What does reconciliation look like for the descendants of a residential school teacher? Katrinka and her daughter Bracken explore this and many other questions after they open a trunk full of memories belonging to Katrinka’s mother, Jennifer Notley, an English school teacher who travelled by boat, train, and plane to answer the call for a position at Desmarais (St. Martin’s) Residential School in Treaty 8 territory. The discovery of Jennifer’s history leads Katrinka and Bracken on a journey to meet with community members from the Bigstone Cree Nation, many of whom attended St. Martin’s, to get a full picture of the impacts of residential schools, and more specifically, Jennifer’s impact on the community. Jessie Anthony’s debut documentary feature provides a fresh perspective on reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, with many challenging but much needed discourses on privilege, accountability, and healing.

Haudenosaunee filmmaker Jessie Anthony, Onondaga Beaver Clan, is an award-winning Telefilm Talent to Watch director, producer, and creator of Brother, I Cry and Querencia. Jessie graduated from the Indigenous Independent Filmmaking Program with a Bachelor of Motion Picture Arts from Capilano University. Jessie is in development with a television slate supported by CMF, Amazon, ISO, Creative BC, and Bell Media.