TWO NEW HERITAGE MINUTES TO BE PRODUCED BY BC COMPANY

Historica Canada, the charitable organization that produces the iconic Heritage Minutes collection, today announced that they will be working with production company Scopitone Films Ltd. (Vancouver, BC) to produce two new 60-second short films, one on blind activist Edwin Baker, and the other on WWI war painter Mary Riter Hamilton. Historica has worked with Scopitone Films Ltd. in the past to produce the Paldi Heritage Minute, which has been viewed more than 4 million times online.  

The first Minute being produced will tell the story of Mary Riter Hamilton, who, in the aftermath of the First World War, travelled to Europe to paint battlefield landscapes before they were cleared. The second Minute will feature the story of Edwin Baker, who was blinded as a soldier during the First World War and later went on to help establish the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind). 

“At Historica we aim to highlight the voices and impact of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Edwin Baker’s story allows us to focus on his determination in the face of adversity and to celebrate his impact within the disability community,” said Anthony Wilson-Smith, President and CEO of Historica Canada. “Mary Riter Hamilton faced a lot of discrimination as a WWI artist, a job generally reserved for male painters. Both of these individuals’ stories are testaments to perseverance and we look forward to sharing them with Canadians.” 

These two Minutes will be made possible by in-kind equipment support from William F. White International and funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage. Principal filming is set to take place in BC in the Summer of 2024 and both Minutes are to be released in Fall, 2024.  

Historica Canada is a charitable organization that offers programs in both official languages that you can use to explore, learn, reflect on our history, and consider what it means to be Canadian.