                                 Director/Producer

1976     L'ilawat (multimedia kits)                                                 Director/Producer

1973     Manowan (multimedia kits)                                             Director/Producer

1971     Christmas at Moose Factory                                           
Director/Writer

AWARDS
Is the Crown at war with us?
Best Documentary Feature
28^th Annual American Indian Film Festival, San Francisco 2003

Award of Distinction
Indian Summer Festival, West Allis, Wisconsin 2003

Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance
Toronto-City Award for Best Canadian Feature Film
Festival of Festivals, Toronto 1993

Feature Documentary Award
Vancouver International Film Festival 1993

Best Documentary Feature Film
18^th Annual American Indian Film Festival, San Francisco 1993

Best Full-Length Documentary
Mediawave Film Festival, Hungary 1997

Distinguished Documentary Achievement
IDA 19^th Annual Awards Competition, Los Angeles 1993

Special Jury Award, Documentary Category
13^th International Amiens Film Festival, Amiens, France 1993

Wind and Glacier Award
Native American Film and Media Celebration, New York 1994

Special Jury Award: Film and Video Category
Special Jury Award: Current Events Category
37^th San Francisco International Film Festival, Golden Gate Award 1994

Special Jury Prize Award
Mountain Film Festival, Telluride, Colorado 1994

Award of Excellence for Best Editing
Atlantic Film Festival, Halifax 1993

Sesterce d'argent Special Jury Prize
25^th International Documentary Film Festival, Nyon, Switzerland 1993

"We Are Sovereign" Award
Two Rivers Film Festival, Minneapolis 1993

Second Place Award, Indian Produced Feature Length Documentary
7^th American Indian Film and Video Competition, Oklahoma 1994

Special Award
Aotearoa Film Festival, Whakatane, New Zealand 1993

Mother of Many Children
Special Jury Prize Award
Mountain Film Festival, Telluride, Colorado 1994

Grand Prize
First International Festival of Films on the Arctic, Dieppe, France 1983

Best Semi-Documentary Award
American Indian Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival 1978

My Name is Kahentiiosta
Second Place Award, Indian Produced Documentary
9^th American Indian Film and Video Competition, Oklahoma 1996

No Address
Wind and Glacier Award
The Native American Film and Media Celebration, New York 1992

From Dream to Reality
Two Rivers Native Film Festival 1991

Best Documentary Award
14^th Annual American Indian Film Festival, San Francisco 1989

 Honorable Mention, Social Studies Category
37^th Annual International Film Festival, Birmingham, Alabama 1989

Nomination, Golden Sheaf Awards
International Short Film and Video Festival, Yorkton, Saskatchewan 1989

 Playing Fair Series
Silver Cindy Award
Cindy Competition, New Orleans 1993

Best Film, Guidance and Counselling Category
International Educational Film and Video Festival, Birmingham, Alabama 1992

Award of Merit, Videotape - Government Media Agency Category
AMTEC Media Festival, Victoria, British Columbia 1992

Poundmaker's Lodge: A Healing Place
Bronze Apple Award, Health/Drug and Alcohol Addiction Category

19^th National Educational Film and Video Festival, Oakland, California 1989

Certificate of Honorable Mention, Health and Medicine: Addiction, Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco Category

36^th Annual International Film Festival, Columbus, Ohio 1988

Richard Cardinal: Cry From a Diary of a Métis Child
Prize for Best Documentary
11^th Annual American Indian Film Festival, San Francisco 1986

Special Award for Educational Visual Anthropology to Children and Youth
International Visual Anthropology, Parnu, Estonia 1991

Crystal Apple Award, Human Relations: Teen Suicide Category
19^th National Education Film and Video Festival, Oakland, California 1989

Red Ribbon Award, Current Concerns Category
30^th American Film and Video Festival, New York 1988

Rocks at Whiskey Trench
Best Native American Director
Festival of Festivals, Palm Springs, California 2002

Spudwrench - Kahnawake Man
Dreamspeakers Festival 1998
Best Documentary over 30 minutes

