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https://www.thenerdelement.com/2024/01/30/sundance-2024-sugarcane/
Review by Désirée Guzzetta
Headline: “Sugarcane” A Hard But Necessary Watch
CW: Discussion of childhood sexual abuse, rape, and other horrific acts
The beginning of “Sugarcane,” a new documentary which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, sets a sober tone right away in its brief history of Indian residential schools. In describing that history, it’s revealed that in 1894, the Canadian government wanted to “get rid of the Indian problem” by forcing First Nation children into segregated schools run by the Catholic Church.
Such callous disregard for Canada’s indigenous population resulted in generations of trauma, trauma which was thrust into the spotlight in 2021 with the discovery of 215 children’s bodies found in unmarked graves.
Directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, who won the U.S. Documentary Directing Award at Sundance, take great care and sensitivity in detailing what happened at St. Joseph Mission, the residential school where many of the children from the Sugarcane Reservation, including Julian’s father, Ed Archie NoiseCat, experienced horrifying abuse.
“Sugarcane” follows several individuals, each seeking to understand and/or tell the truth of what happened to them as children trapped in a school with priests who were supposed to educate and protect them, but instead wounded them deeply. Former Williams Lake First Nation Chief Rick Gilbert wants to get not just an acknowledgment from the Church about what happened, but accountability and redress. Current Chief Willie Sellars receives horrible emails blaming the First Nation for not doing a better job of protecting their children. The investigators, including Charlene Belleau and Whitney Spearing, want to help bring healing to their community while bringing out the truth to the wider world. A picture of Belleau as a child at St. Joseph shows her connection to the collective trauma of Williams Lake.
Then there’s Julian himself, who works together with Ed to get to the bottom of Ed’s own traumatic experiences at the residential school, made more difficult by the fraught relationship they have due to Ed distancing himself from his son for years. Ed’s mother won’t talk about what happened, either. It’s a cycle of shame and guilt perpetuated by the school’s priests and authorities that fractured both families and psyches.
NoiseCat and Kassie give a unique narrative structure to the document, threading news reports throughout like guideposts to the different parts of the investigation, beginning with the discovery of the 215 bodies, and including a trip to the Vatican taken by Chief Gilbert and other Indigenous people who were invited there by Pope Francis.
The directors also use archival footage of the school, which shows seemingly happy children learning and praying, a huge contrast to the stories of rape and suspected human trafficking that emerge the deeper the investigation gets. The children were further dehumanized by being assigned and referred to by number, not name, as well.
There are also contrasts in “Sugarcane,” from Julian participating in a traditional dance contest to other young people skateboarding around the same event. But the effects of the traumas of St. Joseph Mission permeate even there as the event’s announcer acknowledges the survivors of the residential schools.
One interviewee, Jean Williams, astutely observes that the “ones that were telling us it was a sin were the ones that did all the action,” and it’s frustrating to learn that so many of the abusers escaped prosecution. Scenes of inscriptions the children left on the walls of the mission’s barn are heartbreaking, and some of the stories told are chilling. For example, Rosalin Sam, a survivor, tried to report her abuse and after being given the run-around by adults eager to pass the responsibility on to someone else, she is beaten by her father when she reveals what happened. To cope, she starts drinking. She was still a child.
The last residential school closed in 1997 and there were hundreds of them across Canada and the United States, according to the film. As of the time “Sugarcane” was completed, the St. Joseph investigation was ongoing and 50 other institutions were being searched for unmarked graves.
“Sugarcane” is not an easy watch, but it’s a necessary one. NoiseCat and Kassie’s direction doesn’t linger on the survivors’ pain but doesn’t flinch from it, either. One of the more moving discussions in the film is also one we aren’t privy to see, but only hear. A shot of a dark sky with light between it and the horizon illustrates both the difficult nature of the conversation and the hope engendered by confronting and dealing with painful memories.
During his trip to the Vatican, Chief Gilbert, who has since passed away and to whom the movie is dedicated, visits the Obligata di Maria, the Order that sent priests to St. Joseph’s. He recounts the generations of his family that were abused, including himself, mother, and grandmother, and the priest he speaks with more or less attributes the abuser’s actions to mental illness. In the one scene in the film where the camera does linger, it’s on the uncomfortable silence between Chief Gilbert and the priest as Chief Gilbert waits for an apology. It takes a long time for the priest to speak, although the apology he offers rings hollow. Still, Indigenous people such as the ones who speak out in “Sugarcane” are there to make sure the silence is broken and accountability is taken.
