Bones of Crows

65

127 minutes – Drama, Indigenous
Language: English, Cree, ʔayʔajuθəm, Italian
Festival release date: September 10, 2022 – TIFF (World Premiere)
Release date: June 2, 2023
Production companies: Ayasew Ooskana Pictures, Marie Clements Media, Screen Siren Pictures, Grana Productions
Canadian distributor: Elevation Pictures

Bones of Crows is told through the eyes of Cree Matriarch Aline Spears, played by different actors at different stages of her life, as the story unfolds over 100 years. She survives a childhood in the Canadian residential school system to continue her family’s generational fight in the face of systemic starvation, racism, and sexual abuse. She uses her uncanny ability to understand and translate codes into working for a special division of the Canadian Air Force as a Cree code talker in World War II. Confronted by her traumatic past, as she embarks on a classified mission during the war she realizes the devastating secrets long buried in her are shared by others.

The feature film gets expanded when a five-part series will debut on CBC and Radio-Canada in 2023-24.
Also see: Tiff 2022 – Day Eight.

Bones of Crows, movie, poster,

Crew:

Producer:

Marie Clements
Trish Dolman
Christine Haebler

Executive Producer:

Marie Clements
Sam Grana
Aaron Gilbert
Steven Thibault
Noah Segal

Co-Executive Producer:

Kyle Irving
Lisa Meeches

Associate Producer:

Kerriann Cardinal
Leena Minifie

Line Producer:

Brad Van Arragon

Director:

Marie Clements

Screenwriter:

Marie Clements

Cinematographer:

Vince Arvidson

Editor:

Maxime Lahaie

Composer:

Jesse Zubot
Wayne Lavallee

Production Designer:

James Philpott

Art Director:

Vivien Nishi
Stephanie Ajmeria (Set Decoration)

Costume Designer:

Jessica Kalan
Carmen Thompson

Cast: Roles:

Grace Dove
Phillip Forest Lewitski
Rémy Girard
Karine Vanasse
Alyssa Wapanatâhk
Michelle Thrush
Glen Gould
Gail Maurice
Carla-Rae
Cara Gee
Jonathan Whitesell
Patrick Garrow
Summer Testawich
Sierra Rose McRae
Ethan Evans
Payne Merasty
Alanis Obomsawin
Joshua Odjick
Gerald Auger

Aline Spears
Adam Whallach
Father Jacobs
Sister Ruth
Perseverance Spears
January Spears
Matthew Spears
Older Taylor Whallach
Older Aline Spears
Percy Whallach
Thomas Miller
Archbishop Thomas Miller
Young Aline Spears
Young Perseverance Spears
Preteen Johnnie
Young Tye Spears
TRC Film Director
Jake Whallach
Chief Wandering Spirit