| You Are on Indian Land | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Mort Ransen |
| Produced by | George C. Stoney |
| Starring | Mike Mitchell |
| Cinematography | Tony Ianzelo |
| Editing by | Kathleen Shannon |
| Studio | National Film Board of Canada |
| Release date(s) | 1969 |
| Running time | 36 min 48 s |
| Country | Canada |
You Are on Indian Land is a 1969 documentary film about the confrontation between police and a demonstration by Mohawks of the St. Regis Reservation on a bridge between Canada and the United States near Cornwall, Ontario that stands on Mohawk land. By blocking traffic on the bridge, Mohawks sought to call attention to their grievance that they were prohibited by Canadian authorities from duty-free passage of personal purchases across the border, a right they claim was established by the 1794 Jay Treaty.[1]
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You Are on Indian Land was produced by the National Film Board of Canada as part of its Challenge for Change series. While Mort Ransen is credited as director, Ransen stated that he worked collaboratively with Mike Mitchell, a Saint Regis Mohawk who was both an activist shaping the event itself, and a filmmaker and film narrator. Mitchell was part of the NFB’s "Indian Film Crew", a training program for First Nations filmmakers, and had brought the impending protest to the attention of the NFB. [1][2]
Knowing that a breakdown in negotiations between the Mohawks and government was imminent, Mitchell asked Challenge for Change executive producer George C. Stoney for an NFB film crew to be present when Natives planned to block the international bridge. Asked to direct, Ransen agreed only after ascertaining that no Native directors were available, making it clear that he saw his role as one in which he'd be working collaboratively with Mitchell. Ransen also stated that Mitchell and Studio D founder Kathleen Shannon were responsible for the film's final edit.[2]
Mitchell would go on to work with Challenge for Change for several more years before leaving filmmaking and the NFB to become more involved with First Nations issues. He was elected to the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne in 1982, served as its Grand Chief from 1984 to 2002.[2]
The Indian Film Crew was formed at the NFB's Montreal headquarters in 1968, as part of the Challenge for Change program. The program was jointly sponsored by the Company of Young Canadians and the Department of Indian Affairs. Trainees spent five months being learning about various aspects of filmmaking and then worked on community development projects and research for future films.[3]