Film Review: Hands of History

Film Review: Hands of History

Introduction

The film is a 1994 documentary by Loretta Todd, who is a leading figure in Canadian Indigenous cinema. In this documentary, Loretta profiles four contemporary female artists who seek to find a continuum from traditional to contemporary forms of expression of their cultures through art. In the documentary, the four females reveal their unique practices and their journeys. In general, it is a moving testimony what the significant role played by indigenous women in nurturing indigenous cultures. The most interesting thing about the documentary is that the women in the film narrate their stories about their cultures and art related to their origins, and all of their stories are very interesting to listen to. These women are from indigenous cultures, which makes the film more interesting to watch as the viewer is curious to know more about these women. They talk about their skills in producing art and how they learned to create different artifacts and how these skills and knowledge has been passed from their ancestors.

Film Summary

The film begins by introducing each of the women and how they were involved in art related to their cultures. The four women individually talk about their identity and where they come from, and the kind of art they are involved in. They also explain why they are involved in art. Next, the women give their definitions of art and what they generally think about art. They explain what art means to them and their cultures and also give the various uses of this art in different aspects of their lives. Throughout the film, Loretta Todd has shown the early life and influence of each of these women. From their narrations, the viewer can be able to see the various hardships that these women have undergone as aboriginal women living in a world that does not care about their cultural heritage. They, therefore, use art to showcase this cultural heritage.

Description

The film combines pictures, videos, and audio to explain the stories of the four women. I different parts of the film, Todd shows some pictures related to the women and their cultural heritage as they continue talking in the background. In other parts, the women are seen on the screen narrating their stories in front of the camera. The combination of the pictures and the video makes the film an interesting film to watch as they enhance the overall understanding of the viewer, and he/she can get a clear picture of what each of the artists is talking about. Throughout the film, some traditional music can be heard in the background, and this gives the film an overall feeling of being associated with the indigenous culture of these women. By showing the artist performing different tasks such as weaving, carving, and even teaching the skills they have to younger people, the film enables the viewer to realize that these women are very knowledgeable about their philosophies, and cultures and skills, all of which have been passed to them by their parents and grandparents. Generally, the film gives out a sympathetic feel as the women narrate some of the experiences they have come across where they have been felt different because of other people treating them differently or making them feel uncomfortable because they are from a different culture.

Analysis

The film shows how aboriginal women use art to preserve their cultural heritage and how they use art to express themselves. The women believe that art is a form of beauty, culture, and historical memory. The art they create is a representation of who they are as aboriginal women with their own cultural beliefs and way of life. This art is represented in their clothing, and other items they use to perform different tasks. The skills to perform these tasks such as weaving have been passed from their ancestors, and they continue passing them on to more generations to carry on their cultural heritage (Todd 2020). The women in the film view art as a critical way to learn important skills in life, such as discipline, which is important in many aspects of life, especially where they are mixed with many other people who are not from their cultures. The film informs the viewer of the importance of cultural identity in a nation and the significance of identifying different cultures, especially in Canada. People need to identify the first nations and acknowledge their art and what it communicates in relation to the land. The film did a good job of explaining the relationship between art and the aboriginal culture as it used real aboriginal women who narrate their real stories, and this gives the film authenticity.

Conclusion

This film plays a vital role in explaining the cultural heritage of the indigenous cultures and their art and showcases the magnificent talent and skills that these women have. It shows the importance of art from aboriginal cultures, which help the people from these groups to reclaim their heritage and maintain their culture and beliefs. It shows that even the non-natives can have a feel of the culture and way of life of the natives by looking at their art and embracing it with a motivation to learn more about the heritage. The film is worth watching as it is very informative and helps the viewer understand the culture and heritage of the native culture.

Bibliography

Todd, Loretta 2020Hands Of History. National Film Board Of Canada. https://www.nfb.ca/film/hands_of_history/, accessed March 5 , 2020.