"The Lynching of Louie Sam"

In late February 1884, a lynch mob of approximately 100 American men from Washington Territory crossed the border into British Columbia. They forcibly took a 14-year-old Stó:lō boy, Louie Sam, from the custody of a Canadian constable, rode a few miles south, and hanged him from a cedar tree. This tragic event is the only documented case of a cross-border lynching in Canadian history.

For the Stó:lō First Nation, whose traditional territories are located along the Fraser River, this tragedy is a defining moment. "The Lynching of Louie Sam," a powerful documentary, allows the community to tell their story—a story they waited more than a century to share.

Based on historical research by historian Keith Thor Carlson, commissioned by the Stó:lō Nation, the film examines the ongoing struggle of First Nations communities to have historical wrongs acknowledged in a meaningful way. Its impact was felt in March 2006, when it played a key role in the Washington State Lieutenant Governor and House of Representatives' decision to pass a resolution acknowledging the injustice committed against Louie Sam. This gesture helped provide a measure of spiritual closure for the Stó:lō people.

Director: David McIlwraith
Producers: Mary Armstrong, Betsy Carson, Rina Fraticelli