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The Rez
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The Rez (1998)
This year, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is proud to present
the Canada Award to the dramatic series The Rez.
The Canada Award, supported by the Multiculturalism 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 Brian Dennis, The Rez depicts the contemporary experiences of First
Nations people using comedy and realism to transcend ethnic bias. This remarkable
series splices the stories of native reservation residents with pan¬ethnic
life experiences, challenges, and comedy to present characters in a sensitive
and human manner. The Rez educates viewers as to how First Nations people live,
love, and thrive while paying homage to their significant role in Canadian society.
Emphasizing the positive while challenging cultural stereotypes and educating
a broad audience was essential to Dennis. "If you can entertain people first,
they may drop their defences and become more receptive to new ideas and might
just change in spite of themselves." he said. "Maybe then their prejudice
will be diminished and there can be greater understanding and the chance for
true communication."
Shot on a Northern Ontario reservation, The Rez almost exclusively utilized the
talents of its residents both behind and in front of the cameras. Representing
a broad cross-section of First Nations communities, the series' cast was drawn
from native communities across the country.
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