Hank Williams First Nation

Forget Tom Cruise and his invading aliens - my pick for THE movie to see this summer is "Hank Williams - First Nation".

Calgarian Aaron James Sorenson wrote and directed the film, all the music was done by local artists and the cast is made up of local actors, including Gordon Tootosis - whom many of you will recognize as "Albert" from North of 60 and also having appeared with Brad Pitt and Sir Anthony Hopkins in Legends of the Fall. Sammy Simon does a phenomenal job as the Radio Announcer, providing a great deal of HONEST laughter.

When I say "Honest" laughter, what I mean is that, unlike many of the "slick, high budget, Hollywood blockbusters" - this film doesn't rely on laughs generated by potty jokes, self-depreciation and at the expense of others.

Hank Williams, First Nation is a story based on characters that Mr Sorenson grew to know. The story itself is about a family, a community, a dream. Uncle Martin, a lifelong Hank Williams fan, has decided that perhaps Hank isn't dead after all. He decides to travel to Nashville to see Hank's grave for his own eyes. His younger brother sends his grandson Jacob with Uncle Martin not only to keep the oldest Fox family member company, but to teach his grandson a little about the world. The two become celebrities in the U.S., being interviewed by small town newspapers and having their picture taken to be posted at diners along the way.

Meanwhile, at home, Jacob's sister, Sara is facing her pending graduation and all the emotional ups and downs of the big event that we all faced. Her boyfriend is a big schmuck, her brother's best friend has a huge crush on her and she is a sure bet for valedictorian. On top of it all, her absentee mother, whom Jacob has only seen once when he was a toddler, may be coming for a visit.

The other characters have issues of their own to deal with and they do so as we all do. Mr Sorenson has created some of the most REAL characters I've encountered in film since Fargo and Beautiful Girls. They don't win the lotto, they don't drive insanely expensive cars, they aren't unbelievably beautiful and spend nights having sex we can only envy. They don't have some sort of "lightbulb" moment and solve every problem they've ever had. They laugh. They cry. They get up every day and head off to work when they'd rather stay in bed. They have car starters that don't work. They look forward to the weekly Radio Bingo games. They have crappy winter weather. What you see is what you get. In short, I LOVED these characters. I cared about them. I wanted to see what would happen to them. I STILL wonder how things will work out for them.

As a writer, Mr Sorenson has accomplished what many writers strive for. He created characters with heart and soul and depth. Some of the cinematography will knock your socks off. The film captures the beauty of the Canadian landscape which is often overlooked in Canadian cinema.

I laughed. I laughed a LOT. Not just a little smile here and there or a chuckle kept to myself. I experienced honest, out loud, unabashed laughter the likes of which I've not experienced in a film in some time. My advice, grab a friend and go see this film. You won't regret it.

First off, let me say this movie was wonderful and beautiful and I'd recommend it everyone! No sex, no violence, no sensationalism...what a refreshing relief!

Like one or two have posted, at the time of viewing the movie, I at first thought I'd have liked to have known what the local politician was saying in Cree. However, I realized that not knowing added to the magic of the film.

Writer/director Aaron Sorensen (as well as Gordon Tootoosis and Colin Van Loon) spoke after the screening in Vancouver, and said they had intended that scene to be spoken in English, but it just wasn't working during the shoot. He told the actor to say it all in Cree, and it's just a delightful scene! I'm glad they didn't give subtitles, because it was a joy watching the interaction between the characters, and listening to the "feeling" of the exchange. Sorry -- hard to put into words!

As it turns out, amazingly the script is on the movie's website. There, the scene is given in the original English. When I saw it I was about to read it. Couldn't bring myself to do it!

Of all the beautiful poetry I've read in my life, and all the movies I've scene, I've almost never had one line stand out so powerfully:

""We might not be through with the past, but the past is through with us" ~~ Spoken by "Sarah" (Stacy Da Silva)

After the film, Aaron Sorensen said that both the DVD and the CD should be out later this year. Keep an eye out for it! You won't be disappointed.

Linda

I cannot understand the low consensus ratings so far on the IMDb (4.4/10 as of today) for this lovely film, which was my personal favorite among the 15 features I saw at the recent Idaho International Film Festival in Boise. The opening night feature, this relaxed, soulful narrative film is set on tribal lands of the Woodland Cree Indians in northern Alberta, where Mr. Sorenson, the director, taught school for several years.

