Поэзия и история: австралийский документалист пересняла фильм о маяках Ньюфаундленда после участия в местном ритуале

How N.L. storytelling shaped an Australian filmmaker's documentary about lighthouse keepers Mikaela Zuiderduyn said she knew nothing about lighthouses before coming to the province Australian filmmaker Mikaela Zuiderduyn says it was a screech-in ceremony at Christian’s Pub on George Street that inspired her to change the direction of her documentary on Newfoundland and Labrador lighthouse keepers. Zuiderduyn was in the province as a contestant on Race Around the World, a show where six up and coming filmmakers are sent internationally to produce short documentary films. She had already shot a traditional sit-down interview with Barry Porter, a former lighthouse keeper of 20 years. But after participating in a screech-in and taking in the poetic nature of the province's storytelling, she drew inspiration from it. She wrote a poem based on her interview with Porter, who later recited it in the documentary’s final cut. “When he read it through, it just felt so perfect that it became the documentary,” Zuiderduyn told CBC News. Porter said when he heard Zuiderduyn’s poem, he was amazed by what she wrote. After only a few days, he says, she was able to capture the vibe perfectly of what it means to be a keeper. He didn’t realize the documentary would be reworked before airing, adding his reading was unexpected. But after taking it in, he realized she created a real piece of art. “The finished product, what I saw on TV, was beautiful… I really loved it. She is quite talented,” said Porter. Though Zuiderduyn's documentary already aired on Aug. 2, it can still be watched on the shows streaming site, ABC's iview or on YouTube. Zuiderduyn knew she would be coming to Canada for the competition; it was her ninth country where she shot a documentary. However, the way the show works is once they land, it’s up to the contestants to find a story. Before coming to the province, she didn’t know much about lighthouses, other than a film she studied in high school, but after doing some research, she learned N.L. has 23 manned lighthouses. “[I remembered] how emotional the whole idea of lighthouses are just because of the polarization of it and how stark and isolated it is, then there's emotion and passion and I thought it would be a perfect artistic representation," said Zuiderduyn. She connected with Porter through the Canadian Coast Guard alumni and said they instantly had a connection. Zuiderduyn says she visited various lighthouse sites with Porter, who taught her what it meant to maintain the light and horn. Still an important role For Porter, being a part of the documentary was quite the experience, with long days of filming, calling it a whirlwind. “We had an intense interview for nearly two hours,” said Porter. Porter, who previously manned the lighthouses in Change Islands and Twillingate, is no stranger to sharing his story, as he wrote a memoir about it. He feels that because there is still such a mystery around lighthouses that's why there is such an interest from the public. But sharing his story in this format, he said, was different for a lot of reasons. His participation came down to how important he believes the role is. “It might be a tourist attraction now, but it provides coastal safety,” said Porter. “I think we still provide a service to the small-time fishermen or recreational boaters.” Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.