We are excited to talk to broadcast presenter, columnist, host, speaker, and now actor, Jennie Bovard. She stars in and is an associate producer for the scripted comedy series Pretty Blind on AMI. She is also the creator & host of the Low Vision Moments podcast, where she discusses her experiences with albinism and low vision.

On today’s episode, we talk about how Jennie developed the show based on the experiences she shared on her podcast. We also discuss albinism and low vision and what Jennie would love to see represented more on film and television – obviously, our favorite subject!

TRANSCRIPT:  https://braaainspodcast.com/s/Braaains-Podcast-Transcript-Episode-075_-Navigating-Low-Vision-and-Albinism-on-Pretty-Blind.pdf

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Today's conversation is with Laura McKenzie about how she reframed her life after experiencing Transverse myelitis, which led to her spontaneous paralysis on New Year's Day in 2023.

Laura is a stay-at-home mom who raises her kids, loves her dogs, and is a good partner, all while being in a wheelchair and having to relearn everything she previously knew how to do. She has become immersed in the once-foreign world of disability, and she has now found herself an advocate for it. 

She recently wrote a children’s book titled 'Mommy Grew A Wheelchair,' which features images of Laura (before and after her paralysis), her two kids, and the family’s two big, shaggy dogs. It's currently available on Etsy or Ko-Fi.

READ TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://braaainspodcast.com/s/Braaains-Podcast-Episode-074-Transcript-Reframing-Life-After-an-Acquired-Disability.pdf

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Our guest, Wax Taber, is a multi-award-winning documentary editor who worked on the PBS series, THE CLASS. This docuseries was set amid the turmoil of a pandemic year and follows six students from Deer Valley High School as they pursue their dreams of higher education, with their adviser, Mr. Cam, helping them overcome the challenges they face.

We talk about the importance of mentors as seen in this series and the impact this support can have on your mental health. We also talk about the importance of mentors in Wax’s life as she navigated: homelessness as a teen in New York to being a part of the EOP program, which allowed her to have financial and emotional support to attend SUNY Fredonia and finally, to becoming an award-winning editor who maintains life-long bonds with the mentors who helped her make it all possible. 

READ TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://braaainspodcast.com/s/Braaains-Podcast-EP073-Transcript_-PBSs-The-Class-and-the-Importance-of-Mentorship.pdf

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Our co-host, Heather had the pleasure of interviewing sociologist and artist Alessandra Seggi about her latest book Youth and Suicide in American Cinema: Context, Causes, and Consequences. Alessandra is a Fulbright grantee with a PhD in Sociology and MA in Media Studies and the analysis in her book is both a personal and professional reflection on suicide in film.

Youth and suicide in American Cinema is about the portrayal of suicide in youth films covering both studio-driven and independent cinema from 1900 to 2018. It aims to understand such portrayals by offering a proactive approach via a media literacy strategy for engaged audiences in order for them to interpret these portrayals. Ultimately, via their thorough analysis, films become the much-needed buffer that allows people to gain enough distance from suicide and suicidal behavior to actually talk about it, and via this interview, Alessandra gives guidance to filmmakers on how to better portray this often stigmatized topic. 

Content Warning: This episode deals with death, suicide, suicidal behaviors, and their portrayals

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT: https://braaainspodcast.com/s/Braaains-EP072-Transcript-Youth-and-Suicide-in-American-Cinema-with-Alessandra-Seggi.pdf

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Today we delve into the importance of public and free third places and how they impact your mental health. We had the pleasure of talking with filmmaker, Ali Weinstein about her first observational documentary, Your Tomorrow, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024. 

The film is about the last year in the life of Ontario Place which became a defacto public park 10 years ago after living many lives as an educational and entertainment destination. Ontario Place was a third place that acted as a refuge to a lot of Torontonians until the government decided to turn the main part of the space into a private spa and despite public process, construction began in October of 2024, a month after Ali’s documentary premiered. 

For those of you who haven’t heard of third places before, it’s a sociological term that refers to the social surroundings that are separate from the two usual social environments of home ("first place") and the workplace ("second place"). Third places are "anchors" of community life and facilitate and foster broader, more creative interaction. They are spaces like churches, cafes, libraries, gyms, bookstores, gaming spaces, parks, and theatres, where people can gather, relax, and engage in meaningful interactions, which can positively impact mental health by fostering a sense of community and belonging. Third places are where we can both affirm our own identities and build empathy for identities different from our own. 

In Ray Oldenburg and Karen Christensen’s 1989 book The Great Good Place, Oldenburg argues that third places are important for democracy, civic engagement, and a sense of place. In the 2023 edition, Christensen argues that third places are also the answer to loneliness, political polarization, and climate resilience. 

