The Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre has over 100 videos that you can borrow as a teaching tool in your classroom or learning environment. Just choose a video from the list below, contact us to make sure the video is in, and after you pick it up make sure the video is back within 2 weeks. We can also arrange to mail a video to you if you can't get to our location. We welcome visitors who would like to preview videos on-site before choosing the right one for their classroom. Visit or call us at:
University of Calgary
Faculty of Law
Murray Fraser Hall Rm 2350
Phone: 403-220-2505
Email:
ALPHABETICAL TITLE LISTINGS
About the United Nations: Human Rights
Amnesty International Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Apples and Oranges: It's Not Cool to be Cruel
Asylum
Between: Living in the Hyphen
Building A School Community: Piece by Piece
Building Future Voters
Bullying
Bustup in Bountiful
But Words Do Hurt: Stories from GLBTT Youth
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: The Charter and You
Carly
Caught in the Net: Exercising Caution and Critical Thinking on the Internet
Colour Blind
The Complete Blue Eyed with Jane Elliot
Constructing Reality: Exploring Media Issues in Documentary. (6 Part Series)
The Courage to Stand
Cricket and the Meaning of Life
Degrassi Kids Rap on Rights
Discrimination and the Law
Discrimination, Human Rights and You
An Educator's Legal Guide to Racial and Sexual Harassment in Schools.
An Educator's Legal Guide to Violence in Schools
The Fallen Feather: Indian Industrial Residential Schools and Canadian Federation
For Angela
Freedom of Expression and All That Jazz
Frozen Angels
Government in Canada: Citizenship in Action (4 part series)
Harassment: And What You Can Do About It
Hearts of Hate: The Battle for Young Minds
High Risk Offender
Hopes and Dreams: Stories of Young Refugees
Human Rights/Human Wrongs
Images and Exploring Images
The Innocent Victims
In Other Words
Journey to Justice
The Law of the Land
Long Time Comin'
The Long Walk
Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (6 part series)
Media and Society (3 part series)
Muriel Venne
My Healing Journey
One of Them
Opre Roma: Gypsies in Canada
Out: Stories of Lesbian and Gay Youths
Privacy and Human Rights: An International Survey of Privacy Laws and Developments
Privacy Rights in the Workplace
Qallunaat: Why White People are Funny
A Quiet Revolution: Cultivating Peace, Taking Action
Race is a Four Letter Word
Reading TV
Respect
Right from the heart – Teletoon 3
The Road Home
The Rwanda Series (3 volume series)
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission: Doing What's Right
School's Out: Confronting Homophobia in High Schools.
Searching for Hawa's Secret
Sexual Harassment in High School
Standing Up, Standing Out
Sticks and Stones
Stolen Moments
Stop Bullying Now! Take a Stand, Lend a Hand
Student Legal Assistance: Appearing in Provincial Court, Pleading Guilty and Speaking to Sentence- Theft Under $500
Student Legal Assistance: Impaired Driving: Appearing in Provincial Criminal Court, Pleading Guilty and Speaking to Sentence
Sunrise Over Tiananmen Square
Talking it OUT on HIV
Talespinners Collection
Teacher TV: Sexual Harassment and Schools
To Be a Refugee: A Teaching Guide
To Kill or To Cure
Toward Intimacy
The Truth and Lies of 9-11
Understanding Gender Discrimination
View From the Summit
Walk a Mile: The Immigrant Experience in Canada ( Four Film Series)
War is Not A Game: Experiences of Refugee Children
When Love is Gay
When Strangers Reunite
Who Cares!
Window of Hope: Coming to Terms with Torture
Why Thee Wed? Same-sex Marriage has never been the same
Youth Justice: A New Approach
Zero Tolerance
TOPIC LISTING
Canadian Government
Children's Rights
Freedom of Expression and Media Literacy
Harassment and Discrimination, General
International Human Rights
Justice System
Physical/Mental Disability Issues
Political Protest
Privacy
Racism and Cult ural Awareness
Refugee Issues
Reproductive Rights
Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination
Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Torture
Young Offenders
CANADIAN GOVERNMENT
Government in Canada: Citizenship in Action (4 part series)
This series is an ideal overview of the functioning of all levels of governments, Parliament, and the Constitution and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. It has been designed for use with curricula across the country and can be used for activities in Social Studies, Civics and Canadian History. It focuses on real people, moments of historical importance and examples of government in action – all leavened by amusing animation. The series encourages young people to think about how government touches their lives and how they can effect change.
This video provides an excellent introduction to the workings of government in Canada. It outlines many of our critical freedoms (like the right to vote and freedom of speech) and stresses the vital role citizens play.
National Film Board of Canada, 1991, 24:45 minutes.
Most Canadians have heard a lot about the Constitution, but don't understand what it is or how it works. Using clear language, this video explains that the Constitution is made up of laws, court decisions and conventions. Together, they guide our legislatures and Parliament, delineating federal and provincial jurisdictions, and protecting citizens from abusive legislation..
National Film Board of Canada, 1991, 28:11 minutes.
Almost all Canadians recognize the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. But how many understand what goes on there and how Parliament touches our lives? In this video, a young parliamentary page takes us behind the scenes, acting as our guide to the inner workings of the legislative branch of government. It shows us day-to-day life on Parliament Hill: the roles of the Prime Minister, Cabinet and Opposition Parties; how a bill moves from conception, through committee and the House of Commons on the way to becoming law; and the daily life of a back-bench MP.
National Film Board of Canada, 1991, 31:05 minutes.
This video explores the relationships between various levels of government and how they handle funding and issues crossing jurisdictional boundaries. It features a case study, showing how individuals can influence local government. When two young people discover that a local green space is slated for a condo development, they organize their neighbours, bring their concerns to their councilor and attend a council meeting.evelopment, they organize their neighbours, bring their concerns to their councilor an attend a council meeting.
National Film Board of Canada, 1991, 37:04 minutes.
Building Future Voters
This video is part of the Elections Alberta program to educate teachers and youth about the electoral process. Building Future Voters is a resource for teaching and learning about citizen participation, elections and democracy. Elections Alberta is an independent office of the Legislative Assembly that provides non-political administration of the electoral process.
Elections Alberta, 2008
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Back to Top of the Document - Topic Listing
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS
Right from the Heart - Teletoon 3
This film is a packaging of several animated short films. The following is a description of the shorts that comprise Right from the Heart:
- Short 1: A Family for Maria
An animated film for five to eight year olds about international adoption and the difficulty of adapting to a new environment. - Short 2: Jonas and Lisa
Based on the Article 27 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, this film illustrates children's right to an adequate standard of living. - Short 3: Baroque'n Roll
A young immigrant is rejected because of his different ways and unusual clothes but is eventually accepted by the other kids when he impresses them with his bravery and resourcefulness. - Short 4: Locked
This Indo-Canadian production is inspired by article 32 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child which protect a child's right to be protected from economic exploitation.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND MEDIA LITERACY
Freedom of Expression and All That Jazz
A dramatization video which addresses the myriad of issues surrounding the right to freedom of expression in Canada. The intent of the video is to provide an entry point to this challenging and complex topic and highlight issues for further discussion. The video defines freedom of expression, discusses the significance of it, looks at why limits to freedom of expression are necessary, and explains that the laws that protect and limit our freedom of expression. This video may be useful in a number of settings including high school and post-secondary classes, and by community and human rights educators and organizations.
Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre, 2000, 23:00 minutes (3 copies)
Caught in the Net: Exercising Caution and Critical Thinking on the Internet
This video provokes young people to explore the risks of getting too personal on the internet. In a dreamlike conversation with his ‘guarding Angel,’ Adam reluctantly faces the possibility that a girlfriend he met on the Internet may not be everything she appears to be. In the process, Angel challenges him to think carefully about the many people and sources of information he finds on the Internet. She urges him to remember and learn from past experiences - both his and others.
