Reflection - We Were Children

In the documentary We Were Children, I learned about residential schools and how hard they were on the kids who attended them. The film had many interesting sequences, and some great film techniques. The documentary made me think about what was going through the minds of the Canadian government and how this decision to isolate and practically brainwash young Aboriginal children went on for such a long period of time.

Prior to watching this documentary, I hadn't really thought about residential schools and the hardships that the First Nation’s children went through on a daily basis. I learned about this topic through the interviews and re-enacted stories of Lyna and Glen, two Native adults who personally went through the torturous events of residential schools while they were young children.

The documentary hay many different film techniques that enhanced the viewer’s experience while watching this film. I noticed how the angles of the camera changed to represent the situation. For example, the camera was filming at a lower angle when to capture Lyna’s perspective while she was entering the school. The film also used music and sound to its advantage. An example of that would be when glen and his cousin were running away, the music was upbeat unlike the music while they were in the school.

            Upon watching this film, it gave me a new perspective about First Nations people and the Canadian government.