Synopsis: We are adapting the book Red: A Haida Manga by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas into a feature-length, theatrical-release, Haida animation film. In making  Red we are creating a new art form, a fusion of art and storytelling:  Haida motifs, themes, and concepts of line, form, and space merged with Japanese anime, classical Western animation and Aboriginal pop-culture sensibilities. Red will further Aboriginal contemporary and traditional expression, advancing digital media research and experimentation, and helping to build an Aboriginal media infrastructure and provide economic and cultural development.

 

Christopher Auchter will direct and create the animation look and art form, based on his Uncle, Yahgulanaas’ work.

 

Red: A Haida Anime draws from an ancient oral narrative as recounted by descendants. This is the story of an orphan, Red, and his sister, Jaada. When raiders attack their village, Red escapes while Jaada is taken. The loss of Jaada breeds a seething anger, and years later, Red sets out to find his sister and exact revenge on her captors. 

 

Red blends traditional Indigenous imagery into a Japanese manga-styled story. It is an epic, tragic tale with universal themes reminiscent of Hamlet and King Lear, but told through its own unique cultural lens. Red: A Haida Manga was published in 2009 by Douglas & McIntyre, Canada.