After her Uncle Dave's death, 14-year-old Ella (Ta'kaiya Blaney) is determined to travel to Klemtu, their native home, to testify in his stead against a proposed pipeline that would see oil tanker traffic through their beloved homeland waters. To do this she decides to kayak along the length of the Inside Passage, along the shores of the Great Bear Rainforest and scatter her Uncle's ashes along the way. She is accompanied by her grumpy Uncle Don (Dave's brother), her step cousin Alex (Dave's son) and his nervous mother Corey. Along the way they encounter bad weather, food poisoning and family disagreements which slow down their journey as well as the magnificent landscapes and wildlife (including orcas and Stella's sea lions) that remind them what they are fighting for. At the end Ella delivers a stunning speech about how her Uncle is now buried all along the water body and as burial grounds are sacred and cannot be built on then the pipeline cannot be built and tankers cannot be allowed along this stretch of water.
It's a road trip along the waters and a meditation on the connections between peoples of the First Nations and their lands. It's also a moving family drama with themes of grief, estrangement and reconciliation. Some of the dialogue is irritating and I wanted to know more specifics about why most of the family had left Klemtu, but overall it's a beautiful film with an important message.
In reality tankers have been banned from these waters though smaller boats do carry fuel here and soon after completing this film in fact there was an oil spill here.
Kayak to Klemtu is screening as part of the Edinburgh Internaitonal Film Festival at 1540, 24 June at Cineworld and at 1810, 25 June at Vue Omni. Find out more and book here.
You can read my other reviews from this year's film festival by following the links below:
Supa Modo - a super-hero film with a difference
Becoming Animal - meditative documentary about the human relationship with nature
Science Fair - documentary about brilliant young scientists attending the International Science and Engineering Fair
Disclaimer: I have a press pass for the Edinburgh International Film Festival and attended a free press screening of this film.
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