Last December, I felt quite the food nerd for making reservations, five months in advance, for a restaurant 600 km away. The first weekend in May, I went up to Montreal for my reservation at Cabane a Sucre au Pied de Cochon.

About a 50 minute drive from the city, the restaurant is [...]]]>

Last December, I felt quite the food nerd for making reservations, five months in advance, for a restaurant 600 km away. The first weekend in May, I went up to Montreal for my reservation at Cabane a Sucre au Pied de Cochon.

About a 50 minute drive from the city, the restaurant is a quaint wooden cabin dedicated to celebrating maple syrup.

The prix fixe menu consists of 5 appetizers, 3 mains and dessert. If that sounds like a lot, think even bigger. Martin Picard, of Au Pied de Cochon fame, is not a man known for restraint. After my dining companion and I were seated at the bar, the waitress explained how the meal would proceed and offered us the option of adding a half or full tourtiere. When asked if that wouldn’t be too much food, she flashed a smile and noted that either way we would be taking food home. We ordered maple daiquiris and said yes to half a tourtiere.

The first dishes arrived. There was a terrine served with sweet buckwheat pancakes and a fennel salad. Picard’s take on sushi were little squares of sturgeon, avocado, rice and nori topped with oreilles de crisse and gold leaf. Decadent? Yes. Delicious? Absolutely. My favourite of the first trio was pickled herring on a bed of thinly sliced potato served with maple mayonnaise and pickled onions. A surprising — and surprisingly delicate — dish, the flavours were perfectly balanced. I could eat another plate and another and another…

The next plate to arrive wasn’t even a plate, but rather a small cast-iron sauce pan, brimming full of lobster soufflé topped with a heaping pile of maple smoked meat. The generous portion of lobster was sweet, and the smoked meat piquant and tender.

When the tourtiere arrived, we looked at it and gulped. Half of a 10- or possibly 12-inch pie is a lot of pie for 2 people. A tangy homemade ketchup was a bright accompaniment for the moist, smoky pork shoulder meat.

The beautifully presented vol-au-vent was an exercise in decadence or excess depending on who you ask. The puff pastry was filled with a whole foie gras in béchamel sauce topped with apples, watercress and more oreilles de crisse. At about the two-third mark, my dining companion put up a white flag but I couldn’t get enough. Rich and creamy, it was a mix of savoury and sweet. It was a major highlight in an already delicious meal.

As we sat there in a food-induced delirium, we lost count of the number plates and wondered aloud if we had already moved on to the mains. Overhearing us, our server winked and said no, not yet. The three mains arrived together. A delicately smoky, maple-glazed pork loin was served with dumplings, cole slaw (yes, vegetables!) and maple mustard. A bowl of feves au lard concealed duck confit. The third dish was half a duck glazed in maple-soya sauce served with onion rings. The meat fell off the bone and just melted in the mouth.

Finally, dessert! It seemed like every imaginable maple-based dessert was on the platter. There was maple-vanilla ice cream with chocolate-covered maple toffee, maple marshmallow, maple meringue, maple cotton candy, a maple éclair, duck fat pancakes with maple syrup and a maple-glazed cinnamon bun. But my favourite dessert item was tire d’erable, the first maple syrup of the season chilled down to a soft and chewy maple taffy. It showed that simple is best and helped me understand why Picard was inspired to create a complete menu based on maple syrup.

Cabane à sucre Au Pied de Cochon
11382 Rang de la Fresnière
St-Benoît de Mirabel, Québec
http://cabaneasucreaupieddecochon.com

One of the city's most popular festivals, Afrofest, has a new home this year. The festival moves eastward from Queen's Park to Woodbine Park.

A.O.C.   D.O.C., D.O.P., D.V.A., V.Q.A. The regulations behind these three-letter guarantees differ but they all essentially come down to the simple concept that place matters when it comes to food and wine. That's at the heart of Somewhereness— a wine tasting event started by a handful of small- to mid-sized Ontario wineries [...]]]>

A.O.C.   D.O.C., D.O.P., D.V.A., V.Q.A. The regulations behind these three-letter guarantees differ but they all essentially come down to the simple concept that place matters when it comes to food and wine. That's at the heart of Somewhereness— a wine tasting event started by a handful of small- to mid-sized Ontario wineries with a focus on producing wines that evoke the special sense of place that can't be duplicated. The tasting allows likeminded producers Cave Spring, Charles Baker, Flat Rock, Hidden Bench, Malivoire, Norman Hardie, Southbrook, Stratus, Tawse and 13th Street to pour some of the special wines in their line-up and talk about them in a more intimate setting than most wine shows.

