Aakideh: The Art & Legacy of Carl Beam
One of Canada’s most influential and significant artists Carl Beam earned a reputation for being fearless, visionary and ultimately, unforgettable. From his early years growing up on Manitoulin Island to his turbulent years spent at a residential school, this documentary explores how these early experiences not only impacted Beam’s life but also his art. Personal remembrances along with insights about his art and ideas are vividly illustrated through dozens of Beam’s artworks, family photos, interviews, performance videos, and journals.
"The film offers a very personal
glimpse of the artist, his family
and his creative mind. It enlightens
the audience about the man
and his work without ever being
didactic."
- Jane Hubbard, Manitoulin Expositor
"Aakideh: The Art & Legacy of Carl Beam" paints a warm, intimate and respectful portrait of an artist who nurtured an image of being uncompromising, confrontational and difficult."
- Robert Reid, Waterloo Region Record
“This is one of the most effective depictions of an artist’s life, work and impact I have ever seen.” - Clint Buehler, Journalist, First Nations Drum
"... Aakideh: The Art and Legacy of Carl Beam is a story of perseverance, because making a film that captures the genius and culture of a legendary artist — especially an artist who died in the early stages of filming — required creativity, ingenuity and dogged persistence on the part of the filmmakers."
- Marshall Ward, Waterloo Chronicle
Official trailer clip from Aakideh
