THE BODY REMEMBERS WHEN THE WORLD BROKE OPEN

[ 2019 . Canada/Norway ]

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Synopsis

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When Áila encounters a young Indigenous woman, barefoot and crying in the rain, she soon discovers that this young woman, Rosie, has just escaped a violent assault at the hands of her boyfriend. Áila decides to bring Rosie home with her and over the course of the evening, the two navigate the aftermath of this traumatic event. Inspired by a very real and transformative moment in the co-director Elle-Máijá Tailfeather's life, THE BODY REMEMBERS WHEN THE WORLD BROKE OPEN weaves an intricately complex, while at the same time very simple, story of a chance encounter between two Indigenous women with drastically different lived experience, navigating the aftermath of domestic abuse.

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Cast

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VIOLET NELSON
ELLE-MÁIJÁ TAILFEATHERS
CHARLIE HANNAH
BARBARA EVE HARRIS

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Crew

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co-writers & co-directors ELLE-MÁIJÁ TAILFEATHERS & KATHLEEN HEPBURN
producers TYLER HAGAN & LORI LOZINSKI
co-producers DYVEKE GRAVER & ALAN R. MILLIGAN
cinematographer NORM LI, csc
production designers LIZ CAIRNS, SOPHIE JARVIS
editor CHRISTIAN SIEBENHERZ
sound designer HÅKON LAMMUTEN

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Supporters

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Telefilm Canada, CBC Films, International Sámi Film Institute, Norwegian Film Institute, Sundance Institute, Creative BC, Lagralane Group

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Distribution

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levelFILM (Canada)
ARRAY Releasing (US & International)
Another World Entertainment (Norway)

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Festivals & Awards

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World Premiere - Berlinale 2019
North American Premiere - Toronto International Film Festival 2019
US Premiere - Mill Valley Film Festival 2019

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Awards

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Canadian Screen Awards for Best Screenplay, Best Direction & Best Cinematography
Toronto Film Critics Award for Best Canadian Film
TIFF - Honourable Mention: Best Canadian Film
Festival du Nouveau Cinema 2019 - Grand Prix Nationale Competition
imagineNATIVE 2019 - Best Dramatic Feature Film
Vancouver International Film Festival 2019 - Best BC Film; Best BC Emerging Filmmaker (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers)

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Other Festivals

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AFI Fest 2019
Los Cabos International Film Festival 2019
Sydney Film Festival 2019
Durban International Film Festival 2019
Galway Film Fleadh 2019
New Orleans Film Festival 2019
Nashville Film Festival 2019
FIN: Atlantic Film Festival 2019
Calgary International Film Festival 2019
Cinefest Sudbury 2019
St. John’s Women’s Film Festival 2019
Santa Fe Independent Film Festival 2019
Montana Film Festival 2019
Durham Regional Film Festival 2019
American Indian Film Festival 2019
Lone Star Film Festival 2019
Tromsø International Film Festival 2020
Available Light Film Festival 2020
Femspectives Film Festival 2020
Maoriland Indigenous Film Festival 2020