At last year's Somewhereness we tried to succulently sum-up what makes Ontario wines taste unique. It's very nuanced and hard to pin down, but for the Somewhereness group it essentially comes down to dirt and climate. When the ancient glacier melted it blessed Southern Ontario with a breadth of mineral-rich soils with an affinity for growing grapes. Tying into that is the moderating influence of Lake Ontario and the cool climate it provides. This combination of the soil and climate is what comes together and makes Ontario wine taste distinctive in a world of great wine.

The concept of a sense of place isn't just limited to the world of wine. It's a belief behind some of the world's most sought after foods like Bélon Flats, Alba white truffles or Rochefort blue cheese. Along those lines Somewhereness invited local artisan cheese producers: Best BAA Dairy, Glengarry, Monforte, and Upper Canada to sample some of their best alongside the wines.

Somewhereness features a consumer tasting event every couple of years and did so last year. This year's edition focused on trade and media, but that doesn't mean consumers won't get a chance to taste these wines. Many are or will soon be available at the wineries and in some cases LCBO's Vintages. Below are some of our favourite picks at the tasting and little insight about what made them stand out.

Michael Di Caro

13th Street Sandstone Old Vines Gamay Noir 2010
$29.95 Available at the winery
Whether it's Prince Edward County, Niagara's Escarpment or Niagara-on-the-Lake appellations Gamay Noir is a star grape each vintage no matter what mother nature brings. Having a grape which performs consistently like that is a great help when you're trying to establish that sense of place in a relatively young wine region like Southern Ontario. 13th Street is one of the wineries that has long believed in Niagara Gamay Noir. The vines of  the Sandstone Vineyard that produced this wine are nearing their 30th birthday and are amongst the oldest in the region. Layered with aromas of cherry, violets, strawberry and cassis, this Gamay draws you into the glass. Sitting under that lush red and black fruit is a savoury undercurrent of anise, cedar and black olive that leads gracefully to a peppery cherry and strawberry finish. Gentle punch downs, time on the lees and a mix of mostly older and new French barrels add to the wine's texture and a medium plus tannin structure. Even in the warm 2010 vintage winemaker Jean Pierre Colas and his vineyard team managed to retain that signature Niagara acidity that keeps things lively.

Southbrook Whimsy! “Who are you Calling Petit?” Petit Verdot 2010
$34.95 Available at the winery
Petit Verdot along with Malbec and Carménère are the three other Bordeaux grapes that fell out of favour in France and were essentially replaced with more of the consistent-ripening and easier to grow Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Even when these grapes were more widely used there, it was often in smaller quantities to add tannin, colour and round out flavours in the blend. Over the past couple of decades Malbec and Carménère have found great success in Argentina and Chile, respectively. So now these so-called blending grapes are beginning to get another look by producers looking for something a little different.

In the flatter sunshine-blessed Niagara sub-appellations of Four Mile Creek and neighbouring Niagara Lakeshore some wineries have begun to experiment with single varietal Petit Verdots. Given that it often ripens after Cabernet, a grape Ontario can struggle with in cooler years, it's a bit of gamble. But if the warmer weather of recent years continues it may pay off for those who dared to think a little differently.

Organic and Biodynamic certified Southbrook, which specialises in Cabernet-based blends and Chardonnay, planted less than an acre of Petit Verdot in 2007 and produced its first wine from those vines in the warm 2010 vintage. Unlike its cheeky name this very intriguing red gently entices you to take a sip with aromas of  lilacs and black fruit. On the palate it's not quite so coy, surprising with deep concentrated flavours of ripe black currant, black raspberry and plum that carry through to the finish with a hint of leather. With medium plus tannins, acidity to match and the characteristic fuller-body fuzziness, this wine has all the ingredients to reward those patient enough to hide it in the cellar for a few years. With a total of 48 cases made, it will be going out to wine club members and licensees first. It will likely never make it to the shelves of the retail shop so if you're interested act fast.

