March 2024 Project update

After a flurry of project activity in 2022, I took much of 2023 off. As with most documentaries, it came down to funding. Promised and anticipated funding did not come through -leaving me in a deficit position which has been hard to get out of. I returned to full time work to help with past project expenses and finding a way forward to complete the documentary film.

I’ve started off 2024 looking for new ways to go forward. I am working on a Canada Council application and learning more about Final Cut Pro - so I am able to edit and updated project clip and hopefully a short documentary.

Project update

After two years, I’ve finally starting to film the remaining documentary interviews.  In March 2020, I was in Vancouver planning out the interviews that I would film in the coming months -never imagining what was to come.

Last month, I went back to Vancouver to record  interviews with Bailey Garden, Project Manager for the BC Labour Heritage Centre and Rod Mickleburgh, journalist and Author of On the Line : A History of the British Columbia Labour Movement. Next week, I’ll be interviewing Joe Barrett about the the Spirit of the Republic - the monument to the BC MacPaps.

Over the next 5 months, I’ll be working hard to finish the key interviews and edit together a short documentary that will be viewed as part of events to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Ottawa MacPaps monument.  It will be wonderful to show some of the completed documentary to an audience.

Preparing the clips that will be shown allows me to review all of the footage I have from the past 5 years, and I have much.  It’s very rewarding to see the quality of the footage and see how far the documentary has come.

Project pandemic update

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated my documentary progress. Just before the pandemic, all was on track to complete filming by summer 2020. I received a generous contribution from the Mackenzie Papineau Battalion Trust which allowed be to pay myself for the first time ever and hire a camera crew and pay for travel. In February, I spent 3 full days filming in Spain in/at Barcelona, Sant Ferran Castle, Colmenar cemetery, Tarancon tribute, and the Jarama March. I recorded wonderful interviews with Eddie O’Neill, President, Friends of the International Brigades in Ireland; Máximo Molina Gutiérrez, Chairman of Cuenca Chapter of the Asociacion parala Recuperacion de la Memoria Histórica; Nick Lloyd, Author, ForgottenPlaces Co-founder and Spanish Civil War tour guide; Ben Pratt, relative of Quebec MacPap Albert Beaulieu. Back in Canada, I had scheduled most of the remaining interviews to take place from March - June, but then I had to cancel everything.

Like many creative people, there have been many times during the pandemic that I found it difficult to focus and achieve my goals. After starts and stops over the last 20 months, I’m starting to fundraise again to complete the project. I’m also co-organizing the annual Remembrance Day tribute to the MacPaps buried in Canada. This year will be the most successful year yet with volunteers paying tribute at over 110 graves across the country.

As always, I remain passionate about completing the documentary and sharing the story of the volunteers who left from Canada to join the International Brigades.

Honouring the MacPaps on November 11

Canada didn’t understand at first what you were doing, but understands now, and as time goes on, you will have more friends, more honour, because you have done one of the most gallant things done in history” Reverend Salem Bland Toronto Union station greeting returning International Brigades

This November 11th a Canada wide Remembrance Day tribute to the Mackenzie - Papineau Battalion (MacPaps) is being organized.  Last year, more than 25 volunteers from coast to coast helped pay tribute to the volunteers from Canada who were part of the International Brigades by laying a white rose at the known graves location.  Ray Hoff started this initiative in Canada last year after doing it for many years in the US.  He has done extensive research to map the known MacPap graves across the country.  

Last year, it was very emotional to be able to pay tribute to such incredible individuals -a group that travelled so far and gave up everything to fight fascism in Spain.  On November 11th, the MacPaps are not officially recognized at Remembrance Day ceremonies so for me this tribute  was very meaningful.   

I feel like I already know many of these men as part of the research for my documentary.  To be at their gravesides laying a white rose and International Brigade flag was an incredible honour.  To see so many of these men in unmarked and common graves was truly heartbreaking.   

More information about the MacPaps and the tribute is in this this Global news article.

