It’s no longer about sitting stoically at a desk while being lectured about reading, writing, and arithmetic. School has evolved into so much more.
Arianna Augustine and Keywork Productions are pleased to announce the community screening of the locally filmed and produced documentary 10,000 Gifts — a piece dedicated to showing how Q’shintul (Mill Bay Nature School) is trying to re-imagine what school can be.
“My goal with this film was to capture the incredible work happening at Q’shintul in a way that honours the real life complexities of doing reconciliation work,” Augustine explained.
She said that with more than 10,000 years of ancestry in the region, “Quw’utsun elders walk alongside the students and staff of the Mill-Bay based nature school, both guiding and demonstrating the humility and courage required for “reconciliAction”.
“I hope that viewers of the film can feel both the messiness and the power that comes with grappling with complicated ideas in the real world,” Augustine said. “I am incredibly grateful to all the participants and the leaders within the Q’shintul community for sharing openly and trusting us to tell this story.”
A Coast Salish woman of mixed ancestry, this is the first producing and directing project for the artist and storyteller.
Augustine welcomes all to attend a community screening of 10,000 Gifts on April 16 at 1 p.m. at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre. Entry is by donation, and proceeds from the event will be put toward the costs of other community screenings.
For those unable to attend the event, or who would like to watch the film again, 10,000 Gifts will premiere for free on Telus Optik TV On Demand in the fall of 2023.
Find more information about the film and upcoming screenings on Keywork Productions’ social media channels.
RSVP for the April 16 community screening at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/community-screening-of-10000-gifts-documentary-tickets-571079974577