New Year. New North. Watch as a small Northern town welcomes new Canadians on The Home Team.
Suzanne Crocker knows Dawson City, Yukon well… very well. After all, she has lived there for 30 years and shot multiple nationally funded documentary films in this cold but tight-knit community. Habituated to greeting people on the street by their first name, she was struck one day realizing she didn’t know many of the people working in the local grocery store. That’s when her newest documentary - The Home Team - was born.
“I hope that The Home Team will remind us that everyone in our community has a name and a story worth listening to.” - Suzanne Crocker, Dawson film maker
“The day came when I realized that I no longer knew the people who were working the cash or stocking the shelves, not even their first names. So, I decided to introduce myself and ask the question ‘What brought you to Dawson?’”
What followed is a candid look at the struggles and the joys of families leaving their loved ones and careers behind to start new lives in a unique part of the world, and a community’s journey to welcoming its newest members.
“I have a better understanding of this planet and my place on it because of the relationships I’ve made with people who are new to this country.” - Wayne, from Dawson City
Oh, and the exciting start of what’s got to be the most Northern cricket league in the world.
“I was constantly amazed and humbled by the positive attitude and resilience of the folks featured in The Home Team, as they had to overcome so many challenges to fulfill their dream of making Canada their home,” says Crocker. “They were very generous and gracious to share their stories.”
The Home Team was partially funded by Northwestel, part of the Northern company’s commitment to helping tell the rich and varied stories of life in the North. And kicking off the New Year, the film is now available to stream live and on demand on Northwestel TV.
Telling unique Northern stories
To Crocker, this film represents a progression from telling personal stories of living and raising a family in the North, to increasingly helping others in the community gain a voice.
“For my first film All The Time In The World, I was only filming my family as we were living remotely. That was definitely my comfort zone. In First We Eat, I branched out and, as well as filming my family, featured the farmers and the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in elders who were so essential to our story of eating locally to Dawson.”
Now, in this most recent film, some of the newest Canadians share what brought them from big cities and hot climates to a colder, more remote paradise. As the seasons change, we experience their process of overcoming initial anxieties and sadness and finding true moments of joy and welcoming in their new home. “I hope that The Home Team will remind us that everyone in our community has a name and a story worth listening to.”
Stream The Home Team tonight on Northwestel TV.
Do you have a Northern story to tell? Northwestel has funded over 80 film and television projects across the North, and helped filmmakers secure $3 million in funding from territorial governments and the Canadian Media Fund. Northwestel Community TV provides a platform to showcase Northern artists, and can help with production, development and digital media support. Reach out to chat, or apply for funding today.
“For just being a human being, it’s one of the best places I’ve ever been.” - Amir, from Pakistan, now in Dawson City
