Kickstart film reflects Sto:lo culture

by Terri Potratz | September 11, 2008 at 01:05 pm

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Shi-Shi Etko is a short film currently in production as part of the Director's Guild of British Columbia Kickstart program, which awards financial aid for development, production and post production to just five projects a year.

Director Kate Kroll adapted a children's story about a First Nations girl who is about to head to a residential school in the 1950's, and was one of the lucky five to receive the Kickstart grant. Kroll opted to shoot the film entirely in Halq'eméylem, an indigenous Sto:lo language, which lends additional merit and authenticity to her project.

Two Vancover-based movie makers will feature Sto:lo territory and language in a film adaption this fall.

Director Kate Kroll and producer Marilyn Thomas are adapting a children's book, titled Shi-Shi Etko, into a short film. The book, written by former Chilliwack resident Nicola Campbell, takes place in Sto:lo territory, four days before a young aboriginal girl is taken away to a residential school. Her family tries to instill a lasting sense of cultural identity.

Kroll's script aptly fuses beautiful imagery and precious tradition with a looming sense of loss and tragedy. Filming begins this week, and the finished short should be ready for screenings and festival circuits by this time next year.

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