Twice Colonized
Renowned Inuit lawyer Aaju Peter has led a lifelong fight for the rights of her people. A member of a historically marginalized and oppressed community, Aaju’s heritage puts her in the unique position of someone who has been “twice colonized” – first by European settlers who arrived in the Arctic, and then by modern-day Canadian policies and institutions. But while launching an effort to establish an Indigenous forum at the EU, Aaju finds herself facing a difficult and deeply personal journey to mend her own wounds after the unexpected passing of her youngest son.
In this “powerful exploration of cultural trauma” (The Film Stage), director Lin Alluna follows alongside Aaju Peter as she strives to reclaim her language and identity after a lifetime of whitewashing and forced assimilation.
Cast
- Aaju Peter
- "It’s a brave and generous undertaking from Peter, which is handled with respect and sensitivity by Alluna."
- "What resonates as clearly as it did in Angry Inuk is Peter’s strength."
- "A powerful, intimate film with direct access to the fearless Aaju Peter... Twice Colonized is a powerful exploration of cultural trauma. "
- "A film that is empowering, educating and insightful, all at once."
- "“Twice Colonized” has a curiosity and a complexity that distinguish it from various other admiring activist portraits in the documentary sphere...."
- "Watching Aaju Peter in her efforts and reflections becomes an emotional, artful journey."
- "Like Angry Inuk before it (another collaboration with this film’s producer Althea Arnaaquq-Baril), Twice Colonized does an exceptional job of breaking down colonizer mindsets and diving deeply into trauma informed behaviours across generations."
- "TWICE COLONIZED begins with a childhood lost but expands into something much much more, where spectres of an individual’s past bleed into the collective horrors of the present."
Awards & Recognition
Grand Jury Prize
Sundance Film Festival
POLITIKEN:DOX Award
CPH:DOX
NEXT:WAVE Award
CPH:DOX
Best Documentary
Jerusalem Film Festival
Hot Docs Film Festival
Docs Against Gravity Film Festival
Movies That Matter Festival
Sheffield Doc Fest
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