"Cassandra" Feature Film Screening - Our Stories, Our Voices

Cassandra, an independent Canadian feature film made in Ottawa, will screen three times this April. The film follows Seymour, a non-verbal autistic musician, as he navigates life after his trusted support worker moves on.

What sets Cassandra apart is who made it. Autistic artist Clayton Ducharme plays Seymour, composed the original score, and helped shape the story alongside director Ben Bergeron. The production team included neurodivergent members at every level, which was a direct response to the "nothing about us without us" principle that guided the project from the start.

"Too often, autistic characters are played by non-autistic actors and written by people who've never lived that experience," said Bergeron. "We wanted to do something different. Clayton's voice is in every frame, not just as an actor, but also as the co-writer and composer."

The film began as a television series aired on Bell Fibe TV1 in 2025 and was later edited into its current 72-minute feature length. Shot with an Ottawa-based crew, Cassandra represents what Bergeron calls "a labour of community love."

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Host or Publisher Ben Bergeron