A special screening of the acclaimed documentary "Kímmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy" will take place tomorrow night (August 7) at Carnival Cinemas in Red Deer.
Directed by Blackfoot and Sámi filmmaker Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, the 2021 documentary explores the devastating impact of the opioid crisis on the Kainai First Nation in southern Alberta, Tailfeathers' home community, and the harm reduction strategies that have emerged in response.
The film was produced by Seen Through Women Productions, a company founded by Tailfeathers, in co-production with the National Film Board of Canada’s North West Studio.
Kímmapiiyipitssini (a Blackfoot word meaning “empathy” or “giving kindness to each other”) offers an intimate and urgent portrait of community-led efforts to address substance-use disorders.
The documentary follows frontline responders, health professionals, and individuals with lived experience as they work to bring compassion-based solutions to the drug poisoning crisis.
One of the film’s central figures is Dr. Esther Tailfeathers, the director’s mother, who leads efforts to implement opioid substitution treatments such as methadone.
The Red Deer screening is part of a cross-country community impact tour organized by Story Money Impact, a non-profit organization that supports Canadian documentary storytelling on urgent social issues.
Clare Clovechok, the group’s impact coordinator, said Red Deer was chosen as a screening location due to ongoing local conversations about harm reduction, addiction awareness, and the recent closure of the city’s supervised consumption site.
"This is an issue everywhere in terms of, you know, drug use exists everywhere and unfortunately lives are being lost everywhere" said Clovechok who also notes that larger cities tend to have more resources, but smaller centers like Red Deer benefit greatly from education and dialogue around harm reduction.
Following the screening, a panel discussion will bring together local voices on the frontlines of addiction and recovery, including:
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Elder Lynn Jonasson, a long-time Red Deer resident and respected traditional Indigenous Elder. Elder Lynn helped bring the White Bison Wellbriety program to the city, an Indigenous approach to the 12-step recovery model rooted in the teachings of the medicine wheel.
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Dr. Thara Kumar, an emergency medicine physician who also practices in public health and addiction medicine in Red Deer.
Community partners supporting the event include Turning Point, the Red Deer Indigenous Dance Troupe, and other organizations.
The event aims to bring together politicians, health professionals, grassroots leaders, and residents to build understanding and relationships around this urgent issue.
The Red Deer screening follows previous showings in Wetaskiwin, Ontario, and B.C., marking the documentary’s return to Alberta.
Kímmapiiyipitssini has received numerous accolades, including the Audience Choice Award for Canadian Documentary Feature at the 2021 Calgary International Film Festival and the Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary at the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards.
Doors open at 6 p.m., with complimentary popcorn and drinks available.
The film begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by the panel discussion, and tickets for the Red Deer screening are still available through this link.
For more information and to view the trailer, visit the film’s official website.
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