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Remember Their Names honours missing women, like Cindy Beck.

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REMEMBER THEIR NAMES (Janis Cole)

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Rep Cinema Feature

Remember Their Names

Documenting grief and pain

By Fran Schechter

The notorious serial killer never appears in Remember Their Names, an installation by NOW contributor and documentary filmmaker Janis Cole about the prostitutes, many of them aboriginal, who disappeared from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Cole doesn’t need to remind us how they met their end; instead, she focuses on the women and the grief of friends and relatives who searched for them.

In a darkened room, two projections feature missing-persons posters: The larger screen switches from group to individual mug shots, the floor below it strewn street-memorial-style with flowers, photos, stuffed animals and native smudge bundles. The smaller projection is overlain with police quotes justifying their inaction. Some paper posters are crumpled on the floor.

You can’t help wondering what terrible life experiences put these women here. In a short video on the third wall, Sarah Jean DeVries, one of the dead, speaks frankly about heroin as she shoots up. A desk nearby holds a photo of her daughter and photocopied pages from DeVries’s diary, wrenching words of self-loathing and rage at the men who used her.

Though this documentary work doesn’t pack the angry, visceral punch of Vigil, Rebecca Belmore’s performance on the same subject, it’s still a moving cry of pain for those lost in this ugly chapter of our recent history.

At Trinity Square Video, to August 8. Cole gives a master class Saturday (July 18) from 3 to 5 pm.

NOW | July 15-22, 2009 | VOL 28 NO 46

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Comments

Posted by Sandra Gagnon on 07/16/2009, 02:16 AM

Thanks for acknowledgeing our missing loved ones. I miss my sister soo much. She's gone but not forgotten I cherish fond memories of her. and try not to think about what happend to them. But it is'nt easy. It killed my brother Lance Henry. The public don't know how much it has effected us mentally emotionally and fisically. I'm on a healing process. and hope one day we will find answers. But don't hold my breath because you know we may never find her. She is at peace now and is in The Creator memory. and I believe I will see her again. She is in peace. I'm moving on and living a good life now and enjoying life again. But had to go for lot's and lot's of help. I'm thankful where I'm at in life. thanks to treatment centres. Doctor's and so forth. I know Janet would say move on sis be happy. You have your strong faith. She was a very caring person. She would have been proud of Debra her dauther she graduated since her mom went missing. Got her criminology deploma. And is now married. Janet would have been so happy for her daughter. Even though weve beenthrough a lot we are not gonna let Robert Pickton pull us down anymore. We are stronger then he is and so is the creator. Thanks again for your thoughtfulness. If you ever need me to I can speak about the experience of havingher missing and how I am moving on now. take care Sandra Gagnon

Posted by sandra gagnon on 07/16/2009, 02:18 AM

i posted this to facebook and to twitter. also thank you

Posted by Janis Cole on 07/19/2009, 10:39 AM

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and sorrow Sandra. A really great group of people were very moved yesterday when we held a master class on the exhibition and I bet they will help spread the word. See you in Vancouver! Take good care, Janis

Posted by Laurie Isberg on 07/19/2009, 06:44 PM

Hello, I never comment about my sister Debra Lynne Jones.The pain and suffering I go thru on a daily basis because of this tragedy is undescribable. It will never never end. What we know is horrific but, what we dont know is worse.I think this case one day will open up just like the Watergate scandal.Every one has described my sister as something bad,with nothing good to say about her.Its always about her mugshot. Deb had a good sense of humour,and was always a gracius hostess,no matter where she lived or what she had. If she only had a smoke or a glass of water she offered it to you.She loved her family and always looked for love from them.She had a daughter, Hannah Marie Jones.Deb loved her so much unfortunatly the mental health system gave deb more medication for her scitsofrenia.They took her baby away. She was devistated she couldnt understand what happened. She would phone me all hours and say she cant find Hannah, she was always crying and getting her a new bottle. Shortly after Debbie went to Riverview, I will never forget her face as she looked out the steel reinforced door with the 1 foot square barred window as she watched me leave after a visit with her. I am glad people are remembering these women if only in there horrific deaths ,Robert pickton is not the only killer,The vancouver city police allowed this to happen and know they are scared silly because eventually they will be identified.Thank everyone for their efforts it does make a difference to me I only wish I could see all the tributes to the missing women . Laurie isberg nee Jones

Posted by Darlene Varaleau on 07/24/2009, 08:58 AM

Amnesty International will be publishing an update of its Stolen Sisters report in October and is working to create a solution to this on-going tragedy. Canada is an international disgrace in its failure to protect our aboriginal sisters. We are also in violation of our international commitments.

Posted by Friend of Cindy on 10/29/2009, 03:12 PM

Cindy Beck, in the picture, used to be an Ontario resident. She is the sister of Bruce Beck, a prominent Abbotsford BC politician. Oddly enough, Pickton was never charged with her murder even though her DNA was found on his farm.