Canada, Movies and Migration

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the two films "Freedom's Land: Canada and the Underground Railroad" and "Who Gets In?" present distinct views on issues of migration and oppression from the perspective of the Canadian context. The paper reviews both works with respect to their presentation, their major themes and an evaluation of their respective effectiveness. The paper argues that "Freedom's Land" is notably lacking in critical focus on its major themes relating to Canada's historical role of receiving slaves. In contrast, the paper asserts that "Who Gets In?" is more effective and powerful, due to its close critical focus on its major themes of bureaucracy and selectivity.

From the Paper:

"Freedom's Land: Canada and the Underground Railroad is a production of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that attempts to depict the history of Canada's involvement in the Underground Railroad that, in the 19th century, assisted many African American slaves in escaping from the oppression in the slave states of the American south. The film is structured in cohesive sections, beginning with a general depiction of the institution of slavery, and then progressing through to Canada's role as a refuge for slaves fleeing the United States, and featuring as a core element a lengthy depiction of the failed "rebellion" of John Brown in his raid on Harper's Ferry that was a major event during the period leading up to the American Civil War."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Burns, K. (Director). (1990). The Civil War: A film by Ken Burns. Washington, D.C.: WETA PBS.
• Cobban, W. (Director). (2002). Freedom's land: Canada and the underground railroad. Toronto: CBC, 2002.
• Greenwald, B. (Director). (1989). Who gets in? Toronto: National Film Board of Canada.

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• Research Paper # 57334 : "U.S.-Canada Relations and the Cold War"

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