Unmuted exploration of First Nations’ power and politics.
By SYLVIA MUNRO-SMITH
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While Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) ushered in 2011 with a number of great new shows, perhaps the biggest buzz came from the long awaited premiere of Blackstone, a controversial drama series.
The series is based on a pilot that debuted on APTN in 2009. It promised to give viewers more than they bargained for – and then delivered.
More than eight years in the making, this raw, authentic look at life on the fictitious Blackstone Indian Reserve has the potential to hit a nerve, or two. It tells the story of “a community suffering disintegration by its own hand – a result of the corruption, mismanagement and nepotism of its chief and councilors; and the parallel complicity of the silent band members.”
Add in issues of drug abuse, violence, poverty, isolation and an unapologetic, hard-hitting and uncensored script.
Whoa.
The series features a who’s who of Aboriginal film and television stars, including Carmen Moore (Flash Gordon, Andromeda), Eric Schweig (Last of the Mohicans, Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale, The Scarlet Letter), Michelle Thrush (Moccasin Flats, Mixed Blessings), Nathaniel Arcand (North of 60, Due South, Smallville), Gordon Tootoosis (Legends of the Fall, North of 60, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee) and Andrea Menard (Rabbit Fall, Moccasin Flats, The Velvet Devil) among others, each one-hour episode delves into the tumultuous lives of residents on the reserve as they struggle to create lasting change from within the community.
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Recognizing many of reserve life’s realities in such dramatic fashion raised the hackles of some; while others living in our communities applauded the producers’ efforts to portray the fictional reserve with a fair bit of authenticity. Indeed, many of the issues tackled in this series mimic what is too often reported in newspapers across the country. Controversial? Absolutely.
Needless to say, parental discretion is advised. Intense, compelling and confrontational, one thing is for certain; there is no other show on Canadian airwaves like Blackstone.
For more information about Blackstone, visit: www.aptn.ca.
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ENDS
Sylvia Munro-Smith currently serves as Manager of Communications for APTN and has been with the Canadian broadcaster since February 2006. Together with her communications team, and under the umbrella of the APTN Marketing Department, Munro-Smith is responsible for developing and implementing the network's public relations, media, and corporate communications strategies.
