This interactive virtual reality creation presents a future Toronto reclaimed by nature: crumbling skyscrapers being threaded through with vegetation, flooding in Nathan Phillips Square, and canoes instead of cars. While unseen narrators comment or ask questions in Wendat, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) and Anishinaabe (Ojibway), text appears in those Indigenous languages, accompanied by English translations. The effect is mesmerizing, and deeply moving — as if a sci-fi movie was made from a script of heartbreaking poetry. Biidaaban: First Light embodies the unique vision of its Genie-award-winning Anishinaabe director Lisa Jackson, in collaboration with 3D artist Mathew Borrett.
With a background in documentary, Lisa Jackson expanded into cross-genre projects, including VR, animation, musicals and performance art. Biidaaban: First Light, made with the National Film Board, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2018 to rave reviews. She is currently working on Transmissions, a large scale, immersive audio-visual installation on the power of Indigenous languages which will be presented in Hamilton by The Socrates Project in October 2019.
Biidaaban: First Light will be hosted in partnership with the Indigenous Studies Program as part of the Faculty of Social Sciences’ 50th anniversary in October 2018.