Dreamspeakers Festival 1998
Best Director, Documentary

Waban-Aki: People From Where the Sun Rises
Best Documentary Award
imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, Toronto, October 2006

Walker (Playing Fair Series)
Gold Apple Award, Sexuality and Self-Esteem: Grades 4-6 Category
22^nd National Educational Film and Video Festival, Oakland, California 1992

Wind and Glacier Award
Native American Film and Media Celebration, New York 1992

PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS PRESENTED TO ALANIS OBOMSAWIN

Montgomery Fellow, Dartmouth University, Hanover, New Hampshire, January 2011

Inductee, Playback Canadian Film and Television Hall of Fame, Toronto, September 2010

Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of British Columbia, May 2010

Lifetime Achievement Award, International Madrid Documentary Festival, May 2010

Outstanding Achievement Award, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, May 2009

Pour l'ensemble de son oeuvre, Festival du film de l'outaouais, March 2009

Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Guelph, June 2008

Alanis Obomsawin: A Retrospective, May 14-26, 2008, The Museum of Modern Art

Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, May 2008

Luminaria Tribute For Lifetime Achievement, Santa Fe Film Festival, December 2007

Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Western Ontario, October 2007

Special Homage, Abenaki Annual Celebration, Odanak, Quebec, July 2006

Walk of Honour, Dreamspeaker Festival, Edmonton, June 2006

IDA Pioneer Award, International Documentary Association, Los Angeles, December 2004

The Milestone Award, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, Toronto, October 2004

Life Achievement Award, Parallel Culture Awards, Hungary, May 2003

Highest Distinction, Advancement of Women Awards, Women's Y Foundation of Montreal, April 2003

PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS PRESENTED TO ALANIS OBOMSAWIN - cont'd

Honoured by Femmes du cinéma, de la télévision et de la vidéo à Montréal for outstanding contributions to the development of the film and television industry, April 2003

Officer of the Order of Canada, February 2002

Prix Dr. Bernard Chagnan Assiniwi, Life Time Achievement Award

Festival Land Insights, June 2001

Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts, March 2001

Honorary Doctor of Laws, Trent University, June 2000

Honorary Doctor of Laws, Queen's University, June 2000

Lifetime Achievement Award, Aboriginal Film Festival, June 1999

Defender of Human Rights through Film, 50^th Anniversary of Human Rights Celebration, May 1999

Lifetime Achievement Award, Taos Talking Picture Festival, New Mexico, 1997

Honorary Doctor of Literature, Carleton University, November 1994

Honorary Doctor of Letters, York University, June 1994

Outstanding Contribution Award, Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association, June 1994

Fellow of the Ontario College of Arts, May 1994

Special Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the advancement of Aboriginal Filmmaking, Dreamspeakers Festival, Edmonton, Alberta, 1994

Award for Outstanding Achievement in Direction, Toronto Women in Film and Television, Director of the Year, 1994

Honorary Doctor of Laws, Concordia University, Montreal, 1993

National Aboriginal Achievement Award, 1993

Order of Canada, Confederation, 1992

Pour son apport à la reconnaisance des droits de la femme amerindienne, Le Salon de la Femme, Montreal 1989

Member of the Order of Canada, June 1983

The 12 Arts and Humanities Education Award, NYU, March 1982

Outstanding Canadian of the Year, Macleans Magazine, 1965

AWARDS PRESENTED IN HONOUR OF ALANIS OBOMSAWIN

The Alanis Obomsawin Award for Commitment to Community and Resistance, inaugurated by Cinema Politica, Montreal, March 2011

The annual Alanis Obomsawin Best Documentary Award inaugurated by the imagineNATIVE International Media Arts Festival, Toronto, October 2002

Alanis Obomsawin Award given each year by the Reel Aboriginal Film Festival for Best Documentary, June 2000

Alanis Obomsawin Award given each year by the Dreamspeakers Film Festival for Best Documentary, 1994

» Watch Alanis Obomsawin's films at NFB.ca