Click This Link To Watch Us and Them's Trailer

The Victoria Native Friendship Centre Library is proud to announce that they will be presenting a screening of the much buzzed about film, Us and Them. The traditional welcome to the Coast Salish territory will be given by Brianna Dick. Unity Drummers Glenn Patterson and Sarah Underdown will also be participating in the opening ceremony.

Doors open at 6 pm for complimentary desserts and refreshments. Donations in support of the VNFC Library are welcome. Parking in the vicinity is limited, so public transportation is encouraged. Please avoid blocking neighbours' driveways.

Us and Them, written and directed by Krista Loughton and Jennifer Abbott (The Corporation), has screened at several prominent events across Canada. Currently, the film is set to screen on Parliament Hill in May for all of Canada's MPs. The Ministry of Families, Children and Social Development headed by Minister Jean-Yves Duclos is hosting the event.

Us and Them shatters misconceptions about why people end up on the streets through its compassionate narrative. Loughton lends a familiarity to all whom she interviews. Her subjects aren't "just homeless." They are not faceless apparitions wandering the streets. These people are the friends and family that we all know in our communities, who need our support.

This screening will be the public’s opportunity to gain an empathetic look into the lives of individuals that they otherwise might not have had a chance to experience.

US AND THEM SYNOPSIS:

Filmed over a decade, Us and Them is a deeply visceral film about transformation through human connection. It all begins when filmmaker Krista Loughton is questioned by addiction expert Dr. Gabor Maté about her need to relieve pain in the world. This takes her back in time when she befriended four chronically homeless people in an effort to help them heal their lives.

Under the mentorship of Hereditary Chief Phil Lane Jr., Krista decides to teach her friends how to balance on the First Nations Medicine Wheel. In the beginning, there is connection and hope, but unfortunately, none are able to conquer their addictions or significantly change their lives. And then tragically, one dies. Out of her league, Krista seeks out the counsel of Dr. Maté, who forces her to confront her own motivations. Krista confesses her own emotional struggles with her remaining street friends. They display an extraordinary empathy, wisdom, and articulation no one could have anticipated.

Us and Them is written and directed by Loughton and award-winning filmmaker Jennifer Abbott who joined the project in 2013. Abbott is the co-director and editor of the widely acclaimed film The Corporation, one of Canada's most successful documentaries.