Celebrating 10 Years REEL CANADA’s mission is to introduce students to the power and diversity of Canadian film and engage them in a conversation about what it means to be Canadian. Through our three core programs, we bring this appreciation of our cinematic legacy and national culture to all Canadians, across all provinces, in both official languages. Welcome to our Tenth Season Our Films in Our Schools festivals for high school students From a modest pilot project in six high schools in Toronto in 2005 to almost 100 different events in eight provinces last season, the REEL CANADA program Welcome to Canada has grown enormously over the past ten years. Why? For the simple reason that festivals for new Canadians and English language learners given the opportunity to actually watch Canadian films, Canadians really do love them. National Canadian Film Day a day when all Canadians can celebrate their love of Canada, These films are often not available in the local mall or multiplex. REEL CANADA through film makes them available – through three distinct programs: ¢¢ We bring our travelling festival to high schools, where students meet and talk with Canadian filmmakers and see themselves and their lives eflectedr on screen in a way that Hollywood just doesn’t provide. ¢¢ We screen Canadian films fornew Canadians who are working hard to learn our language and our culture. The movies show them what this incredible country looks like, how Canadian life is different from what they know, and how at its heart it is exactly the same. ¢¢ Last year, we launched National Canadian Film Day, and invited all Canadians to celebrate Canada by watching a great Canadian movie. Once again, our core belief that our films have the power to unite us as a nation was borne out: Enthusiasm for the Day was infectious, and thousands of people had a lot of fun participating.
2 1 Why REEL CANADA Matters Our Films in Our Schools Whether or not they ever think about it, most Canadians really love this “Our Films in Our Schools” is REEL CANADA’s founding program — a country. They understand how important it is to live in a place that is tolerant travelling film festival that goes into high schools across the country. Working and welcoming. We want to protect the Canada we love — by helping young in both English and French, we help teachers and students organize their own people and new Canadians understand what it means to be Canadian, festivals of Canadian film and integrate Canadian film into the classroom. and why this is a special place. In 2005, we piloted the program in six Toronto schools. Today, we have held One of the most effective ways to do that is by exposing them to the over 900 screenings across eight provinces and reached 250,000 students. wonderful stories we tell. That’s exactly what REEL CANADA does — we bring Canadian movies to young people and new Canadians, and we help REEL CANADA has “REEL” impact. How do we know this? Teachers and them to celebrate this great country. The commercial marketplace is utterly students tell us. Here are a few reactions and comments from past festivals… overwhelmed with foreign-made content, and most of the students we encounter would graduate from high school without having ever seen a Canadian film, if not for REEL CANADA’s efforts. “I hadn’t really sat down and watched an entire Canadian film before. It was life changing.” The excitement with which they experience these Canadian stories continually — Grade 10 student, Evan Hardy CI, Saskatoon, SK confirms for us the power and effectiveness of cinema as a tool for uniting our nation.
“REEL CANADA teaches so many “The REEL CANADA program is something values I could not even list them.” that should happen at every school. It is an — Grade 12 student, David and Mary event I’ll never forget.” Thomson CI, Toronto — Grade 10 student, Riverdale HS, Montreal “Most kids in Canada don’t understand Canada because they usually don’t see Canadian media. REEL CANADA helps other kids know what Canada is.” — Grade 10 student, Longfields-Davidson Heights SS, Ottawa “REEL CANADA showed me that Canada actually makes really, really amazing movies that tell great Canadian stories…our films are as good (if not better!) than the films in the States.” — Grade 10 student, Colonel Gray HS, Charlottetown
“REEL CANADA is crucial. People have to be aware that there’s a Canadian language for film that they can speak and engage in. It’s “Honestly, the J.O.-REEL CANADA fest has been one exciting and it reflects their culture.” of my greatest sources of pride — that of exposing — Don McKellar, filmmaker Canadian culture to my students (and staff!) — over my 16 years as a teacher.” — Dustin Keller, Department Head, Fine Arts and 2 Applied Studies, John Oliver SS, Vancouver 3 Welcome to Canada National Canadian Film Day REEL CANADA, just like the films we show, is inclusive and reflective of all National Canadian Film Day is REEL CANADA’s annual day-long celebration Canadians. Our “Welcome to Canada” program offers the REEL CANADA of Canadian film. The inaugural event, held on April 29, 2014, included festival experience to new Canadians, taking advantage of the power of screenings, events, panel discussions, social media engagement, and cinema both to illuminate a culture and enhance English language skills. robust conversations across the country.
