Film Producer and Director

Atautsikut/Leaving None Behind

John Houston will help launch the start of Congress by sharing his stories at the celebratory event, kicking off the three days of discussion, debate and conversations on the theme, Deepening our Cooperative Identity.

John was immersed in the Inuit culture since his childhood which he spent in the Canadian Arctic. His eighth and most recent film, Atautsikut/Leaving None Behind, tells the story of Inuit communities of the Hudson and Ungava coasts of Northern-Québec, who empowered themselves by setting up cooperatives. The film looks at the history of the Fédération des coopératives du Nouveau-Québec (Ilagiisaq/FCNQ), which was founded in 1967 to support the rapidly growing local cooperative movement in its vision of leaving none behind. Today the Federation is owned by 14 member cooperatives managed exclusively by Inuit and Cree staff, which provide a broad range of products and services for the local community. 

Their success will be discussed at the Congress, where John Houston will be joined by Mary Johannes (to be confirmed), the president of the board of Ilagiisaq/FCNQ. In addition to introducing the film to Congress, they will join the third plenary panel discussion on Examining our Cooperative Identity.

John Houston has received numerous awards for his work, including the Ajjiit Nunavut Media Association’s 2005 Film, Television & New Media Industry Recognition Award and the Directors Guild of Canada’s 2012 Don Haldane Distinguished Service Award.