MEDIA RELEASE Award-winning documentary
MEDIA RELEASE For immediate release | Thursday April 16, 2015 Award-winning documentary to screen alongside Walking With Our Sisters exhibit WHITEHORSE – The award-winning documentary, Highway of Tears, which looks into the missing and murdered women along a 724 kilometer stretch of highway in northern British Columbia, will be presented this month by Yukon College, Yukon Employees Union, Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre, Yukon Arts Centre, and Yukon Film Society, in support of the Walking With Our Sisters commemorative exhibit this month. This award-winning film by Matt Smiley premiered in March 2014 at the TIFF Human Rights Watch Film Festival and has played to sold-out theatres across Canada and the United States. As the phenomenon of missing and murdered aboriginal women has been thrown into the spotlight there is renewed interest in the film with over 40 screenings in Canada, the United States and Europe, planned in the next month. Narrated by Canadian-born actor Nathan Fillion (Castle, Firefly), this hard-hitting documentary relates the personal stories of the victims, and investigates how the legacy of generational poverty, high unemployment and endemic violence in their communities contributed to their tragic fates — and how contemporary First Nations leaders are striving to cure those ills. Highway of Tears will screen three times at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre in Whitehorse on April 22 and 23, with admission by donation. There will be a Q&A with director Matt Smiley after each screening. “The issue of missing and murdered women, largely neglected by the Canadian government and general public, is now being pushed into the forefront of public discussion, as families of the over 1,200 missing and murdered women are looking for answers, action and justice,” said Smiley. “Far too many cases have been neglected and proper investigations need to carry through for countless families to have closure. It's also an important social discussion that needs to be had in order to protect all Canadian women from violence.” -30- ! For more information, contact: Michael Vernon Communications Coordinator College Relations Yukon College 867.668.8786 867.332.4722 [email protected] ! Matthew Smiley Director ℅ Nathalie PR 424-262-1651 [email protected] ! 500 College Drive Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 5K4 Canada t 867.668.8800 toll free 1.800.661.0504 f 867.668.8723 ! yukoncollege.yk.ca MEDIA RELEASE ! Screening times: April 22, 2015 @ 7:30 pm, doors open @ 6:30 pm April 23, 2015 @ 1:30 pm, doors open @ 1:00 pm April 23, 2015 @ 7:30 pm, doors open @ 6:30 pm Highway of Tears won best documentary at the 2014 Malibu International Film Festival, and best of the festival at the 2014 Zonta Film Festival and Vancouver Women in Film and Television Festival. More information on the film can be found at www.highwayoftearsfilm.com. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 500 College Drive Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 5K4 Canada t 867.668.8800 toll free 1.800.661.0504 f 867.668.8723 ! yukoncollege.yk.ca
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