Peterborough paramedics, local governments, and an area business are partnering to provide 'Blankets for People," a campaign running from January 8 until March 15, 2024 that provides clean blankets and sleeping bags to those in need. (Graphic courtesy of Peterborough County)
Peterborough County-City Paramedics (PCCP), in partnership with local governments and an area dry cleaner, is hoping to wrap people in warmth this winter.
PCCP, the County of Peterborough, the City of Peterborough, One City Peterborough, and Windsor’s Dry Cleaning Centre have announced the launch of the second annual “Blankets for People” campaign, running from January 8 until March 15.
The initiative helps provide blankets and sleeping bags to community members in need this winter.
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“After the tremendous success of our inaugural year, bringing warmth to numerous individuals, we are delighted to announce the launch of the 2024 Blankets for People campaign,” said Craig Jones, Peterborough paramedics deputy chief, community programs and emergency management, in a media release.
“PCCP urge(s) everyone capable of making a difference this winter to participate in Blankets for People — an opportunity to share the gift of warmth with those in need within our community. In a time where many lack access to fundamental living necessities, let us unite to create a warmer community for all,” he said.
Community members can start dropping off new or gently used blankets beginning on Monday (January 8) at Windsor’s Dry Cleaning Centre, located at 655 Parkhill Rd. W. in Peterborough. Windsor’s will professionally clean donated items at no cost, the partners noted. The blankets will then be delivered to the Trinity Community Centre at 360 Reid St. in Peterborough.
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Those needing a blanket or a sleeping bag can stop by the Trinity Community Centre, approach staff, and receive a clean blanket or sleeping bag, with no questions asked. Blankets for People aims to ensure a barrier-free environment, where anyone in need can receive assistance in a non-judgmental atmosphere, organizers said.
Blankets will be available for drop off and pick up until March 15.
New this year, with support from the eight townships, partners are encouraging Peterborough County residents to attend upcoming “pop-up” drop-off and pick-up locations taking place throughout the campaign.
Peterborough paramedics and county staff members will be attending one public skating session in each township, where residents can “fill the ambulance” with blanket donations. Those in need can also pick up a clean blanket at one of the pop-up locations.
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Locations include:
Township of Cavan Monaghan – Cavan Monaghan Community Centre on Sunday, January 14 from 1 to 2 p.m.
Township of Selwyn – Ennismore Community Centre on Sunday, January 28 from 1 to 2 p.m.
Township of Havelock-Belmont Methuen – Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Community Centre on Sunday, February 4 from 1 to 2 p.m.
Township of North Kawartha – North Kawartha Community Centre on Saturday, February 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Township of Douro-Dummer – Douro Community Centre on Sunday, February 11 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan – Otonabee Memorial Community Centre on Sunday, February 18 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Township of Asphodel-Norwood – Asphodel-Norwood Community Centre on Saturday, February 24 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
A pop-up location in the Municipality of Trent Lakes is yet to be announced.
Ernie Coombs as Mr. Dressup with puppets Casey and Finnegan. "Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make Believe" will screen on January 28, 2024 at Showplace Performance Centre as the final film of the in-person portion of the 2024 ReFrame Film Festival, which opens on Thursday, January 25. Following the in-person portion of the festival in downtown Peterborough, a selection of the program will also be available online across Canada from January 29 to February 4. (CBC Still Photo Collection)
ReFrame Film Festival organizers have announced the full line-up of more than 60 documentary films to be screened at the 2024 festival, which takes place in person in downtown Peterborough from January 25 to 28 and online across Canada from January 29 to February 4 (featuring a selection of the festival program).
The in-person screenings — featuring a mix of both short and feature-length films — take place at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N.), Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St.), and the Peterborough Public Library (345 Aylmer St N).
There are three festival pass options on sale at reframefilmfestival.ca. They include a $125 all-access hybrid pass for both the in-person and virtual components of the festival, a $100 all-access in-person pass, and a $50 all-access virtual pass (offering a reduced online selection of the same films screened during the in-person component).
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Pay-what-you-can tickets for individual virtual films will be available online mid-month, and at the door at festival venues for in-person screenings.
Tickets are also available for $25 (or pay what you can) for the festival’s opening night at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 25th at Showplace which, along with special guests and live performances, features a screening of the 2023 Canadian documentary Boil Alert directed by Stevie Salas and James Burns — a film you will want to see in person as it will not be available as part of the virtual festival (opening night tickets must be purchased separately from passes).
Other feature films screening exclusively in person during the festival include The Engine Inside (Friday, January 26th at 8 p.m. at Showplace), which explores the impact of the bicycle on a wide range of global issues, and Queendom (Friday, January 26th at 8 p.m. at the Market Hall), which tells the story of a Queer artist from a small town in Russia. Also exclusive to the in-person portion of the festival is the closing screening of Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make Believe (Sunday, January 28th at 5:15 p.m. at Showplace), based on the life and career of the late legendary Canadian children’s entertainer Ernie Coombs.
Six filmmakers of Wshkiigmong Dibaajmownan/Curve Lake will share their Anishinaabe knowledge through a series of shorts on January 27, 2024 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre during the ReFrame Film Festival. (Photo courtesy of ReFrame Film Festival)
Locally focused films include the short A Human Picture (Friday, January 26th at 3 p.m. at the library), which centres on Ontario’s short-lived but transformational Basic Income Pilot. Co-presented by Basic Income Network Peterborough, the screening also features a panel discussion.
Six filmmakers of Wshkiigmong Dibaajmownan/Curve Lake — Missy Knott, Marilyn Knott, Marg Knott, Jonathan Taylor, Carol Taylor, and Sarah Lewis — will share their Anishinaabe knowledge through a series of shorts on Saturday, January 27th at 12:30 p.m. at the Market Hall.
