Carleton Place teens and seniors share life stories at upcoming intergenerational film festival
Mary Cook, the subject of one of the films, pictured as a child and present day. – Screengrabs from ‘Mary Cook: Her Story’
A summer of capturing stories will come to a close this fall as the Carleton Place Public Library (CPPL) celebrates the work of local teens and seniors who participated in its Our Stories Project.
The community is invited to attend the Our Stories Project Awards Ceremony and Film Festival on Saturday, October 10, 2026 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Carleton Place Town Hall. There, three original short films created by intergenerational teams of Carleton Place residents will make their public debut, according to the Town of Carleton Place.
The Our Stories Project was made possible through funding from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program and the Rotary Club of Carleton Place and Mississippi Mills.
As previously reported, the project invited teenagers from Carleton Place and Beckwith to partner with seniors in the community to capture their life stories on film. Throughout the summer, participants were tasked with interviewing their subjects, filming their stories, and editing the final productions. According to CPPL, the goal was to capture personal experiences, life lessons, and core memories on film to build meaningful bridges across generations.
The upcoming event will showcase three films:
- ‘Mary Cook: Her Story’, starring Mary Cook and created by Ruby Viets.
- ‘Memories From the Kitchen’, starring Sheila Bowes and created by Emily and Olivia Holmes.
- ‘Pat’s Story’, starring Pat Cairns and created by Evelyn and Makayla Martensen.
Along with screening the films, the event will recognize both the young filmmakers and the seniors who shared their stories.
Admission is free, and everyone is welcome. Residents planning to attend are encouraged to RSVP through the Carleton Place online events calendar.