National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Reflect on Indigenous truths told from Indigenous perspectives in this curated selection of programs
On September 30, Knowledge Network will join broadcasters across Canada to present Remembering the Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2024. This special live presentation from APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) seeks to honour residential school survivors, pay tribute to the children who never made it home, and deliver a safe and supportive environment for reconciliation and healing.
Tune in or stream live on our website and apps starting at 12pm.
Bones of Crows
- On-air September 13 at 10pm
Unfolding over 100 years, this sweeping drama by powerhouse BC-based director, Marie Clements (Métis/Dene), tells the story of Cree matriarch Aline Spears and her family - a multi-generational epic of resilience, survival and the pursuit of justice.
s-yéwyáw AWAKEN
- On-air September 26 at 9pm
Stories of hope and homecoming intersect as changemakers Ecko Aleck of the Nlaka'pamux Nation (Lytton), Alfonso Salinas of the shíshálh Nation (Sunshine Coast) and Charlene SanJenko of Splatsin of the Secwépemc Nation (Shuswap) learn and document the teachings of their Elders.
Bimibatoo-win: Where I Ran
- On-air September 26 at 10:35pm
- and September 30 at 7:30pm
In 1967, Charlie Bittern was forced to run 80 km through a blizzard by the principal of the Birtle Indian Residential School in Manitoba. 55 years later, he's embarking on the same journey with his family at his side.
Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair
- On-air September 24 at 11pm
- and September 30 at 7pm
Acclaimed documentarian Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki) blends a powerful speech by the Ojibwe former senator and Truth and Reconciliation Commission chair with powerful testimonies from survivors of the residential school system.
Becoming Nakuset
As a small child, Nakuset was taken from her home in Thompson, Manitoba, and adopted into a Jewish family in Montreal. With help from her Bubby, she reclaimed her Indigenous heritage.
Holy Angels
BC-based filmmaker Jay Cardinal Villeneuve (Cree/Métis/Welsh) captures the devastating impact of Canada's residential school system through impressionistic images and the recollections of Lena Wandering Spirit who attended the Holy Angels Residential School in Northern Alberta.
Words Matter
- On-air September 24 at 9pm
Mi'kmaw poet and author Rebecca Thomas sets out to reclaim the language stolen from her father at residential school, while exploring the complicated past that's kept it from her.
Picking Up the Pieces: The Making of the Witness Blanket
- On-air September 24 at 9:30pm
Artist Carey Newman - Ha̱yałka̱ng̱a̱me’ (Kwakwak'awakw/Coast Salish) creates a piece called the "Witness Blanket" that commemorates the experiences of residential school survivors across Canada.
Now is the Time
Haida filmmaker Christopher Auchter revisits a monumental event in 1969, when a visionary young artist, Robert Davidson, raised Haida Gwaii's first totem pole in almost a century.
the city before the city
Director Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (Blood Tribe, Blackfoot Confederacy / Sámi) tells the story of the Musqueam's 200-day vigil to halt a Vancouver condo development that unearthed ancestral remains.
The Train Station
Lyana Patrick (Stellat’en First Nation) shares her story of her family's powerful story of love and survival at Lejac Indian Residential School in northern BC.
The documentary films on this page discuss topics that may be distressing and awaken memories of past traumatic experiences and abuse.
The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line provides 24-hour crisis support to former Indian Residential School students and their families toll-free at 1-866-925-4419.
Further support resources can be found at: Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program
