Follow our journey as children's messages are hand delivered by our crew to children in tsunami-stricken Kalmunai, Sri Lanka, in an exchange of hope, spirit, and courage coming full circle in this film.
The WordLoveWorldLove Documentary creates an opportunity for children to participate in an international exchange of compassion and friendship through a currency free to all... words. Children are empowered to use their intuition and empathy to send messages as cross-cultural healing elements to children in tsunami-stricken Sri Lanka. Through written word, hand-drawn art, and video letters, our film becomes an adventure of positive media literacy, inspiring a young generation to celebrate the power of their words as global citizens.
Running Time: 46 min.
Awards
WordLoveWorldLove recently won Best Youth Documentary at the 2007 KidsFirst! Film Festival. The film also won Best Editing in a Documentary at the WorldFest Houston Int'l Film Festival.
"WordLove WorldLove, was the most touching, moving and inspiring film I have EVER watched, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this film. I smiled and cried through the entire film and I would be so honored if I could somehow share this. If you would allow me, I would like to share this with my kids elementary school principal. It is certainly a message that all children need, and for so many this message could change their live dramatically."
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WordLove Updates
WordLoveWorldLove began in June 2006 with a group of enthusiastic, Grade Fours who participated in the first Orientation and Wordshop. This was our "investigate shoot" to try out our philosophy. We explored the effect of words on our emotional and physical self, and showed examples of their power to both hurt and heal. An exhibit of drawings by children survivors of the tsunami called "Tsunami Shock", became our message guide and provided a sobering reference of what the children had experienced. Rose Charities Canada provides counseling to Sri Lankan children and their exhibit explained how drawing and art therapy assists in the young survivor's recovery.
Based in Vancouver, we were fortunate to have one of their counselors describe first hand the realities of life for the Kalmunai children, through photographs, stories, and a beautiful quilt of their handprints. These brave, resilient children, desire to put the past behind them, and look to the future. The similarities and differences in our cultures became possibilities of connection. Inspired with this knowledge, the children scrambled to put their words of global connection on the WordLove Dream Tree. These became the theme words for their artwork, poems, and songs, all recorded in our WordLove Videobooth to make series of messages for the students abroad to enjoy. This instant understanding, compassion, and goodwill is what we hoped to capture in our project. The children's words speak eloquently for themselves…happiness, peace, spirit, power, brotherhood, progress, faith, explore, confidence, friends, connect……. WordLoveWorldLove has begun.
Message Delivery: The student's word/art, the messages form our Videobooth, and small gifts, will be hand delivered by our crew February, 2006 with assistance of Rose Charities. Our destination will be a Kalmunai Elementary School with the initial focus on one class. The school selected will also be oriented as a "twin school" for Cleveland Elementary children to connect with schoolwide under the BC Principals' Association Program. This will establish an ongoing relationship with the children, our film, and Rose Charities. We will also screen our film for students in an After School Arts and Cultural Program. We plan to visit the tent camps that many families are still living in, as rebuilding progresses very slowly. Words translated into cross cultural messengers, will hopefully connect children in global friendship. Footage from this exchange will be brought home with us to present to the original WordLove senders. The circle will be complete when the first WordLoveWorldLove Documentary arrives in Kalmunai, Sri Lanka in the spring of 2006.
WordLove at Word on the Street Festival: Sunday, Sept 25th at the Vancouver Public Library, the WordLoveWorldLove Project was a featured exhibitor and had its first public Wordshop, Word/Art Exhibit, and Dream Tree.This was an awareness and fundraising event for the work of Rose Charities and our film. People from 5-48, filled out leaves of global connection for the Dream Tree, and contributed more healing words to send to Sri Lanka. The OUR tent to YOUR tent Exhibit and select drawings from Rose Charities NYC, Tsunami Imprints - the Youngest Survivors Exhibit were displayed with the WordLoveWorldLove Exhibit featuring drawings from North Vancouver Cleveland Elementary Grade Four Students. It was also the first screening of a sample filming for the WordLove Documentary.
The day was a complete success with much positive feedback from children, parents, teachers, students, and visitors. We have been invited to participate next year. We will be seeking a corporate sponsor for our 2006 Word on the Street tent, and if you are interested please email the producers. Next year we will have a finished documentary and tales of our WordLove Sri Lankan trip to share. We will be fundraising at that time for WordLove Africa. The Kids Around the World Museum Society, has invited us to take part in their March 2006 Carnival as an interactive exhibitor. Let us know if you would like to volunteer.
Congratulation to the winners of the bookdraw: Anisha and Simone. Thank you to Book Warehouse for the prize dictionaries and atlas.
Credits
Produced and Directed by Tony Papa Co-produced and Created by Donna Williams
We gratefully acknowledge Rose Charities and the children of Kalmunai, Sri Lanka who donated their drawings from art therapy counseling, in an effort to create awareness of the need for continued support, through the WordLove Project. We also thank Cleveland Elementary Librarian Sandra Santarossa & the Grade Four children of Div.7 for their compassionate response with the drawings they have created straight from the heart.
The film was Produced with the support of the Governement of Canada through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), TVOntario, M-Channel and NTV.
Sponsors
Sponsors and in-kind donations so far: We would like to thank the following volunteers, individuals, and sponsors for their generous support of the WordLoveWorldLove project. More sponsors are welcome.
Enthuse your Muse, the company of independent filmmaker Danika Dinsmore was the first sponsor for our project!
Erica Krutzen , Art Therapist D.V.A.T.I., West Vancouver Art Therapy Institute, Tom and Johanna Simmons, Sund Design Studio, Target Design, Jo Hollingberry, Martine Head.
Follow our journey as children's messages are hand delivered by our crew to children in tsunami-stricken Kalmunai, Sri Lanka, in an exchange of hope, spirit, and courage coming full circle in this film.
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The WordLoveWorldLove Documentary creates an opportunity for children to participate in an international exchange of compassion and friendship through a currency free to all... words. Children are empowered to use their intuition and empathy to send messages as cross-cultural healing elements to children in tsunami-stricken Sri Lanka. Through written word, hand-drawn art, and video letters, our film becomes an adventure of positive media literacy, inspiring a young generation to celebrate the power of their words as global citizens.
