God's Lake Narrows is an interactive visual essay, written and directed by Kevin Lee Burton, co-created with Alicia Smith, sound design by Christine Fellows, and photography by Manitoba-based Anishinabe artist Scott Benesiinaabandan.[1][2] The visual essay is hosted online by the National Film Board of Canada and was funded in partnership with imagineNATIVE Digital Media Partnership.[3][4]
God's Lake Narrows began as the RESERVE(d) project by Kevin Lee Burton and Caroline Monnet.[5] RESERVE(d) art installation from the Urban Shaman Gallery in Winnipeg featured film, photography, archival images and sounds from the reserve at God's Lake Narrows.[5]
Burton's intent for God's Lake Narrows was to highlight the resilience of people living on reserves.[4] Burton states. "$3.8 billion has been spent on reserve housing over the last decade and people think we're so privileged: living off the backs of everyone else in this country. In my childhood, most of us were still hauling sewage out in pails.[1]"
God’s Lake Narrows is a series of 26 slides that seeks to encourage viewers to experience the virtual reserve community through photographs of the exteriors of homes and portraits of the people who live there.[5] The purpose of the visual essay is to breakdown the stereotypes of Native reserve life.[6]
God's Lake Narrows was the 2012 winner of the Webby Award for photography.[7]