North of 60 fans’ patience will be rewarded Sunday, Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. when the fifth North of 60 movie, DISTANT DRUMMING, hits the airwaves on CBC Television.

The two-hour movie garnered multiple honors at the 2004 American Indian Film Festival, including Best Actress for Tina Keeper and Best Actor for George Leach. The film was also nominated in four other categories.

Still angry with the justice system that conspired against him in Calgary, Teevee (Dakota House) wants to make sweeping changes to law enforcement in the North, but Michelle (Tina Keeper) and Peter (Tom Jackson) are concerned: Teevee is both Chief and defacto CEO of Lynx River Resources. Will a Dene Police Force in Lynx River be answerable to Canadian law, or to Teevee?

When Francis Gilmore (Ken Pogue), an elderly tourist from Edmonton, is found beaten to death, Michelle finds her worries realized as her suspicions fall upon Matthew Fowler (George Leach), Teevee’s friend and former cellmate who protected him in prison. In furthering his policing agenda, Teevee brings in another native police officer, Marjorie Sebastien (Jennifer Podemski), an expert on aboriginal justice. Marjorie focuses on a different suspect: Daniel Deela (Lorne Cardinal). As both women pursue the investigation, their conflicting agendas force open a long-held secret that deepens the mystery and divides them further—until the murderer makes another move.

NORTH OF 60: DISTANT DRUMMING features the strong ensemble cast from the North of 60 series: Wilma Pelly as Elsie, Timothy Webber as Harris, Lubomir Mykytiuk as Gerry, Jimmy Herman as Joe Gomba and Tina Louise Bomberry as Rosie.

The movie was written by Peter Lauterman (North of 60, Tom Stone), with Andrew Wreggitt (Tom Stone, Dream Storm) as creative consultant; directed by long-time North of 60 director of photography Dean Bennett (Tom Stone, North of 60).

The film is executive produced by Doug MacLeod (Tom Stone, North of 60) and Tom Cox (Tom Stone, North of 60) and produced by Jordy Randall (Tom Stone, Another Country). NORTH OF 60: DISTANT DRUMMING is an Alberta Filmworks Production in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.