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The Road Taken
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The Road Taken (1998)
This year, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is proud to present
the Canada Award to the documentary "The Road Taken".
The Canada Award, supported by the Multi-culturalism Program of the Department
of Canadian Heritage, honours excellence in mainstream television programming
that reflects the racial and cultural diversity of Canada. It aims to promote
greater opportunity for ethnic and visible minority professionals within the
broadcasting industry on both sides of the camera.
Produced by Selwyn Jacob and Dale Phillips of Selwyn Enterprises, in co-operation
with the National Film Board of Canada, and in association with TVOntario, "The
Road Taken" chronicles an intriguing piece of history that reveals the prejudice
faced by black porters on the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railways.
This remarkable movie splices archival footage, photos and interviews with now-retired
porters to explore the racism of both the union and the management of the railways.
The documentary explains how these men managed to survive and thrive, and pays
homage to their major role in the development
of black communities across the country. Featuring music by Joe Sealy, one of
Toronto's premiere jazz musicians and the son of a porter, the film combines
the narrative poetry of Montreal writer, Frederick Ward, and Jacob's visual style
to depict the frustration, despair and joy of the characters.
Emphasizing the positive while recounting the less than positive elements of
Canada's past was essential to Jacob. "After speaking with various members
of the Black community across the country, I became more aware of the role portering
played in the development of the Black community," he said. "Consequently,
I decided to make a film celebrating the achievements of the porter despite the
working conditions prevalent through most of their working lives."
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