Whether you attend the in-person screenings or watch online, there’s a lot more to see during this year’s festival. Here’s the complete lineup of films, organized by date, time, and film length. Films that are available during the virtual portion of the festival are also noted. An online schedule and film guide is also available at reframefilmfestival.ca/film-guide-2024.
In Boil Alert, an Indigenous woman goes on a journey through First Nations reservations to shine a light on the devastating struggle for clean water and discovers herself in the process. This poignant exploration illuminates the human dimension of the water crisis in Indigenous communities, as well as the impact it is having upon Native identity.
Filmmaker(s): James Burns, Stevie Salas; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
On July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down by Russian forces over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. The attack was immediately questioned and obscured by the Russian government and media. As evidence piled up, the reality only became more shocking and incredible.
Filmmaker(s): Roman Liubyi; Country: Ukraine; Language(s): Dutch, English, Russian, Ukrainian
A lonely chair on an abandoned balcony, a photographer watching it days and nights, a strange thing happens that will change the life of the chair for ever.
Filmmaker(s): Ibrahim Handal; Country: State of Palestine; Language(s): Arabic, English, French
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
Newly settled in Belfast, a filmmaker tells his infant twins about his life journey. They see him leaving one violent place for another, longing for places that he will never see again, and hoping they will not carry his curse.
Filmmaker(s): Rabie Mustapha; Country: United Kingdom; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
Despite the close bond between Adam and her sibling Khadija, there is trauma unspoken between them. In this short documentary, the two hold a conversation where they attempt to find mutual understanding through the winding road of expressing emotions.
Filmmaker(s): Adam Mbowe; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
One woman’s love letter and final goodbye to heroin, as she attempts to come off the synthetic opiates that have kept her clean for the past six years. This short documentary attempts to reframe some of the stigmas of addiction, and poses the following question: what does it mean to be ?clean’?
Filmmaker(s): Miranda Stern; Country: United Kingdom; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
In this personal essay documentary, the director reflects on getting diagnosed with endometriosis through observing the invasive Japanese Knotweed. While the plant is treated with urgency, the disease is met with inaction, prompting us to question the very things we consider “natural” in the first place.
Filmmaker(s): Erica Monde; Country: United Kingdom; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
Able to navigate by reading the Earth’s magnetic field, at home on land, air and water, geese straddle the territory between ancient instincts and the contemporary world. Combining beauty, humour and profound empathy, director Karsten Wall’s exquisitely observed film essay follows the daily life of these iconic animals to reveal a deeper message of continuity and connection.
Filmmaker(s): Karsten Wall; Country: Canada
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
When the largest dam removal project in history begins, a group of Indigenous youth learn to whitewater kayak in hopes of becoming the first people to paddle the restored river from source to sea. The film gives viewers a bird’s eye view of an unforgettable group of youth training for the adventure of a lifetime.
Filmmaker(s): Paul Robert Wolf Wilson, Rush Sturges; Country: United States; Language(s): English
Janelle Niles is a Black, Mi’kmaw, two-spirited woman from Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia and a stand-up comedian. Despite a tumultuous upbringing, Janelle embraces her biracial experience and queer identity, using stand-up to usher in a new era of inclusive, Canadian comedy.
Filmmaker(s): Kelly Zemnickis, Cass Gardiner; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
Fitting explores the relationship between the director, an amputee, and her prosthetist during the making of a prosthetic leg. It demystifies an unfamiliar space and asks what it means to create an extension to someone else’s body, questioning prejudice widely seen within our society’s consideration of body image.
Filmmaker(s): Caitlin McMullan; Country: United Kingdom; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
After noticing too many cases of sexual violence going unreported or unpunished within their own schools, 23 teen girls decided to take matters into their own hands to make meaningful changes to school board policy across Qu‚bec.
Filmmaker(s): Josiane Blanc; Country: Canada; Language(s): French
After miscarrying her baby in prison due to shackling, Pamela Winn becomes an activist, leading thousands to support — and pass — the 2019 Georgia Dignity Act, which outlawed shackling of pregnant and postpartum inmates. Winn follows Pamela’s journey from prison to the halls of the state Capitol, from incarcerated person to outspoken law-changer, from powerless to empowered.
Filmmaker(s): Erica Tanamachi, Joseph East; Country: United States; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
An organic farmer in Maine sets out to transform the prison food system. Filmed over the course of two years, Seeds of Change chronicles the intersecting stories of lifelong farmer Mark McBrine and several incarcerated men as they grow their own food from a five acre prison garden unlike any other.
Filmmaker(s): Maximilian Armstrong; Country: United States; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
In Orlando, My Political Biography theorist, critic, and curator Paul B. Preciado takes Virginia Woolf’s classic novel as a starting point for a bold, joyous reflection on the nature of contemporary trans life and a celebration of queerness.
Filmmaker(s): Paul B. Preciado; Country: France; Language(s): French
Winding Our Way Home explores a journey of creating short films with women who live with Brain Injuries. It is about their experiences of living with invisible disabilities, their sense of belonging and identity.
Filmmaker(s): Melissa Addison-Webster, Margie Camp; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
Dive into the resonant universe of Montr‚al-based choreographer and philosopher Zab Maboungou, of Franco-Congolese origin. For over thirty years, she has galvanized the contemporary dance scene with her radically regrounded conception of time, the body, and the self. Her political history, artistry, and pioneering research have empowered other African artists around the world.
Filmmaker(s): Marlene Millar, Philip Szporer; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
In the summer of 2020, Detroiters faced unprecedented police violence as they took to the streets to protest the killings of Black people across the country. Detroit Will Breathe provides an unprecedented look into the actions of the police and examines what it means to be part of an integrated movement fighting for Black lives.
