2024
“Story Money Impact has been there since the beginning of our film and has played a crucial role in helping us think critically about how we want to create impact with our documentary.”
STORY TO ACTION 4 Impact Strategy Workshop
The fourth edition of the STORY TO ACTION program is kicked off with three exciting new films: Yintah, We Will Be Brave, and Shut Out. Read more
Impact mentorship alumni “landscapes of home” holds impact screening!
Congratulations to Alice Il Shin 신일 and Eiko Brown on the premiere of their documentary Landscapes of Home at the 2024 Toronto Japanese Film Festival on June 18th. Alice and Eiko took part in the second edition of SMI’s Impact Mentorship program.
“It was a tremendous stroke of luck to participate in SMI’s Impact Mentorship program during the editing phase of our documentary, Landscapes of Home{...} One of our key impact goals was to screen the documentary [...] where many Japanese Canadian seniors reside. The reactions from the audiences were profoundly moving. Some elderly audiences who had personally experienced the internment camps emphasized the significance of sharing their history while they are still alive. Additionally, younger audiences who were previously unaware of this crucial history expressed their gratitude for being informed. ”
STORY TO ACTION alumni film “Love in the Time of Fentanyl” nominated for Emmy
Congrats Love in the Time of Fentanyl for their Emmy nomination. Love in the Time of Fentanyl participated in our STORY TO ACTION 3 program. Congratulations to the entire LITTOF team, including Marc Serpa Francoeur and Robinder Uppal, who was also the producing team behind Lost Time Media that participated in the first STORY TO ACTION with their film No Visible Trauma! We have loved supporting this film and are pleased to see that the Emmys love it too.
Klabona Keepers on Earth day
Our Earth Day program, now in its third year, reaches 6000+ people across 261 screenings. This is the first year we’ve reached every province and territory in Canada - almost. We’re coming for you next year, Nunavut!
“Most folks watched in their homes but have written to me their experience - some of whom also lived in Telegraph Creek. Such a wonderful - deep - intense - painful and open hearted sharings - a beautiful experience to watch and to learn from and to be with and to support precious people and landscapes - our future. “
“I'm so grateful for your courage, strength, knowledge, persistence. Seeing the land, how you live, how you protect, touches my heart. You are great warriors, teaching your children.”
IMPACT MENTORSHIP 4
The Impact Mentorship program offers impact coaching to a cohort of three teams, all who identify as underrepresented and have films in early-stage development. We are thrilled to have təm kwaθ nan Namesake, Finding My Way Back to You, and The Sickling join the SMI network!
MY NAME IS WOLASTOQ
My Name is Wolastoq went on tour throughout Fredericton and Oromocto, both adjacent to the titular river itself. Five screenings at four high schools, all attended by Grand Chief Ron Tremblay, had a total of 2,500 students chanting “Wolastoq! Wolastoq! Wolastoq!” after every screening. 74.8% will call the river by its true name, Wolastoq, in conversation and writing. And that’s not including the screenings that happened in other places that are currently challenged by Indigenous place name revitalization! As this conversation blossoms across Canada, this film was an opportunity to consider how to begin, approach, and facilitate those conversations in community.
“As a trans person, the mutual struggle under our government made me feel more connected to both the speaker and the movement” - Student, Oromocto High School
THE INTERCEPTORS
The Interceptors was one of our most popular films this year, coming in at 13 screenings as part of the STORY TO ACTION 4 program. Many of our events were accompanied by delicious catering made entirely from rescued food. This film transformed the way our audiences looked at food waste, with 91% learning more about food rescue but 59% drastically increasing their knowledge. Almost 20% of our audience worked as restaurateurs or otherwise in the food or hospitality industry, meaning we created real opportunities for them to donate surplus food or to use rescued food, contributing to a healthy ecosystem that prevents food waste.
“This was a really insightful event! I learned so much from the film and the discussion that I can't wait to apply in my own life and the impact I can make as both a filmmaker and someone who works within the food industry. Thank you Story Money Impact what you do to bring people closer to the films that we watch and the practical actions we can take as a community.”
LOVE IN THE TIME OF FENTANYL
Love in the Time of Fentanyl was able to hold screenings for provincial health service authorities to convene all the diverse groups working on harm reduction in BC, and allow persons who had lived and living experience with using drugs to lead the conversation about next steps. We also brought the film to teachers associations, so that they could learn how to talk about safe drug use with their students. As a result of our nine screenings, 79% of the audiences we reached will be more intentional about the role social prejudices play in how people who use drugs are perceived.
“Amazing event. Would love to be a part of anything else you put together. I felt valued and heard. Community felt great tonight, and much needed for me, honored to be a part of it.”
“The discussion afterwards was particularly impactful, to hear a more fulsome story about the ways people have been affected, and are resisting the structural injustices that perpetuate harm in these spaces.”
“Everything, I have been working in this field since 2011 and have progressively watched the crisis get worse and worse. This film re-affirmed the passion in working towards better futures for our loved ones who use substances. One thing that really bothered me still is comments from the crowd indicating that this was not relatable, further perpetuating the stigma that those on the Downtown Eastside and "other" and we are not able to relate. More needs to be done at policy levels and within our own communities in understanding and giving compassion to those who are struggling”
