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About The Film
Summary
THE BLOOD REMEMBERS is a feature-length documentary profiling the lives of Indigenous activists in Manitoba, Canada, who take matters into their own hands after a serial killer confesses to murdering four Indigenous women and leaving their bodies in a landfill. Backed by the provincial government, local police refuse to conduct a search for the women and target the film’s subjects in a campaign to silence their voices. This film tells the stories behind the headlines of the lives of the family members and their allies in their struggle for recognition of basic human dignity in the face of systematic anti-Indigenous discrimination.
The Story
In 2022, four Indigenous women are murdered in Winnipeg, Manitoba. When the killer is apprehended and confesses to leaving their bodies in the city landfill, the police refuse to conduct a search to recover the women’s bodies. Families of the victims and local First Nations groups blockade the landfill entrance, setting up a face-off with local authorities, drawing national attention to the epidemic of violence against Indigenous women and girls around the country (MMIWG2S+).
THE BLOOD REMEMBERS profiles the extraordinary lives of the family and community who
comprise the camps at the blockade (Camp Morgan) and Camp Marcedes, each of whom are deeply affected by the cumulative personal and generational impact of more than 300 years of colonial policy and genocide. The film goes beyond the headlines to show in intimate detail just who these individuals are and how their face off with government officials has impacted them.
In the 2023 provincial elections, debate arises in the Canadian House of Commons on MMIWG2S+ generally and on the landfill search specifically. Members of the ruling Conservative Party in Manitoba target the members of Camp Morgan, have their members arrested and enjoined from further protest activities, and campaign on a platform touting government opposition to Indigenous demands, in what some view as a racist smear campaign. That campaign ushers in an historic majority for the New Democratic Party (NDP), which elects the first First Nations Premier in Canadian history, Wab Kinew.
The film follows the long and frustrating journey for the families, as well as moments of hope, as they begin to search the landfills, find the bodies of their loved ones, and bring them home—against all odds.
Media
The Director
JR Howell, Esq
J.R. Howell is a distinguished international human rights lawyer based in Los Angeles, CA. With expertise that spans the United States, Canada, and Europe, J.R. is known for his unwavering commitment to defending the rights of marginalized communities and advocating for social justice on a global scale. As principal attorney at The Law Office of J.R. Howell, he leads a firm that endeavors to embody integrity, professionalism, and a deeply rooted commitment to advocating for human rights internationally. Educated at prestigious institutions such as The George Washington University, American University’s Washington College of Law, and the Université Paris Nanterre, J.R. Howell has a wealth of experience, including significant work as a class action litigator in the USA focusing on the intersection of human rights and technology. His advocacy work abroad is bolstered by his role as Vice Chair of the American Bar Association's International Human Rights Committee. JR is committed to seeking both justice and truth both at home in the United States and abroad. With THE BLOOD REMEMBERS, J.R. advocates for the inspiring Indigenous community of family, friends, and allies of Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, Rebecca Contois, Ashley Shingoose (known as Buffalo Woman), Tanya Nepinak, and Tina Fontaine. Through the film, J.R. and his team aim to raise awareness and advocate for meaningful reconciliation and social change, working towards a more equitable future for Canada’s First Nations and Métis populations. Whether in the courtroom or behind the camera, J.R. Howell’s work is driven by a passion for giving a voice to the marginalized and fighting for a more just and fair society.
