We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice

We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice is a 2016 Canadian documentary film by Alanis Obomsawin about the First Nations activist Cindy Blackstock and her court case against the federal government of Canada for underfunding social services to children living on First Nations reserves.^[1]

We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice
Directed by	Alanis Obomsawin
Produced by	Alanis Obomsawin
Starring	Cindy Blackstock
Production company	National Film Board
Release date	13 September 2016 (2016-09-13) (TIFF)
Running time	163 minutes
Country	Canada
Language	English

The film details how the federal government has resisted applying Jordan's Principle to restitution efforts. Also appearing in the film is Assembly of First Nations lawyer David Nahwegahbow, who describes the government's efforts to avoid living up to its agreements with Indigenous peoples.^[2] To make the film, Obomsawin followed the case for six years, recording testimony from all sides.^[3]

We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice is the 49th film that Obomsawin has directed for the National Film Board of Canada—with her 50th, Norway House, in production.^[3][4]

Release

The film premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.^[5] Subsequent Canadian film festival screenings included the 2016 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.^[2]