National Film Board of Canada, 1997, 13:37 minutes.
Reading TV
This video brings together five proactive explorations of themes central to any inquiry into television. This introductory resource for media literacy education provides opportunities to think more critically about what we see on television and to develop a better understanding of the most influential, widely disseminated medium of communication. It includes a discussion guide featuring discussion topics and activities for group or class screenings.
National Film Board of Canada, 1996, 50:40 minutes.
Media and Society (3 part series)
This three part series produced by the National Film Board of Canada (1995) addresses four key topic areas including advertising and consumerism, cultural sovereignty, the shaping of information, and images of women in our modern, media inundated society. Each video consists of short pieces addressing specific topics which are described in more detail below.
Video 1: Advertising and Consumerism
This video is intended for examining advertising and the personal and social consequences of living in a consumer society.
The sub-topics in this film include:
- TV Sale
A satirical examination of the fare served up to television viewers, this fast-paced animated film speaks volumes about the values inherent in what we see on television. - The Bronswik Affair
This engaging spoof zooms in on avid consumerism fostered by advertising. All the techniques of persuasion are trotted out as a sinister conspiracy aimed at hapless television viewers is uncovered. - Mirror, Mirror: An Advertiser's Scrapbook
Traces the social history of Canada from Grandmother's day to the present, as reflected first in print and then in television advertising. - Have I Ever Lied To You Before?
A 90-second life insurance commercial featuring the birth of a baby. - An Unremarkable Birth
An unedited scene of an actual birth, included for purposes of comparison with the above commercial. - This is a Recorded Message
A startling collage of hundreds of cut-out ads projected in rapid succession as they raise a myriad of questions about the effect of glossy, manufactured images on our values and sensibilities.
Video 2: Images of Women
This video is intended for examining the portrayal of women in the mass media.
The sub-topics in this film include:
- Careers and Cradles
This excerpt from a film about the roles women were expected to play in post-war Canada provides a clear and amusing example of many of the key conventions which have typified the treatment of women in the media over the years. - Women at War
Created by women, primarily for women, this British archival excerpt demonstrates a significant difference in tone and treatment from Canadian wartime years. - Service in the Sky
This 1957 clip about training air stewardesses promotes careers for women while strongly touting marriage as the fitting and final end to a woman's formal work life. - Attention: Women at Work!
A mid-80's portrait of a competent female hovercraft pilot which contrasts starkly both in its message and form with Canadian post-war films about women. - Thin Dreams
Through discussion and improvised skits, a group of young women discuss the pressures they feel to live up to their society's standards of thinness. - No Way! Not Me
A collage of current media images is used to illustrate the words of Rosemary Brown as she speaks to a teenage audience about the root causes of feminine poverty. - Not a Love Story: A Film About Pornography
These excerpts include interviews with people who earn their living in the porn trade, with consumers of pornography and with feminists who see pornography as an expression and a cause of sexual inequality and violence against women.
Video 3: Cultural Sovereignty and Shaping Information
Cultural Sovereignty explores the relationship between mass media ownership and cultural identity. Shaping Information looks at power, politics, and the news media.
The sub-topics in this film include:
- Has Anybody Here Seen Canada? A History of Canadian Movies 1939-1953
This amusing excerpt introduces our image-making history - or lack of it - by featuring scenes from early films depicting Hollywood's version of Canada. - Magic in the Sky
This film investigates the impact of television on the Inuit people of the Canadian North and documents the setting up of an indigenous television network. - The Question of Television Violence
A discussion starter taken from a 1972 hearing on the U.S. Surgeon General's report Television and Growing Up: The Impact of Television Violence. - "E"
This animated political fable with an "opera comique" soundtrack is, among other things, a blackly humorous study of how those in power are able to shape the way in which people see and understand the world. - History on the Run: The Media and the "79 Election
This documentary focuses on several journalists who, for eight grueling weeks, follow the campaign trail of a federal election. - Only the News that Fits
In this film about the process of newsmaking, we witness the forces shaping the reporting of actual events in Nicaragua for telecast on the ABC evening news.
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Back to Top of the Document - Topic Listing
Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (6 part series)
A six-part series designed especially for classroom use exploring several aspects of modern media, how we see it, how it affects us and others and how it has changed our lives. Each video is accompanied by examples of classroom activities and discussion starters. Titles and subject areas include: A Propaganda Model and Exploring Alternative Media, A Case Study: Cambodia and East Timor, Holocaust Denial vs. Freedom of Speech, Toward a Vision of a Future Society, Noam Chomsky: Personal Influences, and Concision: No Time For New Ideas.
(Please see below for descriptions of each video and their respective running times. 1994.)
Video 1: A Propaganda Model of the Media and Exploring Alternative Media
This video provides an ideal introduction to the six modules in the package. Beginning with Chomsky's response to a college student who role-plays "Jane U.S.A." - someone who naively believes she lives in a democratic society in which she can create her own destiny- the viewer is presented with a cross-section of typically lively Chomsky encounters. Central to a functioning democracy is the necessity of free access to information, ideas and opinions. But what should be our democratic right turns out to be limited and shaped by the biases of institutions and ideologies within mass media. Chomsky shows how governments and corporations manufacture the consent of the public to serve their interests.
National Film Board of Canada, 1994, 43:00 minutes.
Video 2: Concision: No Time For New Ideas
This video focuses primarily on the implications of the structure and format of television, especially the consequences of concision, and how these factors can shape the messages of the medium. In addition, other issues, such as how democracies handle dissenters, and how the mainstream media have treated the challenges of Chomsky's media critiques are explored. The media construct reality, and in the conclusion we see the author participating in that very process.
National Film Board of Canada, 1994, 14:45 minutes
Video 3: Case Study: Cambodia and East Timor
This video explores the background for the fighting and atrocities that took place in Cambodia and East Timor between 1975 and 1978. Especially in the case of East Timor, the media neglected to cover the story and the international community did little but send arms to the Indonesian invaders. The invasion, subsequent slaughter and mass starvation of East Timor claimed over a third of its citizens. Chomsky discusses the media coverage, especially in The New York Times, and the implications of suppressing the real story. The video concludes with a plea for citizens in democracies to follow through with real action as a result of their ethical concerns.
National Film Board of Canada, 1994, 28:30 minutes
Video 4: Holocaust Denial vs. Freedom of Speech
This video focuses on one of the most controversial areas in Chomsky's career: his defense of the civil rights of Robert Faurisson, a French intellectual who was suspended from his university post because he could not be protected from violence as a result of publishing revisionist literature minimizing Nazi atrocities during World War II. Faurisson denied the existence of gas chambers and of an orchestrated, genocidal campaign against Jews. He was later taken to court in part for "falsification of history." It is the classic debate about free speech vs. the right to express unpopular views or even outright lies. The video explores the context of Chomsky's defense including the misrepresentation of the debate by the press.
National Film Board of Canada, 1994, 12:00 minutes
Video 5: Toward A Vision of a Future Society
In this video, Chomsky concentrates on the contemporary institutions and powers which have set limits on human progress and offers us some concrete ways of challenging them; in effect he presents a vision of a future society. Chomsky's work is directed at developing intellectual self-defense for 'ordinary people' who are often isolated in their struggles. States are seen to be violent through such strategies as the near-genocide of aboriginal peoples. Ultimately, Chomsky feels we must move beyond the myths of modern industrial civilization and the privileged elites who dominate mass communication, and instead foster the interests of a truly global community.
National Film Board of Canada, 1994, 23:00 minutes
Video 6: Noam Chomsky: Personal Influences
This video focuses on the formative influences in Noam Chomsky's life - those factors which enabled him to become a politically engaged intellectual.
