500 Days in the Wild MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT
CANADIAN FILMMAKER PARTNERS WITH CPAWS TO KEEP CANADA WILD
Canada Day 2020 | Gemini-nominated filmmaker Dianne Whelan of This Land, and 40 Days at Basecamp is celebrating what it means to be Canadian in a truly north of the 49th parallel kind of way.
Whelan, now in the final months of her ecological and reconciliation pilgrimage along the Great Trail (the Trans Canada Trail), hits her five-year anniversary filming 500 Days in the Wild, her next documentary about hiking the world’s longest trail. She’ll be stepping off the Trail later this year, and in preparation for her arrival, two partners have come together to support her film and champion Canada’s last remaining wild spaces: CPAWS and PowHERhouse Impact Media Group. View film trailer here.
The Partnership - The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s only nationwide charity dedicated solely to the long-term protection of Canada’s public lands, oceans, and freshwater, ensuring that Canada’s parks are equipped to protect the nature within them for future generations. PowHERhouse Impact Media Group supports strong women who lead, and amplifies their stories for social impact. Through this unique partnership, independent film supporters, outdoor enthusiasts, environmental advocates, and impact champions from coast-to-coast-to-coast and across the globe can donate to the creation of Dianne’s film, 500 Days in the Wild, while at the same time helping to protect Canada’s wilderness with each valued donation eligible for a tax receipt. Donate here.
With 13 chapters across Canada and more than 50 years of experience, CPAWS works collaboratively with all levels of government, Indigenous communities, industry, and environmental groups to develop innovative conservation solutions. CPAWS speaks out for the protection of species and spaces who have no voice of their own, promoting the use of nature-based climate solutions that benefit biodiversity, reduce climate change impacts, and preserve Canada’s beautiful wilderness for the generations to come.
The Project - Dianne’s journey began five years ago, Canada Day, July 1, 2015, when she set out on an ecological pilgrimage to honour the land, the water, our ancestors, and to search for the wisdom needed to protect the earth for future generations, while simultaneously filming a documentary about the experience. The feature documentary culled from hundreds of hours of filming will be a weave of adventure film, personal reflections, and stunning captures of wildlife and landscapes. The people she encounters are indigenous elders she pays her respects to along the way, friends who occasionally join her on the trail, and locals in the communities she passes through.
“At 50, I found myself at a crossroads with the world no longer making sense. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, racial unrest and a recession, a new story has emerged on the Trail, the realization that we will not survive traveling solo. Partnerships with CPAWS and with Charlene SanJenko of PowHERhouse, our Indigenous Impact Producer, are the way we move forward together. I will complete the last 2,000 km of the Trail later this year in my home province of B.C. and start the production of our film in early 2021. We invite you to be part of this collective collaboration in creation and homage to a land and its story that has come before us, will be here long after us, and holds all that we have forgotten which needs to be remembered at this time.”
DIANNE WHELAN is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker, photographer, author and multimedia artist. She is no stranger to shooting indie films in extreme locations. She’s filmed on Mt. Everest for her award-winning documentary film 40 Days at Base Camp and on the most northern coastline of Canada for This Land. www.diannewhelan.com
CPAWS, PowHERhouse Impact Media Group and Dianne Whelan are proud to be celebrating Canada Day with this unique and impactful partnership.
HOW YOU CAN BECOME A MOTHER OF THE FILM:
1. Make a $1,000 one-time tax-deductible impact investment to help change how film is financed in Canada.
2. Visit this this LINK at CPAWS to make your donation.
3. Receive a tax-deductible receipt, thanks to our partnership with CPAWS, the Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society.
4. Take a screenshot of your confirmation receipt and upload it HERE to confirm your Mother of the Film benefits with PowHERhouse.
5. Join us for a series of hosted virtual creative conversations with Dee and our Mothers throughout 2022 and at an in-person event late Summer 2022.
6. Like more info? Download our 1-Pager to learn more.
For more information, or to schedule an interview with Dianne Whelan,
please contact Charlene SanJenko, Indigenous Impact Producer at (604) 741.7985.