Cave Spring Dolomite Pinot Noir 2009
$21.95 Available at the winery
We've documented the local love affair with Pinot Noir, the alluring enfant terrible of the vineyard. Although it's a cool climate grape and can produce sublime results in the right conditions, its sensitivity means it won't be that consistent star performer every year. But it is a grape that transparently reflects its sense of place and the vintage very well, which is an idea at the core of Somewhereness. Luckily 2009 was a great year for growing local Pinot Noir and Cave Springs has many years of experience growing and making it. This essentially all-Bench Pinot has the classic Niagara flavours and aromas of cranberry and sour cherry. With a bit of time in the glass, nuances of rose petals, berries and cinnamon begin to reveal themselves and support that cranberry and cherry core which last through to the finish. Bright acidity, and supple, but strong tannins provide great tension and a strong spine for this wine to evolve and develop.

Glengarry Fine Cheese Celtic Blue
Available direct or locally at specialty cheese mongers like Cheese Boutique.
South Glengarry township is a place you've probably passed by more than a few times without notice on a Montreal road trip. Sitting on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River near the Quebec-Ontario border this beautiful part of Eastern Ontario has been quietly producing some of the province's best cheese at Glengarry Fine Cheese. Their cheese starts at the Peters' family farm where the hay and grass that feeds the Holstein herd is grown. The fresh milk is then taken across the road to the cheese factory where Margaret Peter-Morris and her team turn it into a variety of exceptional cheeses. One of those is Celtic Blue, a not too pungent blue that came via happy accident. Peter-Morris was trying to make a Gouda-style cheese for the first time in 1994 when it morphed into a blue. The cheese has a creamy, slightly nutty and buttery flavour with nice alfa and hay notes courtesy of the Holstein milk. Those flavours are balanced by a moderate and unmistakable blue tang and a slight earthy bitterness from its washed rind.

David Ort

Stratus Tollgate White 2008
Price: $26 at the winery, not at the LCBO but featured widely on wine lists.
There are a number of very good reasons why your first scan of a wine list should be for this label from Stratus, arguably Niagara’s king of blending. Here are two. The Tollgate White is a fairly unusual blend that balances the toasted, smoky elements of Chardonnay with the vibrant tropical fruit of Sauvignon Blanc. With a licensee price (what the restaurant pays per bottle) of $16.67 you should expect to see it on the list at a manageable price.

Flat Rock Nadja’s Vineyard Riesling 2010
Price: $19.95 at the LCBO (578625)
Flat Rock grows the grapes for their mid-range Riesling on the small plot that is the furthest south, and highest elevation point in their vineyard. This translates in the glass into a dry Riesling with moderate minerality and subtle stone fruit flavours balanced by smooth lemon acidity and carried to an impressive length. At $20 it fits nicely into the special-occasion-but-drink-now category.

Tawse Growers Blend Cabernet Franc 2009
Price: $26.95 at the LCBO (284570)
In the continuing debate of which grape varieties can (or should) be grown in Ontario, Cab Franc follows Pinot Noir onto the “yes” side of just about everyone’s list. Tawse’s winemaker, Paul Pender, has strong opinions in this debate and I’m glad he joins the yeses to make this typical example of a Niagara Cab Franc. The wine’s nose and palate are tied together by dark cherry and mineral notes. Even with a bit of cellaring it will retain the tannins to make it an ideal food wine.

Upper Canada Cheese Company's Comfort Cream
Available direct or locally at specialty cheese mongers like Cheese Boutique.
All of the milk produced by the Comfort family’s Guernsey herd in Jordan, ON goes to make Upper Canada Cheese. To honour this connection, Upper Canada named their camembert-style cheese Comfort Cream. This complexly flavoured, buttery cheese goes equally well served at room temperature with crusty bread as it does as a hot, baked appetiser.

Do you think you will be traveling the world, competing in an athletic competition at a world class level when you are over 80 years old? In this film we get to meet 8 individuals who have accomplished just that. 

These 8 athletes, ranging in age from 81 to 100, travel to China [...]]]>

Do you think you will be traveling the world, competing in an athletic competition at a world class level when you are over 80 years old? In this film we get to meet 8 individuals who have accomplished just that. 

These 8 athletes, ranging in age from 81 to 100, travel to China where the World Senior Table Tennis Championships are being held to win it all, but that is the final step in their journey as they train and battle to overcome the obstacles put in their way. Right from the onset you can see that the competitive spirit does not dull with age.