National Film Board of Canada, 1994, 27:30 minutes
Constructing Reality: Exploring Media Issues in Documentary. (6 Part Series)
A six video anthology of documentary films, excerpts, and interviews that explores questions central to media education, packaged with a comprehensive resource book. Titles include: The Politics of Truth, Voices of Experience, Voices of Change Part 1, Voices of Experience, Voices of Change Part 2 & The Poetry of Motion, What is A Documentary? & Ways of Storytelling, Shaping Reality, and The Candid Eye?
(Please see descriptions of each video below. 1993)
Video 1: The Politics of Truth
Critical questions about fact truth, point of view, and bias in reality-based media are the focus of this section. Conventions of authenticity, the creation of propaganda, the thorny questions of docudramas with their mix of fact and fiction, and the biases involved in the construction of television news programs are featured.
The sub-topics in this film include:
- The Spaghetti Story
This BBC spoof of the travelogue vignette has become a classic and generates discussion about techniques used to assure viewers that what they are watching is "true". - Has Anyone Here Seen Canada?
Excerpts from a film about the history of Canadian movies between 1939 and 1953 focusing on war-time propaganda films and show how malleable visual images can be. - Docudrama: Fact and Fiction
The hybrid form of docudrama raises complex issues, especially relevant in these days of reality-based entertainment and factual re-creations. Excerpts from a symposium on docudramas focuses on a debate sparked by the contentious film The Kid Who Couldn't Miss. - The Journey
Sections from an epic documentary about the struggle for peace analyze the way in which television news is constructed. By virtue of its unique form and style, this video also questions documentary conventions of truth, particularly objectivity, subjectivity, and bias.
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Back to Top of the Document - Topic Listing
Constructing Reality: Exploring Media Issues in Documentary
Video 2: Voices of Experience, Voices for Change: Part 1
Whose stories get told in the media? Who gets to tell them? Who doesn't? These films give us voices from the social margins whose perception and experiences challenge the mainstream portrayal of their situations.
The sub-topics in this film include:
- Ballad of Crowfoot
In form a precursor of rock videos, this haunting ballad recounts the opening of the Canadian West from the point of view of Aboriginal peoples - one of the first films to tell an "inside story" about Native history. - Richard Cardinal: Cry From A Diary Of A Metis Child.
This compelling film about the suicide of a Metis boy, shuffled through seventeen foster homes in his short life, is a powerful example of documentary advocacy. - Interview With Alanis Obomsawin.
Singer, storyteller, and filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin talks about the making of Richard Cardinal and stresses the importance of documentary as a way of presenting voices and points of view that are seldom heard in the mass media. - Foster Child.
In this autobiographical documentary the director Gil Cardinal uses his own story to throw light on the experiences of may Aboriginal people with the child-welfare system. - Speak White.
A provocative text from poet Michele Lalonde, and archival black-and-white stills, combined in this concise and forceful presentation of events from the point of view of the oppressed. - Of Lives Uprooted.
The drawings and voices of Central American refugee children, who describe their flight from war-torn homelands, are featured in this striking example of the power of documentary to "bear witness"
Video 3: Voices of Experience, Voices for Change: Part II & The Poetry of Motion
Whose Stories get told in the media? Who gets to tell them? Who doesn't? These films give us voices from the social margins whose perceptions and experiences challenge the mainstream portrayal of their situations.
The sub-topics in this film include:
- Children of War
Six teenagers from conflict-torn lands speak to their Canadian peers about the costs of living under military and political oppression. Their testimony puts a human face on stores we hear and see in the media. - Black Mother, Black Daughter
This celebration of women's contributions to black culture in Nova Scotia draws heavily on techniques of oral history and the interview to document previously unrecorded chapters of history. - The Poetry of Motion
This production honors the vitality and exuberance of "real life" and pays homage - through the poetry of film - to that which surrounds us. A treat for the ear and eye, this film exemplify the dictum of veteran filmmaker Joris Ivens, "Documentary is first and foremost film". - Flamenco at 5:15
A celebration of creative expression, energy and life, this film is an impressionistic film about a dance class at the National Ballet School in Toronto. - Sandspit to Dildo
This exhilarating, exuberant blend of documentary and music video offers glimpses of Canada and Canadians far removed from the "official" versions.
Video 4: What is a Documentary? & Ways of Storytelling
The sub-topics in this film include:
- What is a Documentary?
This lively and provocative introduction offers an overview of the films, filmmakers, and issues contained in the 9-hour collection - Ways of Storytelling.
This section examines the range of choices open to film and videomakers who fashion a story with elements from "real" life. - City of Gold
The first documentary to be made almost entirely of still photos, this video is a stirring account of the Klondike Gold Rush. - New Shoes
This deceptively simple kitchen interview with a young woman whose boyfriend tried to kill her raises provocative questions about memory and the way in which media shape and distort experience. - Interview With Ann Marie Fleming
This film's director talks about the choices she made in presenting her material, and discusses the shaping of the same story as a documentary, then as a drama. - Memorandum
This haunting cinema verite inquiry into the "banality of evil" follows a concentration camp survivor back to Bergin-Belsen in Germany years after his liberation. - Our Marilyn
The first crossing of Lake Ontario by marathon swimmer Marilyn Bell becomes the starting point for an impressionistic meditation on heroism, Canadian identity, and cultural mythologies of the female body.
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Back to Top of the Document - Topic Listing
Constructing Reality: Exploring Media Issues in Documentary
Video 5: Shaping Reality
The sub-topics in this film include:
Documentaries, like all media products, are constructions rather than transparent windows into 'reality'. The focus here is on film language - images, words, sound effects, music, and silence; the tools that film and videomakers used to create and experience for an audience - with an emphasis on the critical choices made in the process of constructing 'real life' films.
- Ready When You Are
This light hearted look at the logistics and potential pitfalls in a documentary shoot shows crew members struggling with all the angles on a crowd of school-children playing banjos on a Halifax dock. - Techno-Babies: The Making of a TV Documentary
This behind-the-scenes look at the making of a television documentary for a weekly CBC series Man Alive includes producers' reflections on the process. - The Edit
This short drama focuses on the ways in which the malleability of film and video footage can lead to manipulation and ethical dilemmas, as a zealous TV reporter tries to nail a shady politician.
National Film Board of Canada, 1993, 70:58 minutes
Video 6: The Candid Eye?
The materials in this video raise considerations such as: Is there such a thing as a completely candid film? What difference does the presence of the camera make for those who are under its scrutiny? Should the filmmaker be an uninvolved fly-on-the wall who records life as it happens, or an engaged participant? What ethical issues are involved in the making of a cinèma vèrité documentary?
The sub-topics in this film include:
- Lonely Boy
This candid film portrayal of pop star Paul Anka as a young man is a classic cinèma vèrité documentary. Lonely Boy sparks discussion about fame, the search for the person behind the mask, and more current versions of the "rockumentary". - Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen
In this segment from a portrait of the poet as a young man, Cohen screens footage of himself in the bath, on the street, and in bed, and muses about the supposedly candid nature of the rushes with director Donald Brittain. - One More River
A cinèma vèrité documentary made for television, One More River is a series of dispatches about the battle to integrate Mississippi during the 1960's. Here, the filmmakers are active participants. - Anybody's Son Will Do
This gripping exploration of the training process used to turn 18-year-old civilians into dedicated Marines consists of cinèma vèrité sequences, interviews, and commentary delivered by an on-screen host.
Images and Exploring Images
An examination of the viewpoints of the developed world towards the developing world in light of modern technological advancements and the impact of globalization on our society.
