brownstein: filmmaker lindsay eberts follows dad's passion for indigenous issues
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lindsay eberts has a ready response for those telling her she’s following in her father’s footsteps: “i may have big feet, but he was a size 14 … so there’s no way,” she cracks. “also, i wouldn’t set myself up for total failure like that.”
nor has she. her dad, late montreal producer jake eberts, would certainly be delighted that his daughter is continuing his legacy of filmmaking and his passion for indigenous issues.
lindsay eberts is an executive producer of the documentary for love, a compelling probe of the over-representation of indigenous children in the canadian child welfare system.
jake eberts was likely the most successful producer ever to emerge from this country. he was involved in more than 50 films, including chariots of fire, gandhi and the killing fields. in all, they garnered 37 academy awards. at the top of his list of favourites were the indigenous-centred dances with wolves (winner of seven oscars, including best picture), the education of little tree, grey owl and black robe.
jake and his siblings started the eberts endowment at mcgill university, his alma mater, to support indigenous students.
“i can’t do what my dad did,” lindsay eberts says, “but i would at least like to have the same kind of integrity and carry on his philosophical legacy. he had such heart and was so well respected.”
but her father, a chemical engineer by training, wasn’t oblivious to the downsides of the movie business.
“he had the best lines ever, but the one i loved most was: ‘one of my first jobs was as a sewage analyst in sweden, and with the quality of scripts that have landed on my desk, some would say that my job now is not that much different.”
directed by matt smiley and narrated by shania twain, for love takes a look at a child welfare system in crisis. of the 48,000 children in the canadian system, the film notes, more than half are indigenous. that’s particularly disturbing in light of the fact that they account for only seven per cent of the child population in this country. even more shocking is another stat cited in the film: young indigenous people are five to seven times more likely to commit suicide than their canadian counterparts.
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for love is fraught with all manner of alarming stories, ranging from residential school horrors to persistent toxic water problems. yet the documentary is also about resilience, focusing on an uplifting reawakening of cultural pride on the part of indigenous youth.
“the children are the keepers of the possible,” declares noted first nations activist cindy blackstock in the film. she is also an executive producer.
lindsay eberts is particularly buoyed by the positive message about pride that the documentary conveys.
“how do you get people to want to see films dealing with such horrific subjects? i’ve been stunned to find that a lot of canadians kind of know or have heard about these details, but not much else,” she says. “hopefully this film, while avoiding taking a pollyanna approach to some major issues, does shine a light both on what has occurred and what is occurring.
“for love is really a love letter at its core, because it was initiated by this incredible woman, hereditary chief mary teegee. she specifically chose matt (smiley), her young, white male friend, because she needs his demographic to listen and to feel something for people they haven’t met — people raised with different challenges.
“it’s so important we have coverage connecting to the people, not just to their struggle narrative. the horrors that happened in the past are not over, because we keep taking kids away from their families. but we must also meld that connection with a celebration of indigenous culture.”
eberts says she had been at a crossroads in her career path when her dad died nearly 10 years ago. then her mother died unexpectedly 22 months later. it took a while but, seven years ago, eberts came to the realization it was time to pursue a dream and began making short films.
“i had been thinking a few years back, not in a morbid way: what if i don’t wake up tomorrow? what am i doing today that would make my life have some meaning? that’s when i was determined to keep that passion of my dad alive. if i could do that, i could die happy.”
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three weeks after having that thought, she got an email from her longtime friend smiley inviting her to join the for love team.
and so she is keeping her dad’s torch burning, even if not exactly in his size 14 footsteps.
at a glance
for love can be screened online until feb. 21 at bit.ly/34zuxea. viewers are asked to pay what they can; a $15 donation would be appreciated. proceeds from ticket sales go to shania kids can and the sk’ai zeh yah youth centre.
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