TORONTO - Michelle Latimer says she's resigning from the second season of CBC's Indigenous TV series “Trickster” where she served as co-creator and director.
The Thunder Bay, Ont.-raised filmmaker says it's “with a heavy heart” she's leaving the production after seeking advice over concerns raised about the accuracy of her claimed Indigenous ancestry.
Latimer posted a Facebook message on Monday saying, “I have listened to my community and feel that stepping away from the production is the appropriate course of action.”
The decision comes near the end of a whirlwind year that saw Latimer's star rise in the context of being a voice for Indigenous creators.
She scored praise for “Trickster,” which was pitched as a Canadian series made by an Indigenous cast and crew, while her documentary “Inconvenient Indian” won two awards at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Latimer had previously said she was of Algonquin, Metis, and French heritage, from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg and Maniwaki area in Quebec, but a CBC investigation last week challenged those claims.
On Thursday Latimer wrote that she “made a mistake” in naming Kitigan Zibi as her family's community before verifying the linkage. She said she has reached out to elders and community historians to receive guidance and obtain verification.
“I stand by who I am and by my family's history, but I also understand what is being asked of me,” Latimer said in her Facebook post on Monday.
“I recognize my responsibility to be accountable to the community and my fellow artists, and that is why I have made this decision.
“It's been an honour to have spent the last three years working to bring this story to the screen,” she added.
“Trickster” is based on a series of novels by Eden Robinson which tell the story of a teenager from Kitimat B.C. who discovers he has magical powers passed down through generations.
Robinson issued her own statement through Facebook on Monday saying she was “so embarrassed” and “felt like such a dupe” over the recent developments.
“I don't know how to deal with the anger, disappointment and stress. As wretched as this moment is, I'd rather know the truth,” she wrote.
“Keep holding me to account,” she continued. “Going forward, I'm going to donate all further author royalties from the 'Trickster' series to the Haisla Language Authority for the preservation of the Haisla language. As messy and real as our lives can get, I don't know how to walk in the world without my people and I pity anyone who doesn't understand what we have.”
In a statement, CBC acknowledged that the recent developments have impacted everyone tied to the show and many Indigenous communities, as well.
The organization said it will work with production company Sienna Films to “determine the future of Trickster.”
“Whatever the outcome of those conversations, CBC's commitment to telling Indigenous stories with the many creative Indigenous storytellers will not waver,” the broadcaster said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 21, 2020.
