Mary Galloway had never really thought about filming a documentary. The actor and director of mixed Cowichan and settler descent, who grew up in Qualicum Beach but lives in Winnipeg, had been busy the past few years with a web series and other film work. But when the Victoria Native Friendship Centre reached out to discuss the possibility of Galloway directing a documentary about their new line of authentic Cowichan sweaters, she found herself drawn in.
The project was originally supposed to be a one-minute commercial for Cowichan sweaters. Ron Rice, executive director of the friendship centre, said the centre had hired a local company, Ecologyst Films, to make the commercial. At their first meeting, a creative director from Ecologyst films burst into the boardroom a few minutes late, saying he had an update.
“Isn’t this our first meeting? How could you have an update?” Rice recalled saying to him. As it turned out, a producer had just reached out to him asking around for projects that would fit into the CBC’s Absolutely Canadian TV show. “And he said, ‘Well, I’m on my way to this meeting.
I haven’t met them yet, but here’s what they’re trying to do,’ ” Rice said. “He didn’t tell [the producer] it was a one-minute commercial, but she loved the idea. “They gave us the green light in less than a week.
” CBC’s only request was to try and find a Cowichan filmmaker for the project, he said. Rice put out feelers in the community, and ended up contac.
