By Any Means Necessary

"By Any Means Necessary" tells the story of the Buffalo River Dene Nation, a First Nation located in Saskatchewan, Canada, and their current legal battle with the government of Canada. In 1994, when two hunters, James Sylvestre and Harry Cataract, were arrested for trespassing and illegally hunting within a government-controlled area, the community of Buffalo River rose to the defense of the hunters. This area was traditional Dene hunting grounds, but was turned into an air weapons bombing range in 1954. The bombing range was used by the Canadian and US armed forces for bombing practice during the cold war, although it was found that 99.5% of land was handed over to multinationals for oil exploration and mining. Band elders asserted that the land in question was part of their traditional lands and the treaty signed with Canada in 1906 gave them the right to use that area. Through a series of cases and appeals, a guilty verdict was finally handed down by the Canadian legal system. Determined to clear the name of the hunters, the Buffalo River Dene Nation is now attempting to charge Canada in the International Court of Justice with the breaking of their 100 year-old treaty. Directed and Produced by James Alvarez. more info at www.myspace.com/indianofilm.