A first-of-its-kind television show to premiere from Grande Prairie filmmaker

Filmmakers Len Morissette and Ryan Dalgleish stop for a photo in Grande Prairie, Alta. on Friday, July 8, 2022. (Credit: Jesse Boily)

A Grande Prairie filmmaker’s newest project explores the planet's fragile ecosystems while highlighting indigenous and Western solutions to problems facing waterways in Canada.

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Len Morrisette is the creator of Water Worlds, a first-of-its-kind indigenous underwater exploration 13-part docuseries.

“There are some things, to be honest with you, I wish I didn't learn, and there are things I'm glad I did learn, but the series really takes a fresh look at these problems,” said Morrisette.

The series explores many aspects of Canadian waterways, from metro Vancouver to the ocean and microplastics.

“I really looked at the microplastics part; I know we love our straws and stuff, but when you actually go and see the beaches and see the amount of trash floating around the ocean because we use it as a dumping ground, it's freaking horrifying.”

The series explores those studying the effects of ocean pollution and climate change and those working to clean waterways.

“It's nice to see how stewardship is reawakening and how indigenous people are naturally gravitating to what we've always done, and to have a camera and witness that, and then have non-indigenous people of all walks, shapes, colours, showing how they're assisting,” said Morrisette.

He said the show is using ‘two-eyed seeing’ in its approach.

“One eye sees to the past, the ways of knowing, and the other eye sees to the Western ways of knowing, and together, it guides our future.”

Morrisette believes the show will not only educate people, but prompt questions about the current state of Canadian waterways in viewers.

“We need to bring awareness to what's going on in a good way.”

“When you finish watching the series, you will understand the whole life cycle and the spirit of water, how we're all connected, and how one small thing affects something bigger at the end.”

Cree and English

Morrisette said creating two versions of the show, English and Cree, was a massive undertaking.

The show is narrated by Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon, Echo) in English and Cree.  

“She's a strong warrior woman who showed determination,” said Morrisette.

He said it was also a journey for Cardinal, who knew how to speak Cree but “wasn't a super fluent speaker.”

“We always talk about preserving language, but at some point, you got to do the work, and the work is hard, and to see Cardinal step up to the challenge and knock it out of the park was just an amazing thing to witness.”

Morrisette devised the idea for the show about six years ago when he drew the logo on a napkin.

“My whole life, I grew up watching underwater shows like Jacques Cousteau; I am obsessed with water,” he told the News in 2022 before filming began.

Now, the landlocked filmmaker hopes what he has accomplished inspires others.

“I really hope that people watch it and are a little bit inspired like, holy cow, a regular person did this, and all it took was the will and passion to do it.”

 “I also wanted to bring awareness to what stewardship of our land looks like, what reconciliation looks like … and (what) science does for a common cause.”

Morrisette says season two is a possibility; if so, he hopes to look at indigenous efforts in other areas of the world, like New Zealand and Fiji, to see what they are doing differently to maintain, preserve and restore their environments.

Water Worlds will premiere on Jan. 9 on APTN.

The show will also premiere in Grande Prairie on Jan. 9 at the Douglas J. Cardinal Performing Arts Centre at Northwestern Polytechnic.

Tickets for the event are available through the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre and the NWP On-Campus Friendship Centre.

“I'm very humbled that I was able to do this project, but I couldn't have done it without a team,” said Morrisette.

He thanks his business partner, fellow filmmaker Ryan Dalgleish, his wife and children, and all involved in the project.

“I want to acknowledge that I'm very grateful for the people that have surrounded me and supported these dreams.”