Two young filmmakers, Alec Jurgeleit and Kee Heywood, long term participants in the Haines Borough Public Library’s Dragonfly Project, embarked on a film project to document the creation of a totem pole focusing on healing and wellbriety. A local Master Carver, Wayne Price, had partnered with SEARHC to create a totem pole, with the assistance of other volunteers who used the carving experience to support their recovery from substance abuse. In June of 2006 the young filmmakers and a mentor traveled to Sitka, Alaska, where the program was taking place. Over 9 days the pair filmed a total of 16 hours of footage of the Kootéeyaa project.
Throughout July, August and the first part of September the young filmmakers worked on filming follow up interviews and other postproduction elements. They pared down the 19 hours of footage into a 16-minute film titled Kootéeyaa: Journey to Wellness.
The week before the film was to premiere at the library, it was submitted to the International Sundance Film Festival. The local press found out about the film festival submission and the project made headlines in the local paper, as well as Heather Lende’s column in the Anchorage Daily News. There was also a radio story on the local public radio station highlighting the film as well as an in-depth interview with the filmmakers on the Saturday morning radio show "Lynn Canal Weekend" . Invitations were sent to local Chilkoot Indian Association tribal members, library volunteers, staff and others. The film premiered at the Haines Borough Public Library on September 16th to a capacity crowd. Over 120 patrons attended the special event.
For your copy of the Kooteeya Film, contact us.