"Jipuktewik Sipu, River of Fire" features the Micmac storyteller, artist, and musician, Michael W. Francis. Mike tells the story of the sacred fire and how it was given to the Micmacs, and the story of the Mi'kmwesu, a wood spirit whose flute playing transforms the listener. In discussion with Canadian ethnomusicologist, Franziska von Rosen, Mike talks of his childhood with his grandfather from whom he learned the art of storytelling. Speaking of the importance of stories today, Mike recognises that television and rock music are as much a part of his grandchildren's lives as the stories he tells.
Producer and director, Pinegrove Productions. As a videographer, Franziska's particular interest has been for creating social and environmental documentaries, including, among others, "Jipuktewik Sipu" (1991, AMTEC award), "River of Fire: Celebration of Life" (1994) - screened at the Atlantic Film Festival (1995) and at the VITAS Film Festival at UCLA, Los Angeles (1995), "Deer at the Northern Limit" (1999) a two-part educational series, "The Return of the Wild Turkey" (in progress), and an experimental music video "Mi'kmwesu" (2000); screened at the One World Film Festival, Ottawa, 2000. Her latest challenge has been as story editor for "Getting Away with Murder" (2000), a documentary on the displaced peoples of Colombia, screened at the One World Film Festival, Ottawa, 2000.