New Instagram Account SHARES The First Photos People Took After Relocating To Canada

Incredibly honoured to partner with the National Film Board to launch an innovative social media experience today that shares the first photo taken by people once they relocate to Canada and their stories.

My dad’s family immigrated to Canada in 1950. Every summer our family would come together to celebrate and remember when our parents and grandparents moved to Canada with excitement, gratitude, and appreciation. Appreciation to have come to a new place and start a new life together after the atrocities of WWII while still recovering from the trauma of living through and surviving the Belfast Blitz in 1941.

This is one of our family’s first photos here. At the beach, where we would meet for a family picnic and celebration, annually for the next 50+ years. Only changing locations, further up the beach, to be closer to the facilities in later years.

We also recognize as Irish-settlers on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations we are very grateful to be here and we are committed to work towards dismantling systems of oppression, as we recognize how many people haven’t been as fortunate or afforded the privileges we have been.

Our goal was to approach the project sensitively and thoughtfully while we considered all of these complicated contexts and to treat the subject matter with the utmost respect and appreciation. This project has been an incredible opportunity to explore and share the stories of other folks who have started new lives here. Another goal of the project, was to dispel stereotypes around immigration and show a spectrum of individuals and their stories.

The project is titled First Photo Here and the account shared a trailer today which features 3 different individuals, their stories and the first photo they captured in Canada with the intention of sharing with friends and family to show their experience.

The project is curated by Joella Cabalu, an award-winning Vancouver-based documentary filmmaker. Cabalu is ethnically Filipino, was born in the US and raised in Brunei, and came to Canada at age six.

“Photographs and first-person narrative are powerful ways to transmit stories. But they also act as a time machine, conveying the immediate feelings of the moment, and reflecting on time passed since then,” Cabalu says.

“I was attracted to the broad appeal and accessibility of First Photo Here—that participants and people viewing the project needn’t be Artists with a capital A to submit a photograph or understand the collection of stories.”

First Photo Here is produced by the National Film Board of Canada with curation by Joella Cabalu and creative direction by myself and my awesome studio mates at Kindred & Scout.

See Narendra and Chandra’s story on Instagram. Illustration by Chairman Ting.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

See Clare’s story on Instagram. Illustration by Aiken Lao.

See Tonomi’s story on Instagram.

And here’s video of Carson’s drawing process of the illustrating Tonomi’s story above in the piece titled ‘My Neighbour Snowman Totoro’.

Visit @FirstPhotoHere on Instagram.
Follow the hashtag at #FirstPhotoHereInCanada.

Full credits for the project are:

NFB Producer: Nicholas Klassen

NFB Curator: Joella Cabalu

NFB Senior Production Coordinator: Jasmine Pullukatt

Production Company: Kindred & Scout Productions

Creative Director: Leah Gregg

Director: Hubert Kang

Producer: Amy Jones

Illustrators: Chairman Ting, Lemonni & Aiken Lao.

Editor: Mike Southworth

Animator: Eric Wada

Sound Mix & Master: Mike Southworth