Rowan Brady

Synopsis

Since 1969 officials claim that eighteen women have gone missing or been murdered along highway 16, due to the heart-breaking first hand testimonial of Nicole Brown we find this isn’t the case.  

Through the painful interview, Nicole details the reality of the missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and two -spirit people crisis in Canada, especially on the infamous highway she grew up on. 

Highway 16 has become renowned for the number of indigenous women and girls who fall victim to violent crimes, which remain unsolved.

Nicole’s mum, Frances Brown, went mushroom picking along the highway on a Saturday afternoon in 2017 and disappeared. Despite the drive and efforts from Nicole and the community, the police quickly called off the search, Frances was never seen again. 

Journeying through the past, Nicole guides the narrative, displaying the complex horror, pain, and beauty of the location. The place she once called home, now where she lost her mum. 

Background

The Highway of tears, a 447-mile-long road between Prince George and Prince Rupert British Columbia Canada. The location of thousands of violent crimes, specifically against indigenous women. 

Official number say since 1969 there’s been 18 missing and murdered women cases along the highway, the reality is much higher. 

The latest national inquiry details 40 cases, with many more being risen every day. I saw the reality of this first hand through the people I met and interviewed in Vancouver and was heartbroken at the enormity of the situation.

From the official 18 women, all but one were indigenous and none of them have been solved. In Canada indigenous women are six times more likely to be a victim of violent crimes. With statistics showing that almost 45% of missing people cases in Canada are indigenous despite them only representing 16% of the population. (CBC Canada – news) 

Social Context

In a report by the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, they found that “Violence against Indigenous peoples reflects the traumatic and destructive history of colonialization that impacted and continues to impact Indigenous families, communities and Canadian society overall” this continuing racism has been given space to thrive in Canada and has been happening for generations. 

Due to the highway’s geography connecting many isolated indigenous reservations to the big city, many people must rely on hitchhiking to reach essential resources. A risk that all are aware of but have no other choice. The communities are forced to fend for themselves with police mishandling, disregarding, and covering up their cases. 

Director's statment

The heart of this short documentary unfolded during an eye-opening interview I conducted while on exchange in Canada, about growing up on an indigenous Canadian reserve. The gravity of the issue surrounding the missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and two-spirit individuals (MMIWG2S) struck me for the first time, revealing not only the tragic circumstances but also the disturbing systemic racism and governmental cover-ups. I was shocked that a country that we Scots hold in high esteem was harbouring these horrific realities.

As a filmmaker, it is a privilege to have anyone sit down and tell you their story, and it truly was a privilege to conduct the interviews for this project. I have gained meaningful connections with these incredible women who desperately need their story to be heard and for justice to be served. I feel passionately that projecting their stories could spark the urgently change needed. 

Due to the sensitive, traumatic nature of the subject, I deeply researched the ethics behind the creation of this production. During this time, I struggled with my own positionality, leading to a remarkable learning curve about the ethical considerations needed for this type of production. Taking into consideration not only the traumatic topic, but also the cultural implications and responsibilities of the filmmaker. 

It was incredibly important to me to create a safe and open environment for these interviews. During my pre-production, I consulted with several experienced documentarians, who I received incredible mentorship from. This hugley informed how I approached the interviews, prioritising care, respect and openness