Some origins of 'the smallest steps' - Interviews with the OBA

In anticipation of the upcoming December 5, 2024, OBA Program “Taking Action Against Gender-Based Violence: the smallest steps – Film Screening and Panel Discussion,” members of the Ontario Bar Association sat down with co-producer and subject matter expert, Leighann Burns, and co-producer and director, Nicole Bedford to discuss “the smallest steps” film.

Excerpt from An Interview with Violence against Women Advocate and Film Producer Leighann Burns

Posted in the OBA Newsletter November 29, 2024; Written by Alexandra (Allie) Cuperfain

What was the catalyst for making the movie?

After decades of working in the field of violence against women, I was becoming aware that there were colleagues and allies who had spent decades working in this field and were about to retire. I was concerned that they would take their valuable knowledge with them when they retired, and it would be lost to future generations of activists. Therefore, I started interviewing people in this field to create a recording of this information. My original goal was to create a resource for people to access, with no intention of making a documentary. However, once I met my co-producer and director Nicole Bedford, she suggested that we turn my archival footage into a documentary. With her expertise as a filmmaker, we filmed additional participants and turned it into a finished film.

What is your call to action for lawyers?

There is a knowledge deficit in the profession. You do not need to be an expert on violence against women to improve the situation for survivors of violence, but lawyers do have crucial roles to play. Start by getting well informed. Many resources were developed around recent changes to the Divorce Act, RSC 1985, c 3 (2nd Supp.), which now requires accounting for family violence, particularly with respect to parenting arrangements. There is practical guidance available for people to access and use. Listen to women when they tell you about their experiences.

Read the full interview on the OBA website.

Excerpt from An Interview with the Director of the smallest steps

Posted in the OBA Newsletter November 29, 2024; Written by Ashley Seely

On the eve of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, the smallest steps, a compelling documentary by Nicole Bedford, will be screened in Toronto on 5 December 2024. Hosted by the Ontario Bar Association, this event invites audiences to confront the harsh realities of gender-based violence while exploring the transformative potential of collective action. Following the screening, a panel featuring legal experts and activists will delve into the film’s themes, offering a nuanced discussion on the intersection of gender-based violence and the legal system.

At its core, the smallest steps is about ordinary people working towards extraordinary change. Bedford didn’t set out to make a documentary about activism. She was managing a research project at Carleton University, a component of which included community partner Leighann Burns’ project to collect the stories of veteran activists who were retiring. Bedford explains that she volunteered to film an interview with a veteran activist when, “Leighann made a comment about how she wished she could turn all this content into a documentary and I thought ‘Hey, I’m a budding filmmaker, maybe I could help with this!’”

The result is a film that blends the personal and the political. It follows four women: two law students, Victoria and Jade, and two survivors, Sheri and Ashley, as they navigate their first steps into activism. Their experiences are juxtaposed with the voices of veteran activists who have spent decades fighting for systemic change. Through these interwoven narratives, the film explores the complex realities of advocacy work—the small triumphs, the overwhelming setbacks, and the unyielding hope that drives the movement forward.

Read the full interview on the OBA website.

PROGRAM DETAILS
Date: Thursday, December 5, 2024
Time: 4:00 pm Program Commences
7:30 pm Program Concludes
Location: ONLINE & at the OBA Conference Centre
20 Toronto Street, 2nd Floor | Toronto, ON | M5C 2B8

CPD hours:

  • 1h 15m of EDI content
  • 30m of Professionalism content
  • 45m of Substantive content

Register today at: https://www.cbapd.org/details_en.aspx?id=ON_ON24WLF03T

PROGRAM CHAIRS
Kathy Batycky, Stoner & Company Family Law Associates
Emma Katz, Kelly D. Jordan Family Law Firm

PROGRAM SPEAKERS
The Honourable Loretta Merritt, Superior Court of Justice
Sheri, Protagonist from the smallest steps
Deepa Mattoo, Executive Director, Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
Kelly Jordan, Kelly D. Jordan Family Law Firm

Funders of the smallest steps

We would like to gratefully acknowledge the funders behind the smallest steps film, including: Our stalwart Indiegogo supporters and private donors, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Ottawa, the University of Ottawa’s Shirley Greenberg Chair for Women in the Legal ProfessionRebel.com’s ChangeMaker Program, and Sarjesa Inc.