We Were Children
88 mins
For over 130 years till 1996, more than 100,000 of Canada's First Nations children were legally required to attend government-funded schools run by various Christian faiths. There were 80 of these 'residential schools' across the country. Most children were sent to faraway schools that separated them from their families and traditional land. These children endured brutality, physical hardship, mental degradation, and the complete erasure of their culture. The schools were part of a wider program of assimilation designed to integrate the native population into 'Canadian society.' These schools were established with the express purpose 'To kill the Indian in the child.' Told through their own voices, 'We Were Children' is the shocking true story of two such children: Glen Anaquod and Lyna Hart.
Lyna Hart
Self
Ross McMillan
Father Y
Glen Anaquod
Self
Alicia Hamelin
Lyna (4 Yrs Old)
Jade Hamelin
Lyna (10 Yrs Old)
Jennie Morin
Lyna (18 Yrs Old)
Rene Batson
Glen (6-7 Yrs Old)
Brun Montour
Glen (12 Yrs Old)
Justin Ducharme
Glen (18 Yrs Old)
Justin Courchene
Glen (Adult)
Tyrone Brooks
Glen's Cousin (6-7 Yrs Old)
Rachel Seenie
Glen's Aunt
Glenn Cochrane
Lyna's Grandfather
Fawnda Neckoway
Lyna's Mother
Maggie Nagle
Sister 1
Shawney Moar
Girl at Sink
Kohl Bohemier
Cree Speaking Altar Boy
Tasha Weight
Supervisor
Curtis Moore
Father X
Jon Ted Wynne
Inspector
Kayla Contois-Moar
Virginia
Carlos Swampy
Timothy
Jeff Skinner
Principal - Saskatchewan
Janelle McPherson
Sewing Girl
Rivers Thomas
Second Boy
Ashley Hirt
Nurse
Ramsey Bruce
Glen's Cousin (12 Yrs Old)
Alice Dano
Nun 1
Kyle Irving
Producer
Lisa Meeches
Executive Producer
Kyle Irving
Executive Producer
Loren Mawhinney
Executive Producer
Jessica Lo
Associate Producer
Jeremy Benning
Director of Photography
Kim Bell
Director of Photography
Gordon Wilding
Production Designer
Richard Duffy
First Assistant Director
John Whitcher
Editor
Shawn Pierce
Original Music Composer
Daniel Pellerin
Sound Designer
Danielle Dumesnil
Production Manager
Vanessa Hill
Researcher
Sam Vint
Researcher
Tobias Duggan
Researcher
Ashley Hirt
Production Coordinator
Khali Weanus
Production Coordinator
Faye Yoneda
Production Coordinator
Ginette D'Silva
Production Coordinator
Monique Perron
Production Coordinator
Reed Makayev
Assistant Production Coordinator
Karen Stermscheg
Assistant Production Coordinator
Caitlin Brown
Assistant Production Coordinator
Megan Basaraba
Second Assistant Director Trainee
Megan Heke
Second Assistant Director Trainee
Kate Godley
Third Assistant Director
Bryan R. Burns
Set Production Assistant
Dustin Courchene
Set Production Assistant
Paul Zonneveld
Production Accountant