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://braaainspodcast.com/s/Braaains-Podcast-Transcript-EP071-Ontario-Place-and-the-Importance-of-Third-Places.pdf

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Welcome back to another season of Braaains. We’re so excited to start the season with a fantastic interview with filmmakers, Thea Loo and Jeremiah Reyes, about Thea’s latest documentary, INAY

With the desire to help answer unresolved questions and heal lingering wounds, INAY (MAMA) investigates the flawed immigration pathways between the Philippines and Canada that kept so many Filipino children from their mothers. Inay, which means “mama” in Tagalog, is an intimate and personal look at the experiences and trauma endured by many Filipino Canadians.

In the film, Thea and her husband Jeremiah, who is also the film's Director of Photography, explore the intersections of mental health and migrant labour and the effects that continue to be felt years later. Through intimate conversations, this self-reflexive documentary aims to bridge the silences and disconnect between the first and second generations of the Filipino community. Today’s conversation is about their experiences making this intimate film and the impact it had on how they view mental health today.

READ TRANSCRIPT: https://braaainspodcast.com/s/BRAAAINS-PODCAST-Transcript-Ep-070_-How-Family-Separation-via-Migrant-Labour-Work-Impacts-Mental-Hea.pdf

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Today’s our last episode before our Christmas break. Sad, I know, but we have such a great guest: Sadie Dingfelder. She wrote the most excellent book “Do I Know You? A Faceblind Reporter’s Journey into the Science of Sight, Memory, and Imagination.” Our conversation not only delved into face blindness (prosopagnosia) but also covered neurodivergence, aphantasia, and the importance of effective science communication. 

We also discussed films and literature centered around Face Blindness: the new NBC series Brillant Minds starring Zachary Quinto, KDramas like Rich Man, Poor Woman, 100 Days My Prince, and The Beauty Inside, and the book Hello Stranger. Not only did Sadie consult on the book, but the author Katherine Center named the lead character after her!

READ THE TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://braaainspodcast.com/s/Braaains-Podcast-EP069-Transcript-Brilliant-Minds-and-the-Realities-of-Face-Blindness.pdf

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Sarah had the pleasure of interviewing Amber Sealey, director of the newly released Disney+ film OUT OF MY MIND, alongside the movie's star, Phoebe-Rae Taylor.

Out of My Mind is based on the best-selling novel of the same name and tells the story of Melody Brooks, a sixth grader with cerebral palsy, who has a quick wit and a sharp mind, but because she is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair, she is not given the same opportunities as her classmates. When a young educator notices her student’s untapped potential and Melody starts to participate in mainstream education, Melody shows that what she has to say is more important than how she says it.

This film is a compelling story about acceptance, love, friendship, and joy and it doesn’t shy away from the challenges that come when people judge you by your disability. It’s a great testament to the importance of inclusivity and giving everyone a chance to be heard. 

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://braaainspodcast.com/s/Braaains-Podcast-EP068-Transcript_-Disneys-Out-of-My-Mind-and-the-Importance-of-Being-Heard.pdf

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We're doing something a little different today. When we were at TIFF, we had the opportunity to go to the perspectives panel -- Building Inclusive Futures: The Means of Accessibility.

The panel was a discussion on accessibility and redefining perceptions of disability within the industry and beyond. The panel included Kyla Harris (chair of We Crip Film for the BFI and producer of Patrice: The Film), Viktor Korotovskyi (freelance photojournalist and the subject of Olivier Sarbil's documentary Viktor), Sean Towgood (Toronto-based writer, actor and creator of You’re My Hero), Aria Mia Loberti (an American actress, writer, human rights advocate, Fulbright Scholar, and star of All the Light We Cannot See), and Olivier Sarbil (French documentary filmmaker and cinematographer of Viktor). It was moderated by Rayhan Azmat, a senior finance executive in Media and Entertainment, a disability advocate, and an accomplished keynote speaker.

The conversation explores challenges, awareness, and opportunities for people living with disabilities, aiming to further inclusivity and broaden the narrative of accessibility.

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://braaainspodcast.com/s/Braaains-Podcast-Transcript-EP067-TIFF-Special_-Building-Inclusive-Futures.pdf

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Today our special guests are writer/ director Bernard Gray and actor Dwain Murphy. We discussed Men's Mental Health within the Black Community and how they explored this topic in the film, The Other Stuff, which recently premiered at the Reelworld Festival in Toronto. The film offers an honest exploration of how Black men, especially those from environments of crime, straddle the paths of good and evil as they attempt to transition into healthier, more fulfilling lives.

The film follows Winston played by Dwain Murphy (CROSS, DIGGSTOWN), and Shannon played by Golden Madison (CROSS, LAW & ORDER TORONTO: CRIMINAL INTENT) who embark on a journey of self-discovery through couples therapy before preparing to start a family. However, their journey takes an unexpected and intense turn when Winston’s suppressed childhood trauma surfaces. Under immense emotional strain, Winston confronts his uncle—the source of his abuse—in an effort to find healing and closure. The film highlights the critical role of therapy in helping men face their pain and work through the deep emotional scars that often remain buried. Content warning: we talk about homophobia and physical and sexual abuse in this episode.

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://braaainspodcast.com/s/Braaains-podcast-transcript_-EP066-Mens-Mental-Health-within-the-Black-Community.pdf

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