Vancouver Premiere To Serve As Fundraiser For Army Cadet League of Canada – So Get Your Tickets!

Gino, A Child Of War Trailer: https://vimeo.com/863331998

The acclaimed Italian World War II film Gino: Child of War, featuring Sikh actors, will premiere in Vancouver on June 2nd and serve as a fundraiser for the Army Cadet League of Canada in support of Army Cadets. Gino: Child of War, which was presented at the 2023 ICFF Venice Film Festival Industry Conference last September, has a cross cultural interest with this film and the Sikh community as the two lead actors in the film are half Punjabi:  the actor who plays little Gino, Harry Anthony Koonar, and the actor who plays, Paul Hagen, Jevan Singh Koonar. Cathy Bach, National President Army Cadet League of Canada, said she would really like members of the Sikh community to come watch the film as it features young Sikhs in key roles and also because they fought alongside the allied forces to defeat the enemy. Centro Italian Cultural Centre is hosting a special event - a screening of “GINO: A CHILD OF WAR” - with two screenings at 2:00pm and 7:00pm, also coincides with the 80th anniversary of the day little Gino was found and rescued by Canadian soldiers.  

By R. Paul Dhillon – Editor DESIBUZZCanada

VANCOUVER – The acclaimed Italian World War II film Gino: Child of War, featuring Sikh actors, will premiere in Vancouver on June 2nd and serve as a fundraiser for the Army Cadet League of Canada in support of Army Cadets.  

Gino: Child of War, which was presented at the 2023 ICFF Venice Film Festival Industry Conference last September, has a cross cultural interest with this film and the Sikh community as the two lead actors in the film are half Punjabi:  the actor who plays little Gino, Harry Anthony Koonar, and the actor who plays, Paul Hagen, Jevan Singh Koonar.

There will be two screenings – one in the afternoon which is family friendly and a reduced rate for cadets, their family, friends of the Lesgue, seniors, CIC and military partners which will be followed by an evening screening which is adult only as there will be a wine reception after.   

Cathy Bach, National President Army Cadet League of Canada, said she would really like members of the Sikh community to come watch the film as it features young Sikhs in key roles and also because they fought alongside the allied forces to defeat the enemy.

“Sikhs have a proud military history not only in their country but also in the two World Wars and this is an important film that highlights one aspect of the war story,” Bach told DESIBUZZCanada.

Gino: Child of War is part of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Rome, and in a special tribute to the role Canadians played in liberating Italy and rescuing Gino Farnetti-Bragaglia - an orphan child saved and nurtured by Canadian soldiers during the Second World War Il.

Centro Italian Cultural Centre is hosting a special event - a screening of “GINO: A CHILD OF WAR” - with two screenings at 2:00pm and 7:00pm, also coincides with the 80th anniversary of the day little Gino was found and rescued by Canadian soldiers.  

https://vimeo.com/792468925

These two events are being organized in celebration of Fiesta de la Republica and in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the battles in Italy. They showcase the amazing story of “Gino: A Child of War”, a docu-drama about Canadian soldiers during the Italian Campaign of the Second World War near Torrice, in the Liri Valley, south of Rome. 

 These caring soldiers (Canadian guardian angels, as Gino called them) refused to abandon him.  They kept him within their unit lines while the war raged on, nurtured, and schooled him for the rest of the campaign, and raised money to have him adopted and go to school. Some of the soldiers and their families stayed in touch with Gino until the last one died in July 2012. 

For tickets and screening information call Cathy Bach at 778-995-2306.