The past is a place in which many people genuinely seem to think they can hide their crimes without ever being discovered – but everything that is hidden will eventually come to light, especially in an era where more people are rebelling against the oppressive forces that sought to silence entire generations. This is the initial premise that kickstarts Sugarcane, a film in which Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie (in their respective directorial debuts) set out to explore the circumstances surrounding Canadian Indian residential school system, which was governed by the Catholic Church, an investigation that was ignited by the recent discovery of several unmarked graves into which the remains of far too many Indigenous Canadians were found, a direct result of a cruel colonial system that was determined to assert its authority by any means necessary, even if it meant targeting the most vulnerable members of a community they viewed as not only inferior, but entirely conquerable, using them as nothing more than pawns in a grotesque game of global dominance. A shattering, harrowing documentary in which the directors dive into the long, haunting culture of imperial influence throughout Canada and its relationship with its colonial powers, Sugarcane is a provocative and daring examination of the lingering spectre of the past, and how it continues to haunt the communities that still bear the burden of the greed and corruption of those who believed the supposedly “undeveloped” world was ripe for the picking, the aftermath being far more disconcerting than anyone could have ever anticipated.

Salman Rushdie famously coined the concept of “the empire writes back”, in which artists from countries or states that were previously or remain part of the expansive colonial project create works that exist in dialogue with these policies, often directly addressing the destructive nature of imperialism and how it destroyed communities in the process of building its own culture and forcing it into the lives of the unwilling populations that had very little choice but to accept these atrocious, destructive changes that rarely yielded positive results in the long term, and which continue to reflect on the state of the world, even through the continued decrease in postcolonial influence. Sugarcane is notable because it takes place in Canada, a country that is still part of the Commonwealth, and centres around policies heavily associated with the Catholic Church. This required the filmmakers to address two entities – the church as well as the United Kingdom – that are still heavily influential within the country, requiring a slightly sensitive approach to criticising such powerful institutions, while also not being hesitant in addressing their harmful actions, particularly in terms of how they maintained a system that put Indigenous populations at a higher risk than any other group. Brave NoiseCat and Kassie are incredibly brave to tell a story that does not bend the knee to the colonisers through offering a perspective that implies that these events are a result of the past and those who still exist and maintain these systems are somewhat complicit, even if only by virtue of being associated with such systems.

There is something to be said about a documentary that is more observational than it is discursive. While many of us may not be entirely familiar with the residential school system, both its origins and the injustices caused as a result of its existence, we quickly became educated and familiar with its history within the first few moments. However, Sugarcane is not a film that intends to be a thorough, academic analysis – the topic is far too sensitive and sprawling to be restricted to a single definitive work, and rather than exploring every aspect in a more forthright manner, the directors instead choose an approach that allows the words and images to speak for themselves. The foundation of the film is built around combining historical resources such as footage and written testimonies with the words of the survivors who have graciously agreed to be a part of the film, providing their insights and experiences that enrich our understanding of this period. Firsthand accounts are always going to be the most valuable, and considering the events took place as early as over a century ago (and shockingly only ended in 1997, with the closure of the final residential school run by the Catholic Church that was part of this gruelling and harmful system), it was clear that time was of the essence. The simplicity with which the directors approach the topic shows how seriously they took these ideas and the extent to which they were aware of how important their position as filmmakers was, as they were not only telling a story in an effort to educate the global population on these injustices, but crafting an important historical text that directly confronts the past in vivid, clear detail.

Sugarcane is not an easy film by any means – it’s harsh, challenging and often quite difficult to watch, particularly since there is something quite disconcerting about how it directly confronts the past, almost as if they were forcing the ghosts that linger behind to atone for the destruction and harm they caused to countless lives, the impact of which continues to be felt throughout the country. It’s often very specific, and it can occasionally become lost in the details – but these are absolutely integral, since it’s only through engaging with these elements that we truly start to see the sheer impact left by the colonial project and its misguided, cruel beliefs that caused so much pain and suffering. Beautifully-made and very much a heartfelt ode to the Indigenous community (with some wonderful observations into their culture punctuating the film, to the point where we can hope that Brave NoiseCat and Kassie will continue to explore the culture and its history beyond this particular subject), the film is a masterful examination of the past and how it continues to influence the future, being equally harrowing and captivating, and proving that the most simple stories are often the most effective and meaningful when done correctly.