Students from St. John Fisher Catholic School joined peers from Hillside, Kinnwood, and Bosanquet Elementary Schools for an inspiring day of learning at the historic Kineto Theatre in Forest.

Led by Leigh George, filmmaker and founder of Kettle Point Productions, the workshop introduced students to the process of creating a short film. George broke down the elements of storytelling, production, and editing, while encouraging students to embrace creativity and perseverance.

“Stories start with a single idea,” George told the students. “Filmmaking is creative problem solving—and I believe in the power of ‘I think I can!’”

George and Christina Clark also screened a short film created earlier this year in collaboration with students from St. John Fisher, Hillside, and Kinnwood. The visit gave students a chance to reflect on their own storytelling voices and, following the session, many were inspired to submit original short films for a student competition.

Participants also had the opportunity to preview a new local artist short film series currently in production and view the latest music video from Brothers Wilde—a band from Kettle and Stony Point First Nation. The video, filmed in Forest and on the First Nation, provided students with a behind-the-scenes look at the creative and technical process behind music video production.

“This was more than just a day at the movies—it was an opportunity for students to see themselves as creators and changemakers,” said Cortnee Goure, Indigenous Education Lead for St. Clair Catholic. “Experiences like this empower students to express themselves through story and art while learning from Indigenous voices in the community.”

The visit to the Kineto Theatre wrapped up with an invitation for students and schools to return for the theatre’s upcoming film festival—an opportunity to celebrate the stories they helped bring to life and to see the power of community storytelling on the big screen.