Professor Norman Cornett
"Since when do we divorce the right answer from an honest answer?"
2009, Canada, 80 min, Digital Beta
Director: Alanis Obomsawin
Presented as part of:
Professor Norman Cornett
Oct 15 2009, 9:00PM
Al Green Theatre
After decades of investigating the impact of government decisions on First Nations cultures, Alanis Obomsawin takes a thoughtful look at how mainstream universities teach young people to become the men and women who will shape our society. McGill University professor Dr. Norman Cornett uses radically unconventional teaching methods to banish fear and inspire love of learning. Compelled by a deep love of teaching, he trains his students to find their own intellectual and moral centre using dialogue, field trips and stream-of-consciousness journals—challenging them to deconstruct controversy to find their own meaning. Cornett’s approach makes him a misfit at McGill, but when the university abruptly terminates his contract after 15 years, he is devastated.
Alanis Obomsawin, a member of the Abenaki Nation, is one of Canada’s most distinguished documentary filmmakers. She began her career as a singer, writer and storyteller, and made her debut as a filmmaker in 1967 with Christmas at Moose Factory, which she wrote and directed. Since then, Obomsawin has made more than 20 documentaries on issues affecting Aboriginal people in Canada. In 2001, she received the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2002. Obomsawin, a Patron of this festival, received its inaugural Milestone award in 2004 for outstanding professional achievement.
