Nechako: It Will Be A Big River Again
When the Kenney Dam was built in the 1950s, it diverted most of British Columbia’s Nechako River to power an aluminum smelter—devastating ecosystems and the Stellat’en and Saik’uz Nations who depend on its waters. Seventy years later, these Nations continue their struggle against powerful institutions in a landmark legal case to restore the river’s flow and protect their way of life. Filmmaker and Indigenous scholar Lyana Patrick (Stellat’en First Nation) weaves personal reflection with urgent testimony from Elders, leaders, and land defenders who refuse to give up on the Nechako. Nechako: It Will Be a Big River Again is a powerful chronicle of resistance and renewal—a call to action reminding us that survival must serve everyone, and that the health of our lands and waters is inseparable from our own.
Prix et distinctions
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Mark Haslam AwardPlanet in Focus International Environmental Film & Video Festival, Toronto2025
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Honourable Mention for the Colin Low Award for Best Canadian DirectorDoxa - Documentary Film and Video Festival, Vancouver2025