Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival

As a result of spending my early life in highly dysfunctional surroundings, I entered my teens filled with fear, self-doubt and a long list of insecurity issues which led to self defeating thoughts, experiences and outcomes. I stumbled along searching for ways to escape inner turbrulence, looking outside myself for joy and blaming the chaos and negativity in my life on bad luck or the people around me. Many troubled years passed before I found the courage to take ownership for my personal well-being and life choices.

In my late 20's I reached a lowest of lows and knew something needed to change. Aware of the negative mindset I was in, I reached out for help. Soon after, I started writing songs as a way of expressing suppressed feelings obscured by alcohol and other abuses. I slowly gained confidence and ventured out into the world of live perfomance eventually self funding seven albums and picking up a few awards along the way.

In 2013 Dunedin filmmaker Bill Morris joined a tour I was on across the southwest of America shooting footage of the day to day happenings of a Kiwi band on tour. Later he did an indepth interview with me. This, along with the footage, became a feature length documentary called 'The Sound of Her Guitar'. The film was in the top ten 2016 Docedge Film Festival (N.Z) screenings, winning an editing award. It has aired on N.Z Rialto Channel and will be seen in months to come on Maori TV.

The film has been selected as part of the 2017 Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival to be screened this November. The film deals with domestic violence and addiction alongside my music journey spanning almost three decades.

N.Z reviewers Graham Reid and Simon Sweetman agree the film's message is a powerful one. Attending and performing at the Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival is an opportunity to take that message to a much deeper level among communities who need real examples of hope and support.

Find out more

Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival

http://www.waff.ca/