Well, 2020 certainly turned out to be a much different scholastic year than most of us anticipated.
With schools partially shut down and remote learning on the rise due to a global pandemic and lockdowns, learning in 2020 was an experience. Nevertheless, some exceptional content and films were made this year, and even more were being watched.
The education team took a look back and selected the 10 Most-Watched CAMPUS Films of 2020 and bundled them with any resource guides, mini-lessons, and blog posts. Enjoy!
We Were Children
We Were Children, Tim Wolochatiuk, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
In this feature film, the profound impact of the Canadian government’s residential school system is conveyed through the eyes of two children who were forced to face hardships beyond their years. As young children, Lyna and Glen were taken from their homes and placed in church-run boarding schools, where they suffered years of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, the effects of which persist in their adult lives. We Were Children gives voice to a national tragedy and demonstrates the incredible resilience of the human spirit.
STUDY GUIDE
Angry Inuk
Angry Inuk, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
In her award-winning documentary, director Alethea Arnaquq-Baril joins a new tech-savvy generation of Inuit as they campaign to challenge long-established perceptions of seal hunting. Armed with social media and their own sense of humour and justice, this group is bringing its own voice into the conversation and presenting themselves to the world as a modern people in dire need of a sustainable economy.
The Sterilization of Leilani Muir
The Sterilization of Leilani Muir, Glynis Whiting, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
A single IQ test and misguided ‘science’ irreparably changed the life of a 14-year-old Canadian girl. This documentary follows Leilani Muir’s search for justice and explores how eugenics (improving hereditary qualities of a race through the control of reproduction) became acceptable in the early 1900s.
Manufactured Landscapes
This documentary focuses on internationally renowned Canadian artist Edward Burtynsky, who has spent the last three decades creating large-scale photographs of landscapes transformed by industry.
Atanarjuat the Fast Runner
Atanarjuat the Fast Runner, Zacharias Kunuk, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
This adaptation of an ancient Inuit legend was filmed in Inuktitut and directed by Inuit filmmakers – making Atanarjuat the first feature film of its kind!
Pink Ribbons Inc.
Pink Ribbons Inc., Léa Pool, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
Pink Ribbons, Inc. shows how the devastating reality of breast cancer, which marketing experts have labeled a “dream cause,” has been hijacked by a shiny, pink story of success.
STUDY GUIDE 1
STUDY GUIDE 2
STUDY GUIDE 3
This Changes Everything
Filmed over 211 shoot days in nine countries and five continents over four years, This Changes Everything is an epic attempt to re-imagine the vast challenge of climate change. Inspired by Naomi Klein’s international non-fiction bestseller This Changes Everything, the film presents seven powerful portraits of communities on the front lines.
Invisible City
Invisible City, Hubert Davis, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
Invisible City is a moving story of two boys from Regent Park crossing into adulthood – their mothers and mentors rooting for them to succeed; their environment and social pressures tempting them to make poor choices.
Wards of the Crown
Wards of the Crown, Andrée Cazabon, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
This film examines the lives of 4 young people who grew up in the child welfare system. It is also a critical exposé of a system that couldn’t meet their needs, as well as a stirring tribute to the strength, courage and resilience of these foster kids.
Struggle for Control: Child and Youth Behaviour Disorders
Struggle for Control: Child and Youth Behaviour Disorders, Melanie Wood, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
Following the stories of four BC youth, this documentary sheds light on the causes, symptoms, community resources, and treatments of three of the most commonly-diagnosed behaviour disorders: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Conduct Disorder.
Pour lire cet article en français, cliquez ici.
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