RKS 2023 Film: Hot Docs Citizen Minutes: “Rising From The Ashes”: Depanneur Sylvestre

Citizen Minutes is a collection of Canadian short documentaries highlighting ordinary Canadians doing extraordinary things “to make their communities better places” at least according to Hot Docs. The series of shorts will be playing in select Canadian cities.

In this case it is a depanneur in Gatineau Quebec that was converted into a community drop-in centre named Depanneur Sylvestre in 2002 in an attempt to deal with social isolation i.e., a lack of social connection which for some people can lead to loneliness.

Visitors to the Depanneur Sylvestre suffer from loneliness and isolation for a variety of reasons that include physical and mental disease. By the way “depanneur” is a particular Quebec concept denoting perhaps what can be called a convenience store. The visitors affectionately refer to it as the DEP. We hear from residents and volunteer management and it is all very positive. Depanneur Sylvestre has been awarded a Quebec Lieutenant Governor Award of Merit. The concept of the old general store is the essence of Depanneur Sylvestre . Group together, chat and communicate.

We hear post COVID all these wonderful and grand government initiatives to improve mental health often focusing on impersonal “mental health” modules and call-in lines. An institutional approach but Depanneur Sylvestre is a grassroots initiative supported financially by the community and some governmental assistance. With Depanneur Sylvestre do we learn that grassroots initiatives surpass the glossy high-profile media lauded cold and impersonal solutions devised by governments whose COVID “public health initiatives” sparked social isolation for the greater good?

“Rising from the Ashes” is just over 10 minutes and is directed by Sara Ben-Saud. A citizen initiative shows the power of true organic community-based programmes.

Each screening of these collection of docs will be free and followed by an audience Q&A “with the goal of inspiring collaborative dialogue about civic engagement and the many forms it can take” according to Hot Docs.

Theatrical dates in Canada are;

October 16th – Rio Theatre, Vancouver, BC, 6:30 pm – Host Angela Steritt

October 25th – Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, Toronto, ON, 6:30 pm – CBC Host Ismaila Alfa and a special guest performance by Akitone.

November 9th – Calgary Central Library, Calgary, AB, 6:30 pm – CBC Host Angela Knight

November 27th – Cinema Du Musée – Montreal, QC, 6:30 pm – CBC Daybreak Host Sean Henry 

November 27th – Halifax Central Library, Halifax, NS, 6:30 pm  – CBC Host Preston Mulligan and a special guest performance by comedian Janelle Niles.