Beans (film)

Beans (film)
Name	Beans
Director	Tracey Deer
Producer	Anne-Marie Gélinas
Writer	Tracey Deer, Meredith Vuchnich
Starring	Kiawentiio, Violah Beauvais, Paulina Alexis, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai
Music	Mychael Danna
Cinematography	Marie Davignon
Editing	Sophie Farkas Bolla
Studio	Muse Entertainment, Prospector Films
Distributor	Elevation Pictures
Released	13 September 2020
Runtime	92 minutes
Country	Canada
Language	English, Mohawk

Beans (film). *Beans* is a 2020 Canadian coming-of-age drama film directed by Tracey Deer. Co-written by Deer and Meredith Vuchnich, the story is a fictionalized account of Deer's own childhood experiences during the 1990 Oka Crisis. The film follows a twelve-year-old Mohawk girl nicknamed Beans as her community's standoff with government forces violently escalates, forcing her to rapidly confront racism, identity, and her own anger. It premiered at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival and was named to the TIFF Canada's Top Ten list.

Plot

Set in Kanehsatà:ke during the summer of 1990, the film centers on Tekehentahkhwa, a bright 12-year-old nicknamed Beans. Her peaceful life is shattered when a land dispute between the Mohawk community and the town of Oka over a proposed golf course expansion erupts into the 1990 Oka Crisis. As the Sureté du Québec and later the Canadian Army mobilize against the Mohawk Warrior Society barricades, Beans, her family, and her community are thrust into a state of siege. Witnessing intense prejudice and violence, Beans begins to harden, gravitating towards a tougher teenage girl named April and engaging in acts of rebellion, straining her relationship with her compassionate mother. The climax centers on the violent confrontation on the Mercier Bridge, forcing Beans to reconcile her newfound fury with the values of her family and culture.

Cast

* Kiawentiio as Tekehentahkhwa "Beans" * Violah Beauvais as Lily, Beans' mother * Paulina Alexis as April * D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Hank * Rainbow Dickerson as Ruby * Joel Montgrand as Kania * Briauna Godina as Mavis * Maya Dawe as Charlie * Michele St. John as Grandmother

Production

The project originated from director Tracey Deer's personal history; she was 12 years old and living in Kahnawake during the 1990 Oka Crisis. Development was supported by the Indigenous Screen Office and Telefilm Canada. Principal photography took place in and around Montreal, with key scenes shot at the Kahnawake Survival School. The young lead, Mohawk actress Kiawentiio, was cast after an extensive search. The score was composed by Oscar-winner Mychael Danna, who collaborated with Deer to incorporate traditional Mohawk music. The film was produced by Anne-Marie Gélinas for Muse Entertainment and Prospector Films.

Release

*Beans* had its world premiere in the Discovery section at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2020. It was subsequently screened at festivals including the Vancouver International Film Festival and the ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival. The film began a virtual cinema release in Canada via Elevation Pictures in May 2021, followed by a broadcast on CBC Television in July 2021 as part of the network's CBC Gem lineup. It received an international release on Hulu in the United States.

Reception

The film received widespread critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 97% approval rating. Reviewers praised Tracey Deer's direction and the powerful performance by Kiawentiio. The Hollywood Reporter called it a "poignant and powerful debut," while The Globe and Mail noted its "unflinching" perspective. The film won several awards, including the Canadian Screen Award for Best Motion Picture and the Directors Guild of Canada award for Best Direction. Kiawentiio won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance in a Leading Role.

Themes and analysis

The film is analyzed as a potent exploration of Indigenous identity formation under the trauma of colonial violence. Scholars note its depiction of how political conflict internalizes within a child, manifesting as a struggle between innocence and embittered defiance. The narrative contrasts traditional Mohawk values of community and resilience with the corrosive effects of systemic racism witnessed during the 1990 Oka Crisis. Beans' relationship with her mother represents a cultural lifeline, while her friendship with April illustrates a turn towards protective aggression. The film is frequently discussed alongside other works about Indigenous resistance, such as Alanis Obomsawin's documentary Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance, providing a fictional, youth-centered complement to that seminal work.

Category:2020 films Category:Canadian drama films