Little Bird is a Canadian drama television miniseries, which premiered on Crave and APTN lumi on May 26, 2023.David Friend, "Sixties Scoop drama 'Little Bird' among May streaming highlights" . Toronto Star, May 1, 2023. Created by Jennifer Podemski and Hannah Moscovitch with the participation of Jeremy Podeswa as an executive producer, the series centres on a First Nations woman who was adopted into a Jewish family during the Sixties Scoop, as she attempts to reconnect with her birth family and heritage.Greg David, "Bell Media announces English and French-language original programming orders and renewals for 2021/22 season" . TV, eh?, June 10, 2021.
The series stars Darla Contois as Esther Rosenblum/Bezhig Little Bird, alongside Ellyn Jade, Osawa Muskwa, Joshua Odjick, Imajyn Cardinal, Eric Schweig, Lisa Edelstein, Braeden Clarke and Michelle Thrush in supporting roles, with episodes directed by Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Zoe Hopkins.Cassandra Szklarski, "‘60s Scoop grief and Holocaust trauma entwine in limited series ‘Little Bird’" . Toronto Star, May 25, 2023.
Distribution The series, the first original drama series to be commissioned by Crave since its rebranding from The Movie Network in 2018, is distributed by Crave, APTN, and APTN Lumi.
Main Cast Darla Contois as Bezhig Little Bird/Esther Rosenblum, a young woman born on the Long Pine Reserve in Saskatchewan. Although her family is devoted and loving, Bezhig and two of her siblings are apprehended by Child Protection Services after an incident with Bezhig, her twin brother Niizh, and the police. Keris Hope Hill as Young Bezhig/Esther Lisa Edelstein as Golda Rosenblum, Bezhig/Esther's adopted mother. Now divorced, Golda is shown to be somewhat withdrawn and skeptical of middle class society. Ellyn Jade as Patti Little Bird, the birth mother of Bezhig and her siblings. Although initially soft-spoken and gentle, Patti is forced to fight to try to regain custody of her three younger children. Osawa Muskwa as Morris Little Bird, Bezhig's birth father. On the day his three younger children are apprehended, Morris has taken his elder son Leo on his first hunt. Morris is shown to be a devoted and protective husband and father. Rowen Kahn as David, fiancé of Bezhig/Esther. Joshua Odjick as Niizh, the younger Little Bird son who is apprehended with his sisters. Gideon Starr as Young Niizh Imajyn Cardinal as Dora Mueller, Bezhig's younger sister who is adopted into a strict family in Saskatchewan; she tells Esther/Bezhig she has run away from home. Charlotte Cutler as Young Dora Braeden Clarke as Leo Little Bird, Bezhig's elder brother. On the day his siblings are apprehended, Leo goes on his first hunt with his father. Tayton Mianskum as Young Leo Alanna Bale as Adele, a trainee case worker when the Little Bird children are apprehended. Adele is disturbed by her superior's methods and mentality, but rarely voices this. Eric Schweig as Asin, the grandfather of Leo, Bezhig, Niizh and Dora, who takes care of Leo while the others are apprehended; father of Morris. Michelle Thrush as Brigit, an aunt of Bezhig and her siblings.
Episodes
Coming Home: Wanna Icipus Kupi, a documentary film profiling the real-life stories of actual Sixties Scoop survivors, was released on June 30 concurrently with the final episode of the series."Documentary features impacts of Sixties Scoop on Indigenous families". CBC News Manitoba, June 30, 2023.
Accolades + List of awards and nominations Year Award Category Recipients Result 202412th Canadian Screen Awards Best Drama Series Jennifer Podemski, Hannah Moscovitch, Christina Fon, Ernest Webb, Catherine Bainbridge, Linda Ludwick, Kim Todd, Nicholas Hirst, Zoe Hopkins, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Jeremy Podeswa, Christian Vesper, Dante Di Loreto, Tanya Brunel, Jessica Dunn, Claire MacKinnon, Philippe Chabot, Lori Lozinski, Ellen Rutter Best Direction, Drama Series; episode: Love is all AroundElle-Máijá TailfeathersBest Direction, Drama Series; episode Bineshi KweZoe Hopkins Best Lead Performer, Drama Series Darla Contois Best Lead Performer, Drama SeriesEllyn JadeBest Guest Performance, Drama Series Imajyn CardinalBest Supporting Performer, Drama Series Braeden ClarkeBest Ensemble Performance, Drama Darla Contois, Ellyn Jade, Osawa Muskwa, Lisa Edelstein, Michelle Thrush, Braeden Clarke, Imajyn Cardinal, Joshua Odjick Best Achievement in Casting, Fiction Lisa Parasyn, Carmen Kotyk See also Unsettled, Canadian drama series with similar themes created concurrently with, but separately from, Little Bird.
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