Victoria-Anderson Gardner is thriving in her final semester as an Indigenous Film student at Ryerson University. Gardner has made adjustments being an Indigenous student in the big city, leaving behind her family and friends in Eagle Lake First Nation. But the student student will get to showcase her family’s story on the big screen. The Hurt that Binds Us, is Gardner’s thesis film that stays true to her roots. The story revolves around her own family through three generations, all bound by the same hurt of residential schools. Gardner says she feels vulnerable to share this film with such a large audience.
Victoria-Anderson Gardner
“I’m kind of scared to share it because it’s so intimate and personal but I’m also really excited. It’s kind of empowering in a way. I like to be really transparent with who I am and my family’s story.”
The film has a large focus on mental health and inter-generational trauma of residential schools. It’s a hurt that binds Indigenous communities everywhere but Gardner hopes her film will speak to not only Indigenous people but other non-Indigenous Canadians as well.
“My inspiration and what kept me going is that I’m going this will help other people in someway to just see that they are not alone, but also to educate people.”
The student filmmaker has also received a grant from a mental health company called Art with Impact which helped greatly with production fees. This also allowed for Gardner’s camera crew to travel 20 hours to Eagle Lake First Nation to film the story.
“They were definitely all shocked. I tried to prepare them for the cold too but it was also just a different change of pace for them, the culture and everything. It was a fun bonding experience though for sure.”
Gardner is passionate in completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Ryerson University and to continue making films that start a conversation.
“I’m kind of hoping it will set a path in away in terms of just showing what I’m capable and the content i want to keep creating. I like indigenous advocacy because it lets our people’s voices be shared.”
Eagle Lake First Nation-Credit to KJ-Edwards
The future of Gardner’s films remain true to her roots and telling stories to educate the nation promoting change. The Hurt that Binds Us will be presented at Ryerson’s Film Festival, as well as Art that Speaks Film Festival in Los Angeles.
