VANCOUVER — Ahead of Pink Shirt Day tomorrow, Telus Communications today announced the premiere of its first short animated children’s film, Skookum and Chums, which explores the importance of inclusivity and anti-bullying.
Produced with the support of Telus, the 11-minute animated film (pictured above) features Skookum, a flying turtle, who takes their animal friends on a trip into a magical forest.
“As a proud member of the Huron-Wendake Nation, filmmaker Fred Di Blasio took inspiration from his Indigenous heritage and identifies with the turtle as a bringer of insight and wisdom to children,” explains a Telus press release.
This short film “is relevant for parents, youth and Canadians of all ages, providing insight into how we can be more inclusive, embrace each other’s differences, and encourage self-empowerment,” the release says.
Skookum and Chums is available now on the Telus YouTube channel and will premiere tomorrow in support of Pink Shirt Day on Telus.com and channel 611 on Telus Optik TV.
“Cyberbullying poses one of the most pervasive threats to Canadians’ mental health. At Telus, we are incredibly proud to partner with Indigenous creators, helping to recognize and underscore the power of kindness and inclusion by telling important stories that will help to raise awareness, start a dialogue, and ultimately, create lasting change,” said Jill Schnarr, chief social innovation officer at Telus, in the release.
“Through our Telus Wise program, we have long been dedicated to helping Canadians rise above cyberbullying, investing more than $205 million to date in educational programs, tools, and resources on how to deal with online bullying either as a victim, witness, parent or even perpetrator. Skookum and Chums is an extension of our ongoing efforts to #EndBullying and help Canadians stay safe online.”
Alongside the premiere of the animated short film, the Telus Wise online digital literacy education program is offering a free educational workshop panel discussion, How to talk with your kids about racism online, featuring anti-racist educator Dr. Janelle Brady and influencers Osob Mohamud and Angela van Tijn.
“The panel is designed to help kids participate more safely in our digital world, raising awareness about cyberbullying and encouraging parents to talk with their children about racism online,” explains the release.
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Image screen captured from the video on Telus’s YouTube channel.
