Seneca Polytechnic Students Showcase Talents at Documentary Film Institute Screening

Seneca Polytechnic Students Showcase Talents at Documentary Film Institute Screening

August 28, 2024

By Leny Rose Simbre

TORONTO – Twelve emerging filmmakers from Seneca Polytechnic’s Documentary Film Institute showcased their creative projects at a special screening event held at Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto last August 28, 2024. The event provided an exciting platform for these talented students to present their short films, highlighting a variety of perspectives and storytelling styles to an enthusiastic audience.

Chris Sorio poses with Alfredo Razul, who featured him in the documentary film “Recipe for Change.”

The following students presented their unique works:

• Alfredo Ruzol – Recipe for Change
• Jobin Jaya – Untitled
• Matthew Milligan – Sherwood Park
• Tony Okereafor – Sofa So Good
• Teya Nicolaou – Vulture Culture: Creating Afterlives
• Taichi Motor – Leftovers
• Kai Shetty – I, Katya
• Isheen Sharma – Calling Home
• Rushit Patel – Mystic Muffin: The Elayas Show
• Jason Liebregts – Walk With Me
• Pawan Raghwani – On the Turtle Island
• James Smith – A Slice of Pudding

Members of Migrante Canada at the screening of the documentary film at Innis Hall, University of Toronto.

The screening event was supported by Seneca’s dedicated faculty, including Sun-Kyung Yi (Program Coordinator), John Huslet Cuff (Department Chair), Jeffrey Ulrich (Senior Technical Adviser), Pranay Niching (Editing), Bryn Hughes (Production Management), Robin Bain (Cinematography), Jason Milligan (Sound Recording), and Booker Sim (Transmedia). This showcase emphasized the students’ diverse and innovative work, highlighting the creative vision and technical skills fostered by the Documentary Film Institute’s comprehensive program.

One standout film, Recipe for Change by Alfredo Ruzol, featured human rights advocate Christopher Sorio, the Secretary General of Migrante Canada—a grassroots organization supporting temporary foreign workers and immigrants. The documentary revisits Sorio’s harrowing experience during the Marcos Sr. dictatorship in the Philippines. At just 21 years old, Sorio was arrested and tortured by soldiers in Manila in 1982. Now living in Toronto, he continues his activism to ensure that this dark chapter of history is not forgotten.

“I want to tell stories of resistance through food during a specific period of our lives,” Sorio shared in his interview, providing a unique and intimate perspective on the intersection of culture, politics, and survival.

The event was a significant milestone for the students, offering them an invaluable opportunity to engage with an audience beyond the classroom and demonstrate their filmmaking abilities. As these young filmmakers prepare to launch their careers, the showcase serves as both a culmination of their academic journey and a stepping stone toward future professional endeavors.

For more information about the Documentary Film Institute at Seneca Polytechnic, visit their program pages for the Documentary Film Institute Program and Documentary Media Program at  https://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/programs/fulltime/DNM.html