Filmmaker(s): Kate Levy; Country: United States; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
Thalia is an artist, banner-maker, and one of the original marchers and founders of a women-only peace camp against nuclear weapons. In this film, Thalia shares the untold story of the longest feminist protest in British history, and reflects on how collective action changed the lives of the women of Greenham Common and inspired several generations.
Filmmaker(s): Rakel Aguirre; Country: United Kingdom; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
As museums begin to deal with their colonial history, filmmaker Suvi West takes the audience behind the scenes of the museum world, revealing a visual, philosophical, and spiritual realm. She seeks a connection with ancestors through old museum objects, eventually arriving at the collective pain points of the Sámi people.
Filmmaker(s): Suvi West, Anssi Kömi; Country: Finland; Language(s): Finnish, Other
Centred on Ontario’s short-lived, but transformational Basic Income Pilot, this documentary sparks curiosity, fosters understanding, and encourages open dialogue about the transformative potential of basic income by combining emotional narratives, real-life impact stories, expert insights and creative visuals.
Filmmaker(s): Simon Brother, Luke Mistruzzi; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
All across the globe, Chinatowns are under threat of disappearing — and along with them, the rich history of communities who fought from the margins for a place to belong. Big Fight in Little Chinatown documents the collective fight to save Chinatowns across North America.
Filmmaker(s): Karen Cho; Country: Canada; Language(s): English, French, Mandarin Chinese
Deep in the Mojave desert, an unconventional field biologist wages a high-tech war against ravens – laser cannons, drones, exploding turtle shells – in a last ditch effort to save the last few desert tortoises from extinction.
Filmmaker(s): Josh Izenberg, Brett Marty,; Country: United States; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
How to Power A City provides a front-row seat to communities battling fossil fuel dependence by bringing solar and wind projects to their hometowns. Filmed in six locations, the stories reveal how a diverse cast prevailed against myriad obstacles such as indifferent politicians, technical impasses, public ignorance, cost, and natural and manmade disasters. It is a solutions-focused climate story.
Filmmaker(s): Melanie LaRosa; Country: United States; Language(s): English, Spanish
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
On October 12, 2022 a terrorist attack in Bratislava results in the death of innocent LGBTQ+ people. There is no political response. Through intimate interviews, Poisoned Well explores the emotional toll of fear and self-defense in the face of widespread homophobia.
Gena, a Queer artist from a small town in Russia, dresses in otherworldly costumes made from junk and tape, and protests the government on the streets of Moscow. She stages radical performances in public that become a new form of art and activism. The performances — often dark, strange, evocative, and Queer at their core — are a manifestation of Gena’s subconscious. But they come at a price.
Filmmaker(s): Agniia Galdanova; Country: United States; Language(s): Russian
The Engine Inside tells the stories of six everyday people from all over the globe who reveal the unique power of the bicycle to change lives and build a better world. Through their stories, the film uncovers the often-overlooked potential of this 200-year-old machine, exploring its impact on a wide range of global issues such as physical and mental health, socioeconomic inequality and climate change.
Filmmaker(s): Darcy Wittenburg, Darren McCullough, Colin Jones, Anthill Films; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
In the darkness of smoke sauna, women share their innermost secrets and intimate experiences. Through a sense of communion, women wash off the shame trapped in their bodies and regain their strength.
This exquisite fly-on-the-wall environmental doc is a gripping and up-to-the-minute tale of geopolitical, scientific, and corporate intrigue. It exposes the destructive machinations of an organization empowered to extract massive amounts of metals from the deep seafloor.
Filmmaker(s): Matthieu Rytz; Country: United States; Language(s): English
“I will not abandon you, like the systems abandoned me.” Knott’s powerful voice explores her relationship with her identity and culture as she blooms into who she is becoming. This film demonstrates the growing strength of Knott’s Anishnaabe identity.
Filmmaker(s): Missy Knott; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
“Now when I close my eyes, I see endless possibilities.” Taylor recounts his deep reconnection to his Grandma Bernice during a very challenging time in his life. Through his family, Taylor regains a sense of self and community. Taylor’s story demonstrates the importance of connection and ancestry.
Filmmaker(s): Jonathan Taylor; Country: Canada; Language(s): Anishinaabemowin, English
“During my employment, I was able to learn my culture on a daily basis while coordinating programs with community workers and provincial agencies.” Taylor offers a glimpse into her extensive work with the Anishinabek Nation (formerly Union of Ontario Indians) in implementing the Ontario Indigenous Healing and Wellness Strategy. During her involvement, Taylor witnessed the government’s acknowledgement of Traditional Healers and First Nations communities’ reclaiming of their Anishinaabe Knowledge.
Filmmaker(s): Carol Taylor; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
“Never forget me, remember me, this is your home.” The Rez is so much more than the pain inflicted by settler-colonialism. Lewis speaks to her greater community, her love for their strength, and the fight they give to keep the community whole. Identity and community are vital; Lewis embraces both without compromise.
Filmmaker(s): Sarah Lewis; Country: Canada; Language(s): Anishinaabemowin, English
“Using my hands are very important to me.” Knott recounts her history, intertwined with her family and community through a motif of hands that work and create. Highlighting her mother’s highly skilled, detail-oriented, and artful moccasin-making, Knott continues that work of care. To love is to touch, forming a connection with the earth, and those you care for.
Filmmaker(s): Sarah Lewis; Country: Canada; Language(s): Cree, English
“You have the love and respect of your grandparents, and eventually that’s what you become.” Knott explores her beginnings with family and love through their connection to one another, Land, water, plants, and animals. There is loss and reconnection, while also building courage “to take back my life.” The spiritual cycle continues.
