192. How do you tell a story about healing from shared trauma when the characters can't talk about it?

A deep dive into Bretten Hannam's At the Place of Ghosts followed by an interview with Hannam.

How do you tell a story about two siblings processing a shared childhood trauma when they can't talk about what happened? 

In this episode, Alex Heeney explores how At the Place of Ghosts uses horror elements to make trauma visible, to connect personal memory to larger histories, and to imagine healing through relationships with family, ancestors, and the land.

Alex and Bretten discuss Indigenous storytelling traditions, genre as a translation tool, their visual language, sound design, and the challenges of creating a film where past, present, and future coexist.

Bretten Hannam is a Two-Spirit L'nu filmmaker living in Kespukwitk, Mi'kma'ki (Nova Scotia) where they were raised. 

If you're interested in learning more about The Long Arc, check out episode 191: Great films ask for more than a binge. You can also find all the details on our website:

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