Bones of Crows Mini-Series
Unfolding over 100 years, BONES OF CROWS is a story told through the eyes of Cree Matriarch Aline Spears as she survives a childhood in Canada’s residential school system to continue her family’s generational fight in the face of systemic starvation, racism, and sexual abuse. The TV series will premiere on CBC, APTN on September 20th, 2023. https://bonesofcrows.com/
Director: Marie Clements
Writer: Marie Clements
Lead Cast: Grace Dove, Phillip Forest Lewitski, Rémy Girard, Karine Vanasse,
Alyssa Wapanatâhk, Angus Macfadyen, Michelle Thrush, Gail Maurice, Carla Rae, Cara Gee, Joshua Odjick, Patrick Garrow, Eric Gustafsson, Kevin Loring
Producer: Marie Clements
Executive Producers: Trish Dolman, Christine Haebler, Sam Grana, Aaron Gilbert, Steven Thibault, Noah Segal
Associate Producers: Leena Minifie, Kerriann Cardinal
Director of Photography: Vince Arvidson
Production Designer: James Philpott
Editors: Maxime Lahaie, Roderick Deogrades, CCE, Greg Ng, CCE
Composers: Jesse Zubot, Wayne Lavallee
Production Company: Ayasew Ooskana Pictures Inc.
Parent Companies: a Marie Clements Media, Screen Siren Pictures, Grana Productions, Production
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS:
- TO BE STARVED Cree piano prodigy Aline Spears and her siblings are torn from their family and forced into residential school. In the present, Aline Spears, now a World War II code talker, and her husband, infantry soldier Adam Wallach, confront the spectres of their childhoods – and the harsh realities of war.
- TO BE SEPARATED Aline reconnects with her sister Perseverance, who has fallen into trouble with the law. This reunion resurfaces memories of a daring attempt to escape residential school – and its irrevocable consequences on all four Spears siblings.
- TO BE DENIED Aline struggles to support her family while Adam, denied his veteran’s pension, is cast adrift. When their children, Jake and Taylor, take action against a local priest, Aline experiences a crisis of faith.
- TO LET GO Advancing her work on the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Affairs, Taylor returns to her childhood home. A tense Thanksgiving dinner between the family spurs Jake to reach out to his father’s family.
- TO BE HERE Taylor and Aline travel to the Vatican, where Aline confronts her past – and inspires a pivotal discovery. Jake joins his family’s work and a concert becomes an opportunity for reconnection and healing. Through art and music, the entire Spears family comes together.
Bones of Crows was filmed on the traditional territories of the Esquimalt Nation, Kwikwetlem First Nation, Lekwungen Songhees Nation, Musqueam Nation, Okanagan Nation, Scia’new First Nation (Beecher Bay), Squamish Nation, Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc, Tla’amin Nation, Tsartlip Nation (North Saanich), Tseycum First Nation (Saanich), Tsleil-Waututh Nation.