Synopsis
The Red Line follows the path of three young Indigenous hockey players who, in addition to sharing an unparalleled passion for this sport, are motivated by the achievement of a common goal: surpassing themselves. By following them at four milestones of their school year, we meet the people who make their dreams possible and we see the positive echo of this commitment on family, parents, friends… and the whole community !
A word from Tënk
I’ll admit it. For a long time, I was one of those people who found sports to be little more than a mindless distraction, an event that celebrates and encourages gender stereotypes, the last space where differences between men and women were celebrated and reified without even a hint of self-reflection or consideration. In short, institutionalized sports―like hockey―that exist as a social spectacle just aren’t for me. But, with time, our certainties erode and things we once derided can reveal unexpected nuance and complexity. This was very much the case with Kim O’Bomsawin’s first film, The Red Line. In it, hockey (which could easily be understood as a sexist, colonial institution) takes on a whole new light, offering both an escape and beneficial grounding to Indigenous youth. Through its portrait of three talented and sensitive players, O’Bomsawin proves that an object of colonial heritage can be appropriated by communities to support their own emancipation. Through their own words, the young players reveal a world characterized by efforts to surpass themselves, by a degree of support and supervision they welcome and by a sense of pride shared by an entire community. A wonderful way to call the stereotypes we hold into question, even those we believe in good faith to be justified!
Naomie Décarie-Daigneault
Tënk's Artistic Director