Filmmaker(s): Marilyn Knott; Country: Canada; Language(s): Anishinaabemowin, English
Sara Mardini, once a competitive swimmer in Syria, became Europe’s most celebrated refugee after saving 18 people’s lives. After working as a rescue volunteer in the Mediterranean, she is accused of people smuggling and faces a 25-year prison sentence. We follow her fight for justice and journey of self-discovery against the backdrop of Europe’s refugee ‘crisis’.
Filmmaker(s): Charly W. Feldman; Country: Germany; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
VIDEO: “Long Distance Swimmer – Sara Mardini” trailer
Manufacturing the Threat is a thrilling and emotional film, which examines a deeply disturbing episode in Canadian history when an impoverished couple was coerced by undercover law enforcement agents into carrying out a terrorist bombing. Further, viewers learn that this case is far from unique in the context of Canadian intelligence.
Filmmaker(s): Amy Miller; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
Our planet is permeated with plastic particles. This film follows several people who deal with the disposal of plastic, as well as its production. In the process, the system that causes the mountains of plastic to grow becomes apparent.
Filmmaker(s): Isa Willinger; Country: Germany; Language(s): English, German, Swahili
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
For 20 years now, Kirby, who has an intellectual disability, has been living on his own and is thriving in his quaint little house on a colourful small-town street. He is surrounded by helpful neighbours and a unique support network that understands the power of community and belonging.
Filmmaker(s): Rob Viscardis; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
While navigating daily discrimination, a filmmaker who inhabits and loves her unusual body searches the world for another person like her, and explores what it takes to love oneself fiercely despite the pervasiveness of ableism.
Filmmaker(s): Ella Glendining; Country: United Kingdom; Language(s): English
At the gates of the Negev desert, a group of young Palestinians fight against the Israeli military occupation. The “Youth of Sumud” – youth of steadfast perseverance – try to return to their people the land that was taken from their families, restructuring the ancient cave village of Sarura. They face aggression with nonviolent action, defending themselves from rifles with their video cameras.
Montreal priest Father Claude Paradis believes that all lives are worthy of respect. So in 2014, he created an annual ceremony to celebrate the lives of the “unclaimed.” Thanks to Father Paradis’ compassionate gesture, these people are granted a final moment of dignity.
Filmmaker(s): Megan Durnford; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
Those in power write the history. Those who struggle write the songs. North Circular is a documentary musical that travels the length of Dublin’s North Circular Road, from the Phoenix Park to Dublin Port, exploring the history, music and streetscapes of a street that links some of the country’s most beloved and infamous places.
Filmmaker(s): Luke McManus; Country: Ireland; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
Smokii Sumac reflects on the wisdom and strength of bereaved mothers, as he is faced with the grief of waking up to a changed world?the day after Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States. There have been mornings worse than this one.
Filmmaker(s): Meky Ottawa; Country: Canada; Language(s): English, French
The Countdown to Armageddon has begun. As biblical prophecy fuels political power, American Evangelicals threaten U.S. democracy and push for the Apocalypse in the Middle East. With close-quarters journalism, this feature documentary takes a deep dive into power and policy, and investigates the dangerous consequences of a fusion between Evangelical Christianity and American politics.
Filmmaker(s): Tonje Hessen Schei; Country: Norway; Language(s): Arabic, English
After festival rejections, a director revises his intensely personal short film about trauma, suicide, and the Holocaust. He transforms the film into a painful, blunt and funny dissection of itself, and of his own life. Ten years in the making.
Filmmaker(s): Sean Wainsteim; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
For twenty-five years Keith Wasserman has made and delivered elaborate art mail packages – all in the hopes of befriending his muse. Dear Ani explores what can happen when you present your truest self, and risk total failure. It is an intimate account of psychotic mania, personal mastery, and creative triumph.
Filmmaker(s): Micah B Levin,; Country: United States; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
What does it mean to lose a colour? Losing Blue is a cinematic poem about what it means to lose the otherworldly blues of ancient mountain lakes, now fading due to climate change. This short documentary gently asks what it might mean to forget that the ethereal blues of these lakes ever existed.
Filmmaker(s): Leanne Allison; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
Songs of Earth is a majestic symphony for the big screen. The filmmaker’s father is our guide. Bringing us through Norway’s most scenic valley, he shows us where generations have been living alongside nature to in order to survive. The sounds of earth harmonize together to make music in this breathtaking journey.
Heart Like A Pow Wow explores the depths of grief from an Anishinaabe perspective of love and family. Viewers are called to witness Spirit as they shift to physical form while embodying the love that precedes grief and inevitably foreshadows it.
Filmmaker(s): Chief Lady Bird; Country: Canada; Language(s): English, French
At Aunty Gladys’ funeral, Archer Pechawis heard a tap on the window — it was a bear named Jesus. This film is an allegory for religious interference, with an aching yet humorous look at estrangement, and mourning for the loss of someone still living.
Filmmaker(s): Terril Calder; Country: Canada; Language(s): Cree, English, French
From the disappearing wildlife in his hometown of Owen Sound to the news stories about the melting of Greenland, psychotherapist Anderson Todd tells us how fragmenting ecosystems around the world have affected his psyche and his relationships. Do the realities of collapse necessarily spell paralyzing despair, or is there something positive we can take from this?
Filmmaker(s): Chen Sing Yap; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
This is a playful, poignant & very memorable live action animation, where humans take from forests whatever they desire — leaving nothing. Shitty Little is critical of a prevalent attitude in western culture that says there is no inherent value in nature, that it must be taken and shaped into a product for sale to have worth.