A Richard Stanley Production for UNICEF, 15:34 minutes
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HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION, GENERAL
The Truth and Lies of 9-11
In the wake of September 11th attacks Mike Ruppert, a publisher and former LAPD narcotics investigator, was among the first to be publicly critical of a number of transparent flaws in the official story presented by the US government. This video includes exclusive interviews and discussion on the events following 9-11.
Michael C. Ruppert and "From The Wilderness" Publications, 2002, 138 minutes
Building A School Community: Piece by Piece
This video concentrates on how to peacefully build and maintain a diverse school group. It helps to instruct teachers on how to build an understanding community of inclusive schooling. Touched upon are issues of racism, seclusion and intolerance.
Lovink Media, 2001, 14:07 minutes
Harassment: And What You Can Do About It
This is an instructional peer-to-peer film for high school students that clarifies and identifies the types of harassment and how to effectively deal with them. It demonstrates and teaches how to define, recognize and protect each person's human rights.
Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre, 1999, 17:15 minutes
The Courage to Stand
For anyone who believes their community is immune from hate, this film is a powerful wake up call. It looks at incidents of hate in the Okanogan Valley and the strength and courage of British Columbian communities in response. This video depicts the recent experience of communities in B.C., its relevance will hold for many years to come and its reality holds up a mirror to us all. Hate can happen anywhere.
Rodgers Broadcasting Limited in conjunction with the B.C. Ministry Responsible for Multiculturalism, Human Rights and Immigration, 1998, 27:30 minutes
Discrimination, Human Rights and You
This video is a production of the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre aiming at self awareness of discrimination and human rights issues. It also examines the various legal tools that can be used to combat discrimination in Alberta and Canada. It is accompanied by a Users Guide.
Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre, 1997, 15:15 minutes (5 copies)
Discrimination and the Law
A video describing human rights in Alberta.
Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission, 1997, 27:00 minutes
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission: Doing What's Right
This video concentrates on the provisions of The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, focusing on discrimination in housing, employment and public services. By a series of dramatizations, the viewer learns what discrimination is and the detrimental effect it can have. To assist teachers who want to use the video in the classroom, a Teacher's Resource Guide is available. For use with Divisions III and IV, it contains background material, discussion questions, problems and case studies.
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, 1986, 30 minutes
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: The Charter and You
An examination of the Charter and its implications for Canadians. The film takes place in a classroom setting where high school students are discussing constitutional history in Canada and the introduction of the Charter with their teacher. The film later examines some historical events in Canada and how they affected the rights of Canadians (e.g. treatment of Japanese during World War II, FLQ crisis) as well as the impact of the Charter since its inception.
Carleton Productions and A Confederation College Video Production, 1985, 59:00 minutes
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Human Rights/Human Wrongs
A production of Canadian Living Magazine, this video examines the every day behaviors that society accepts but that are against the standards of Canadian human rights. It takes a candid look at the discriminatory behaviors that commonly affect women, immigrants, people with disabilities and the elderly. This video outlines the human rights which should be enjoyed by every person and how they may be exercised.
The Ashland Video Corporation, 1988, 28:48 minutes
An Educator's Legal Guide to Violence in Schools
This valuable video outlines for educators why violence is a growing problem in schools, how to identify it and when to contact the police. It aids them in learning how to co-operate with police and how to prepare students for interviews with them. Finally, it provides tools to educators for how to prevent violence in their schools.
Canada Law Book Inc., 31:30 minutes
Who Cares!
This film depicts the story of a boy whose family has recently moved to a new city where he is having trouble fitting in. He faces a choice of whether to join a local gang that is out to cause trouble. The film was produced with the goal of promoting safe and caring schools and communities.
Production partnership between Alberta Education, The Alberta's Teachers Association, The Muttart Foundation, Viacom multimedia et. al., 1998, 11 minutes
Bullying
CBC Newsworld broadcast on 5th Estate which follows the story of Wesley Alexa, a young boy who committed suicide because of constant verbal and physical harassment. The victim of bullying, Wesley's story is examined in the effort to prevent other's like him from ending up in the same situation.
The Fifth Estate CBC, 1996 24:30 minutes
Muriel Venne
Speech by Muriel Venne to a group of people at the University of Calgary about systemic discrimination against Aboriginal women. Muriel Venne is the president and founder of the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women (IAAW), a highly respected charitable organization dedicated to changing society's attitudes towards native women, and improving their lives. She was appointed the first Métis member of the Alberta Human Rights Commission and was recently awarded the Alberta Human Rights Award.
Speech to the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary, 1998 74 minutes
Degrassi Kids Rap on Rights
A rap song enhances children's awareness of the need for universal human rights for children throughout the world.
UNICEF-Canada, 1989, 7 minutes
Bustup in Bountiful
In 2003, the Fifth Estate's Hana Gartner sat down with the then-Bishop of Bountiful Winston Blackmore in an exclusive interview to talk about his life there, his 26 wives and 80 children, his faith, and allegations of child brides and of abuse in the church's chapter in Canada. At the time, the picture Winston Blackmore painted of Bountiful was of an idyllic, although secretive, existence. But, in three years, Blackmore's world has changed dramatically. Blackmore was finally ex-communicated from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) church for questioning Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet and supreme leader of the polygamous sect. This split the Bountiful community into two, those choosing to follow Winston Blackmore and those that remained loyal to the new prophet Jeffs.
The 5th estate examines the split, the current state of the FLDS and the recent attention given to the sect by the media and authorities from both sides of the border.
CBC 5th Estate, January 25, 2006 - 61:55 minutes
The Complete Blue Eyed with Jane Elliot
For over 30 years, Jane Elliot has been America's most highly acclaimed diversity trainer. Her powerful and controversial "blue eyed/brown eyed" exercise has had a life changing impact on thousands in schools, corporations and government. The original Blue Eyed, the definitive record of her technique, proved so powerful that it has been made into three separate versions so it could be conveniently used in any setting. No one who sees it will ever turn a blind eye to racism again. Includes a trainer's manual which should be used in conjunction with the video.
California Newsreel, 1995, 93:00 minutes
Stop Bullying Now! Take a Stand, Lend a Hand
This film includes 12 animated episodes depicting a group of characters at a school who experience bullying first-hand what they do to help resolve the situations that they encounter. In addition to the animated shorts, this video includes 5 animated shorts and a video workshop giving students and teachers the skills to deal with bullying.
US Department of Health, 2006.
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INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
Carly
This film is an educational tool for children aged 5-8 designed to tackle themes such as cultural differences and exile. In it, Carly flees her burning home. All alone, she sets out to find help in other lands. She encounters stone-eaters, smoky-crows, and silk-tails. But none of them will help her because she is 'strange and different from them'. Where will Carly find the safety and warmth of a new family? (Includes teacher's notes)
Produced by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 1999, 8:00 minutes
The Rwanda Series (3 volume series)
Only fifty years after the Holocaust, the world has allowed genocide to take place, this time in Rwanda. In April 1994, the international community sat by and watched while a million Tutsi men, women and children were massacred in the central African nation. This three part series aims to open the eyes of the world to this untold story.
Volume 1: Sitting on a Volcano
This first volume in the three-part series follows the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Hutus who fled Rwanda to take refuge in neighboring countries. One year after the slaughter they find themselves trapped between gangs of Rwanda war criminals in control of the refugee camps and their country's new masters, who show little interest in reconciliation. Sitting on a Volcano criticizes the international community, which continues to feed the killers in the refugee camps and refuses to acknowledge human rights violations in Rwanda. The video makes a strong case that until those responsible for the genocide are brought to justice, Rwanda cannot begin to heal itself.