An aging member of the tribe longs to visit the gravesite of his favorite country musician, Hank Williams, Sr., in Nashville. His younger brother Adelard, a tribal leader, played by Gordon Tootoosis (a prominent Native Canadian actor from the Cree/Stoney First Nations in Saskatchewan), arranges for his teen grandson to accompany the old man and off they go by bus. We tune in now and then to the progress made on this junket, but most of the film is about small dramas among the folks back home. Affectionately observed by first time filmmaker Sorenson, the people and their daily lives are followed with respect and gentle humor.

All but three of the actors are first timers, amateurs. The best of these by far is Bernard Starlight, cast in the role of Huey, a young teddy bear of a fellow whose offbeat charm graces all of his contacts with others. Gordon Tootoosis is a marvelous actor whose subtle facial gestures cover a broad range of self-contained emotions. Mr. Sorenson, who was present at this screening, says that he built each of his characters upon people he got to know while teaching among the Crees.

An important goal of his film, he said, was to dispel common negative stereotypes about Native Canadians (e.g., that they are slackers and alcoholics or addicts). As Sorenson perceives them, they are typically people of integrity and faith, with a splendid sense of humor and a passion for country music; their hero, almost to a man, is Hank Williams, Sr. (who, by the way, is buried in Montgomery, Alabama, near his birthplace, not Nashville). Sorenson does touch on the issue of drug abuse, but only in an oblique manner, one that highlights a local family's resolve to take care of its own troubled relative.

Eastern Canadian film moguls turned their backs on this movie for being "too small and too regional," Sorenson told us. So he distributed the film himself in Alberta and did $140K worth of box office gross in that province alone, over half the cost of his film. Now people are interested.

There are a number of loose ends left dangling in this story: the fate of Adelard's grandson and granddaughter, the outcome of a local election, Huey's future. Fortunately, a Canadian TV producer has asked Mr. Sorenson to create several 30 minute films to follow some of these stories further, to be screened following the present feature length movie.

I asked Bruce Fletcher, the IIFF Director, how he discovered this splendid film. "Simple," Bruce said. "First of all, I'm from Alberta. My friends told me about this film. Second, I married a Cree Indian." Any more questions? Visit the film's website: www.hwfn.com. My rating: 9/10 (A-). (Film seen on 09/29/05). If you'd like to read more of my reviews, send me a message for directions to my websites.

This is mostly a movie about people and their most sincere levels of connection. Don't be confused by the title. Hank Williams is only the nail to hang this story from. In fact, although almost all of it centers on a town of Cree Indians in Alberta, it is a universal story of people going through their lives, living with family, and working to make or deal with connections. Funny at the start, interesting in the middle, moving in the last. A well filmed, well crafted story, that leads you along a simple path that will eventually fill your heart with more than you expected.

I think if there were any flaws, they were budget related. For instance, there was no actual Hank Williams music in the film, but I'm sure that was only due to the cost and complexity of arranging to use his music. At this lower-budget level, it works anyway. The script is great, actors feel real, and the filming looks good.

I expected a small light-hearted movie. It is that, in part. It is also a great story that slowly pulls you in, gets you involved, and then draws you to an experience that should resonate deeply if you have a heart. It seems simple but weaves that simplicity into something more. In the end I was choking back emotions. I walked out feeling myself taken to a place that makes me glad I keep looking for these film experiences -- sometimes because someone told me, sometimes unexpected.

I had a great time watching this movie. I do wish that I spoke Cree, or that I would have brought a Cree speaker with me. There is a scene where it would have been handy. You can infer what the conversation is about, but the woman beside me was killing herself laughing and I only had a little chuckle at the parts of the conversation that were in English. The acting in this film is superior for the most part. However, there was one role that I would re-cast if it was up to me -- the teacher. Her acting was poor and actually quite distracting, but I am sure that it was well intended. Her role in general was a little confusing. There seemed to be some inconsistencies around her character. That said, Sorensen did an excellent job capturing the spirit of the north, and Da Silva (especially) brought his words to life. I laughed and almost cried. Support this Canadian gem; you will not be disappointed.