Documentary to address overlooked history

Plans are in motion for an independent feature documentary film after controversy over a CBC miniseries made national headlines.

CBC’s Canada: The Story of Us, which aired in 2017, covers almost four centuries of Canadian history yet fails to acknowledge Samuel de Champlain’s arrival at Port Royal, Nova Scotia, with Pierre Du Gua de Monts in 1605. The series skips over that region’s history and begins with Champlain’s founding of Quebec City in 1608.

Politicians from across the province asked the CBC to apologize for the error and to film a prequel that included the overlooked history. While the network apologized, it has not yet produced the requested prequel. As a result, Annapolis Royal Mayor Bill MacDonald and Ben Proudfoot of Breakwater Studios partnered to make the film Port of Origins.

The documentary is intended to portray highlights of the place known at different times as Nme’juaqnek, Port Royal, and Annapolis Royal. The story spans from pre-European contact to 1760 while also depicting the history of the Mi’kmaq, French, Acadians, English, and Scots in that area. The film’s production schedule depends on funding.