Filmmaker(s): Jeff McKay, Takashi Iwasaki; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
Each week, two friends born 67 years apart share their life stories in the living room of a seniors’ residence. When Raquel finds a way to bring Madeleine with her on a road trip to the sea, the result is a journey that plays with reality and fiction and brings a reflection on life, death and the certainty that there is always something to learn along the way.
Filmmaker(s): Raquel Sancinetti; Country: Canada; Language(s): French
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
For 18-year-old Finnish-Kosovan Fatu, a simple visit to the grocery store feels as nerve-racking as a lunar expedition. For the first time in his life, he’s wearing makeup in public. Luckily his best friend Rai, a young woman on the spectrum of autism, is there to ferociously support him through the voyage.
What does it mean to be Inuk? Historically depicted as welcoming and friendly people in remote snowy landscapes, in reality, Inuit live across the globe. Using antique wind-up bears, layered animation, and analogue techniques, McIntyre constructs an animated documentary in an exploration of identity and belonging by Inuit, both in and outside of community.
The inspirational story of The Dalkurd Football Club, a scrappy group of Kurdish refugees in Sweden who defy all odds to climb the ranks of Sweden’s soccer leagues in hopes of becoming champions, and bringing glory and attention to the plight of their stateless people.
Filmmaker(s): Kordo Doski; Country: Iraq; Language(s): English, Kurdish, Swedish
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
From director Phillipe Falardeau, one of Canada’s most successful and acclaimed contemporary filmmakers, Lac-M‚gantic investigates one of the worst oil train tragedies in history, a foreseeable catastrophe ignited by corporate and political negligence. The next Lac-M‚gantic is not a matter of if, but when.
Filmmaker(s): Philippe Falardeau; Country: Canada; Language(s): English, French
Periodical tells the unexpected story of the human body by exploring the marvel and mystery of the menstrual cycle, from first period to last. Lina Lyte Plioplyte’s innovative documentary uncovers shocking truths, challenges taboos, and celebrates the end of centuries of societal stigma.
Filmmaker(s): Lina Lyte Plioplyte; Country: United States; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
When we lose someone, the world ticks on just the same. But for those left behind everything is entirely changed. This is What the World Looks Like When You’re Gone is a beautifully made, contemplative look at love, loss and family.
Filmmaker(s): Steen Starr; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
Sculptor Dana King’s hands and activist Fredrika Newton’s memories come together to build a new monument — a bust of Black Panther Party leader Huey P. Newton for the Oakland community that he loved and shaped. As the sculpture takes form, more than just a face is revealed.
Filmmaker(s): A.K. Sandhu; Country: United States; Language(s): English
This film will also be screened online from January 29 to February 4.
Featuring the profound stories of 8 Atlantic Canadians, The Legacy Song Project: Atlantic Chapter explores death, dying, grief, loss, and love, through the transformational lenses of documentary film and songwriting.
Filmmaker(s): Aly Kelly; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
Based on the life and career of legendary Canadian children’s entertainer Ernie Coombs — or, as he is more commonly known by millions of fans, Mr. Dressup — this documentary celebrates the origins and history of one of Canada’s most beloved CBC children shows, which enriched the lives of five generations. This film celebrates the expansiveness of gender, and has special connections to the Nogojiwanong community.
Filmmaker(s): Robert McCallum; Country: Canada; Language(s): English
VIDEO: “Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make Believe” trailer
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the 2024 ReFrame Film Festival.
Peterborough police recently arrested three people in two separate housing unit takeovers.
A housing unit takeover is a situation where people have moved into a home and are manipulating and endangering the legitimate tenant or homeowner.
According to Peterborough-based organization A Question of Care, these takeovers appear to be increasingly gang related and can involve drugs, guns, and human trafficking. They often target vulnerable people.
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On Tuesday (January 2), police were made aware of a man who refused to leave an apartment in the Dublin Street and Aylmer Street area. The man had struck the homeowner in the face and verbally threatened him.
The Emergency Response Team attended and entered attended and entered the apartment, taking the man into custody. Police subsequently learned the man was wanted on a warrant for break and enter, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and uttering threats.
A 39-year-old Peterborough man was arrested on the strength of the warrant and was also charged with assault causing bodily harm and uttering threats to cause death. The accused man was held in custody and appeared in court on Wednesday.
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In the second incident on Thursday (January 4), police received information about three unwanted people in an apartment in the area of Hilliard Street and Marina Boulevard. The victim reported being punched in the face and verbally threatened. The Emergency Response Team attended and entered the residence, taking two people into custody.
During a search after the arrests, officers located 8.8 grams of cocaine and 17 hydromorphone pills. As a result of the investigation, a 39-year-old Peterborough woman was arrested and charged with assault and uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and a 35-year-old Peterborough man was arrested and charged with possession of a Schedule I substance (cocaine) and possession of a Schedule I substance (opioid other than heroin).
The accused woman is being held in custody and will appear in court on Friday (January 5). The accused man was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court on January 23.
Construction of the new Golden Plough Lodge long-term care home and adjoining Northumberland County Museum and Archives building in Cobourg will continue in 2024. (Rendering: Salter Pilon Architecture)
With the continued construction of a new Cobourg long-term care home and adjoining museum and archives facility, to road and bridge work throughout Northumberland County, 2024 is shaping up to be a busy year, says the county’s warden.
When asked to consider the initiatives and projects residents will see as this new year unfolds, Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander said there are significant endeavours in store for 2024.
“There’s lots of infrastructure (work) going on,” Ostrander said.
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Ostrander pointed to the ongoing redevelopment of the Golden Plough Lodge (GPL) long-term care home and Northumberland County Museum and Archives (NCAM) building in Cobourg.
“We hope that that project will be done in 2025,” the warden said.