We are hoping to build on this initiative this year and get even more volunteers involved.  It would be amazing to have someone visit all of the known graves and pay tribute.  

If you would like to participate this November 11, please contact themacpaps@gmail.com

These are just some of the comments from the volunteers who participated in Honouring the Mac-Paps in 2018.

"I feel grateful for the education this has brought me and the meaningful purpose on this upcoming Remembrance day."

"Thank you for inspiring us to join the movement to remember these good men."

" I found this very moving, and such a worthwhile way to mark Remembrance Day. "

Paying tribute to Frank Rutherford November 11, 2018

Project update

I realized that I haven’t posted much on this blog this year so here comes a big update.

In February I travelled to Jarama Spain to film the annual Jarama March. Each year at the Jarama march, hundreds pay tribute to the International Brigades and Spanish Republican fighters who fought fascism in the Jarama valley. The march ended on top of a hill where there is a beautiful monument to the International Brigades. This was my third visit to the monument but on this day, on the top of that hill, I got emotional.

As one minute of silence was called, I was looking out on the road between Morata de Tajuña and Chinchón. I realized that from this vantage point, I could see the entire road between these two towns - somewhere on this road in this beautiful valley, my great uncle was killed by an aerial bomb. It was a pretty surreal and touching moment.

I was also able to revisit the cemetery where my great uncle is buried. On this visit, I was able to spend more time at the cemetery and really take in my surroundings. In the area where the International Brigades volunteers were buried, the are many new grave stones. So it is quite likely that the bones have been relocated. More investigation is needed.

In August, I interviewed Kaarina Mikalaon, project manager of the Canada and the Spanish Civil War project and Michael Petrou, author of the book Renegades about the Canadian volunteers. I also ilmed at the Ottawa monument for the volunteers from Canada who fought fascism in Spain. My great uncle’s name is there along with the 1500 plus volunteers.

Since my last posting, , I have also received generous donations from CUPE Metro, and CUPE Vancouver Island District Council Labour Orientated Cultural Bursary as well as ongoing support from my incredible Patreon monthly contributors

And finally here is an article about the documentary project which was published in the December Vancouver Island Catholic News. It's through articles like this that I hope to raise awareness about the Canadian volunteers of the International Brigades and connect with family members to interview for the project.

Ottawa Monument to the volunteers from Canada who were part of the International Brigades

Funding support

I am thrilled to have received funding from trade unions across the Province. Last month I received my biggest donation to date - $1000 from IBEW local 213! Thank you to all those who have supported the project to date including CUPE Vancouver Island District Council Labour Orientated Cultural Bursary, CUPE Local 2081, CUPE Local 50, CUPE Local 951, Unifor Local 3019 and the Victoria Labour Council.

My incredible Patreon monthly contributors have allowed me to hire a camera and sound operator in Spain and have allowed me to dedicate time off of my regular job to focus on researching and producing this documentary.

Dama Hanks

Raymond Hoff

Kristen Cox

Thaddeus Cox

Pat Atherton

Almudena Cros

Lisa Ellis

Jennifer Ferro

Terri Van Sleuwen

Danika Ellis

Erin Brost

Michael Veronneau

Peter Eberhardt

Other lovely supporters have donated directly to the project.

Nola Williams

Janete Fors and Barry

David Yorke

Michael Harding

Irene and Matthew Sanderson

Island Catholic News

and other anynomous donors

All of this incredible support keeps the project moving forward. Knowing that others believe in this story enough to contribute to it means the world to me. Thank you all!!!!

CUPE Vancouver Island District Council Labour supports project

So excited to receive the CUPE Vancouver Island District Council Labour Oriented Cultural Bursary.  

The story of the British Columbia Brigades is also one of British Columbia's labour history -   the struggle for better working conditions, a living wage and regular employment.   Many Brigaders were labour organizers and participants in the 1930's labour protests.  Their fight in Spain was the ultimate show of solidarity.