Beans (2020 film)

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Beans
File:Beans (2020 film).jpg
Film poster
Directed by Tracey Deer
Produced by Anne-Marie Gélinas
Written by
Starring
Music by Mario Sévigny
Cinematography Marie Davignon
Edited by Sophie Farkas Bolla
Production
company
EMA Films
Distributed by Mongrel Media
Release dates
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  • September 13, 2020 (2020-09-13) (TIFF)
Running time
 92 minutes
Country Canada
Language English

Beans is a 2020 Canadian drama film directed by Mohawk-Canadian filmmaker Tracey Deer. It explores the 1990 Oka Crisis at Kanesatake, which Deer lived through as a child, through the eyes of Tekehentahkhwa (nicknamed "Beans"), a young Mohawk girl whose perspective on life is radically changed by these events.[1]

The film premiered at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival,[2] where it was second runner up for the People's Choice Award. It was also featured at the 2021 New York International Children's Film Festival, among others.

The film won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Picture at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021,[3] along with the John Dunning Best First Feature Film Award.[4] It was nominated for the Prix Iris for Best Screenplay at the 24th Quebec Cinema Awards in 2022.[5]

Plot

Tekehentahkhwa, who goes by the nickname "Beans", is a bright preteen who lives in Kahnawake, a Mohawk reserve. She is encouraged by her mother, Lily, to try to apply for a prestigious school in Montreal, something her father opposes.

After seeing their cousin Karahwen'hawi on TV protesting the expansion of a golf course into Kahnesatake territory upriver, the entire family drives to the area to support the protestors. The Mohawk land is surrounded by the town of Oka, Quebec, which was seeking to expand its golf course into a historic Mohawk cemetery. Beans and her little sister are quickly caught up in a police raid, which strengthens her parents' resolve to stay and help during the protest. Tensions grow fast. Barricades are built and the Kahnesatake territory is isolated. Food runs short and women and children are given the possibility to evacuate. Outside, protesters throw rocks at the evacuating cars.

In the meantime, Beans befriends April, an older girl she seeks to emulate in smoking, cursing, and friendships with boys. April teaches Beans to toughen up, in a hard way.

Cast

Production

The semi-autobiographical story is based on historic events that Deer lived through as a child. While she includes harsh events, she has said she wanted to avoid having the film be traumatic for viewers. It is recommended for viewers of 14+ in age.[6] Filming took place in Kahnawake and Montreal in 2019.[7]

Deer began writing the script in 2012, in collaboration with Meredith Vuchnich. It was a long, seven-year process, partly because revisiting the Oka Crisis brought up difficult memories. She sought therapy to help her deal with them.[8]

Release

Beans had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2020.[2]

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of Lua error in Module:Rotten_Tomatoes_data at line 72: invalid escape sequence near '"^'. based on Lua error in Module:Rotten_Tomatoes_data at line 72: invalid escape sequence near '"^'. reviews, with an average rating of Lua error in Module:Rotten_Tomatoes_data at line 72: invalid escape sequence near '"^'.. The site's critical consensus reads, "Beans opens a compelling window into the indigenous coming-of-age experience -- and serves as an affecting debut for Kiawentiio."[9]

The film was named to TIFF's year-end Canada's Top Ten list for feature films.[10]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
Canadian Screen Awards May 20, 2021 Best Picture Anne-Marie Gélinas Won [11]
Best Cinematography Marie Davignon Nominated
Best Sound Mixing Stéphane Bergeron, Yann Cleary Nominated
Best Casting in a Film Maxime Giroux Nominated
John Dunning Best First Feature Award Tracey Deer Won
Directors Guild of Canada October 2020 DGC Discovery Award Tracey Deer Won [12]
Kingston Canadian Film Festival February 26–March 7, 2021 Limestone Financial People's Choice Award Tracey Deer Won [13]
Vancouver Film Critics Circle March 8, 2021 Best Supporting Actress in a Canadian Film Rainbow Dickerson Won [14]
One to Watch Kiawentiio Won
Vancouver International Film Festival September 24–October 7, 2020 Best Canadian Film Tracey Deer Won [15]
Writers Guild of Canada April 26, 2021 Best Feature Film Tracey Deer, Meredith Vuchnich Won [16]
Toronto Film Critics Association March 2022 Best Canadian Film Beans Won [17]
Prix collégial du cinéma québécois 2022 Best Film Nominated [18]

References

  1. ↑ Norman Wilner, "VIFF review: Tracey Deer’s 'Beans' finds its hero coming of age during the Oka crisis". The Georgia Straight, September 16, 2020.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Victoria Ahearn, "TIFF announces all 50 titles for pandemic-tailored 2020 event". Toronto Star, July 30, 2020.
  3. ↑ Naman Ramachandran, "‘Schitt’s Creek,’ ‘Blood Quantum’ Triumph at Canadian Screen Awards". Variety, May 21, 2021.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Charles-Henri Ramond, "Finalistes aux Prix Iris 2022". Films du Québec, April 14, 2022.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Craig Takeuchi, "VIFF 2020: Beans, Violation, and The Hidden Life of Trees among award winners". The Georgia Straight, October 2, 2020.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Sadaf Ahsan, "Indigenous coming-of-age drama Beans wins $100,000 Toronto film critics prize", The Globe and Mail, March 8, 2022.
  18. ↑ Maxime Demers, "Prix collégial du cinéma québécois : les finalistes dévoilés". Le Journal de Montréal, January 18, 2022.

External links

Template:John Dunning Award

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