A 203,000-square-foot facility on Courthouse Road will house the new lodge and museum space, which is being built adjacent to the existing GPL.
Under construction since December 2020, the new GPL will have a combination of one-bed and two-bed rooms across six resident home areas. The facility is slated to have fireside lounges, a café, a hair salon, a greenhouse, an auditorium for concerts and resident events, and outdoor courtyards and pathways.
Construction will continue in 2024 of the new Northumberland County Museum and Archives location in Cobourg. The organization has expanded its mandate in recent years to include official repository responsibilities for several member municipalities and has outgrown its capacity for storage and display at its current location within the Cobourg library. (Rendering: Salter Pilon Architecture)
Meanwhile, the new NCAM space will contain a collection of important documents related to Northumberland’s history. It will feature a permanent display about days gone by, an expanded reading room for public research, a processing and conservation lab, a quarantine area for new/unprocessed artifacts/documents, and a gallery for community groups “to showcase the stories they wish to tell,” the county said.
In other construction news, Ostrander said the Campbellford bridge project, which will be progressing with the design phase in 2024, remains a priority for the county. The task involves the eventual construction of a new bridge over the Trent River in the Municipality of Trent Hills community.
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In 2017, Northumberland County received approval from the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to proceed with the design and construction of a second Trent River crossing. As part of this project, improvements will be made to the surrounding road network, the county noted. The new 188-metre bridge and road network designs will include two road lanes, pedestrian sidewalks and bicycle lanes, a roundabout at the Grand Road/Alma Street intersection, and other features.
Ostrander is also looking forward to the reconstruction of County Road 64 in the Municipality of Brighton, which is a joint project between the county and the municipality.
It’s a two-year endeavour that encompasses redoing/renewing the municipal underground infrastructure, with the expectation the work will stand the test of time of up to 20 years, the warden noted.
The first phase of the Elgin Park housing redevelopment project in Cobourg was completed in 2023, with the second phase of construction continuing in 2024 and slated to be completed in 2025. (Photo: Northumberland County)
Also in 2024, the county will continue its work on the Elgin Park housing redevelopment project, with the second phase of construction slated to be completed in 2025.
“We’ll see a good portion of that (work) done in 2024,” Ostrander said.
Northumberland County took on the Elgin Park redevelopment project to broaden access to affordable housing in Northumberland. The number of subsidized and market rental housing units are being increased from 18 to 40. In addition to 12 market rental units, there will be 28 subsidized units — 10 more than what’s currently available at the site. The project expands Northumberland County Housing Corporation’s existing housing stock of 366 units across Northumberland.
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Also related to housing and homelessness, Ostrander highlighted the county’s recent acquisition of a building at 310 Division St. in Cobourg. County council approved in December 2023 the purchase of a 47-bedroom complex, the former location of Cobourg Retirement Residence, to serve as a new emergency shelter.
County staff became aware of the vacant property in early November 2023 and brought a report to a November 15 closed session of county council. In the report, staff proposed purchasing the property on behalf of Transition House and entering into a mortgage agreement with Transition House.
As a result of this partnership for the new facility, the county intends “to modernize shelter services,” in addition to providing a roof overhead for more people who are currently living unsheltered. Northumberland’s goal is to relocate shelter operations to the new facility and close the current location at 10 Chapel St. If all goes as planned, the county aims to have the new shelter open by the spring.
Northumberland County expects to open a new 35-bed emergency shelter in Cobourg in 2024 with related services to be operated by Transition House. (Photo: Google Maps)
Peterborough singer-songwriter and guitarist Tami J. Wilde is performing at Boston Pizza in Lindsay on Friday night and at the Black Horse Pub in Peterborough on Wednesday night. (Photo: Sarah Rowland)
Every Thursday, we publish live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, January 4 to Wednesday, January 10.
If you’re a pub or restaurant owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our nightlifeNOW editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com. For concerts and live music events at other venues, check out our Concerts & Live Music page.
With the exception of karaoke, we only list events with performing musicians. Venues may also host other events during the week (e.g., dancing, DJs, comedy shows).
A Bancroft woman already facing charges for allegedly assaulting two paramedics on Tuesday (January 2) is now facing additional charges in a separate incident, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said in a media release on Thursday.
Shortly after 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, officers with the Bancroft OPP were dispatched to a home in Bancroft where two paramedics had been assaulted.
As a result of the investigation, police charged 41-year-old Jill Price of Bancroft with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, two counts of assault, assault with a weapon, and two counts of intimidation – health services (impeding health professional).
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After the accused woman was arrested and held in custody pending a court appearance, police received further information that a health care professional at Quinte Health North Hastings Hospital in Bancroft had been assaulted and damage had been caused within the hospital.
As a result, Price has also been charged with a third count of assault and mischief under $5,000.
The accused woman remains in custody and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville on Thursday.
Capitol Taxi, owned by The Liftlock Group, has combined their driver and dispatch operations with Call-A-Cab Taxi. The business will operate under the Capitol Taxi brand with the dispatch centre located at 728 Rye Street. (Photo: Google Maps)
Two long-running family-owned taxi businesses in Peterborough are merging.
Capitol Taxi and Call-A-Cab Taxi have combined their driver and dispatch operations effective Thursday (January 4), according to a media release, and will operate as Capitol Taxi.
“In the interests of our customers, our employees and management we have decided to now join together the two taxi operations under the Capitol banner for better service and efficiency,” states Capitol Taxi owner and former Peterborough mayor Daryl Bennett in the release.
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According to Trent Valley Archives, Capitol Taxi was originally founded in 1936. Peterborough’s longest-running taxi service, the company is owned by The Liftlock Group, which also operates Liftlock City Freightliner and Liftlock Towing.
