How's your family doing?
FRIENDS is sharing recommendations for great Canadian content to lighten the load of our shared experience during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Sign up here to get these recommendations by email.
Some of us may be counting the days until we can hug and kiss our loved ones again. Some of us may be looking forward to going back to our normal routines where we can drop the kids off at school or daycare and head to the office. Across the country, we're hearing stories of how COVID-19 lockdowns have changed family dynamics—by bringing them closer together or challenging them to find new ways to stay connected. George Carothers, a member of the FRIENDS team, recommends these TVO documentaries that explore how three families navigate the challenges of reconnecting and nurturing their family ties.
As the son of a South Indian immigrant, I have always been drawn to stories about generational change within migrant families. Histories and traditions can shape us and influence the ways in which we see and relate to the world. But our relationship with these histories and traditions can also evolve over time. In this documentary, Nina Beverage explores the past, present, and future of several families in Toronto’s Little India. The younger generation depicted in the film is of particular personal interest — grappling with identity, tradition and modernity. How do traditions and dreams change over time? — George Carothers
Branchez-vous à votre culture en vous abonnant aujourd'hui!
Isolation doesn't have to be isolating. Sign up and be part of the movement.
This is a story about arrival, survival, and the worst challenge of all: waiting. Gemini award winning filmmaker Diana Dai tracks the experience of Melona Banico and her tri-generational family as they navigate the various challenges of starting a new life in Canada. The pain of being apart for 10 years, the daunting task of nurturing and integrating your family into a new way of life, and the near-endless pursuit of economic security are all at play. This documentary reveals the incredible will, strength and resilience of newcomers—and mothers—as they sacrifice so much in the hope of securing a better future in Canada. — GC
Homesickness, dislocation from family, longing — feelings that so many of us are confronting in this challenging time of COVID-19. In this documentary, Nicola Moruzzi deals with the emotions that accompany physical separation — emotions that push him across geography and generation. From Italy to Canada, Moruzzi traces the journey of his great-grandfather, Anjelo, a migrant worker who traveled to Revelstoke, B.C. in 1913 to find new opportunities but never returned home. In B.C., Moruzzi encounters a new generation of Italian immigrants who are able to share memories of his great-grandfather. Connections are made, separation subsides. In a few poignant scenes, Moruzzi recites some of Angelo’s letters home: “If fate wants us far away from each other, we must resign ourselves. But we must not lose courage because this will show us how much pain we can endure to love each other.” — GC