Buffalo Gal Productions
 

Broadcast Premiere - November 2007

Niigaanibatowaad: FrontRunners - Film Still - (L-R) Derek George Jr. as Young Michael, Ron Desmoulins as ThomasNiigaanibatowaad: FrontRunners  is a memory play, narrated by the main character Thomas, an aboriginal residential school survivor who is now in his fifties. He has been invited by the organizers of the 1999 Pan Am Games to finish a run with the Games' torch that was abruptly ended 400 metres too early in 1967. The invitation revives memories and finally, after a painful confrontation, he realizes that finishing that run is the first step down a path of healing. The hour-long drama special for television is based on the true stories told to Laura Robinson by the 1967 Pan Am Games torch runners. FrontRunners premiered on APTN in November 2007 and screened at the 2007 Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival.

Produced with Laksakla Productions and Laura Robinson Productions

Distributed by the National Film Board of Canada

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Credits:

Writer
Laura Robinson

Director
Lori Lewis

Producers
Laura Robinson
Lori Lewis
Liz Jarvis

Executive Producer
Phyllis Laing