Timeless allure of Nova Scotia schooners depicted in TV documentary

by Jessica Murray on 3 Dec 2011 Quick! What's on the back of the Canadian dime? If you have to look and see, we'll save you the trouble. It's the world-famous wooden schooner Bluenose, the pride of Nova Scotia, and the fastest of her kind in the 20th century.

But schooners aren’t just a relic from a bygone era. In fact, there’s a resurgence in wooden schooner building happening in Nova Scotia and the membership in the Nova Scotia Schooner Association has increased steadily during the past decade. Nova Scotia Schooners takes an in-depth look at these traditional vessels and explores what’s involved with owning and maintaining a piece of living history. The documentary was filmed during the summer of 2011 and includes scenes from the Nova Scotia Schooner Association annual race week as well as the reconstruction of Bluenose II which is currently underway in Lunenburg.

The film features four men from very different backgrounds who all share a passion for schooners and who are each doing their part to keep these wooden vessels alive. Nova Scotia Schooners is written and directed by Tom Gallant and produced by Edward Peill from Halifax-based Tell Tale Productions Inc. 'This documentary demonstrates what happens when people come together around something they find both important and beautiful' says director Tom Gallant. 'It highlights one of our most significant Canadian cultural icons and underscores why these traditional skills need to be passed onto future generations. The beauty and grace of these schooners is captivating and I'll wager that anyone with even a drop of salt water in their veins will love this film.'



Nova Scotia Schooners will broadcast on CBC Television’s Land & Sea on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 12 PM (check local listings). Following the broadcast, the documentary can be watched on the CBC TV website at: www.cbc.ca/landandsea. Land & Sea is one of CBC’s longest running TV series and can be followed on Twitter: @cbclandandsea

Nova Scotia Schooners was produced in association with CBC TV and with funding from Film NS, and Provincial and Federal tax credits.

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