Journalism film fest fosters ‘culture of appreciation’
When it comes to the value of journalism, Mirko Petricevic can think of no better example to illustrate its benefits than the current scrutiny over the secretive land assembly happening in Wilmot Township.
As regional government attempts to grab prime agricultural property for industrial use by threatening current owners with expropriation, “The reporters are doing what they’re supposed to do,” says Petricevic, a former Record reporter/ photographer.
“They’ve gone out to people directly affected and talked to them, giving them a voice. They’ve also talked to people who aren’t directly affected, but are still concerned, asking their opinions.
“And they’re approaching elected leaders and officials. They’re doing their jobs, forcefully prodding, asking for answers and why there’s a lack of transparency.”
Petricevic founded Ink-Stained Wretches, a grassroots volunteer advocacy group dedicated to creating a “culture of appreciation” for journalism , applauds these efforts.
It’s the reason his organization exists. And why it will host the 2024 International Journalism Film Festival on April 28, featuring the short doc “Killer Water: The Toxic Legacy of Canada’s Oilsands Industry for Indigenous Communities,” followed by a media panel with CBC news editor Brodie Fenlon, The Trust Project’s Sally Lehrman and Western University media studies prof Tim Blackmore.
“It checks a couple of boxes,” says Petricevic, noting the film’s tie in with World Press Freedom Day on May 3 and its thematic focus, “A Press For The Planet: Journalism in the face of the Environmental Crisis.”
“Surprisingly, there’s not a lot of films I found that have the angle of journalism and the environment.”
This one — about the environmental crisis plaguing the Alberta oilsands — was made by awardwinning Indigenous journalist Brandi Morin, who was arrested by police while covering the eviction of an encampment of people experiencing homelessness in Edmonton because she refused to budge when ordered by police.
“She wasn’t interfering,” explains Petricevic. “But it took about two months before charges were dropped. A lot of journalism advocacy groups came out and collectively spoke against her arrest and intimidation of the press as a whole.”
In an era where misinformation, disinformation and social media algorithms challenge verifiable facts and figures, this kind of support for principled media advocacy is critical. “Democracy isn’t a spectator sport,” says Petricevic, whose festival added the word “International” to its title this year to acknowledge a partnership with an Australian university that will screen the banned-in-China doc “Under The Dome,” about the consequences of air pollution in China.
“We all have a role in it. It’s not enough to just come to the polls and vote every four years.”
People need to celebrate local journalism, he says, by subscribing to newspapers and taking out ads to build on what’s here already.
Even in Waterloo region, with its intensive coverage of Wilmot’s controversial land grab, Petricevic wonders how things might be different if the industry was still flush with cash.
“Even though we still have local news media, the capacity is not there the way it used to be,” he says, noting there are still many unanswered questions.
“You guys are doing as well as you can under the circumstances, but if we had newsrooms that were more robust, back in the better days for news funding, maybe they would have got some answers earlier.”
“Killer Water: The Toxic Legacy of Canada’s oilsands Industry for Indigenous Communities” screens 1 p.m. on April 28 at the Princess Twin Cinemas, 46 King Street in Waterloo, followed by a panel discussion. Tickets $20 at ink-stainedwretches.org and princesscinemas.com.
‘‘ Surprisingly, there’s not a lot of films I found that have the angle of journalism and the environment.