Highway of tears: the making of a virtual reality documentary

Highway of Tears is a virtual reality documentary from CBC Radio One's The Current about the story of one young woman,RamonaWilson, who went missingalong British Columbia's Highway 16. Shewas 16-years-old when she left her home inSmithers, B.C.on June 11,1994.Her body was discovered eight months later, but her killer has never been found.

As told by her motherMatildaWilson, theimmersivedocumentary transports the viewer toMatilda'shome where sheshares her story of personal loss and ongoing search for answersand then on to the notorious highway where, according to Indigenous communities, as many as 50 women have gone missing since 1969.

Canada's missing and murdered

In its ongoing coverage,The Currenthascreatedthe first multi-platform exploration of MMIW, engaging Canadians in town halls, online, visually and on air and includesCBC'sfirst virtual reality documentary.

How to watch the documentary

The virtual reality app to watch Highway of Tearsis available for download,and a 360 version of the doc canbe viewed onFacebookandYouTube. More information

The federalgovernment haslaunched a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.Its promise to undertake the inquiry came against a backdrop of emotional pleas, news stories, and police reports that underscored what is now recognized as the decades-long vulnerability and victimization of Indigenous women in Canada.

The individual stories and sheer numbers ranging from the hundreds to thousands of women believed to have been victims of violence directly related to their Indigenous backgroundhas captured the attention and support of Canadians across a wide spectrum.

The Current has covered this issue extensively, long before it was on the wider news agenda. In fact, Joan Webber (nowdocumentary editor, then a new producer at The Current) produced a documentary on the highway of tears before most Canadians had even heard of it.

The VR documentary will accompany a series of town halls hosted by The Current across the country on the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women. The first town hall took place in Prince George on October 13and wasbroadcast on The Current on October 17.