Kelowna documentary nominated for Canadian Screen Awards

A documentary made about an incredible group of Kelowna women as they competed at the International Adult Figure Skating championships in Germany has been nominated at the Canadian Screen Awards.

The film premiered on CBC in January 2019 and was the highest rated, most watched documentary of the year.

Filmmaker Wendy Ord says she is humbled by the nomination for Best Documentary Program.

“This honour really goes to the women in the film who put up with us following them around with cameras for months on end, and who inspired me and hundreds of thousands of people across this country to pursue their dreams."

To The Worlds follows the journey of Team Okanagan, made up of women aged 47 to 77, including local residents Maureen Barnes and Henrietta Penney. 

Barnes says she has been very impressed with how filmmakers put the project together.

"Wendy was collecting footage of us from 2016, so she had two years worth of takes and put it all together into a story that was inspirational for our team members - everyone skating for their own reasons and having something to prove.

"Skating takes a toll on our bodies. It’s not that easy - it’s quite demanding. We’re up to it, but it’s a tough sport. We’re trying to push the envelope always, we’re trying to do more and more, we’re trying to display ourselves in an artistic way… it’s challenging, but it’s also fun."

After losing her husband in February 2015, Barnes enjoyed the opportunity to get out of the house, focus on her love for skating and get back to her childhood roots. 

In Germany, Barnes won bronze and Penney won silver in their respective categories.

Penney says part of her motivation being involved was to encourage others to try something beyond their skill level, and in the process, gained a whole new respect for the filmmakers creating the documentary. 

"When you’re actually skating you’re only thinking about skating and you’re always pushing yourself to learn one more thing and you’re always in admiration of the ones that are doing it so fluently ... in this sport, you don't have to be a superstar to be a star. Everybody has their own level, and that's rewarding.

"I learned a lot of appreciation for the people who do the documentary, and the level of work required. They would get so excited about what maybe others thought were trivial things. For example the cows walking down the street was a very big event. Everybody was running out at 7 a.m. to see the cows go to pasture, and the guy with the camera is running and the guy is behind them on a bike herding the cows ... all these little things, they made them important, and I thought to myself, this is a real art to be able to do this kind of work."

The Canadian Screen Awards are scheduled for March 29, 2020. 

To watch the full documentary, click here.