Performing Arts History & Criticism
Tales from Behind the Loincloth
- Publisher
- Fifth House Books
- Initial publish date
- May 2014
- Category
- History & Criticism
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781897252826
- Publish Date
- May 2014
- List Price
- $19.95
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Description
For many years, Jennifer Podemski told herself a lie and if lie haunted her. The lie was that she hated being an "Indian" and everything that it represented. Ultimately, when she faced down the lie for what it was and embraced who she was.
From the age of eight, Jennifer understood she was born to perform. She wanted to sing, dance, and make people laugh. She threw herself into school plays, music, dancing, and the school choir. She began auditioning for work as an extra in TV and films, and then one day she met Bruce McDonald who was directing a film called Dance Me Outside. He offered Jennifer the lead role of Sadie Maracle, an experience that proved to be life defining for her. Dance Me Outside set her on a journey that formed the actor, producer, and storyteller Jennifer Podemski is today.
Along the way she realized that in order to achieve her dreams she would have to change the industry, and so she decided to do just that. "I began to feel strongly that a part of my purpose in life was to inject Aboriginal perspectives into the otherwise plain and colourless Canadian television industry but, in addition, to make a difference at the grass roots level in the community."
Jennifer began producing in 1999 when she co-founded the production company Big Soul Productions with Laura Milliken. Together they created and produced many award-winning television and film projects, The Seventh Generation.
Today, Jennifer owns and operates Redcloud Studios Inc., an independent production company dedicated to strengthening aboriginal visibility in the film and television industry, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera.
In her honest, cut-to-the-chase memoir, Behind the Buckskin and Feathers, Jennifer tells it like it was, how she went from being a self-hating Indian with low self-esteem, to a respected, active member of the Aboriginal community. It's an inspiring journey for Natives and non-Natives, performers and aspiring performers, and anyone who has a dream to be the best that they can be.