Call-A-Cab Taxi was founded by J.C. Donnelly in 1948 and is owned by Mike and Dan Donnelly, who also work closely with their brother Peter, owner of the J.J. Donnelly Motors car dealership at 2026 Bensfort Road in Peterborough. The family also operates Donnelly’s Garage at 1944 Bensfort Road and offers school bus services through Donnelly Shuttle Transit Inc.
“The Donnellys, in exiting the daily taxi service, will continue their school van services and the public garage operations,” Bennett says.
The merged dispatch centre will be based at the Capitol Taxi offices at 728 Rye Street. Both the Capitol Taxi and Call-A-Cab Taxi phone lines at 705-742-4242 and 705-745-2424 will continue to be answered.
The Youth Leadership in Sustainability (YLS) 2023 cohort cycle a 22-kilometre route through Peterborough's bikeways to learn more about the City of Peterborough Cycling Master Plan. (Photo: Cameron Douglas / YLS)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Lili Paradi, Communications Manager, GreenUP.
2024 brings promise that all generations will work together for common goals. Whether it is by developing ideas around climate change adaptation, improving the health of our cities, or identifying areas of improvement for our municipal government, we know that youth can be pivotal components of change.
Nineteen Peterborough youth, all enrolled in the Youth Leadership in Sustainability (YLS) program this past fall, were invited to answer the question: “What is your green wish for Peterborough for 2024?”.
A clear consensus was drawn around six different topics, in no particular order of significance, for improving sustainability in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
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Creating an accessible climate conversation for all
The 2022 cohort of Youth Leadership in Sustainability (YLS) attends a workshop at the Trent Vegetable Gardens to learn about sustainable farming practices. (Photo: Cameron Douglas / YLS)
There was an expressed desire for the discourse and action surrounding climate change initiatives to be accessible to the entire community.
“One thing I love in sustainability is community, and the collaboration between community members.” – Joah
“I wish that schools in Peterborough would implement more de-stigmatizing climate education programs, to improve our sense of community. To make busing more accessible, and increase popularity of small businesses, are some examples which allow for our community to be able to act on climate change.”- Rayne
Increased access to renewables and unique housing solutions
Otonabee Conservation and Youth Leadership in Sustainability (YLS) partner to plant over 100 native plants into a pollinator and rain garden in order to prevent storm water runoff. (Photo: Cameron Douglas / YLS)
The YLS youth spoke to a wish that falls in line with global commitments to eliminate the use of fossil fuels. Not only that, but students wished for new and existing buildings (including schools) to include infrastructure like green roofs, rain gardens, and renewable energies.
“We need better use of energy and getting energy from green sources, such as hydro and solar.” – Dawson
“I wish to see more solar power throughout the city. I want it to be accessible. I wish to see solar be the norm.” – Sunny
“I would like to see government incentives and contracts for green home renovations as well as renewable energy production.” – Tanner
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Conscious and conscientious consumerism
Youth Leadership in Sustainability (YLS) students present at the 2022 COP15 Biodiversity summit in Montreal. Their presentation, titled “Vision 2022 – 20 Youth Raise Their Voices on 22 Targets” spoke to the future the world created after 2022, when local and world leaders have embraced biodiversity and climate change targets. (Photo: Cameron Douglas / YLS)
Another priority was very clear: Peterborough holds pride in keeping things local, and our youth want to keep that alive. They see it as a worthwhile sustainability effort that reduces waste, and transportation emissions.
“I wish to see more people become conscientious consumers and stay as local as possible.” – Lucía
“I want to see more people trying to recycle, and to thrift their clothes.” – Kenzie
Development of more green transportation infrastructure
The 2023 cohort of Youth Leadership in Sustainability (YLS) were invited to GreenUP to talk about our responsibility to the environment, and to reflect on their Green Wishes for Peterborough for 2024. (Photo: Lili Paradi / GreenUP)
Cycleways, electric buses, more bus routes and more accessible transit bus passes were also on the “Wish List” for 2024.
“Imagine if we had electric buses in all our schools and electric city buses. We have so many schools. It would lower our carbon emissions significantly.” – Jaina
“I would love for Peterborough to have bus-only lanes so there is less traffic and it will encourage people to take transit.” – Averie
“We need more bike lanes that are protected. We need electric school buses” – Piravinth
“I would love to see people out walking, biking, and taking public transit instead of driving, and I hope to see more people out doing it.” – Rowan
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Taking our waste management system to the next level
Youth take a look at a dried native and naturalized plant wall at GreenUP’s offices in downtown Peterborough. Many of the plants were harvested and collected from Ecology Park. (Photo: Cameron Douglas / YLS)
Peterborough’s green bin and clear gag program were just the beginning for Peterborough youth. Their green wishes included an expansion of the program, to allow for food waste to be collected from businesses and schools, in addition to an ambitious goal for all of Peterborough to be free of single-use plastic waste.
“I think our school should have better composting system.” – Arianna
“I would like to see my school put an emphasis on composting as a way to improve its waste management plan.” – Nick
Improving sustainability education in our community
Karen O’Krafka (left) introduces the Youth Leadership in Sustainability class to Peterborough GreenUP through an interactive talking circle activity before they were asked to contribute their 2024 green wishes for Peterborough. (Photo: Lili Paradi / GreenUP)
The YLS program is an application-based, fall semester course for Grade 11 and 12 students across the region. The program encourages active participation in community projects and education opportunities centred around sustainability and community.
This cohort expressed an overwhelming wish for more programs like these to stretch across all age groups, and outside of the classroom walls.
