River of Forgiveness follows the story of the Dehcho Dené people in their indigenous territory in Canada’s remote Northwest Territories. In 2018, twelve Dené ventured into this wild landscape to re-engage with a way of life at risk of being lost. Together they undertook the construction of a 40-foot moose skin boat to travel down the South Nahanni River on an epic 500 kilometer journey through sacred land. River of Forgiveness seamlessly blends together a variety of audiovisual elements to bring the viewer with them as they head downstream on this remarkable journey. It is an immersive tribute to the spiritual power of nature to heal and Dené resilience, rising from the ashes of colonialism.
Creative Director/Writer/Editor: Alex Wittholz
Producer/Writer/Editor: Heather Grieve
Lead Developer: Daniel Sundy
Developer: Jen Saxena
Developer: Mike Mali
Illustrator: Jamie Bennett
The River of Forgiveness Project
Film Director/Producer: Geoff Bowie
Film Producer: Michael Allder
Creative and Story Consultant: Herb Norwegian
Photographer: John Bingham
Director of Photography: Kiarash Sadigh
Additional Videography: Jonathan Antoine
Co-Executive Producer 90th Parallel: Gordon Henderson
Co-Executive Producer CBC Documentary Channel: Jordana Ross
Co-Executive Producer CBC Documentary Channel: Sandra Kleinfeld
