The Stand

This striking archive-footage film follows Haida Nation members staging a peaceful but resolute blockade against a logging company, sparking a national debate around indigenous land rights in Canada.

Auchter, a member of the Haida Nation, reconstructs the story of the 1985 stand-off between his community and a major logging company. The resistance, which was rooted in Haida spirituality, blocked the loggers from accessing Lyell Island. Tension increased as police and the media descended on the standoff, transforming the protest into a national flashpoint on Indigenous land rights, environmental protection and justice. While mainstream media framed the conflict around jobs, legality and the economy, the Haida perspective is made clear: their forest land is unceded and must be protected for future generations. An articulate anatomy of a movement, The Stand is an impressive overview of how to build and sustain a protest, engage in debate and remain on the frontline of resistance.