Documentary,
13:40 minutes,
English,
MB,
2009
Synopsis
Fred Ford inherited a family legacy and a Canadian legacy.
His grandfather was a fur trader and photographed the Caribou Inuit in
the early 1900s and their first contact with European culture. Fred’s
mission is to share this story and continue to chronicle the world in
the tradition of his forefathers.
Fred inherited a great disease: photography. This affliction took hold
of his family three generations ago when photography was first invented
and when Fred’s European forefathers settled in the Canadian High
Arctic and recorded life there with photos. Fred is not only a
self-confessed photographer but is in possession of the rarest photo
archive of a time in Canadian history that changed the landscape of the
northern culture. Fred is wonderfully consumed with photography.
Fred’s family history is rich in images of the Canadian North, the
Inuit, their art, the European settlers and their impact. Fred
continues to photograph life today from his home in Winnipeg and tours
an exhibit of his photos and the archive photos his granddad left him
from the Northern regions at the turn of the century.
Creative team
Writer/director/producer: Ruth DeGraves
Personal statement
Ruth DeGraves says:
"I think it is most important to understand where we all come from and our common Canadian heritage - and a great and dramatic history it is!
I’m so privileged to relate this small part of our Canadian story. And God Bless Fred Ford, his granddad HT Ford, and very much the Caribou Inuit people of Baker Lake who are so central in the fascinating picture of Canadian history, both romantic and real.
As I wore many hats on the making of this film I must say that the meetings I had with myself went relatively well. Though sometimes arguing with myself, threatening to quit, demanding more money for me the writer, with the producer, who was me … let’s just say me and I ended up coming to agreements with myself. Talk about identity forming! I know I’m sounding like multiple personalities but that was the only way to make this film.
Most critical was that I had the great support of my friend, the wonderful Fred Ford and my gentle broadcaster Cam Bennett, and my fabulous, fabulous editor John Gurdebeke.
Making a film is a lot about being resourceful - and I find, and have found, that’s great fun.
The people involved in The Chronicler were so very generous and I can’t thank them enough.