Trent Alumnus and Award-Winning Filmmaker Returns to Trent University
Gzowski College welcomes Dr. James Cullingham as the college’s visiting fellow for the winter semester
Trent alumnus James Cullingham was, he says, “originally and officially in Champlain College, although I always hung out at Peter Robinson.” Fast-forward a couple of decades and Dr. Cullingham, now an honorary fellow of Gzowski College, is also a visiting fellow in the College for the winter term. With a degree in Indigenous Studies from Trent and repeated visits to Gzowski College to screen films, teach, and lecture, Dr. Cullingham has found a new collegiate home in Gzowski College.
“As someone who worked with Peter Gzowski, I am honoured to hold this fellowship,” Says Dr. Cullingham.
As visiting fellow, Dr. Cullingham will be hosting workshops for students about careers in filmmaking and journalism, as well as participating in Enwayaang: An Event About Extraordinary Ideas, taking place January 17, 2020.
On February 27, Gzowski College is excited to present the event Refugee Journalists in Canada. Dr. Cullingham will share a short demo of his documentary in-development, The Cost of Freedom: Refugee Journalists in Canada. This will be followed by a panel discussion with film subjects Abdulrahman Matar (originally from Syria), Arzu Yildis (Turkey), and Luis Najera (Mexico). This event will take place at 7pm in Nozhem Theatre.
In March, in partnership with the Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies, Dr. Cullingham will screen his films Tikinagan & Temagami: A Living Title to The Land, and speak on the work and legacy of Gil Cardinal.
Dr. Cullingham has recently moved back to Peterborough and is re-engaging with Trent in multiple ways. He taught in the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies in the fall, and he is adjunct faculty with the Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies at Traill College.
Dr. Cullingham is an award winning filmmaker, historian and journalist. He was coordinator of the Journalism program and was a professor of Journalism and English, and Liberal Studies at Seneca College from 2002 to 2018. He has also served as an executive producer with CBC Radio. He formed Tamarack Productions in 1989; since then, he has made documentaries concerning history, Indigenous issues, music and social justice in several countries. He completed his undergraduate studies at Trent University in Indigenous Studies, before going on earn a Master’s degree in history, and a Ph.D.
Register for Enwayaang: An Event About Extraordinary Ideas.
For more information or to reach out about having Dr. Cullingham visit your classroom – please contact melaniebuddle@trentu.ca