Kevin Alec

Academy Award®-winning director Beverly Shaffer presents Benoit, a highly accomplished 11-year-old boy from Joliette. A member of the Orchestre symphonique des jeunes de Joliette, he still finds time for his busy social life with peers and elders alike. Part of the Children of Canada series, the film is in French with English subtitles.

This Oscar®-winning documentary presents Nadia, a 9-year-old girl with spina bifida. Her dream is to attend a regular school, even though she knows other kids will tease her. Wise for her young age, Nadia simply decides that she'll "find a way to deal with it." Despite having to overcome many obstacles, Nadia's got spunk and makes it clear she's not looking for sympathy. This film is part of the Children of Canada series.

Meet Tony Rossi, a 10-year-old boy who can only distinguish light from shadow. Despite this difficulty, he leads a very active life. The short documentary shows the ingenious ways in which Tony manages his life. This film is part of the Children of Canada series.

This short film depicts Newfoundland’s “old times” as seen by Julie O’Brien, an 11-year-old living in Tors Cove. Told in the first person with cutaway shots to the girl’s many activities, the film illustrates the way traditions are maintained, remembered and evolved. This film is part of the Children of Canada series.

This short documentary introduces us to Lennard Island, a tiny island near Tofino, British Columbia, and the family of 4 who are its sole occupants. There we meet the lightkeeper’s son, Steven Thomas Holland, age 10, and his father, mother and brother. A gracious host and great fan of his island home, the boy takes us on a tour and dispels any ideas that living in isolation might be boring. This film is part of the Children of Canada series.

Academy Award®-winning director Beverly Shaffer offers a unique perspective of downtown Montreal, as seen through the eyes of Susan Yee, a young Chinese-Canadian girl. A perceptive and outspoken young woman, Susan has a sharp eye for adult foibles, and she doesn’t hesitate to use it at home, at play, or at school. Part of the Children of Canada series.

Gurdeep is a thirteen-year-old Canadian Sikh whose family runs a dairy farm near Chilliwack, British Columbia. They have retained their language and religion. Attendance at the Sikh temple, playing soccer with his schoolmates, and working on the farm are all part of Gurdeep's well-integrated life, but sometimes he feels a little different from the other children because he wears a turban. This film is part of the Children of Canada series.

This short documentary takes us to a farmhouse on Cape Breton Island where Shawn Peter Dwyer, age 10, lives with his mother and nine brothers and sisters. While the children’s pockets are usually empty, their lives are well filled. This film is part of the Children of Canada series.

Nine-year-old Veronica Makarewicz leads a double life. Born of Polish parents, she dances Polish dances, goes twice weekly to a Polish school, and talks to Polish customers in her parents' bakery. But this film shows that she is also very Canadian. This film is part of the Children of Canada series.

This sensitive drama examines the effects of divorce on a family, particularly on a twelve-year-old girl. Although Helen Murray's parents were divorced two years ago, Helen still hopes for a reconciliation. When a visit from her father is cancelled, an emotionally charged confrontation with her mother takes place. Helen admits her anguish over the divorce and realizes that she must learn to accept the situation. An excellent film for both children and adults on the themes of family communications and coping positively with family break-up, The Way It Is can be used for discussion in family-life courses and single-parent groups, and for individual and couples counselling.

This short documentary introduces us to 10-year-old Yehuda, a radiant example of the Hasidic belief in the joy of prayer. Living with his parents and 10 brothers and sisters in West Jerusalem, Yehuda brings old customs and traditions to life as he prepares to celebrate the Sukkot festival.