Around 50 people from the region gathered inside l’Ecole secondaire Sieur de Coulonge’s (ESSC) auditorium last Friday evening, for a special screening of . . .

a documentary involving students and staff at the school.

The 30-minute documentary was shot and edited by British Columbia-based documentarian Connor Perry.

It consisted of footage accumulated throughout the school’s 2019 Ski at Parliament event, which saw 10 students, a few teachers and former Olympian Malcolme Hunter embark on a 130 km trek from Mansfield et Pontefract to Parliament Hill on cross country skis.

Scheduled at 7 p.m., attendees started filling seats around 20 minutes before to get the best view of the flick.

Before the movie started, Betrand and the man in charge of ESSC’s Ski at School program, Guillaume Lavoie-Harvey stepped on stage to thank everyone for attending and spoke about the importance of being physically active and living healthy.

“We want to adopt healthy living habits,” Lavoie-Harvey said. “It helps us in all aspects of life.”

Principal Julie Martin followed up by thanking Bertrand for his continuous efforts organizing outdoor activities that help keep students healthy and out of trouble.

Plus, Pontiac MP Will Amos congratulated the students on their accomplishment via a video capsule before pressing play.

This year, ESSC students will partake on another ski trip to Parliament Hill, this time alongside students from Pontiac High School in Shawville and Philemon Wright High School in Hull.

According to ESSC physical education and outdoor education teacher, Martin Bertrand, the screening was an opportunity for people to look back on a memorable experience and to inspire others to take on similar challenges in all avenues of life.

“It’s about illustrating what these people went through last year,” he said. “The freezing rain, the big winds, the deep cold. It’s to show that despite all those obstacles, the kids preserved. They were tough and they made it to the end.”

“I hope that the video convinces more people to dare, because if our students can accomplish this in the worst conditions, in the best conditions anyone can do it,” he added.

Having already presented it to students the week prior, Bertrand explained that the documentary wasn’t in the finishing stages of editing. He explained that the screening was an opportunity to make minor tweaks to make the production up to snuff to be presented at the Banff Film Festival and at the Ottawa Adventure Film Festival by next year.

“It’s really well-made,” he said. “We just want to take out any little things and make sure there aren’t any errors. We’re putting the Pontiac in the big media.”

Bertrand said that the movie is special for locals because it showcases the natural beauty of the Pontiac during the winter and because it realistically portrays Pontiac people’s way of walking and talking.

“It’s in frenglish,” he said. “It switches from one side to the next. All of that for me, makes the 30 minutes worth it, to be able to experience this with the kids.”

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