Beyond Being Silenced: Gyaa Isdlaa
Charles Wilkinson
23 mins | 2023
Robert Davidson, iconic North American Haida artist stages an epic potlatch in Alaska; the potlatch being the supreme court and central cultural event in the traditional native Haida calendar. In the process, the artist carves his latest monumental totem pole.
Sponsored by:
morpheousStudios
Robert Davidson, an iconic North American Haida artist stages an epic potlatch in Alaska; the potlatch being the supreme court and central cultural event in the traditional native Haida calendar. In the process, the artist carves his latest monumental totem pole; a work that looks to the ending of the centuries of colonial abuse Indigenous peoples have endured. To quote Robert: “We were once silenced. Not anymore.”
Charles Wilkinson
Charles Wilkinson is a Canadian filmmaker with a large body of documentary and dramatic film and television to his credit. Wilkinson’s latest multi-award-winning feature documentary “Haida Modern: The Art and Activism of Robert Davidson” has been selected at numerous international festivals as well as being chosen as the official opening and closing films of several. The film is currently in broadcast and distribution in both Canada and the US.
His critically acclaimed “Haida Gwaii: On The Edge Of The World” won Most Popular Canadian Documentary at the Vancouver International Film Festival, National Film Critics Best Documentary, the Director’s Guild Allan King Award for Excellence in Documentary and Best Canadian Documentary at Hot Docs.
Wilkinson’s other recent feature documentary work includes “Vancouver: No Fixed Address”, “Oil Sands Karaoke”, and “Peace Out.” Having started out in documentary and prior to returning with this suite of long forms, Wilkinson spent time writing and directing dramatic feature films, TV movies, and episodic shows for Canadian screens as well as for Disney, ABC & CBS in the USA.
CREDITS
Director
Charles Wilkinson
Producer
Tina Schliessler
Executive Producer
Robert Davidson
Co-Producer
Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson
Composer
Charles Wilkinson
Cinematographer | Editor
Tina Schliessler
Key Cast
Robert Davidson
Key Cast
Sara Florence Davidson
MORE ABOUT DIRECTOR CHARLES WILKINSON
Charles was born in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. He became a well-known country singer/TV performer/recording artist in his youth. He 'dropped out' for a decade to build a log house in the mountains, and worked logging, mechanical, building, and welding before attending film school, receiving several postgraduate degrees, and launching his career as an author & filmmaker. Charles lives with his family on a Pacific inlet near Vancouver.
Charles has directed documentary and dramatic feature films playing internationally in venues such as Venice, New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Vancouver. He has won the ‘Most Popular’ award at the Vancouver International Film Festival four times. He has received additional awards: the National Film Critics Best Documentary, the Director’s Guild Allan King Award for Excellence in Documentary, and Best Canadian Documentary at Toronto’s Hot Docs. His current documentary feature film – TALK ABOUT LONELY examines the underlying causes of the global epidemic of loneliness.