2023 - Looking Back on Our Achievements!

A large, graded theatre with over 100 red seats, some of which are covered in white t-shirts with the names of women and children killed by male violence.
At the June screening in Woodstock, the organizers draped chairs with t-shirts that included the names of women and children who had been killed by male violence.

Well, it’s been another very successful year for the smallest steps, with many screenings and achievements. Our whole team can be proud!

If you’re a supporter of the film in any way, know that these achievements are yours too. We couldn’t possibly reach the people we have reached, nor shared the film in the communities in which it’s been screened, without you!

Some Key Accomplishments

Our New Distributor!
Hamilton 2023 Screening
Woodstock 2023 Post-Screening Networking Session
The Activism Banner Gets More Suggestions!
Activism Actions & Commitments
Previous slide
Next slide

In 2023, with the help of a Tontine award, we were able to finalize a FRENCH version of the smallest steps, which is now available for screenings and licensing. This is a very exciting achievement for us as it’s been a priority to ensure the film is accessible to both Anglophone and Francophone audiences.

We are also very thankful that we were able to secure distribution of the smallest steps through the Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre — a not-for-profit, non-commercial media arts distributor based in Toronto! Our film is now available in English and French for screenings and licensing by educational institutions, community organizations, and more!

Know someone who might be interested in screening our film? Contact Jesse at bookings@cfmdc.org

One of our major goals has been to have the film used as an educational resource, and on that front:

  • We contacted every single acquisition librarian at every college and university across Canada and as a result, the film is being used in classes on Law, Social Sciences, Feminist Studies, and even Literature! (Shout out to Jill Bedford, who helped us research and compile this massive contact list!).
    • If you are an instructor and you would like help encouraging your institution to purchase an educational license, please contact Nicole at VAWdoc@gmail.com.
  • We applied for accreditation through the Law Society of Ontario and the film is now eligible for 1 hour and 10 minutes of EDI training!
    • Check back in the new year for information on how to access the film for your EDI credits!

Finally, in September, we were able to make our first donation to a women’s organization with proceeds from the film’s distribution. Going forward, we will continue to make quarterly donations to different women’s organizations using any proceeds accrued from the film’s distribution efforts!

Screenings & Impact Activities

A news article released by North Bay's BayToday.com with the title "Film screening aims to expand conversations on ending violence against women".
Some of the local coverage for our screening at NipissingU
A coral coloured graphic featuring a Rode brand podcast mic and advertising "Activism Experiences: An Intergenerational Conversation", which was an interview aired on 93.3 CFMU.
One of the outcomes of the Hamilton screening was an episode on intergenerational activism experiences, aired on 93.3 CFMU.
A graphic featuring the name of the conference (#IAmSahraBulle Conference), the purpose (for 16 Dyas of Activism), the date (Dec. 1 2023, 8:30am to 2pm, hybrid presentation), and an image of Nicole Bedford presenting virtually beside a large slide titled "The impact of small steps for change".
Nicole presents virtually at the #IAmSahraBulle Conference in Windsor.

We held several screenings of the smallest steps in 2023, both in-person, as well as virtually. Many of the screenings resulted in important impacts, including greater awareness of violence against women, activism actions, and funds to support anti-violence organizations!

Our 2023 screenings and impacts include:

  • Screening at the Women’s Voices Now film festival in March 2023.
  • Screening the film at Nipissing University in North Bay. Over 100 students, professors, and community members attended the screening and the event received press coverage from CBC and local news outlets.
  • Screening as part of a ‘Feminisms’ conference in Thunder Bay in April.
  • Premiering the film in Hamilton in early May. The screening resulted in the following impacts:
    • A survivor new to Hamilton learned about supports available to them in the community.
    • A volunteer from a new Hamilton-based service connected with organizations for service referral
    • A Mohawk College journalism student was inspired to write an article about a survivor she met at the screening for a school magazine. A version of her article is featured here. 
    • 93.3 CFMU was inspired to record and air an intergenerational conversation about anti-violence activism featuring Medora Uppal, CEO for YWCA Hamilton, and Samm Florin, a Masters of Social Work Student at McMaster University.
    • We raised $300.00 through the event, which was donated to the Sisters in Spirit Committee of Hamilton
  • Screening the film virtually in late May through the Women’s Network at Shared Services Canada (500+ network members) and participating in a very rich Q&A for Shared Services Canada’s Women in STEM Meetup (attended by 100+ people).
    • At the end of the Q&A, participants shared one action they would take towards ending violence against women going forward. 
  • Screening the film in front of 80+ people in Woodstock (hosted by the Oxford Domestic Abuse Resource Team in partnership with others). The screening resulted in the following impacts:
    • Funds raised for local anti-violence organizations and services.
    • A survivor feeling seen through the survivor stories in the film
    • A young family lawyer feeling excited and re-energized seeing the work of other family lawyers in the film
    • A small group of women eager to assemble a list of family lawyers in Woodstock who have experience in VAW
    • Increased motivation for activists to push harder to get intimate partner violence declared as an epidemic in Woodstock
  • Speaking about the film’s impacts at an international conference organized by the Sahra Bulle Foundation and University of Windsor in December. The conference included community representatives, university students and professors, and 30 high school students.

Our hope for 2024 is to reach even more audiences, including instructors, community organizations, students (high school & post-secondary), and legal professionals!

Help us continue to connect with more audiences. Tell others that the smallest steps is available for screenings in French and English, or better yet, organize a screening for your community today! Contact Jesse at bookings@cfmdc.org for more information, and in the meantime, Happy Holidays!