Not every city invites its new immigrants to collaborate in a documentary about the immigrant experience. But thanks to the now year-old initiative,
Docs for Change, Toronto's different.
"At the end of year one, we will be able to hear more about the experiences, what it takes for people with no technical experience to get into the role of documentary storytellers in six months," says
Docs for Change's Eliana Trinaistic. "The ultimate goal is then for them to organize film clubs in year two, get documentaries from
NFB, and propagate and popularize documentary movies."
The program, funded by a grant from the Trillium Foundation, has enabled 25 fellows in six groups to make two-to-three-minute documentaries and any subject they like, with the purpose of engaging and inspiring the communities around them. Over the past six months, they have had access to talks from professional filmmakers on such subjects as diversity of voices in film, telling meaningful stories and building trust with your audience. The deadline is Oct. 31, and the films will be screened on Nov. 5 at at MCIS Language Services (Triovest Conference Centre) at 789 Don Mills Road.
"The grant envisioned a civic engagement tool," Trinaistic says. "The change is moving from unengaged to engaged through documentary movies to speak about change or think change, to go and vote more often, sign petitions, go out and engage other people about other issues, learning how to be more active in terms of participating in civic life.
"We believe documentary movies can make that change, because sometimes the emotional appeal is different from if you go to the movie theatre and see fictional stuff, it's about real people and real issues and people see the importance of storytelling."
Take that, Welcome Wagon.
Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Eliana Trinaistic