Each of the competitors has their own stories and each is given a share of the screen time to tell an abridged version of it. They all have their stories of triumph and loss as any person of that age would, yet you find inspiration that later into life they are still searching to collect new ones. Some have used Ping Pong as a form of therapy to get over both physical and mental ailments, while others are just looking to keep active. Yet what they all have in common is that ping pong has  given them something to work at, to pride themselves in,  and to look forward to.

Stories involving the elderly in any context tend to feel very personal, as you become attached so quickly to the subjects on the screen. This film is no different.   You feel for each of the athletes as they struggle, worry when they fall ill and celebrate their triumphs when they succeed. It is hard while watching a film like this not to think of your own mortality and those of your loved ones. Inspiration is found in the hope that you can live life as vibrantly and as fearlessly as these folks and accomplish as much.

Ping Pong
Directed and Produced by: Hugh & Anson Hartford
http://www.hotdocs.ca//film/title/ping_pong

Ashrita Furman holds the world record for setting world records; at this moment, he holds nearly 400 of them, from the bizarre to the  "he must be crazy".

When you hear of a person like this you instinctively know that there is much more to the story than what sits on the [...]]]>

Ashrita Furman holds the world record for setting world records; at this moment, he holds nearly 400 of them, from the bizarre to the  "he must be crazy".

When you hear of a person like this you instinctively know that there is much more to the story than what sits on the surface, and in this case you would not be wrong.

Ashrita was raised in an upper middle class family. At an early age his parents noticed that their son was extremely gifted academically, and from that point forward, expected very big things from their son.  Of course, they were more of the "we expect you to go to Harvard and become a lawyer" variety than setting the world record for doing the most jumping jacks.  Ashrita decided to follow a different path from what his parent's expected, and he turned instead to a life dedicated to eastern spirituality. His Guru turned out to be a fan of feats of athletic prowess, so Ashrita decided he would set a world record to impress the Guru.  And he has never looked back. 

There is always something inspirational about watching someone who is so singularly minded, because they accomplish things no person with a variety of interests and responsibilities ever could. Not all of his feats turn into world records – his attempts are not always planned ahead, nor are they always practical. Rather, he is imparting a life lesson:  don't let the real world get in the way of what you want to accomplish with your life.

The Record Breaker
Directed by: Brian McGinn
Produced by: Mette Heide
http://www.hotdocs.ca//film/title/record_breaker

There are many stories from the recent economic collapse of families tragically losing everything they had worked so hard for. But then there is the story of the Seigel family: David Seigel is a billionaire and the head of the largest time share empire in the world, and his wife Jackie a former Mrs. [...]]]>

There are many stories from the recent economic collapse of families tragically losing everything they had worked so hard for. But then there is the story of the Seigel family: David Seigel is a billionaire and the head of the largest time share empire in the world, and his wife Jackie a former Mrs. Florida and their eight children.

They also lost a lot in the recent economic crisis but it is hard to feel sorry for them. Just before the collapse the Seigel family was building the largest private home in America at 90,000 square feet. After the collapse of not only the economy but also David’s business, the house (only half finished) went on the market for 75 million dollars and the Seigels went on a "budget".

There is a lot of comedy to be found in this situation as the family must cook their own meals, raise their own children and even shop at Walmart. Yet through all this Jackie Seigel is sort of an inspiration. While her husband buried in work to save his business, she must soldier on with that cosmetically enhanced smile on her face trying to keep up appearances all the while learning some harsh lessons on real world economics. It is easy to laugh at the rich now dealing with a reality most people have lived their whole lives with, but the filmmaker Lauren Greenfield treats the family with respect and doesn’t set out to embarrass them.

The film manages to distill down everything that was happening to the country and most of the world into the lives of this one family. Easy access to money and credit was the folly of the rich and poor alike as David explains how even though he had the money to pay cash for nearly everything, it made more sense to mortgage their property and reinvest the cash into the business.   A business that was also based on easy access to credit through the banks, allowing middle class America to buy a time share and get a taste of the life the Seigel family exemplified.

