Up until the mid-to late- twentieth century the Indian Act in Canada imposed various forms of control over its Native Indian citizens, most notably in the form of Residential Schools, which all Indian children under fifteen were forced to attend, and the Caucasian ‘Indian Agents’ that ran them.
These rules are at the centre of Jeff Barnaby’s psychological thriller Rhymes for Young Ghouls, which follows fifteen year old Aila (Kawennahere Devery Jacobs), who takes care of her uncle’s drug business whilst her father is in prison. She needs the money to pay her truant tax to Popper (Mark Antony Krupa), the brutal Indian Agent on the Mi’maq Indian Reserve where Aila lives.
After Popper steals the money she needs to keep her out of the Residential School, Aila plots to steal it back, whilst dealing with the return of her father (Glen Gould) and with her demons regarding the death of her mother eight years prior.
Rhymes for Young Ghouls isn’t a light-hearted affair. It openly explores the injustices faced by Canada’s Native Indian population and the physical, emotional and sexual abuse faced by the children in the Residential Schools. It shows the brutality of the Indian Agents who tried to keep the reservations ‘in line’ and shows what happened to informers amongst the Indian Reservations, and how they were punished by their communities – mostly in a bloody and brutal fashion.
Aila has strict rules for living in this kind of world, and these are revealed over the course of the movie as she slowly but surely breaks each and every commandment to get revenge against Popper and his henchmen. Kawennahere Devery Jacobs is fantastic as the world-weary Aila, hardened by her need to grow up fast after her family is ripped apart by an unfortunate tragedy at her mother’s hands.
Her grief and her pain are palpable, and when her father returns we see Aila slowly unravel, and finally give into the brutality that she is surrounded with. Gould and Devery Jacobs work well with one another and their climactic scene at the end of the film is a stand out.
The 1970s setting is gorgeous – from the décor, to the costumes, to the music, the film perfectly captures the era, which makes for an immersive experience. If the film has one criticism, it’s that it takes a little long to get going – but once it does, Rhymes for Young Ghouls becomes an emotional and cathartic thriller. Whilst it may not be a light-hearted affair, it is an educational and touching family drama that is well worth a watch.
Review Score: THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Rhymes for Young Ghouls screens at ACMI in Melbourne next month, from July 5th. To pre-book tickets and for more details, head to: http://www.acmi.net.au/fl_rhymes_for_young_ghouls.aspx
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