Ageless International Film Festival, HotDocs, PEN Canada, Rainbow Railroad, & the Centre for Free Expression present an event in celebration of freedom of expression.
The second annual “ Ageless: Freedom of Expression” presents the award-winning International Dawn Chorus Day (15 minutes) by John Greyson. The screening will be followed by a discussion with the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, filmmaker John Greyson, John Ralston Saul and filmmaker Leena Manimekalai. Kaveh Shahrooz, lawyer and human rights activist, will moderate.
Short | 2021 | Canada | 15 Minutes | English
Film Synopsis:
On International Dawn Chorus Day (May 3, 2020), birds from six continents join an online video call.
Awarded TEDDY Award for Best Short Film (Berlin) in 2021. For its unique and poetic approach to filmmaking during a global crisis, International Dawn Chorus Day reminds us that film, as medium, perhaps is the best way to document the past, the present and the future. It raises unique voices to express the common political issues of queer people via the most popular communication tool during a pandemic. - Quote from Berlinale Jury.
Kaveh Shahrooz is a lawyer and human rights activist. A graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Toronto, he has written widely on human rights issues and international affairs. He led a recent successful effort to convince Canada's parliament to recognize the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran as constituting crimes against humanity under international law. He resides in Toronto.
The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson arrived in Canada from Hong Kong with her family in 1942 and made the astonishing journey from penniless child refugee to accomplished broadcaster, journalist, and distinguished public servant in a multi-faceted lifetime. Madame Clarkson was Canada’s 26th Governor General from 1999 to 2005.
John Greyson is a Canadian director, writer, video artist, producer, and political activist, whose work frequently deals with queer characters and themes. He was part of a loosely-affiliated group of filmmakers to emerge in the 1980s from Toronto known as the Toronto New Wave.
John Ralston Saul is an award-winning essayist and novelist. His 16 works have been translated into 29 languages in 38 countries. Saul is President Emeritus of PEN International, Co-Chair of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and sits on the International Advisory Board for the Common Action Forum. He is a Companion in the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario as well as an Officer in Germany’s Order of Merit and a Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France. His many literary awards include Chile’s Pablo Neruda Medal, South Korea’s Manhae Grand Prize for Literature, Italy’s Premio Lettarario Internazionale and the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction.
Leena Manimekalai is an Indian filmmaker, poet and an actor. Her works include five published poetry anthologies and several films in genres, documentary, fiction and experimental poem films. She has been recognised with participation, mentions and best film awards in many international and national film festivals.
