Illuminating the Stories of WWII: Movie Screening and Sculpture Talk

This Remembrance Day celebrate and reflect on the history, sacrifices and personal stories of Canadian soldiers and of Dutch civilians during the liberation of the Netherlands in World War II. Come enjoy this multifaceted evening, which includes a photo display, film screening and informative talk. 

On view during this event are five photographs by Jason Van Bruggen from the 80 Years of Freedom Exhibition which opened in May of 2025, at the Small Arms Inspection Building. Arrive when doors open so you can take your time appreciating these evocative artworks.

We will then transition into a screening of the film 80 Faces of Liberation by Jason van Bruggen. The film covers over two and a half years of Jason's travels across the Netherlands and Canada to record the first hand accounts of people present during the liberation of the Netherlands. In total, Jason recorded 80 of these stories, one for each year of freedom since 1945, most now in their nineties and many of whom emigrated to Canada after the war. Jason wanted to document these survivors both a tribute to his parents and an attempt to understand the trauma passed down through his own family. Each of these stories speak of what the occupation took, what it left behind, what liberation meant, and end with a thank-you to the Canadians who came. Following the screening there will be a short Q&A discussion.  

We will then move outside for an inside look into the creation of public artworks created by Job Rutgers (creative direction), Brett Belcher (sculpture design) and featuring photography by Jason van Bruggen and archival photos curiosity of Faces to Graves. Located on the front, north lawn of the Small Arms Inspection Building, these sculptures are modeled after tank barriers (or “hedgehogs”) that were once obstacles of war. Each carries two faces: a Dutch civilian who was freed and a Canadian who helped free them. During our tour we will take a closer look at the process of creating the sculptures and how they’re conduits for carrying stories into the future.

Short Itinerary: Doors open at 7:00pm and the film screening begins at 7:30pm. The outdoor talk will start around 8:30 after a short Q&A discussion. Guests are welcome to come back inside after the talk to enjoy the artworks on display and refreshments.  

About the Filmmaker: Jason van Bruggen is a Toronto based commercial director and visual artist. He is interested in emotionally grounded, cinematic storytelling rooted in real human experience. Jason holds a Master’s degree in History from Queen’s University, is a Fellow of the Explorers Club and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and was the closing speaker at TEDx 2021: Uncharted.

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This programming is generously supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.