COW HEAD, N.L. — The world premiere of “17 Men – The Documentary” by filmmakers Peter Buckle and John McKinnon of PB Productions will take place on Memorial Day, July 1, at the Warehouse Theatre in Cow Head.
The documentary, commissioned and co-produced by Theatre Newfoundland Labrador, takes a behind the scenes look at the making of the play “17 Men.”
The play, written by TNL’s artistic director Jeff Pitcher, tells the stories of 17 Northern Peninsula men who served in the First World War.
TNL and the community of Cow Head have been commemorating the lives of the men who fought with special July 1 activities for nearly 20 years.
The documentary includes interviews with descendants of the men, footage of Cow Head’s annual Memorial Day services at St. Mary’s Anglican Church, a wreath laying at the Cow Head War Memorial and footage of the grave sites and hometowns of some of the 17 men.
Included are interviews with Pitcher, residents Nora Shears, Adrian Payne, Luke Payne, Sandra and Frank Hewlin, playwright Robert Chafe and the various actors and artists who have worked on the play over the years.
“It was very special creating the play through local research and now I’m just amazed and thrilled that PB Productions captured the whole process on film,” said Pitcher in a press release.
Buckle said it was an honour to work on such an important story.
“We were able to visit and film in the communities where these men came from and meet family members of these men,” he said. “It’s an amazing story and we’re proud to be attached to it as filmmakers.”
The premiere will be a part of a full day of Memorial Day commemorations, starting with a 10 a.m. service at St. Mary’s Church, parade to the war memorial and the laying of wreaths.
The 45-minute documentary will be shown at 2 p.m. and at 7 p.m. TNL will present the play “17 Men.”
