Murdered and missing Indigenous women in Canadian crime films

Abstract

The issue of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) in Canada has been prevalent for several decades. It has recently gained, and continues to gain, public awareness, and media have played an important role. A number of recent Canadian crime films have focused on MMIW and it is important to look at cinematic representations because they offer unique frames for viewing and interpreting the issue of MMIW. This research questioned how MMIW are represented as victims in four Canadian crime documentary films about MMIW. Employing a visual and narrative analysis, informed by the language of film, the research was conducted using a step-by-step viewing process, repeatedly watching the films, while watching for new details in each viewing. The films revealed themes that presented MMIW in complex and contradictory ways, and as victims of broader social injustices, rather than as victims of a particular crime.