10 great films from the last decade that you may not have seen

Westray

- Paul Cowan,
- 2001,
- 79 min 37 s

- 7,906 views
- 62 Like
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Synopsis
Point Of View
Education

In this feature documentary, filmmaker Paul Cowan offers an innovative, moving account of the Westray coal mine disaster that killed 26 men in Nova Scotia on May 9, 1992. The film focuses on the lives of three widows and three miners lucky enough not to be underground that day when the methane and coal dust ignited. But their lives were torn apart by the events. Meet some of the working men, who felt they had no option but to stay on at Westray. And wives, who heard the rumours, saw their men sometimes bloodied from accidents and stood by them, hoping it would all turn out all right. This is a film about working people everywhere whose lives are often entrusted to companies that violate the most fundamental rules of safety and decency in the name of profit.

Albert Ohayon

How do you tell the story of a national tragedy without focusing on the gory details or becoming sensationalistic? Easy – focus on the people. This has always been Paul Cowan’s biggest strength. He presents real people to us, warts and all, allowing us to empathize with them and appreciate what they have lived through. The tragedy of this coal mine disaster was presented to us on the news at the time in short, digestible bites. We learned almost nothing about the people who lived it, but in Westray we are told a compelling, fascinating story through their eyes. Cowan is not afraid of using re-enactments if this helps advance the story, but his films remain documentaries, and the real people get a chance to tell their side of things. What I love about Westray is just how honest these stories are. The suffering, the guilt and the anger are real. These are not perfect people, but guess what folks? Neither are we.

From the playlist : 10 great films from the last decade that you may not have seen

Grade 8 - 12

Geography / Territory: Regional

Civics/Citizenship / Federal/Provincial Government

Social Studies / Labour Studies

Educational purpose:

Have a class debate about how fair/unfair it was to hire men without mining experience, including the perspective of the executives from Westray. Write a journal from the perspective of a miner's wife after watching the film and include some of the emotions and events that she would have gone through supporting her husband. This film contains coarse language.

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Comments

Westray

dmmackay

“This film Westray is a required assignment to watch for N.S.C.C. Academic English. I find it distrubing in watching the film in of Westray. It's distrubing to me so many people had accidents and injuries, and some even lost their lives. As this assignment deals with the Worker's Compensation Board, I am curious to do some research on this particular incident and and if there are any workers, or worker's families form Westray that had suffered personal injuries or Death that had filed claims with the W.C.B., and if they had filed a claim with the Worker's Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, what were their experiences. Was the W.C.B. of N.S. helpful? I sincerely with you all the best.”

15 Nov 2011
Westray

dmmackay

“As one of the requirement for N.S.C.C. it to watch this film; I am wondering about all the people who's lives were affected with this tragidy. In particular I am wondering who was injured as a result of their work, and if any had gone to the Worker's Compensation Board of Nova Scotia; and what help did they get? dmmackay@hotmail.com”

9 Nov 2011