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G_uud Yuwans (Willie Russ)

About

12 June 2018

6703 views

Interview with Dana Moraes and Graham Richard

‘I was born and raised in Skidegate’

‘I actually submitted a 50-pages story that I’ve written a long time ago. And that was too long and they wanted me to write something else but I didn’t get a chance to write anything else.’

‘Two dreams at one coming true. Learning how to speak Haida and also being able to act and be an actor. That’s always something I wanted to do.’

‘I played one of the lead characters.’

‘The Fast Runner…They told such an authentic story. And something that you could actually see happening in the past. It was a good glimpse into what life was like.’

Dana – How do you think people will watch the film?

Willie Russ – I don’t know. Streaming is pretty popular these days. So maybe streaming, maybe Netflix. But I’d like to see it released in theaters. It would be interesting to see it on the big screen. And I’d love to be a part of it, if there is ever a chance to go and watch it at festivals, and talk to the audience if people had questions about the whole process in different parts of the country.

‘I tried to think of myself as a Haida person 150 years ago. Sort of put myself away from technology and other things, and try to imagine what it would be like if you had to be dependant on your whole self for just making life work.’

‘I actually started to dream and think in Haida’

‘It was one of the best experience in my life. It really changed me as a person.’

Interviewer: Dana Moraes
Camera and Edit: Graham Richard

See more

Duration:

7m 58s

Uvagut playlists (4):

2021/06/19, 2021/06/26, 2021/07/03, 2021/07/10

Tukisigiarviit: Language

    • 14m 48s

      K'uyaang (Benjamin Young)

      uploaded by: clairelittoncohn

      channel: Language

      Interview with Dana Moraes and Graham Richard

      'I'm Alaskan Haida.'

      'I have kind of an extensive language background. I've been either learning, documenting and teaching language for a little over a decade.'

      'I'm a functional speaker.'

      Uqalimakkanirit

      uploaded date: 15-06-2018

    • 20m 15s

      Jaahljuu (Graham Richard)

      uploaded by: clairelittoncohn

      channel: Language

      Interview with Dana Moraes and Graham Richard

      'This particular script came to us very gradually. Very organically.'

      'The script is based, or inspired by, traditional Haida stories.'

      'Our story is definitely fiction but it's based in reality.'

      'We went over and over and over that script so many times.'

      'We consulted a lot.'

      Uqalimakkanirit

      uploaded date: 14-06-2018

    • 7m 58s

      G_uud Yuwans (Willie Russ)

      uploaded by: clairelittoncohn

      channel: Language

      Interview with Dana Moraes and Graham Richard

      ‘I was born and raised in Skidegate’

      ‘I actually submitted a 50-pages story that I’ve written a long time ago. And that was too long and they wanted me to write something else but I didn’t get a chance to write anything else.’

      Uqalimakkanirit

      uploaded date: 12-06-2018

    • 5m 21s

      Guustlaas (Trey Rorick)

      uploaded by: clairelittoncohn

      channel: Language

      Interview with Dana Moraes and Graham Richard

      "I thought it would be a really good experience learning how to speak X̱aaydaa Kil [Haida] and I thought it would be fun"

      "It's so culturally involved and an inspiration for other Nations to do it."

      "I think most people here would probably watch it by private showings."

      Uqalimakkanirit

      uploaded date: 07-06-2018

    • 6m 59s

      Oot Iiwaans (Leo Gagnon)

      uploaded by: clairelittoncohn

      channel: Language

      Interview with Dana Moraes and Graham Richard

      "The language was easy; it was remembering that was the hard part"

      "I'm a carver and I make carving tools for local carvers"

      "I do a lot of weaving, a lot of hunting and fishing"

      "This [knife] if similar to what was used on the film. Made by me."

      Uqalimakkanirit

      uploaded date: 07-06-2018

    • 11m 32s

      SG_aan Kwah Agang (James McGuire)

      uploaded by: clairelittoncohn

      channel: Language

      Interview with Dana Moraes and Graham Richard

      “Of course I’m interested in any kind of thing that pushes Haida culture into the new centuries.”

      “[Atanarjuat] portraits real authentic story from the Nations it was from. It kind of gives you an idea about of how you can represent your culture on the screen.”

      Uqalimakkanirit

      uploaded date: 07-06-2018