Il Confino: Una Storia Mai Conclusa (2021)

On June 10, 1940, Canadian Prime Minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King declared Canada was at war with Italy. Almost immediately, 31,000 Italian-Canadians were officially designated enemy aliens. Of these, about 600 were taken from their homes and separated from their families. They were held in prisons and remote camps, most notably in Petawawa, Ontario. For many, these memories have been hidden for reasons of shame, fear, humiliation and embarrassment. As this generation is passing on, the stories are now coming to light with family members committed to archiving the experience of their elders, speaking for the first time. Our documentary uncovers the heartbreak and healing associated with a little known chapter in Canadian history that has left a deep scar on the Italian-Canadian community.