The Queen of Versailles
Directed by: Lauren Greenfield
Produced by: Danielle Renfrew Behrens & Lauren Greenfield
http://www.hotdocs.ca//film/title/queen_of_versailles

A good friend and trusted confidant in all things vinous, once described the new breed of Australian wine flooding Canadian shores as, in his words, “a one night stand.” They were, you see, in his estimation, everything that such an encounter can and should be. Everyone is happy with the outcome, having accomplished what [...]]]>

A good friend and trusted confidant in all things vinous, once described the new breed of Australian wine flooding Canadian shores as, in his words, “a one night stand.” They were, you see, in his estimation, everything that such an encounter can and should be. Everyone is happy with the outcome, having accomplished what they had set out to achieve, but at the end of the day, one can’t help but feel as though the evening might have been better with someone else.

For years, it’s been hard to find reasonably-priced exceptions to this well-considered edict. With bottle after bottle of pepper-jam rushing across the palate, Australian wine —once the darling of the New World oenophile’s collection — has become a touch monochromatic, at least on most LCBO shelves.

That’s precisely why a recent dinner at Queen Street’s Edward Day Gallery, hosted by Bill Hardy, sixth generation Aussie winemaker and global ambassador for the brand that still bears his family’s last name, was such a refreshing departure.

A true raconteur at heart, Hardy led the gathered group of media-types, wine reps, and industry guests through a delightful series of courses that included dishes such as seared scallop with braised leek, spring vegetables and saffron cream; lobster poached in lemongrass consume and a lamb duo with cherry infused jus and mashed potatoes. But as solid as the evening’s food happened to be, the wine in the glass, accompanied by a century and a half of cellar stories was undoubtedly the main attraction.

To dispatch immediately with the stereotype, many of the wines poured on the night were surprisingly divergent from what we’ve come to expect from Australian wine, such as ‘The Gambler’ Chardonnay / Pinot Gris blend that was light, refreshing and clean, as well as one of the stars of the event, the Eileen Hardy Chardonnay. Named after the current Hardy’s late-grandmother —who, as it turns out was something of an Australian widow Clicquot and who was also presented the Order of the British Empire by the Queen for her contributions to the Aussie wine industry — the wine itself is made of 100% Tasmanian grown grapes which gives this Southern Chardonnay with it’s expected tropical fruit characters, some decidedly cool-climate, flinty, and welcome acidic layers to it as well.

In conversation, Hardy says that there is a genuine shift in Australian wine making today, moving some of that county’s vintners away from the fruit-bomb styles of the past, and towards what Hardy calls more “savoury and food friendly styles of wine.” The aforementioned Tasmanian-sourced, cool climate Chard certainly fits the bill. On the red side, so does a fruit-forward, yet balanced and nicely acidic blend dubbed, Hardy’s Butcher’s Gold Shiraz, Sangiovese.

Fans of the more traditional style with massive bursts of berry and blackberry fruit normally associated with Australian Shiraz need not panic, as Hardy certainly has fine, and admittedly refined examples of these as well. We had the HRB Shiraz and the Eileen Hardy Shiraz, both of which paired nicely with the aforementioned lamb, along with a selection of cheeses.

The evening closed with a delicious pairing of chocolate and espresso dipped beignet, paired with a sweet tawny port — a drink not normally associated with the region, but as Hardy notes, essentially what started the Australian wine industry — and the true revelation was undoubtedly the renewed balance and food-focus for Australia's winemakers. Should the trend continue and expand, don’t be surprised if your next Aussie one night stand turns into a much more rewarding, long-term relationship.

Currently available at the LCBO:

Hardy’s Butcher’s Gold Shiraz Sangiovese Chr. No.3
$15.05

Hardy’s The Gamble Chardonnay Pinot Gris Chr. No.2
$15.05

This film chronicles the rise of hacktivist group Anonymous, from posting funny pictures of cats online to becoming one of the most powerful and important activist groups of the 21st century. First, I would like to say I love Anonymous and would never, ever say anything bad about them, and I agree with everything [...]]]>

This film chronicles the rise of hacktivist group Anonymous, from posting funny pictures of cats online to becoming one of the most powerful and important activist groups of the 21st century. First, I would like to say I love Anonymous and would never, ever say anything bad about them, and I agree with everything they have ever done and will do in the future. 

Filmmaker Brian Knappenberger shows us step by step how the group went from having fun online to becoming the frontline protection of internet freedoms. This covers their battles with a white supremacist and the Church of Scientology and moves to  taking on governments and, more recently, being described as the “tech support” for the Occupy movement. Knappenberger creates an almost mythical legend around this leaderless group that seems to have risen spontaneously on the internet to be its defender — a true Robin Hood story. The film doesn’t spend much time covering the detractors or the rouge fringe groups within Anonymous, who have stolen the personal information of private citizens (and internally have been dismised as a few bad apples). Rather, this film acts as a love letter to the movement, and in no way provides a balanced look at their activities or impact.  

A film like this is important as it gives a (albeit one-sided) look into a group that more mainstream media are afraid to cover as they often find themselves on the wrong end of an Anonymous attack. So in this way, the film plays an important part in our societies' discourse into an issue that will only become more important as time goes on.

We are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists
Directed & Produced by: Brian Knappenberger
http://www.hotdocs.ca//film/title/we_are_legion_the_story_of_the_hacktivists

Filmmaker Avi Weider was interested in the role of technology in our society and the even greater role it will play in our future. While working on the film, Weider and his wife were trying to conceive a child. However, they were unable to do so through traditional means.

After a few [...]]]>

Filmmaker Avi Weider was interested in the role of technology in our society and the even greater role it will play in our future. While working on the film, Weider and his wife were trying to conceive a child. However, they were unable to do so through traditional means.

After a few visits to an In Vitro clinic, they learned they were about to become parents to triplets. After a difficult birth, the children were kept in the hospital for months in order to keep them alive. The title is in reference to these newborns, welcoming them to the machine, without which they would not be able to survive. The idea of human's dependence on technology is what frames the film.

Weider includes interview subjects from all sides of the spectrum. On one extreme is  Ray Kurzweil, who is perhaps the most optimistic person about the future role of technology. He believes that in the next twenty to thirty years we will have developed the ability to (one way or another) live forever.  (Editor's note: Kurzweil  is, in fact, the subject of another fascinating documentary, Transcendent Man). The opposite end of the spectrum features Ted Kaczynski (aka the Unabomber) who is not interviewed in person but rather through a serious of hand written letters and an intermediary. While Kurzweil puts total faith in technology, Kaczynski thinks technology is the worst thing to ever happen to humankind and we should revert back to a hunter gatherer society.  The film avoids falling into the trap of being either too apocalyptic or fantastical due to the inclusion of these alternate points of view, as well as others who fall along various points of this spectrum. 

Weider is obviously a very skilled filmmaker and he was able to reign in a variety opinions and topics and place them along a singular narrative. The personal angle involving his children also adds an emotional element that off sets the cold techno speak from many of interview subjects. The children also provide the basis for the conclusion that with every generation we will be more comfortable and integrated with technology. Whether this is a good thing or not is left up to the viewer.

http://www.hotdocs.ca/film/title/welcome_to_the_machine

Oscar-nominated documentarian Kirby Dick (Twist of Fate & This film is Not Yet Rated)  regularly makes controversial topics the subject of his films. He breaks new ground with his latest film taking on one of the most despicable secrets kept by the U.S. government.

Twenty percent of female soldiers serving in the [...]]]>

Oscar-nominated documentarian Kirby Dick (Twist of Fate & This film is Not Yet Rated)  regularly makes controversial topics the subject of his films. He breaks new ground with his latest film taking on one of the most despicable secrets kept by the U.S. government.

Twenty percent of female soldiers serving in the U.S. military report some sort of sexual assault at some point in their career. Many more, we have to assume, go unreported. This film not only tells their stories but details the stunning lack of response or even sympathy awarded these women by the military. Most of the claims are quickly swept under the table and the women who report the crimes are often the ones who are disciplined and in many cases removed from duty.

The film is as unrelenting as the stories being told, going from one horrific interview to the next, intercut with experts revealing stunning statistics and the history of sexual violence in the armed services. Every member of the audience sat stunned, eyes glued to the screen even after the film was over after hearing all these stories from men and women that didn’t end after the assault or after they left the military. The rates of post traumatic stress for these women are higher than those who saw combat while on duty and lead to a slew of mental health issues and even suicide attempts for years after.

Director Kirby Dick does a wonderful job of providing the platform for these women not only to share their stories and the subsequent cover-up but to also give them another tool in their continued fight for justice. The film is not just a historical record of pain, suffering, and a government cover-up but a call to arms to stop this from happening again to anyone who chooses to dedicate their life to the service of their country.

The Invisible War
Directed by: Kirby Dick
Produced by: Amy Ziering and Tanner King Barklow
http://www.hotdocs.ca//film/title/invisible_war