National Film Board of Canada, 1996, 55:10 minutes
Volume 2: Hand of God, Hand of the Devil
This second video in the Rwanda Series explores Canada's role in the development of the genocidal ideology that took root in Rwanda, which was considered the "jewel" of Canadian aid in Africa. This video raises disturbing questions about Canada's role in Rwanda. Having assisted the former regime, will Canadian aid now sow the seeds for a new crop of killers?
National Film Board of Canada, 1996, 50:49 minutes
Volume Three: Chronicle of a Genocide Foretold, Part 1 and 2
The third volume in the Rwanda series explores the roots of the massacres that left a million people dead and looks at the aftermath of the genocide. Through moving interviews with survivors, investigators and UN peacekeepers, this three-part video reconstructs the events surrounding a human tragedy that the international community could have worked to prevent.
National Film Board of Canada, 1996, Part 1: 63:15 minutes, Part 2: 43:52
About the United Nations: Human Rights
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been in effect since 1948. It guarantees basic freedoms for individuals throughout the world, yet it is often ignored. This film deals with the many abuses suffered by children throughout the world and documents the UN's efforts to bring about universal standards for human rights. This powerful film increases awareness of the problem and underlines the need for action in support of the protection of human rights.
United Nations Publications, 1991, 16:00 minutes
Respect
Short video clips featuring well known refugees to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees.
UNHCR Y & R, February 2001, 3 30-60 second video clips
Amnesty International Universal Declaration of Human Rights
An exploration of the rights covered in the UDHR using a variety of visual creations (cartoon, drawing, animation etc.).
Amnesty International, 1988, 21:30 minutes
A Quiet Revolution: Cultivating Peace, Taking Action
Looks at the power of individual action in shaping solutions for our global future. Three local initiatives are explored: water harvesting in India, PCB pollution in Slovakia and deforestation in Kenya. Each segment examines the causation and consequences of the underlying issue and provides first-hand accounts of individuals taking action and working for change.
Classroom Connections, 2004, 26 minutes
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JUSTICE SYSTEM
To Kill or To Cure
This video is a compelling and controversial look at a problem that goes back to Cain's murder of Abel: how should we deal with crime? Filmmakers Josh Freed and Jon Kalina travel the globe to look at the most fascinating examples of justice on the planet from the harsh punishments of China and the Middle East to more merciful methods in Finland and Japan. At its root the choice is always the same: to crush criminals or to bring them back into the community? To take revenge or to rehabilitate? To kill or to cure? What can Canadians learn from the world?
Galafilm Productions, 2003, 83:00 minutes
High Risk Offender
This film takes the viewer into a high-risk parole office and investigates the people whose lives it touches - prisoners guilty of everything from murder to white-collar crime. What you see is the real thing- raw, revealing and utterly fascinating. Over a ten month period, we follow six high-risk offenders and the parole officers and therapists whose job it is to make sure they stay clean, stay out of trouble and stay out of jail.
National Film Board of Canada, 1998, 56:57 minutes
Student Legal Assistance: Appearing in Provincial Court, Pleading Guilty and Speaking to Sentence- Theft Under $500
Created by Student Legal Assistance and the University of Calgary, this short film informs the viewer on court procedures for appearing, pleading and speaking in an Alberta court room.
Student Legal Assistance, University of Calgary, 1997, 19:00 minutes
Student Legal Assistance: Impaired Driving: Appearing in Provincial Criminal Court, Pleading Guilty and Speaking to Sentence
Created by Student Legal Assistance and the University of Calgary, this short film informs the viewer on court procedures for appearing in provincial criminal court, pleading and speaking in an Alberta court room.
Student Legal Assistance, University of Calgary, 1997, 22:00 minutes
PHYSICAL/MENTAL DISABILITY ISSUES
Searching for Hawa's Secret
This video depicts the unlikely partnership of a Canadian AIDS scientist and a Kenyan prostitute named Hawa in the search for an AIDS vaccine. Frank Plummer discovered that among the hundreds of women who came into his Kenyan clinic, a small percentage of them, did not become infected with HIV. He believed a vaccine for the dreaded disease might come from duplicating whatever it was that seemed to make this small group of women immune.
National Film Board of Canada, 1999, 46:50 minutes
The Long Walk
Ken Ward was the first Native Canadian to go public with his HIV diagnosis. Seven years later he has developed AIDS and remains an ardent activist of HIV prevention and treatment. Ward works primarily with First Nations populations, where the epidemic is often compounded by isolation and poverty. He also takes his message into prisons, where the infection rate among Native inmates is 17 times the national average. Filmmaker Alan Bibby accompanies Ward as he travels the back roads of the Canadian West, nurturing tolerance and understanding within fearful communities, and bringing hope and guidance to people living with HIV or AIDS.
National Film Board of Canada, 1998, 48:00 minutes
My Healing Journey
In 1991, Edmonton filmmaker Joe Viszmeg was diagnosed with a rare form of adrenal cancer and told he would not live through the year. Several years later with the production of this film, Viszmeg explains how, with the support of his family, he has continued to survive despite the predictions of the medical community. It allows us to witness one man's hopes, fears, and love. Through a mixture of personal journals, often humorous narration, medical interviews and moving images, this film guides us through the daily life of Viszmeg and the roller coaster of deadly cancer.
National Film Board of Canada, 1998, 44:39 minutes
Toward Intimacy
Women with disabilities are working towards full participation in all areas of life. Toward Intimacy is a cross-disability affirmation of the right of women with disabilities to seek, develop and sustain intimate relationships with the partners of their choice. In this moving one-hour film, four disabled women from across Canada share their personal experiences, with particular emphasis on sexuality, self-esteem, stereotyping and parenting.
National Film Board of Canada, 1992, 61:46 minutes
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POLITICAL PROTEST
View From the Summit
It's April 20, 2001 - and Quebec City prepares to host the three-day Summit of the Americas. A four-kilometer fence has been erected, cutting off Upper Town from the rest of the city. Thirty-four heads of state from the Americas will meet behind closed doors to discuss agreements for a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTTA). Those opposed to the FTAA are mobilizing and gathering in Quebec City, too. Several thousand delegates have come to participate in the People's Summit, and tens of thousands will march in protest… View from the Summit vividly portrays what happens when passionate and creative protesters clash with ideologies of those in power.
National Film Board of Canada, 2002, 75:00 minutes
PRIVACY
Privacy Rights in the Workplace
This informative video discusses privacy issues for employers and their employees, including how much surveillance is acceptable in the workplace, and what constitutes invading an employee's privacy. Topics addressed include the laws surrounding these areas, the use of medical exams and electronic monitoring.
Canada Law Book Inc., 1999, 25:36
Privacy and Human Rights: An International Survey of Privacy Laws and Developments
This annual report by EPIC and Privacy International provides an overview of key privacy topics and reviews the state of privacy in over 75 countries around the world. The report outlines legal protections, new challenges, and important issue sand events relating to privacy. Privacy and Human Rights 2006 is the most comprehensive report on privacy and data protection ever published.
Electronic Privacy Information Center, 2006
RACISM AND CULTURAL AWARENESS
Building A School Community: Piece by Piece
This video concentrates on how to peacefully build and maintain a diverse school group. It helps to instruct teachers on how to build an understanding community of inclusive schooling. Touched upon are issues of racism, seclusion and intolerance.
Lovink Media, 2001, 14:07 minutes
Journey to Justice
This video pays tribute to a group of Canadians who took racism to court. They are Canada's unsung heroes in the fight for Black civil rights. Focusing on the 1930's to the 1950's, this film documents the struggle of six people who refused to accept inequality. These brave pioneers helped secure justice for all Canadians. Their stories deserve to be told.
