Moccasin Flats
Encyclopedia
Moccasin Flats is a Canadian drama series that ran for three full seasons. This series, which has been aired on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
(APTN) and Showcase Television
since 2004, is a co-produced by Big Soul Productions Inc.
(Toronto, ON) and Stephan Onda Productions inc. (Regina, SK). It takes place in Moccasin Flats, Regina, Saskatchewan
, an urban reservation
where the inhabitants struggle to maintain their cultural identity while overcoming poverty, gangs, violence, and racism. The series features award nominated actor Andrea Menard
and original music by Donald Quan
.
The original incarnation of Moccasin Flats was as a 2002 short called Moccasin Flats: The Short Film. This movie was the product of an Aboriginal youth media empowerment workshop called repREZentin', which teamed Aboriginal youth with industry professionals in an effort to create short films and videos that told their stories. The short film told the story of Justin, a young Native man who has just found that he's been accepted to university. While he is grateful for the opportunity, he is afraid to leave his friends and family (particularly his younger brother) behind in the harsh neighborhood of Moccasin Flats. His fears are compounded when his arch-rival who is also the former pimp of his now ex-prostitute girlfriend is released from jail and back into the Flats.
The popularity of the short film led to the creation of the Moccasin Flats television series that starred many of the youth from the original film.
The third season of Moccasin Flats was nominated for three Gemini Awards.
It is the first Aboriginal
created, produced and controlled dramatic series in North America.
, tries to make Dillon's life a nightmare when he falls for one of his prostitutes and tries to get her off the streets.
operation and run the other drug dealers out of the neighborhood.
As of October 31, 2007 the production crew has finished shooting a "Movie of the Week", which will be shown sometime in 2008 on APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network).
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network is a Canadian broadcast and cable television network. APTN airs and produces programs made by, for and about Aboriginal Peoples...
(APTN) and Showcase Television
Showcase Television
Showcase is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Shaw Media. Showcase is a predominantly fiction-based service centred around scripted television series and films....
since 2004, is a co-produced by Big Soul Productions Inc.
Big Soul Productions Inc.
Big Soul Productions is a film and television production company based in Toronto, Canada. It is notable for being Aboriginal owned and operated. Big Soul was established in August 1999 by Laura J...
(Toronto, ON) and Stephan Onda Productions inc. (Regina, SK). It takes place in Moccasin Flats, Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, an urban reservation
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
where the inhabitants struggle to maintain their cultural identity while overcoming poverty, gangs, violence, and racism. The series features award nominated actor Andrea Menard
Andrea Menard
Andrea Menard is a Canadian actress, playwright, and jazz singer, born in 1971 in Flin Flon, Manitoba and based in Saskatchewan.-Career:Menard, who is of Métis descent, is best known for her work on the television series Moccasin Flats and for her starring role as...
and original music by Donald Quan
Donald Quan
Donald Quan is a Canadian composer of film and world music, best known for writing the scores to television shows Relic Hunter and Mutant X.-Career:...
.
The original incarnation of Moccasin Flats was as a 2002 short called Moccasin Flats: The Short Film. This movie was the product of an Aboriginal youth media empowerment workshop called repREZentin', which teamed Aboriginal youth with industry professionals in an effort to create short films and videos that told their stories. The short film told the story of Justin, a young Native man who has just found that he's been accepted to university. While he is grateful for the opportunity, he is afraid to leave his friends and family (particularly his younger brother) behind in the harsh neighborhood of Moccasin Flats. His fears are compounded when his arch-rival who is also the former pimp of his now ex-prostitute girlfriend is released from jail and back into the Flats.
The popularity of the short film led to the creation of the Moccasin Flats television series that starred many of the youth from the original film.
The third season of Moccasin Flats was nominated for three Gemini Awards.
It is the first Aboriginal
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
created, produced and controlled dramatic series in North America.
Cast
The cast includes:- Tantoo CardinalTantoo CardinalRose Marie "Tantoo" Cardinal, CM is a Canadian film and television actress.-Career:Cardinal was born in Anzac, Fort McMurray, Alberta. Her mother, Julia Cardinal, was a Métis of Cree descent...
as Betty Merasty - Gordon Tootoosis as Joe Redsky
- Andrea MenardAndrea MenardAndrea Menard is a Canadian actress, playwright, and jazz singer, born in 1971 in Flin Flon, Manitoba and based in Saskatchewan.-Career:Menard, who is of Métis descent, is best known for her work on the television series Moccasin Flats and for her starring role as...
as Const. Amanda Strongeagle - Ryan Rajendra Black as Devlin Day
- Sarah Podemski as Tara
- Matthew Strongeagle as Matthew Merasty
- Ron Harris as Red
- Landon Montour as Jonathan Bearclaw
- Candace Fox as Candy
- Jennifer Podemski as Deb Johnson
- Cheri MaracleCheri MaracleCheri Maracle is a Canadian actress and musician. A member of the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation, she is best known for her roles in the television series Blackfly and Moccasin Flats, the 2007 film Tkaronto and stage productions of Tomson Highway's Ernestine Shuswap Gets Her Trout.As a...
as Mrs. Wolfe
Season 1 (2003)
In the inner city community of Moccasin Flats, Dillon Redsky has to survive one last summer before he gets out of the ghetto and goes to university to pursue his dreams of becoming a basketball star. Unfortunately for Dillon, some people don't want to see him succeed. Dillon's childhood friend, Jonathan, a local gangster and pimpPimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
, tries to make Dillon's life a nightmare when he falls for one of his prostitutes and tries to get her off the streets.
Season 2 (2004)
Jonathan has given up his life of pimping and drug dealing in order to be reunited with his girlfriend and son. He is working hard to turn his life around and be a good father and boyfriend, but when debt starts piling up around him the temptations of ghetto life get the better of him. He decides to use his home-based vitamin company as a cover for a crystal methMethamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
operation and run the other drug dealers out of the neighborhood.
Season 3 (2006)
Now that Jonathan has cleaned up his act, a new pimp has taken over and there is an influx of very young girls working the streets of Moccasin Flats. When the cops continually turning a blind eye to these dead or beaten youngsters, Candy, a local social worker launches her own investigation - risking her own life as she tries to find the pimp and get him put behind bars.Moccasin Flats: Redemption (2008)
The movie is called Moccasin Flats: Redemption.As of October 31, 2007 the production crew has finished shooting a "Movie of the Week", which will be shown sometime in 2008 on APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network).
External links
- Moccasin Flats - note website owned by a Domain Name holder as of 2010-09-06
- http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/features/takingcentrestage/news/story.html?id=97013c23-73df-4b51-9dcb-dbf6c15d5aa6&k=67077.com