We Breathe Again – Kotzebue Premiere September 20th 7:00 pm

For centuries Alaska Natives survived the harsh conditions of life in the far north while their social, cultural, and spiritual practices thrived. In the 1700’s the battle to claim Alaska and its people began, setting into motion disruptive changes for Alaska’s first peoples. The painful scars from colonization continue to cycle from one generation to the next.

Rarely heard of 40 years ago, suicide is now one of the leading causes of death for Alaska Natives. Almost every family has lost brothers, sisters, parents, and children to it. Faced with heartbreaking challenges, Alaska Native communities are striving to recover and regain balance.

In a landscape as dramatic as its stories, We Breathe Again follows the lives of Eddie, Paul, Jody, and Keggulluk as they each lay bare their truths to reveal their painful pasts while sharing their hopes for the future. The documentary film offers an intimate, authentic portrait of people working to pass on to future generations their communities’ ancestral legacy, strength and resilience. Reflected in the northern lights and the city streetlights, from the ice roads to the asphalt, the film’s main subjects battle for personal healing, hoping to break new trail for their families and communities to follow.