Anglican Video’s Topahdewin: The Gladys Cook Story, a film about an aboriginal Anglican woman who survived a damaged childhood to become a prominent drug and alcohol abuse counselor, won a Bronze Award in the documentary category at the 39th Annual Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival. There were 4,500 entries from 33 countries in the festival, which is the oldest independent film and video festival in the world and the third oldest film festival in North America. The one-hour documentary uses archival footage, still photography and 13 years of interviews with Ms. Cook, in which she talks about her journey of despair, rediscovery of faith and her work with native women, addicts, prisoners and survivors of abuse. A recipient of a 1996 Governor General’s Award for promoting women’s rights, Ms. Cook was sexually abused while attending a native residential school.
