Got 15 minutes to spare at lunch today? We know exactly what you should do with it. Earlier this week, The New Yorker revealed that it had acquired the rights to the short documentary Joe Buffalo. Released this year, the documentary has won many accolades, including the audience award at SXSW and being named an official selection at Tribeca.
Directed by Amar Chebib, the documentary follows Joe Buffalo, who has become a skateboarding legend in Canada. Part of the Maskwacis Cree Nation, Buffalo was born in Alberta, but faced a traumatic childhood due almost entirely to the Residential School System, which he and his family were forced to go through.
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However, Buffalo found solace in skateboarding. And while it took him a long while to shake off drug addiction and other self-destructive tendencies, his drive to skateboard and the community he found there was a lifeline for him. Now in his forties, Buffalo is both a beacon of hope as well as an active participant in making lives better through skating.
Now, The New Yorker has decided to share his story with the world, after acquiring the rights to the documentary and sharing it, for free, on YouTube! Filled with gorgeous shots, meaningful words, and an unflinching look at the legacies of residential schools, we think just about everyone should check it out.