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Howdy partners! In case your timeline didn’t show you, thousands of anime fans across the nation traveled to Maryland this past weekend. Not for the seafood (though I did indulge in quite a bit of lobster rolls) but for the joy that is Katsucon. “Per their About Us page, Katsucon is an annual 3-day fan convention held in the D.C. metro area for multicultural enthusiasts and entertainment. Katsucon is produced by Katsucon Entertainment, Inc. (KEI), an educational organization dedicated to bringing information about Japanese animation, society, and traditional and popular culture to fans everywhere.” This convention boasted an Artist’s Alley and Dealer’s Room (think super nerdy marketplaces) that were sure to leave an impression on your bank account, numerous panels, workshops, Q&As with celebrities, autograph sessions, a fashion show, an anime rave, a penthouse club, and so much more.
Artist Alley
The artist alley was filled with what seemed like an infinite amount of talented and skilled artists. Booths of various sizes held wonderful collections of jewelry, apparel, prints, stickers, keychains bags, bucket hats, and so much more. Hey, have you ever wanted a griffin wall scroll? Well look no further than the Katsucon artist alley because this is definitely the second year in a row that I have seen sexy griffins in there. Also, housed in the artist alley was the art auction where folks were able to place bids on handmade crafts and art pieces. I saw some gorgeous watercolor pieces and beautiful polymer clay earrings. The 18+ art section did not disappoint as well. I had no idea how fat and juicy some parts of the body could get. You learn a new thing every single day, huh?!
Dealer’s Room
The dealer’s room held more of the corporate manufactured items. It also housed tables for other conventions around the country, where they could promote and sign people up for memberships. It was here that I learned about The Long Island Tropic Con and Shore Leave in Pennsylvania. Make sure to go check them out. I’m a sucker for these advertising booths because you can get free things. I got the coolest free stuff there, including an Adam West Batman poster where the caped knight is seen jumping the shark, literally.
It was also in the Dealer’s Room that I found a super cute Lolita/ decora business called BB&B. They are connected to Ronova. They held a workshop to learn how to make decora items, and I gladly signed up for it. I was able to make the cutest mirror piece. Check out the picture below! I love cute arts and crafts stuff, and I’m so glad that anime conventions always have them and bunch of other activities like this throughout the entire weekend.
Bottom Line
Likes:
The people, the culture, the energy, the support, the friendliness
Dislikes:
B.O. from attendees, no mandated mask policy, no masks were available at the disability accommodation area, Katsu was charging high prices for Artist Alley artists to purchase a table for the weekend, and there was no cap on memberships so the venue was overcrowded. People were stacked right up against each other in the Artist Alley as well as out near the gazebo.
I did also want to add in that my experience with staff was helpful and friendly. I personally had no complaints; however, others may have different experience,s and I encourage you to voice them directly to Katsucon staff. You deserve to be heard.
My absolute favorite thing I experienced? The cosplays. OF COURSE.
Every single time I attend Katsu, I rave about the fashion, the glitz, and the TALENT that I get to witness amongst marble floors and high windows, with sunlight streaming in to shine a spotlight on all the lace. Fluffy ball gowns, big armor, tricky props, LEDs as eyes, and gravity-defying wigs could be found left, right, and center.
As per tradition, there were several popular mash-ups this year. One that stood out were the Barbie x Fandom cosplays. We saw a lot of Barbie FFVII characters sporting a highlighter yellow Buster sword up and down the Gaylord. It was also lovely seeing the creativity that these costume makers engage in to have fun. This creativity had me grinning ear to ear the entire weekend. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY quite does a “fashion montage” like nerds, geeks, dorks at a goddamn anime convention.
Every time I attend Katsucon, I am reminded of my youth in a lot of ways. The rush of excitement, the happiness I see bearing witness to all the wonderful costumes and giddy cosplay groups; it just makes my heart happy. I am so grateful that this event exists. It has many, many, many, many, many, many, many flaws; do not get me wrong. I’m aware of that. However, the love that I feel when I attend is beyond. So thank you to every single person who has made this past weekend so warm, welcoming, and fantastic. See you at the Ferris wheel!