This unique program addresses the intricate needs of English language The event was a huge success. We held 70 public and invitational events in students. Films, lesson plans and other resources are designed with this 44 communities, garnered over 100 impressions in national media (from the audience in mind. CBC to the Globe and Mail), became a trending topic on Twitter AND were recognized in the House of Commons. In addition to being a great way to help students practise the language of their new home, our Welcome to Canada program has proven to be a powerful way to welcome new Canadians to this great country, and help them understand and connect to Canadian culture in a way that is meaningful and immediate.
Since 2010, through our Welcome to Canada program, we have ¢¢ reached almost 13,000 new Canadians ¢¢ programmed over 17 film festivals and events for both high school ESL students and adult learners ¢¢ developed over 70 film-specific ESL/ELL/EAL lesson plans
4 5 On April 29, 2014, REEL CANADA launched ... a day for Canadians to celebrate Canada the inaugural National Canadian Film Day (NCFD)... by watching a great Canadian film.
By popular demand... we are back! Visit - canadianfilmday.ca - for more details OR On April 29, 2015, Canadians far and wide will come together in celebration of if you want to help plan the party, write to us at [email protected] 6 the 2nd Annual National Canadian Film Day. It’s a party you won’t want to miss. 7 Celebrating 10 years of Who We Are Uniting our Nation Through Film!
¢¢Consistent growth in screenings over the past 10 seasons ¢¢National presence in every province and territory ¢¢Development of film-specific resources for all subject areas and grade levels of the high school curriculum ¢¢Guest appearances by Canada’s most renowned film industry professionals, including Atom Egoyan, Deepa Mehta, Paul Gross, Don McKellar, Colm Feore, Gordon Pinsent, Liane Balaban, Peter Stebbings, Jennifer Podemski, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Curtis Barlow, Chair Vinay Virmani, Charles Officer, Erik Canuel, Bruce McDonald, Sarah Polley, Jack Blum Denise Bolduc Jean-Marc Vallée, Michel Poulette, Mina Shum and dozens of others ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Reg Bronskill ¢¢Extensive media coverage each year in print, television, online and radio, in Sharon Corder Atom Egoyan, O.C. both national and regional outlets, across the country Colm Feore, O.C. INDUSTRY CHAMPIONS Liz Shorten ¢¢New partnership with ImagineNATIVE Media Festival added to existing Co-Chair Karen Thorne-Stone Veronica Tennant, C.C partnerships with festivals and film industry associations across Canada to Co-Chair John Galway expand and promote our programs within the film community “The reaction I have had at REEL CANADA Norm Bolen ¢¢MPA-Canada added to existing partnerships with National Media Awareness — from the kids — is Kirk Comrie ADVISORY COMMITTEE Network, teacher federations and librarian associations and the Ontario one of relief, that they Suzette Couture Hussain Amarshi are not alone, they Mark Ellis Denys Arcand Ministry of Education for promotion of REEL CANADA inside the educational are represented, and David Ferry Carl Bessai community indeed that Canada is Karen Gilmour Gary Burns ¢¢Newly designed websites and rapidly growing social media presence a country which is not Bryan Gliserman Érik Canuel only multi-cultural but for the organization and National Canadian Film Day David Hamilton Jerry Ciccoritti Charlotte Mickie also one where fe- David Hardy David Cronenberg Geoff Pevere males can pursue their Peter Keleghan Andrew Currie Gordon Pinsent dreams. That’s why I David Kines David Daniels Sarah Polley love REEL CANADA.” Robert Lantos Philippe Falardeau Michel Poulette — Deepa Mehta, David Miller Niv Fichman Peter Raymont filmmaker Chad Maker Émile Gaudreault Denise Robert Stephanie Morgenstern Bryan Gliserman Patricia Rozema Bill Skolik Paul Gross Mina Shum Andreas Souvaliotis Norman Jewison Tara Spencer-Nairn Jay Switzer Robert Lantos Jacob Tierney Andra Takas Bruce McDonald Kevin Tierney “REEL CANADA has always been an incredible way to introduce Ajay Virmani Don McKellar Jean-Marc Vallée new generations to the cinematic tradition of this country. Its amazingly Karen Walton Deepa Mehta Clement Virgo rapid growth has proven that young Canadians have as much of an appetite to see these films as we always hoped.” — Atom Egoyan, filmmaker
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