National Film Board of Canada, 2000, 47:08 minutes
Colour Blind
This film is about subtle racism and its daily impact on teenagers in high school. To outsiders, Princess Margaret Senior Secondary, in the heart of Surrey BC, looked like an ordinary high school. To teachers and students, however, it was a school full of racial rage, segregation, and violence. Its troubles began in 1995 when changes in the student population resulted in a shift of predominance from a white to ethnic student body. Five years later, we follow five teenagers as they learn tolerance for each other's differences. Color Blind documents that painful and confusing process of overcoming racial conflicts. The video's purpose is to encourage young students to examine their own behaviours and attitudes and to ask questions of themselves about how they react to racism within their own school.
National Film Board of Canada, 2000, 24:00 minutes
When Strangers Reunite
Every year thousands of women enter Canada as domestic servants, the majority of them from the Philippines. Leaving their own children and families behind, they can spend many isolated years cooking, cleaning, and caring for others. Sending much of their wages back home, they dream of the day their families can join them. Within the Filipino community in Canada, several groups and organizations have been actively working for the rights and welfare of migrant workers. It is largely thanks to them that most of these families are able to overcome what can seem like insurmountable obstacles. This candid and touching portrait reveals three families in the midst of healing and coping with the strangers they love.
National Film Board of Canada, 1999, 51:59 minutes
The Long Walk
Ken Ward was the first Native Canadian to go public with his HIV diagnosis. Seven years later he has developed AIDS and remains an ardent activist of HIV prevention and treatment. Ward works primarily with First Nations populations, where the epidemic is often compounded by isolation and poverty. He also takes his message into prisons, where the infection rate among Native inmates is 17 times the national average. Filmmaker Alan Bibby accompanies Ward as he travels the back roads of the Canadian West, nurturing tolerance and understanding within fearful communities, and bringing hope and guidance to people living with HIV or AIDS.
National Film Board of Canada, 1998, 48:00 minutes
Sunrise Over Tiananmen Square
Sunrise Over Tiananmen Square is a visual autobiography of an artist who grew up in China during the historic upheavals of the'60's, '70's and '80's. Shui-Bo Wang offers a personal perspective on the turbulent Cultural Revolution and the years that followed. This animated documentary artfully traces Shui-Bo's roots and his own life journey. With deft strokes, he powerfully renders both the idealism and the intolerance of a revolutionary society. This video is the affecting testimony of an artist struggling to sort through ideology and arrive at truth.
National Film Board of Canada, 1998, 29:25 minutes
Opre Roma: Gypsies in Canada
This documentary celebrates the vibrant culture and tenacious struggle of the Canadian Gypsy and introduces a new generation of Roma who claim their Gypsy roods with pride, while fighting the myths that caused their parents to live in fear.
National Film Board of Canada, 1999, 48:00 minutes
For Angela…
For Angela is a story about a woman who was compelled to change attitudes and shatter stereotypes. It's a story about a racial assault that could have been ruinous instead it was empowering. Inspired by a true story, this film is emotionally charged and beautifully acted. Rhonda Gordon and her daughter Angela didn't want a confrontation; they didn't want a fight; they did, however want their dignity. A bus ride changed their lives, but in a way no one could have foreseen. Rhonda had the courage and the will to take a unique and powerful stand against ignorance and prejudice. She did it for Angela.
National Film Board of Canada, 1995, 21:29 minutes
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Long Time Comin'
There is a cultural revolution going on in Canada and Faith Nolan and Grace Channer are on the leading edge. These two African-Canadian lesbian artists give back to art its most urgent meanings - commitment and passion. Grace Channer's large and sensuous canvasses and Faith Nolan's gritty and joyous blues propel this documentary into the spheres of poetry and dance. Long Time Comin' captures their work, their urgency, and their friendship in intimate conversations with both artists.
National Film Board of Canada, 1993, 52:27 minutes
The Road Home
Alberta writers and filmmakers explore the province they call home. Includes contributions from Sid Marty, Marilyn Dumont, Nigel Darbasie, Myrna Kostach, Rudy Weibe, and Eva Brewster.
Great North Productions Inc. in association with Alberta Multiculturalism Commission, 1992, 50:00 minutes
Hearts of Hate: The Battle for Young Minds
Hearts of Hate is an unflinching, provocative documentary film about Canadian racist groups and their frightening influence over young people. It goes behind the scenes to document young racists and the groups they join: The Heritage Front, Aryan Nations, Church of the Creator, and the Canadian Liberty Net. Penetrating these secretive organizations, filmmaker Peter Raymont examines their manipulative and violent practices - and the power they exert over young minds and imaginations (film includes study guide).
Investigative Productions Inc. and The CTV Television Network, 1995, 51:35 minutes
Talespinners Collection
This video is a collection of short animated films for children aged 5 to 9. Many of the stories are original with cross-cultural themes, while others are retellings of popular tales from around the world. All feature finely crafted animated, appealing characters and dynamic narration.
National Film Board of Canada, 2002, 60:00 minutes
An Educator's Legal Guide to Racial and Sexual Harassment in Schools.
Harassment of any kind in a school environment can have serious consequences for both the victim and the school board. Students or even teachers who are harassed may experience humiliation, ear, anger, outrage, denial, pain, helplessness, mistrust of the opposite sex, loss of self-esteem, concern for person safety and intimidation. Many are afraid to tell anyone in authority for fear they'll be blamed or not believed.
In this video and accompanying workbook, you will learn about:
- The legal duties and responsibilities of educators in dealing with racial and sexual harassment;
- Key steps in effectively investigating and dealing with inappropriate sexual behavior and racial comments; and
- Solutions to help prevent or minimize these incidents in schools
The Fallen Feather: Indian Industrial Residential Schools and Canadian Federation
Between 1879 and 1986, upwards of 100,000 children in Canada were forcibly removed and placed into Indian Industrial Residential Schools. Their unique culture was stripped away to be replaced with a foreign European identity. Their family ties were replaced with a European identity. Their family ties were cut, parents were forbidden to visit their children, and the children were prevented from returning home.
This video and accompanying text provides an in-depth critical analysis if the driving forces behind the creation of Canadian Indian Residential Schools using historical source documents, survivors' personal testimonies, and detailed analysis from community leaders.
Kinetic Video, 2007, 93 minutes.
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REFUGEE ISSUES
Hopes and Dreams: Stories of Young Refugees
Every day, somewhere in the world, people of all ages become refugees. People flee their home countries for many reasons such as war, famine, political or religious persecution, torture, and even genocide. This can be particularly difficult for young people who, in the chaos and confusion of escape, can become separated from their parents. Many of them end up living in refugee camps without what we could consider the basic essentials of life… things like electricity, running water, and even food. In this video, you will meet a few of these young people who were forced to give up everything and flee their home countries. They talk about the barriers they faced including starting school not knowing any English, making friends and finding a job. Some of the biggest obstacles to acceptance are entrenched prejudices and discrimination Many refugees encounter discrimination daily and in this video, they also talk about these experiences (video is accompanied by a teacher's guide).
Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre, 2002, 24:00 minutes (4 copies)
Asylum
Asylum is the first feature documentary to take us inside the Canadian refugee process. It follows three people from their arrival in Canada to the final decision of the Refugee Board, and beyond. As we follow their stories, we become increasingly sympathetic to their situation, but we also begin to question the certainty of their claims. Who is telling the truth? Who is really a refugee? And how do we decide?
National Film Board of Canada, 1998, 72:12 minutes
To Be a Refugee: A Teaching Guide
This video, intended for children 9-12 years old, looks at the experiences of several children in becoming refugees. It is accompanied by a booklet of activities for viewers to complete while watching the video that encourages viewers to get to know the refugee children and their situation better. The video and booklet aid in bringing understanding to children who may not be familiar with the concept of 'refugee.'
