We just finished filming the last interview, with “Sophie”, who agreed to be part of the film only if she could remain anonymous and her face not shown. She doesn’t want her daughter to suffer the stigma associated with living on welfare. Sophie’s story is somewhat different from the other women. She ended up on social assistance after spending three months in hospital for severe depression, and thought it would be temporary, until she got back on her feet. That was 15 years ago. She has been in and out of the hospital many times since then, unable to hold down a full-time job. It is only in the last few years that she finally got on the right medication, and she is able to work part-time and hasn’t been in the hospital. She spoke eloquently about the stigma attached to being on social assistance and the financial struggles that force mothers to do things they wouldn’t otherwise do, so that they can provide for their children.
Yesterday, we filmed the on-going anti-poverty vigil in front of City Hall here in Kingston, and got some great shots of the vigil keepers and their posters and passers-by, some of whom were interested in what the vigil is about, and others of whom studiously ignored the men and women standing silently protesting injustice. We also interviewed two of the “vigil-keepers” and social justice advocates, Sr. Pauline Lally and Jamie Swift, who spoke about the significance of the vigil, among other things. And this morning we also interviewed Adam Newman, who is a physician at the Kingston Community Health Centres, providing medical care to people who are the most marginalized in our society. Adam sees clearly that the illnesses that his patients come with are very directly related to their poverty, housing conditions, inability to afford good food, and so on.
It has been a very full, intense, rich week. Now we will have to have the tapes transcribed and begin the work of editing and piecing together the documentary film. As a first time film maker, it seems like a daunting task. We will also have to decide if we need to interview more women in the fall and what extra visuals we will need to make the final product more effective. The right visuals will make a huge difference.
I am very grateful to all who have contributed in so many ways and for such amazing ongoing support. Thank you very much to each of you. Words can’t express my appreciation.