“My wish is to improve sustainability education specifically on what we can do, especially in schools. We need to get them thinking and to pass on knowledge, especially in the climate crisis.” – Jacob
“I would love to see my school starting a program like YLS, one that gets students actively involved in real world issues and teaches us how to live healthfully, sustainably, and how to lead with that knowledge.” – Josie
“I would like to see climate education deeply embedded in our classrooms — inside and outdoors.” – Anonymous
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Perhaps, while setting intentions for the 2024, these answers can help inform the decisions made to improve environmental resilience in our community.
Youth Leadership in Sustainability is a Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board program in partnership with Trent University, the Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC), and Fleming College. This article was written with support from the Youth Leadership in Sustainability class, as well as founder of YLS and teacher/coordinator Cameron Douglas, and GreenUP program coordinator of educational programs Karen O’Krafka.
Thank you to the YLS students (December 2023 cohort): Josie Wilcox, Lucía Fuentes, Rowan Irwin, I.B., Nicholas (Nick) Kirkpatrick, Tanner Harris Barton, Sunny Woodcroft, Kenzie Dunn, Rayne Froggatt, Joah Gillam, Averie Hayes, Piravinth Logeswaran, Dawson Gillespie, V.B., Jacob Lefebvre, Arianna Kloosterman, R.F., K.C., and Jaina Picken.
Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander recently spoke with kawarthaNOW about what he sees as the key challenges and issues for Northumberland County in 2024. (Photo: Northumberland County)
At the dawn of a new year, Northumberland County’s top politician says increased housing needs, growing roadwork and infrastructure requirements, and a better funding model to support those two demands are top of mind when he ponders the months ahead.
Newly elected Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander, who is also the mayor of the Municipality of Brighton, recently spoke with kawarthaNOW about what he sees as the key challenges and issues for Northumberland County in 2024.
The ability to appropriately fund county services and Northumberland’s infrastructure requirements is his primary concern.
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“The main challenge is how do we fund services and infrastructure that are seeing 13/14/15 per cent construction price increases on a four per cent budget (increase), and the reality is, we have to figure that out,” Ostrander said.
“Because what we can’t do, is go to the good people of Northumberland County for 10 per cent or 12 per cent (more).”
Northumberland County recently approved its budget, with a tax increase of around 6.5 per cent. That percentage includes a one per cent dedicated infrastructure levy for work on county roads and bridges and other infrastructure.
It also includes a one per cent housing levy to support affordable and subsidized housing units across Northumberland County.
“We have a wait list that is impactful. We need to get people housed,” the warden said.
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The budget, how to keep pace with — or at least not get behind — roadwork and infrastructure projects, and how to keep acquiring land in various communities across Northumberland County for subsidized housing purposes, will be key in the months ahead, Ostrander noted.
“The answer is all the same. We need a better funding model that doesn’t rely so heavily on the regressive property tax system that we have to live with. We have no choice, but those conversations, which have been happening since I joined municipal council 20 years ago, I think need to be elevated, especially at the upper-tier level where we’re dealing with a lot of soft services, not linear projects.”
It’s about more than roadwork and infrastructure, the warden explained. Social services, such as housing and emergency medical services/paramedics, “were never intended to be funded through a property tax system.”
“Kudos where they belong — the provincial government has funded those.”
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However, he points to the example of buying a new land ambulance and hiring new staff. Fifty per cent of that cost is covered by the provincial government and the other 50 per cent is borne by the taxpayer.
“Then we get the money the next year to fund (the entire endeavour). We just need a better funding model,” Ostrander said.
“This will come as no surprise to anyone at the provincial level that a mayor or a warden is asking for this. We have an incredibly good partnership with our provincial friends. We just need to continue those conversations.”
When asked to consider what he’s most excited about for 2024, Ostrander shared his thoughts on a few key projects and issues. Hear more from the Northumberland County warden in an upcoming story in kawarthaNOW.
The Art School of Peterborough's winning window display in the 2023 holiday window contest sponsored by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA). As first-place winner, the school receives $1,000. (Photo: Peterborough DBIA)
For the second year in a row, the Art School of Peterborough at 174A Charlotte Street has won the downtown Peterborough holiday window contest.
Lavender Moon at 181 Charlotte Street and Hi Ho Silver at 392 George Street North came in second and third.
The top three winners will receive $1,000, $500, and $300 for their winning window displays.
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The annual contest, sponsored by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), ran online from November 20 to December 31 with the winners selected based on the number of votes received.
This year’s theme for the holiday window contest was the aurora borealis, with a record-breaking 3,897 votes cast online this year for 27 window displays at downtown businesses and organizations.
“Every year the downtown shop owners put so much love and creativity into the holiday window contest,” says DBIA vibrancy manager Hillary Flood in a media release. “It really sets the tone for the shopping season and enhances the downtown experience with colour, whimsy, and charm.”
Window displays by Lavender (top) and Hi Ho Silver (bottom) won second and third place ($500 and $300) in the 2023 holiday window contest sponsored by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA). A total of 3,897 online votes were cast online this year for 27 window displays at downtown businesses and organizations. (Photo: Peterborough DBIA)
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The Art School of Peterborough’s winning window display featured pine trees and hand-painted polar bears under an illuminated arctic sky.
“The Art School of Peterborough is overjoyed and so grateful to receive first place for this year’s window contest,” says the school’s receptionist Raine Knudsen. “Thanks so much to our community, our students and instructors, coworkers, and neighbours for sharing the love and support.”
As part of its celebration of the holiday season and to give back to the community, the Art School of Peterborough also distributed for free or by donation ceramic crescent moon ornaments made by staff and students.
Art School of Peterborough receptionist Raine Knudsen (left) and executive director Jenni Johnston (right) celebrate their win in front of the school’s window display, while holding the handmade ornaments distributed to community members throughout the holiday season. (Photo: Peterborough DBIA)
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