Nobel Peace Prize Recipient & Trent Alum Dr. James Orbinski to Screen Documentary at Trent University
Public invited to a documentary screening on life of humanitarian, physician, and researcher Dr. Orbinski ’80 to be followed by discussion with filmmaker Dr. Peter Raymont ’15 (hon)
Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dr. James Orbinski ‘80 will be at his alma mater Trent University Thursday, November 14 to present the screening of a powerful documentary about his life as a renowned physician, international humanitarian, and research scientist.
The public screening of Triage: Dr. James Orbinski’s Humanitarian Dilemma will be hosted by Trent honorary degree recipient Dr. Peter Raymont ‘15 (hon), one of Canada’s most acclaimed documentary filmmakers best known for Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Romeo Dallaire.
“Trent University is thrilled to offer the Trent community and the general public this rare opportunity to meet and learn from two distinguished Canadians who have made significant global impacts,” said Dr. Michael Eamon, principal of Catharine Parr Traill College at Trent University. “This special film screening is part of ongoing celebrations for, Traill’s 60th anniversary and we are honoured to host these remarkable guests at Trent’s oldest College.”
Dr. Orbinski received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 as president of the International Council of Médecins Sans Frontières. He has worked as a professor of medicine in Toronto and later served as chair of Global Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and CIGI chair in Global Health Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. In 2017, he became the founding director of the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research. Dr. Orbinski is the current principal of Massey College at the University of Toronto.
Raymont’s work has won four Gemini Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Genie Award, and seven Canadian Screen Awards, as well as major prizes from the Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival. His films cover a wide range of topics including the American manipulation of news from Central American in The World is Watching (1988) and the World Stopped Watching (2003). His most recent documentary Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics (2024) examines the growing threat of microplastics on human health.
As part of Traill College’s 60th anniversary celebrations, Raymont is serving as Traill’s first Filmmaker in Residence from November 11 – 15. His residency will include a free documentary filmmaking workshop at the College that’s open to students and community members. Raymont will also be offering a drop-in coffee session with students and working with a local high school class to discuss environmental and world issues.
“I’m excited to support Traill’s 60th celebrations as their first Filmmaker in Residence and look forward to screening our documentary Triage about the inspirational humanitarian efforts of Dr. James Orbinski,” Raymont said. “I’m also eager to meet with students, staff, faculty, and community members to explore the important work of documentary filmmaking. In these particularly troubled times, documentaries are especially important to help us make sense of our world.”
The film screening was made possible by support from the Office of the President, the Office of the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Champlain College. Guests are invited to attend the screening at Champlain College on Trent’s main Peterborough campus on Thursday, November 14.
Register for the film screening
About Trent University
One of Canada's top universities, Trent University was founded on the ideal of interactive learning that's personal, purposeful and transformative. Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world. Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities. Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day. Today, Trent's unique approach to personal development through supportive, collaborative community engagement is in more demand than ever. Students lead the way by co-creating experiences rooted in dialogue, diverse perspectives and collaboration. In a learning environment that builds life-long passion for inclusion, leadership and social change, Trent's students, alumni, faculty and staff are engaged global citizens who are catalysts in developing sustainable solutions to complex issues. Trent's Peterborough campus boasts award-winning architecture in a breathtaking natural setting on the banks of the Otonabee River, just 90 minutes from downtown Toronto, while Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area, delivers a distinct mix of programming in the east GTA.
Celia Grimbly, Manager, Communications, Trent University, (705) 748-1011 x6240 or celiagrimbly@trentu.ca