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I don’t know what your get down is. I don’t know what streaming services you pay for, who’s password you sharing, or how new your phone is to run shit at 1440p while you’re waiting for your flight. But I know that Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is a monster of an anime series. Like, Nicki’s verse on “Monster,” not them other dudes. But let me line up the shot on my language a bit, I don’t mean that the series is bombastic with enemies and abilities that destroy cities, or power systems that NASA can’t track. But a contemplative, often emotionally reserved story that deepens gradually with each episode, each town visited, each companion added.
But let’s back up, I went in heavy and its possible you don’t know what the hell I’m talking about. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is about the hero’s journey. The hero, Himmel, joined by the healer and degenerate priest Heiter, the axe-wielding tanky dwarf warrior Eisen and the elven mage Frieren, who set off on a journey to kill the Demon King. I know, this shit is basically a 1 for 1 of your D&D Saturday night, right? Except, you saw the name of the show right? This ain’t about Himmel (I mean, it is, but it isn’t). And it ain’t even about this hero’s quest (I mean, it is, but it isn’t). The story is actually about what happened AFTER this quest.
That Demon King shit, they done took care of that. His ass been dead. They came home, got parades and statues and probably a whole lot of romantic accompaniment, know what I’m sayin? You spellcasting, what I’m preparing, right? And then Frieren said, well, that was fun, I guess, later for y’all slayers. Again, Frieren is an elf and in like most fantasy settings, elves are both rare and damn near immortal. She was a thousand years old before the quest to kill the Demon King. Which only took 10 years. So the quest to kill the Demon King for Frieren was about as long as it takes customer service to connect you to a real person when you trying to figure out why your gas bill was so damn high last month. While the journey was transformational and easily the most impactful thing that everyone else in the party has done and will ever do, to Frieren, it was really something to do on her way to the store. Killing the Demon King was an errand, my dude. And her detachment is what moves this story forward.
Many years later, Himmel, a human is finally laid to rest, and it has all the gravity that the world’s most renown hero would have. Frieren returns to see her old friends and pay her respects, with the assumption that everyone did what she did. Peaced the eff out and went around exploring the world. But no, Heiter, also a human is in the twilight of his life and Eisen the dwarf, who also will live for a very long time, retired from adventuring but still keeps connections with the friends he has made. And it’s here that it strikes Frieren that her party stayed in community with each other while she was studying abroad for fifty years or some shit. She comes to the realization that because of her life span and her predisposition to outliving everyone, that she doesn’t really invest or take interest in their lives. A sudden sadness hits her that these people who were so pivotal in shaping the world along side her, well, she doesn’t know anything about them. She remembers them intensely and worked well with them, obviously, but she doesn’t really know them and rarely thought about them when she left. But now, they are leaving the world and she is regretful of the time she’s lost. And we’ve all been there, many of us, just straight up live there.
I lost my father recently, too damn recently. And I had enough of a relationship with my father that I’m not regretful of what I missed out in the past, but what stings is what can now never happen. The possibilities we take for granted that are no longer possible. Plans to catch up, spend holidays, take trips…They now seem silly? Wasteful? A fantasy even when they originally included someone who is no longer here. I also think about how pivotal moments mark time. When my daughter was born, dates and times became less important as it became more useful to say, well, “Amira will be 10 by then, so that’s not too long from now,” or “Bruh, Amira had just started kindergarten then, it was a different world back then.” And already, I find myself saying, “that wasn’t too long ago, dad wasn’t even in the hospital yet.” It is cliché, but true that time is relative; the passage of years only really matters for the most important parts of our lives that fill those years. So, yeah, Jesus, let’s talk about anime again…
…this was Frieren’s misgiving that she’s trying to correct. She had put so much stock into the passage of years and cared little for the events and relationships that could have made those years meaningful. But the past is the past and Frieren knows she can’t do anything about what she didn’t do. Thankfully, the “curse” of her long life, gives her the blessing of trying again. Throughout her present journey, Frieren takes on a companion, a former mage apprentice of Heiter when he passes. Eventually, they’ll stumble upon Stark, who studied under her comrade Eisen. Frieren gets another chance to live out her RPG fantasy. Her overarching mission is to acquire as many grimoire and spells as she can, which eventually leads to a quest to find the resting place of her old mentor. But this time, she has companion quests with a real focus on knowing, caring for, and loving (in her own way) the people on the journey with her. Basically, she got that New Game Plus except now she’s doing all the side missions she skipped on her first playthrough.
