When documentary filmmaker and alumnus Mike Downie, Artsci鈥86, saw the story of 100-year-old鈥疭tu Crawford in the Alumni Review last winter, he knew he had to make a film about him.
And he did 鈥 with some help from fellow Queen鈥檚 alumni Mickayla Pyke, Artsci鈥16, Jacob Akman, Artsci鈥20, and Kalin Moon, Artsci鈥07, all of whom are pitching in on various aspects of the production.
Crawford, Arts鈥51, has been a presence around the Queen鈥檚 Gaels men鈥檚 hockey team for more than 75 years.
But before Crawford battled on the ice for his university, he was battling in the skies over Nazi Germany as a bomb aimer with the Royal Canadian Air Force. On April 8, 1945, his Lancaster was shot out of the sky. Miraculously, he survived and went on to study at Queen鈥檚, where he played with the Golden Gaels from 1947 to 1951.
鈥淚 had survived Hamburg. And I was lucky as hell to survive that one,鈥 Crawford told filmmakers. 鈥淲hen I survived that, I figured I could survive anything鈥 even playing McGill.鈥
Downie says the Queen鈥檚 community will find much to admire in Crawford鈥檚 story.
鈥淪tu Crawford鈥檚 life is truly inspiring,鈥 says Downie. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a story about believing in yourself, finding your team, and then trusting that those friendships will see you through life's challenges, that sooner or later, we all must face.鈥
Shot over the summer, the film, which was a collaboration between the Office of Advancement, Athletics and Recreation, the Queen鈥檚 Department of Film and Media, the Kingston Film Office, and Downie鈥檚 Courage Films, will make its premi猫re at Homecoming.
鈥淪tu鈥檚 got a wonderfully uplifting and timely message for Queen鈥檚 students and alumni alike,鈥 says Downie.
What: Reconnect with teammates, meet current coaches and student athletes and enjoy an exclusive premi猫re of鈥痶he film. Attendees will receive a ticket to the鈥疓aels' women's hockey鈥痝ame at 7:30 pm at the鈥疢emorial Centre鈥痑gainst Brock University.
When: Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, 4-6 p.m.
Where:
