Sudbury film takes a look at COVID’s impact on education | CBC News

Chrétien, a retired school principal, and Mende, who graduated in 2019 with a minor in motion picture arts from Thorneloe University, conducted a series of interviews this past summer with students, parents and teachers, which they turned into a 26-minute documentary called Learning the COVID Way. 

“We thought it was a good topic to broach seeing that with the pandemic online learning became kind of a question or a problem of the day. So we thought we’d approach this and see what we could uncover,” Chrétien said. 

The final piece, she said, is one that explores issues of stress and anxiety, but that also conveys a message of hope. 

“Parents are hopeful, teachers are hopeful, that we will get through this, and there are happier times or simpler times ahead,” Chrétien said. 

‘Sink or swim’ 

Much of what they heard from their interview subjects didn’t surprise the filmmakers, they said, but even so, they felt it was important and impactful to hear from educators and families first-hand. 

“The response has been really positive and I think it’s because we gave a voice to the teachers and the parents, and the audience really appreciated hearing their response to the pandemic and how they felt, rather than hearing it from you know let’s say doctors and politicians, this was right from the voices of the students, the teachers and the parents,” Chrétien said. 

Chrétien said what stuck out to her the most from the interviews was the anxiety experienced by some students and parents. For Mende, it was the limited training teachers received.

“I think some of us thought that teachers may have had some special training to deal with this online learning. And they really expressed that they did not have any of that training. So they were just on their own sort of thrown in the pool and sink or swim,” Mende said.

Film festival circuit 

Earlier this month there was a test screening of the film at the Indie Cinema in Sudbury. And the pair said the film has so far been accepted to six film festivals, including the Sault Film Festival, where it will play on Nov. 27. 

So far, they said, the feedback has been positive. 

“It’s just been a really exciting time for us,” said Mende. 

“I would say we’ve been a little bit surprised about how well it’s been received. The premiere was just electric, it was fantastic.”