Under the Red Star

This screening took place on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 6:00 pmOld Fire Hall

Under the Red Star (a.k.a. Big Finn Hall) is a fascinating feature length docu-drama about the history behind Canada’s most significant worker’s hall. In 1910, Finnish immigrants built the Finnish Labour Temple in Port Arthur, Ontario (now Thunder Bay). In its early days it was inextricably linked to the activities of Canadian labour and the political left. The hall served as a haven for thousands of socialists at a time when it illegal to express such ideas. The events that took place in the Labour Temple both shaped Canadian politics and reflected the evolution of Canada as a country of immigrants. Archival material combined with fictionalized scenes bring to life the dramatic early years of Finnish immigration and the vibrant culture and politics at the heart of the Finnish Labour Temple. In Finnish and English.