Artifacts of Grief

Kyle shares the story of a young self with big ambitions and the grief of the dreams that did not come true. He shares the story of his time on Big Brother Canada—what he hoped to accomplish and what happened in reality—and offers an example of how to approach a past version of self with curiosity and kindness, rather than judgment and shame. Kyle Moore (he/him) is a Halifax-based mental health advocate, podcaster, and Head of Mental Health Programming for the League of Innovators, where he builds systems of mental health support and high-performance betterment for the country's most influential young innovators. In 2019, as a third-year university student, he launched Life's a Wreck, a podcast celebrating the good, the bad and the ugly of mental health. With more than 7 years behind the microphone and a growing slate of keynote engagements, Kyle has earned a reputation for handling tough subjects with warmth, candour, and a storyteller's instinct. His work refuses the polished version of wellness, and his insistence on acknowledging and celebrating authentic lived experience has positioned him as one of the most compelling voices shaping the future of mental health in Canada.

Nadine shares the story of grieving her changing relationship with her son. Nadine became a mom at a young age and this shifted her identity and priorities. For much of her life, it was her and her son against the world. Now, as an adult with his own independent identity and life, Nadine reflects on the sadness she feels at what has changed, even as she loves who he is and what they have together now. Nadine offers space to consider what it means to sit in the sticky discomfort of grief over shifting relationships and identities, as well as how to get curious about our own feelings and ways of processing grief.Storytelling has always been important to Nadine Hunt (she/her). She started out writing for only herself and not sharing with the public. From there she started doing stand up and sharing all the funny sides to her stories. Once that no longer felt like enough for Nadine, she began telling the other side of her stories (the more complete side) at the Edmonton Story Slam. It was only a matter of time before she wanted to put visuals to her words and that's when Nadine started dabbling in film. Nadine is very new to this medium, but she is very excited to see what she comes up with next.

Haley shares the story of their camera: a Nikon D810 with a 35mm lens. The camera represents so many forms of grief, both specific to Haley and representative to the way photography calls grief forward. Haley speaks to the beautiful invitation that a photograph offers: to reflect on what has changed, what has been lost.Haley MacPhee (they/them) is a queer artist hailing from Unama’ki/Cape Breton. With a BFA, Major in Photography from NSCAD, they have been a freelance photographer for 20 years. Having grown up in a family of artists, they live daily in deep rooted inspiration from a rural upbringing, with a special interest for portraiture and studying the soft Eastern light found in the coastal areas around Mi’kma’ki.

William shares the story of the loss of his Aunty Jo and the ways in which experiencing three concurrent losses shifted his understanding of himself and his emotions. He speaks of the grief of absence, both before and after death, and what it means to stop building dams and start building rafts.William Latham (he/him) is a kiwi living on treaty 6 land. On his right hand, just past the last phalange of his middle finger, sits a long-callused burl of hard flesh against which a pen, for the last fifteen years, has been pressed, supporting a sometimes heavy and sometimes puttering stream of words about cinema, philosophy, and literature. With the same hand he sometimes scoops popcorn at the Metro Cinema.You can connect with William on his Letterboxd and Instagram accounts.

Heather shares the story of deciding to end her business: the Edmonton video rental store The Videodrome. Heather speaks to the difficulty of processing the loss of that which she hoped would be forever and the beauty that exists in ephemerality. Heather (she/her/they/them) was raised by herding dogs, children's literature, and early 90s television on the farthest edge of Atlantic Canada. Her adult life has been guided by a deep passion for cinema and community-building; from working in video stores, to supporting independent film production at a non-profit arts centre, and now in her current role as the film programmer at Metro Cinema. Her special interests include analogue photography, intentional parenting, and hunting for hidden gems in niche musical genres.

Rachel shares the story of a difficult choice and pregnancy loss. Rachel speaks to her embodied grief and the difficulty of providing external articulation to these deeply internal feelings. She speaks to the importance of attempting to speak these feelings aloud, despite that, so as to connect to and support others who may be experiencing similar griefs. Rachel Greenley (she/her) grew up in Alberta, where she worked as a nurse. COVID turned everything on its head for Rachel, when she took her Masters and subsequently moved to the UK on a sort of whim. She hasn’t looked back since.

Brian shares the story of losing Alex MacKenzie, his partner’s father. Brian speaks to what it means to hold space for one’s own feelings of grief while supporting others who are impacted by the very same grief. He speaks to the importance of allowing oneself to sit with the difficult feelings of grief, rather than seeking to fix or understand them, and the unlikely artifact that allows him to do just that.Brian Stever (he/him) is the host of Sickboy and founder of Snack Labs, a podcast network and production company. His work spans creative development, production, and the systems that bring ambitious ideas to life. He is especially drawn to honest, human storytelling, and to the unexpected moments that help people feel understood and less alone.

Rose-Eva shares the story of grieving the loss of Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue music scene. She misses a time when biking home from her role as a host of CJSR’s radio show Adamant Eve offered the possibility of popping into any number of live music shows. She offers space to consider what cultural and artistic spaces do to build community and what it means to give space to the longing for what we no longer have. Rose-Eva (she/her) grew up in Edmonton, and graduated with a degree in film studies and psychology from the University of Alberta in 2014. She contributed to feminist radio show Adamant Eve on local community radio station CJSR 88.5FM from 2013 to 2020. She works in the queer nonprofit space, and enjoys going for neighbourhood bike rides.