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 1998, 15:40 minutes (2 copies)
War is Not A Game: Experiences of Refugee Children
This is an educational video that documents the experiences of refugee children. It is a unique look into the traumatic effect that war has had on the children who experienced it. A good example of those who have never considered the far reaching effects of war.
Frameline Productions for Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, 1995, 32:00 minutes
Race is a Four Letter Word
In Race is a Four Letter Word, director Sobaz Benjamin highlights Canadian conflicts around race. Heroically, he exposes himself, too: a black man who grew up trying to bleach his skin with chemicals, and then struggle to appreciate the meaning of his heritage as an "Afro-Saxon" Briton, then Grenadian and now Haligonian-Nova Scotian-Canadian.
National Film Board of Canada, 2006, 55:19 minutes
Cricket and the Meaning of Life
Cricket and the Meaning of Life explores identity, nationalism, race, and a sport rich with history. Once the domain of elite colonials, cricket became a way of life throughout the British Commonwealth... except in Canada. When filmmaker and life-long cricket fan Sanjay Talreja immigrates to Toronto from India, he struggles to adapt and fears he must erase his past in order to belong. A surprise encounter changes everything.
National Film Board of Canada, 2006, 51:00 minutes
Zero Tolerance
Being young is tough, especially if you're Black, Latino, Arab or Asian. In a city like Montreal, you can get targeted and treated as a criminal for no good reason. Zero Tolerance reveals how deep seated prejudice can be. On one side are the city's young people, and on the other, its police force. Two worlds, two visions. Yet one of these groups is a minority, while the other wields real power. One has no voice, while the other makes life-and-death decisions.
National Film Board of Canada, 2004, 75:51 minutes.
Between: Living in the Hyphen
Anne Marie Nakagawa's documentary examines what it means to have a background of mixed ancestries that cannot be easily categorized. By focusing on 7 Canadians who have one parent from a European background and one of a visible minority, she attempts to get at the root of what it means to be multi-ethnic in a world that wants each person to fit into a single category. Finding a satisfactory frame of reference in our 'multicultural utopia' turns out to be more complex than one might think. Between: Living in the Hyphen offers a provocative glimpse of what the future holds: a departure from hyphenated names towards a celebration of fluidity and being mixed.
National Film Board of Canada, 2005, 42:00 minutes
Qallunaat: Why White People are Funny
The result of a collaboration between filmmaker Mark Sandiford and Inuit writer and Satirist Zebedee Nungak. Qallunaat! Why White People are Funny is a fresh and long overdue "study" of white people from the Inuit point of view. Not surprisingly, these "Qallunoloqists" find the ways of white culture a bit peculiar and often riotously funny. Consider their odd dating habits, their lame attempts at Arctic exploration, their overbearing bureaucrats and curious obsession with owning property.
National Film Board of Canada, 2006, 98:54 minutes
Walk a Mile: The Immigrant Experience in Canada ( Four Film Series)
4-part series that reveals the challenges faced by immigrants who leave all they know to make a new home in Canada. The aim of this series, as the title suggests, is for viewers to walk that symbolic mile in the others' shoes and to more readily show understanding and tolerance of the immigrant experience in Canada.
Video 1: Identity
This episode puts a human face on the immigrant experience. Newcomers tell us why they have come to Canada and talk about how this move has affected their sense of identity. Families also discuss the conflicts between generations that immigration can cause.
National Film Board of Canada, 1999, 26:51 minutes
Video 2: Language
Through interviews with new Canadians and supporting dramatizations, episode 2 looks at the trials and successes of newcomers struggling to learn one of both languages. Language, immigrants stress, is of major importance since the ability to communicate in English and/or French affects employment, social integration and acceptance. Without the necessary language skills, immigrants with academic credentials often find themselves doing menial jobs. In some cases, newcomers are exploited by members of their own ethnic community.
National Film Board of Canada, 1999, 27:43 minutes
Video 3: Discrimination
Canada espouses the concept of a cultural mosaic, where ethnic and cultural diversity is respected. In episode 3, immigrant Canadians share their experience of this mosaic, presenting realities that do not always coincide with official policy. Many newcomers, especially visible minorities, encounter discrimination in employment, housing and social acceptance. This film also addresses the experiences of refugees seeking asylum in Canada.
National Film Board of Canada, 1999, 27:00 minutes
Video 4: Employment
This final segment looks at the challenges newcomers face finding employment. The problem of having credentials recognized in a new country is explored. Immigrants with job training and skills cannot always find work in their field of expertise since Canadian professional associations may not recognize their qualifications. An added difficulty surrounding employment arises from traditional gender roles where the man is expected to be the breadwinner. Newcomers may have to adjust to new roles that disrupt family life. The problem posed by lack of job experience in Canada is also addressed.
National Film Board of Canada, 1999, 27:00 minutes
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REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Frozen Angels
This documentary, made in 2005, takes a startling look into the new world of genetic and reproductive technology. It follows advocates of this type of reproductive technology as well as couples and surrogate parents as they go through the process of "creating a child." This film raises the ethical dilemmas that we will encounter as the technology becomes more pervasive in the world of reproduction.
Umbrella Productions, 2005, 93:00 minutes
SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND GENDER DISCRIMINATION
An Educator's Legal Guide to Racial & Sexual Harassment in Schools.
Harassment of any kind in a school environment can have serious consequences for both the victim and the school board. Students or even teachers who are harassed may experience humiliation, ear, anger, outrage, denial, pain, helplessness, mistrust of the opposite sex, loss of self-esteem, concern for person safety and intimidation. Many are afraid to tell anyone n authority for fear they'll be blamed or not believed.
In this video and accompanying workbook, you will learn about:
- The legal duties and responsibilities of educators in dealing with racial and sexual harassment;
- The key steps in effectively investigating and dealing with inappropriate sexual behavior and racial comments; and
- Solutions to help prevent or minimize these incidents in schools
When Strangers Reunite
Every year thousands of women enter Canada as domestic servants, the majority of them from the Philippines. Leaving their own children and families behind, they can spend many isolated years cooking, cleaning, and caring for others. Sending much of their wages back home, they dream of the day their families can join them. Within the Filipino community in Canada, several groups and organizations have been actively working for the rights and welfare of migrant workers. It is largely thanks to them that most of these families are able to overcome what can seem like insurmountable obstacles. This candid and touching portrait reveals three families in the midst of healing and coping with the strangers they love.
National Film Board of Canada, 1999, 51:59 minutes
Teacher TV: Sexual Harassment and Schools
This three part video intended for educators includes defining sexual harassment, where it is occurring today and to whom. It provides instruction for educators on dealing with students who have been sexually harassed and guidelines for teachers to avoid being accused of harassing students. It also includes advice for hindering harassment among students.
National Education Association and The Learning Channel, 1993, 23:00 minutes
Sexual Harassment in High School
This short video addresses the real issue of sexual harassment in high schools and proposes the "we can do something about it." It helps to answer some vital questions such as what is sexual harassment and how should individuals react to situations involving harassment. The film focuses on situations that affect young women and is suitable for teacher-student viewing purposes.
Postel Video Productions, 1993, 14:00 minutes (2 copies)
Understanding Gender Discrimination
This is an instructional video dealing with what is involved in making a complaint to the Alberta Human Rights Commission. By examining real life situations, this video will appeal to those who may have dealt with discrimination in the past and offers informative examples that are beneficial for everyone to be aware of.
Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission, 1998, 27:00 minutes
SEXUAL ORIENTATION DISCRIMINATION
Stolen Moments
Stolen Moments takes you on a voyage through three centuries of lesbian life, weaving together the lost threads of history: from the unique lesbian cultures of Amsterdam, Paris and Berlin, to the North American meccas of New York, San Francisco, Vancouver and Montreal. Combining fabulous old footage, dramatic re-creation and an evocative score with personal commentary form Olympic athlete Betty Baxter, stand-up comic Georgia Ragsdale, and writers Nicole Brossard, Joan Nestle, Leslie Feinberg, Judy Grahn and Audre Lorde, Stolen Moments is simply splendid.
National Film Board of Canada, 1997, 91:51 minutes.
When Love is Gay
When Love is Gay explodes myths about gay love. It explores relationships between men - from long-standing monogamous partnerships to brief encounters. Men of all ages talk openly about their homosexuality and the difficulty of self-acceptance in a straight, often homophobic society. They speak of sensuality, and their determination to love freely. Their life experiences compile an oral history of an evolving gay culture. A documentary with a broad emotional sweep, When Love is Gay allows viewers to look at their own reactions to the people and situations on screen.
*NOTE* THIS FILM CONTAINS EXPLICIT SEXUAL SCENES
National Film Board of Canada, 1995, 48:47 minutes
In Other Words
Homophobic language is a common verbal put-down among young people, but many adults feel uncomfortable responding to it. This video speaks directly to teens and offers a valuable tool to teachers, counselors and community youth leaders who want to explore the homophobic language heard both in and out of schools - the words themselves, their origins, how young people feel about them, and how to overcome the hurt and anger they cause. Moving interviews with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered teens provide first-hand accounts. Weaving together slang, music media images and dictionary definitions, the film examines how language shapes attitude. The video is designed to foster change, to ensure that schools are safe places where youth can learn in a climate of respect.
National Film Board of Canada, 2001, 27:00 minutes
Out: Stories of Lesbian and Gay Youths
This film is an intimate exploration of the struggles and victories of gay and lesbian youths in Canada. Delving into the emotional, societal and familial conflicts lesbian and gay youths often face, this film breaks the damaging silences surrounding sexual orientation and sexual differences. Through explicit interviews with gay and lesbian youths from varied cultural and racial heritages, issues of discrimination as well as the compounding problems of confronting racism and sexism are sensitively addressed. OUT provides awareness, understanding and hope- to gay and lesbian youths, parents, counselors and educators.
National Film Board of Canada, 1993, 47:00 minutes
School's Out: Confronting Homophobia in High Schools.
Members of the Teens Educating and Confronting Homophobia organization (TEACH) talk about their lives and their classroom visits, provoking discussion about homophobia and heterosexism in today's school yards. Against a backdrop of newspaper headlines that reflect society's changing attitudes toward homosexuality since the 1950's, Jane Rule contributes her wisdom and insight about sexuality, and situates the lives and activism of today's youth in an historical context.
National Film Board of Canada, 1997, 24:32 minutes
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Apples and Oranges: It's Not Cool to be Cruel
This video is designed to raise children's awareness of the harmful effects of homophobia and gender-related name calling, intolerance, stereotyping and bullying. Through the depiction of two animated stories, children learn that creativity-not revenge-is the best way to deal with a school bully who teases one student for having two moms and also how to deal respond when a close friend of yours is gay. By illustrating how derogatory names can hurt, Apples and Oranges helps dismantle stereotypes about gays and lesbians. The animated stories in the video will help students of all elementary grades explore name calling and bullying. The video in its entirety can be used with children aged 8-12 for learning about families, differences and respect.
National Film Board of Canada, 2003, 18:00 minutes
Sticks and Stones
This video, intended for grades 3 to 7, includes descriptions by young children ages 5 to 12 how they feel when they hear put-downs if themselves or their families. Children learn from subtle cues what society thinks about gender roles, same-sex parents and family differences. The children in Sticks & Stones vividly describe how it feels to be teased when their families don't follow traditional gender roles. They talk about why bullies indulge in name-calling, and what they think should be done about it. By showing that they know what's wrong, the children challenge educators, parents and other kids to act positively to make schools and playgrounds safe and welcoming for everyone. This compelling video uses interviews, animation, and documentary footage to spark discussions about families, gender stereotypes and name-calling. It encourages all children to feel empathy and respect for their playmates.
National Film Board of Canada, 2001, 17:00 minutes
One of Them
Freedom from bullying, name calling and violence motivates the high school seniors in this school-based drama. Jamie is shocked when she and her best friend become victims of homophobic name-calling. But she must face up to her own reactions as she realizes that her friend is "one of them" and needs her support. And Jamie's boyfriend must decide if he will support Jamie. Set firmly in the context of human rights and freedom from discrimination, One of Them raises the questions that high school students talk about in school halls and washrooms. With a focus on homophobia and discrimination, not sexual behaviour, the dramatization prompts viewers to examine their own responses and promote a safe school environment for all students.
National Film Board of Canada, 2000, 25:24 minutes
But Words Do Hurt: Stories from GLBTT Youth
This video introduces young people who identify as GLBTT. They talk about identity issues, the media, coming out, their family, their experiences in school and their hopes for the future. They share their personal stories with the hope that their experiences will foster a greater understanding of the issued faced by GLBTT youth (comes with video user guide).
Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre, 2005, 30 minutes (3 copies)
Why Thee Wed? Same-sex Marriage has never been the same
In 2003, British Columbia became the second Canadian province to recognize same-sex marriage. Filmmaker Cal Garingan looks beyond the headlines and introduces the eight couples who challenged the law in court. Why did they plunge into a scorching debate that meant their lives would be publicly judged? What does it mean to them to exchange marriage vows?
National Film Board, 2005, 50:00 minutes
Talking it OUT on HIV
An educational video on HIV prevention for gay youth addresses issues related to the Peace Country. Interviews with local AODS Service Organizations and sexual health educators approach barriers with harm reduction philosophies. They discuss how to over come these barriers and give you educational tools such as sexual agency. HIV advocates talk about personal experiences and how HIV has affected themselves and the gay community. Local gay youth give insight to what it is like growing up in northern Alberta and how their role affects our society. Discrimination is a large factor for youth not accessing HIV information. This video educates the educator and shows them ways to break down discrimination and improve the resource materials available.
Gay and Lesbian Association of the Peace, 2006
Standing Up, Standing Out
Meet Jasmine, Jarrod, Sara, Scott, and Paul as they talk about their insights into being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans-identified. Find out how they interact with teachers in school, how supportive their parents are, what it was like to 'come out' and what gives them strength. These youth show the resilience they have developed over years through addressing bullying and through coming out to parents, friends, and teachers.
ACLRC, 2009, 10 minutes
Back to Top of the Document - Alphabetic Topic Listing
Back to Top of the Document - Topic Listing
TORTURE
Window of Hope: Coming to Terms with Torture
A video by the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture stresses the importance of dealing with torture and how to take steps in order to come to terms with torture. It asks the viewer to think about what torture does to the bodies and minds of men, women and children it affects. It examines the stories of real victims who have immigrated to Canada and who are still dealing with the after effects of their past.
Focus Productions, 2000, 20:15
The Innocent Victims
A Documentary about the torture and oppression against the world's children. Produced with financial aid or support from Danida, Commission of European Union DG1A, Amnesty International, SNU and PMF.
A Co-Production between Film Compagniet and Denmarks Radio TV-Factual, 1995, 39:00 minutes
YOUNG OFFENDERS
The Law of the Land
This short video, intended for children under the age of 12, focuses on informing them about the Young Offenders Act. It discusses the possibility of legal consequences after they reach the age of 12 and that they have rights and protections under the Young Offenders Act.
The John Howard Society, 1991, 11:00 minutes
Youth Justice: A New Approach
A look at the Canadian government's renewal of the youth criminal justice system - told through real life stories of young people getting their lives back on track.
PLENA Network, 2001, 43:26 minutes