As background, in 1942, the Federal government appropriated lands from a native band in Ontario for military purposes and gave them $50,000. In 1981 they gave them an additional $2.5 million and are negotiating to return the lands.
In 1995 a group of native protesters cut the fence at a nearby Provincial Park (here they are called protesters - if anyone else did this they would be trespassers or terrorists)and proceeded to occupy the park. When the Ontario Provincial Police attempted to regain the lands, a mêlée ensued and a young native man was shot.
The movie tells the story of the events with the objectivity of Michael Moore in Fahrenheit 9/11. The natives and left wingers will love the spin while conservatives will hate it.
The acting is weak throughout, though not surprising given the lacklustre cast. Dakota House plays an angry young man (ooo - what a HUGE stretch for Dakota), Gordon Tootoosis is there (he is always there when they film a native movie in Canada) and Gary Farmer is his generally enjoyable self (some may remember him from the first season of Forever Knight).
All in all a pretty mediocre production released as the Ipperwash hearings are resumed (coincidence I'm sure) - with the Premier (when the incident occurred) slated as an upcoming witness.