Ok, Will, you’ve talked a lot of shit, but why is this supposed to be one of the best anime in recent memory? Two reasons it works: Frieren is a full three-dimensional character and Himmel might the best use of Ghost of Hero Christmas Past ever. Touching up Frieren first, I had a hard time putting into words what makes her such a good protagonist, and I eventually settled on the uniqueness of her set up. She’s lived for over a thousand years. So far in the anime, we’ve met maybe one other person (non-demon) as old as she is. So, it makes sense for her to be incredibly knowledgeable and wise. She has been in the world, and to her credit, as a rolling stone and traveler, she knows the wider world. She is cultured and aware of towns, villages, races, factions, languages, etc. the way you would expect from someone as older than the communities or landmarks she interacts with. She doesn’t panic in a fight. She knows her party’s abilities and trusts them in a heated moment, even if they don’t fully believe in themselves yet. But let me tell you a little somethin’ about Frieren aka Old Hag aka Frieren the Slayer if you nasty.
She’s also very immature? And aloof, and emotionally stunted? And at first, you’re like, how the hell is someone putting up 1K on her passport, immature? And well, that’s because she’s never had to care about being in community with people in this way before. In the flashbacks (and Lawd, we gonna get to the flashbacks), Frieren is often cold and pragmatic. What’s the job? Bet. Job’s done? Word, back to reading this spellbook again, tell me when you need me. Now, taking this new approach to understanding the humans around her, she’s often out of sorts. She’s lazy about chores. She falls asleep quickly and will sleep all day if you let her. She doesn’t clean up her living space even though it drives her apprentice Fern crazy. She’s messy like she was raised by magical wolves. But also, now, birthdays are important to her, and there’s anxiety and lack of confidence of what to best get for her companions. Its incredibly sweet and human, ya know, for an elf. But it makes every new situation Frieren journeys into surprising and hard to predict how she will react to it. Will she lean on her otherworldly wisdom to resolve a situation? Or will it fall into a category of personal relationships, one that she is a lot less assured about and may fumble completely.
The second reason why this show is so damn good is because of Himmel. The show begins with Himmel anointed as a young man and the Hero who defeated the Demon King. But by the 10-minute mark of the anime, Himmel is dead, and the only physical part of him that remains are the vain posed statues of him in numerous villages all over the land. But Himmel is large in the series, as through flashbacks we see Himmel was ultimately the one that taught Frieren how to care for those around her, even if she often ignored his musings and advice at the time he gave it. Remember how I talked about how momentous occasions reframe how we mark time back when I was crying into my keyboard about my pops? Well, this anime does that too, marking new locations with “X years after the death of the Hero Himmel.” He is inescapable, not only for his impact on the modern world, but his impact on our protagonist. Almost every episode, when Frieren faces a situation unfamiliar to her or one with complication, we get a flashback of her interacting with Himmel that helps inform her current situation.
What is heart-warming, even a bit heartbreaking, about the flashbacks is that it’s obvious that Himmel had a giant heart for those around him, but specifically, he loved Frieren. He cared for her, looked out for her, defended her, and sometimes, not so subtly, pursued her. But Frieren was never in a place to receive that kind of affection. Seeing her realize now, in the present, how much Himmel cared for her and that she was largely numb to him at the time is tough. It’s emotionally intelligent storytelling, but still tough. What makes it worth it though, is her valiant attempts to pay forward his kindness. Often trying to live up to the example he set. Not necessarily in the action-packed heroic tales that survive him. But in the caring and kindness he showed to those around him, even if there wasn’t a gathering crowd to witness it.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is not only a surprisingly fresh take on the hero’s journey. It’s a hero’s journey, within another hero’s journey that takes place after the first hero’s journey. But the much less complicated summary is, to Frieren herself, it is all one journey, even if it looks like multiple iterations for those of us with normal lifespans. The Wire taught us that the game stays the game, the people change, but the roles don’t. You see this in Frieren. Halfway through the season, all the roles have been repopulated from the original hero party. But what’s different is Frieren and how she treats her new party members. The unique premise allows for one of the most contemplative and genuinely reflective stories I’ve seen in anime, period.
This season of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End began airing on Crunchyroll in September of 2023 and is scheduled to conclude in March 2024.
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