Darearts & Noront Resources Host the Toronto Premiere Screening of Fill My Hollow Bones

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 23, 2011) - On Tuesday, September 27^th 6:30 pm, at TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King St. W., Toronto, DAREarts & Noront Resources will host the Toronto Premiere Screening of Fill My Hollow Bones, a documentary film dedicated to Aboriginal youth, arts & culture.

Narrated by Graham Greene, Fill My Hollow Bones chronicles a DAREarts program that challenges Aboriginal youth in Webequie, a remote northern Ontario community, to reclaim their inner strength through creative projects, guided by teachers, artists and community elders. Intensive week-long workshops motivate them to develop confidence and skills through photography, film making, music, dance, poetry, and community performances. The youths' progress over three years is staggering as they breathe new life into a community which had been struggling for so long to overcome high suicide rates among its teens.

Fill My Hollow Bones demonstrates the power of the arts to unlock potential in youth to ignite change. The film's very title comes from a poem written and performed by a young girl who inspires us to fill our inner selves with strength so that we can stand tall in the face of adversity. The film is a testament to the ability and determination of a community's youth to change their course and our country's destiny.

This screening comes at a critical time when the Webequie community mourns the recent loss of Jordan Wabasse and attention is drawn to the disparity of northern First Nations communities. Jordan's memory is honoured in the film, as we witness his gentle and determined nature. Like many others, fifteen-year-old Jordan left his remote community to follow the dream of an education and his passion for hockey, only to disappear and have his body recovered a few months later in a northern river.

DAREarts is a Canadian charity that uses the arts to help children and youth who are challenged by life circumstances to unlock their potential. By focusing on Discipline, Action, Responsibility and Excellence, the youth build their confidence and courage to pursue goals and lead others in creating a safe and vibrant future.

Following an eleven-year track record in urban neighbourhoods and two years in Junior Ranger camps, DAREarts was invited in 2007 by a Webequie teacher to help their youth re-connect with their traditional values and overcome traumas of suicide and substance abuse. Fill My Hollow Bones is the result of their three-year journey and the sharing of their ideas and talents to create what you will see on the screen.

Recently named Nee-tum-Ochee-bek or First Roots by a community elder, this DAREarts program has been generously supported by Noront Resources Inc.; the Ontario government, through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs; and the Ontario Arts Council.

We hope that this film will not only celebrate the community's achievements but will also move others to support DAREarts and develop this as an ongoing program for vulnerable youth across Canada. Please visit DAREarts at www.darearts.com.