Synopsis
The radio station CBQM operates out of Fort McPherson, a small town about 150 km north of the Arctic Circle in the Canadian Northwest Territories. Through storytelling and old-time country music, filmmaker and long-time listener Dennis Allen crafts a nuanced portrait of the “Moccasin Telegraph,” the radio station that is a pillar of local identity and pride in this lively northern Teetl’it Gwich’in community of a few hundred souls.
A word from Tënk
A love of the land and a good sense of humour are common currency in the North—one might even say such traits are essential—and Dennis Allen’s charming CBQM delivers both in abundance. The former Yukoner documents the beloved radio station in Fort McPherson, which serves as a lifeline, connecting and entertaining the local Gwich'in community.
Once a Hudson's Bay Company post, this small hamlet in the northernmost part of the Inuvik region is home to approximately 650 people. The importance of local radio stations for remote communities like this cannot be overstated. The soothing voices of the station’s many hosts, offering companionship, comfort, information, and music, weave a metaphorical web that holds the community together—a vital service, especially during the long, isolating winter months.
Vivian Belik
Guest curator
Hot Docs, Available Light Film Festival
Jason Todd
Artistic Director
Tënk
