Sundance 2024

The documentary Sugarcane offers a sobering look into the tragic history of residential schools, institutions established in the 19th and 20th centuries to forcibly assimilate Indigenous children into Western culture. These schools, predominantly run by Christian churches (notably the Catholic Church), sought to strip away Indigenous identity, language, and heritage, leaving deep scars that continue to affect communities today. Between the late 1800s and the 1990s, thousands of children were removed from their families and placed in these institutions, where they endured neglect, physical and emotional abuse, and, tragically, even death.

At the heart of Sugarcane are the personal accounts of survivors who bravely recount their harrowing experiences. One particularly haunting testimony, "I felt dirty as Indian all my life at residential school. Residential school taught us shame and guilt," reflects the intense and pervasive trauma inflicted on generations of Indigenous peoples. This devastating sense of unworthiness and internalized shame, cultivated by the cruel practices of these institutions, emerges as a recurring theme throughout the film. Survivors describe how their culture and language were systematically erased and how their self-worth was dismantled, leaving lasting impacts on their mental health, family dynamics, and communities.

The documentary takes a critical stance on the role of the Catholic Church in perpetuating these abuses. Sugarcane spares no punches in its portrayal of the Church as an institution that not only upheld colonial agendas but actively contributed to the physical and emotional suffering of Indigenous children. With archival footage and modern-day interviews, the documentary underscores how the Church's power and influence, coupled with its refusal to fully acknowledge its responsibility, has continued to shape this dark chapter in history.

Ultimately, Sugarcane serves as a powerful and necessary reckoning with a painful history that too many have been able to ignore for far too long. Through its unflinching depiction of the horrors of the residential school system, it asks viewers to confront the reality of cultural erasure and the long, painful road to healing.

— 4 / 5 ⭐