U of S English Graduate Student Wins Prestigious Award at Geminis

Posted November 09, 2005


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -Wednesday, November 9, 2005
2005-11-11-AR

U of S English Graduate Student Wins Prestigious Award at Geminis

University of Saskatchewan English graduate student Tasha Hubbard will
receive the prestigious Canada Award at the 2005 Geminis for her documentary
film, Two Worlds Colliding, the National Film Board (NFB) has announced.

The Canada Award, created and sponsored by the Department of Canadian
Heritage, is given for excellence in mainstream television programming that
reflects the racial and cultural diversity of Canada. Hubbard and the NFB
will receive the award on November 17 at the 2005 Geminis.

Two Worlds Colliding, a 49-minute documentary, was written and directed by
Hubbard and produced by Bonnie Thompson of the NFB. The film is Hubbard's
directorial debut and part of the NFB's Aboriginal Filmmaking Programming.

"This award was a complete surprise," says Hubbard. "For the film to be
recognized in this way is a tremendous honour. This is a testament to the
courage of the families and other participants who felt able to speak about
the painful reality of racism in our communities."

The documentary chronicles the story of Saskatoon's infamous "freezing
deaths," and the racial divide between the Aboriginal community and the
police force.

During the production of the documentary, Hubbard was working on completing
her graduate degree in English, which she has returned to with vigour since
the debut of the film.

"Tasha Hubbard is one of our most gifted graduate students," said Professor
Ray Stephanson, English graduate chair. "Her work as filmmaker has already
had huge impact within the Canadian scene, both academic and non-academic.
There are few students at any university in Canada who can claim such
distinction. She is most worthy of this award and to be congratulated for
her significant achievement.

The filmmaking process has inspired Hubbard's new research. In January, she
will speak at a conference in Australia on the idea of "testimony" in film
and her thesis project is going to link the literary and the visual,
building on her experience with the documentary.

These themes were brought to light for Hubbard in her interviews with
Darrell Night, an Aboriginal man who alleged he was driven beyond the city
limits by police officers and dropped off in sub-zero weather to walk back
to Saskatoon. An investigation resulted in the conviction of two Saskatoon
Police Service Officers for unlawful confinement.

"I am interested in video as a medium and what is means for Indigenous
peoples -- its different manifestations, its way of expressing history, and
giving creative expression and testimony," Hubbard said.

"I'm pleased the film and its content have been recognized in this way.
Police-Aboriginal relations continue to need work and I hope the film can
contribute to dialogue in this area."

Earlier this year, Hubbard took home the Golden Sheaf award for "Best
Aboriginal Film" at the Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival. The film has
appeared on CBC and at several film festivals.

The inaugural Canada Award was presented in 1989 to Degrassi Junior High.

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Note to editors: Photos of Tasha Hubbard are available upon request.

For more information, contact:

David Hutton
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6490
Dave.Hutton@usask.ca

Tasha Hubbard
(306) 653-1957
tah076@mail.usask.ca