New documentary sheds light on the journey of an Alberta residential school survivor [Video]

A 77-year-old Indigenous woman is sharing an emotional glimpse into her past experiences with residential schools on the big screen.

Elder Betty Ross is watching her own story unfold in the documentary film titled Return to the Falls, which is being played in Alberta classrooms leading up to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30.

Ross’s past is one of being abandoned, then adopted, and then kidnapped and taken to St. Joseph’s residential school as an eight-year-old.

It wasn’t a story Ross always wanted to share with others, but when Eppo Eerkes’ daughter approached him 11 years ago with a graphic novel called Sugar Falls, the Cochrane filmmaker knew he had to track down “Little Betty” from the book. The literature was about Ross’s journey in the residential school system.

“Later that night, she read it many times and she handed it to me, and I just fell to pieces,” Ross …