Local filmmaker Ian Daffern’s documentary, A Bullet Pulling Thread, to be screened at JAYU Human Rights Film Festival
By ERIN HORROCKS-POPE
Ian Daffern, a Scarborough native and longtime East Toronto resident, is on the verge of unveiling his first feature-length documentary film, A Bullet Pulling Thread, during the JAYU Human Rights Film Festival at Bloor Hot Docs Cinema on Dec. 7.
Daffern is a filmmaker deeply rooted in the community. He often finds solace in local parks like Taylor Massey Creek and frequents The Only Cafe at Danforth and Donlands Avenues in East York with his family.
Daffern’s journey into documentary filmmaking took an unexpected turn from an English Literature degree at the University of Toronto to enrolling in the Radio and Television Arts program at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University).
“I guess filmmaking had always had been somewhere in my mind,” explained Daffern. “When I took that Ryerson program, it just felt right. I had always wanted to tell stories independently and organically.”
Post-graduation, he ventured into the media landscape, landing a role at the BookTelevision Channel based in the historic CHUM building. There, he met Omar Majeed, co-director of his debut documentary, Stitched Glass, a compelling narrative portraying a textile artist’s engagement with social issues, released in 2021.
During the creation of Stitched Glass, Daffern crossed paths with Dana Gadsden, owner of TA2 Sound Studio in Leslieville. Gadsden shared a story about her cousin with Daffern, which laid the groundwork for his latest production, A Bullet Pulling Thread, a project that spanned two years.
The documentary revolves around the tale of two siblings – Barry, a former international drug smuggler turned homelessness activist, and Marilyn, a passionate quilter. It delves into Marilyn’s relentless pursuit of answers after her brother’s tragic death during a mental health crisis involving the RCMP in 2020 in Lytton, B.C.
Reflecting on his first time hearing Marilyn’s story from Dana, Daffern said he was “just completely struck.”
“I just knew I had to reach out and speak to this woman and hear more about her story,” said Daffern. “She was sort of at the beginning of her journey, and something great about creating a feature length documentary is that it allowed me to follow her progress. There’s a lot more opportunity to explore different aspects of the story and work closely with the subject of the film.”
Adding some depth to the film, the soundtrack features contributions from the East of the Don Chorus, a local choir group which Daffern’s wife Liz is a member of, associated with the Toronto United Mennonite Church near Kingston Road and Queen Street East. Daffern acknowledges the choir’s invaluable contribution, providing a resonating soundtrack that ties in with the subjects’ Mennonite heritage.
In producing A Bullet Pulling Thread, Daffern has deeply appreciated the feature-length film format.
“It allows you [the director] to expand and encompass broader ideas,” he said. “There’s an ability to reveal depth, a real journey from beginning to end, capturing emotions and grief.”
Looking forward, Daffern already has plans for his next project – a documentary spotlighting autistic children in New York City and their fascination with subway trains, inspired by his son’s passion for trains and encounters with fellow ‘rail fans’ at events.
For more information about A Bullet Pulling Thread visit https://idfactory.ca/?page_id=748
For Hot Docs screening information visit https://hotdocs.ca/whats-on/films/hrff-a-bullet-pulling-through
