Canada’s premiere multimedia service promoting freethought, social justice, critical thinking, and humanist culture. Our services include event videography, DVD production, and web-streaming. Our team is made up of volunteers who are acclaimed producers and directors use broadcast-quality equipment for professional results.
Why was it created?
To support causes, events, issues and organizations using high quality videos, television programs, and films related to freethought and humanist culture.
When was it launched?
Freethought TV was launched as a pilot project by SOFREE in late summer 2005 and has received growing support and enthusiasm across Canada and the United States since then. Once a small-scale initiative that only videotaped local events, Freethought TV is evolving to be able to produce films, internet programs, television series, and other video projects for the Canadian humanist community and beyond.
Projects
Our first large-scale humanist project was Legacy of the Heart: A Tribute to June Callwood. This was a documentary honouring legendary Canadian journalist, writer, speaker, and social activist, June Callwood. A true humanist and philanthropist, Callwood founded over 50 charitable organizations, the most famous being Casey House - the first hospice in the world for people with HIV/AIDS. With its high standards of excellence and compassion for HIV sufferers and their families, Casey House serves as a model of care for hospitals, nursing homes, and other institutions around the world. Legacy of the Heart premiered at the annual general meeting dinner of the Humanist Association of Canada on October 6, 2007, in Milton, Ontario, and received a standing ovation. In early 2008, the film was shown at the annual Kitchener-Waterloo Film Festival and at City Hall. Receiving wide acclaim at both venues, particularly for its cinematography and human interest storyline, Legacy of the Heart was nominated and won two awards later that year: the "Peoples Choice Award" and the "Social Justice" award. Additionally, the film was shown as a feature presentation at the Princess Twin Cinema the week of June 2, 2008. Legacy of the Heart was directed by respected Syrian-Canadian film-maker, Azam Fouk Aladeh, and produced by videography specialist Chris Meidell, founder and president of Freethought TV.
Sponsors
Freethought is grateful to the Humanist Association of Canada for its generous donation in 2008 to help improve our repertoire of high-definition equipment. Some of the new equipment was used to videotape the 40th anniversary celebration of the organization during the 2008 August Civil Holiday weekend - Darwin & Humanism: 40 years of Evolution. This event was the largest and most well-attended Humanist convention in Canadian history.