---

Inadequate Health Care, and The Small-Town Scare

Explore the tragic loss of a small town's hospital services, forcing a family to struggle with inadequate health care, while navigating their severe health problems

A morning sunrise in Minden, Ontario.

We live in a society that has advanced a level of communal compassion among its members, to the point where healthcare is seen as a fundamental right. The ability to seek medicine and professional care has become such a normalized concept, that the thought of not having this access is an incomprehensible travesty. This documentary looks at what happened when this is indeed ripped away. Discover what happens when our fundamental right to health care is removed. This is exactly what happened to the people of Minden, Ontario, when faced with their local Hospital emergency room closure. Audiences feel the heartbreak of the small town that feared for their loved ones as they rallied against an inconceivable decision. The audience feels anger, betrayal, and disarray as the story is told through the eyes of the people of Minden. This documentary relives the events that led to the closure and relives the toll people had to deal with and are still dealing with today.

---

OUR SOCIALS

---

health_docu

Minden Doc

[email protected]

---

BEHIND THE SCENES​

---

---

The Team

---

​Andrew Wilkes | Director

I’m Andrew, the Director of this project. I’ve spent the majority of my downtime up at my family farm near Minden, Ontario and have a very strong personal connection to this story. My grandpa helped establish the Minden ER, lead the effort to gain doctors in the area and has been a huge community leader. Minden ER also saved my cousin's life after he was hit and dragged by a car. This hospital has also put myself back together on a few occasions. The closing of this hospital felt like a stab to so many people’s hearts and the reasoning behind it felt like a lie. I wanted to do something to help contribute to the awareness and battle to get it back. The opportunity presented itself when our class was assigned a short documentary, and thus began the seed of this film. Together with a film making team that can accomplish anything, with the most professional attitude and skills, and the characters that can really bring this story to an emotionally charged reality; this documentary is my attempt to reveal the struggle that is present with the closure of Minden ER. ​

​

---

Abeer Syed | Suppourting Transmedia
​

​Hi, I’m Abeer and I’m Suppourting Transmedia. I’m in charge of our Weebly website, posters, etc. I’m excited to work on this project and I chose to work on it as I wish to support and help shine light on this situation. I love working with social media and being able to help shine light on this issue feels like an honor. I hope to get the social media out there and reach the correct audience so this situation can gain attention and the help it needs.

Harry Davies | Researcher
​

In speaking with Patrick and Kinsley, my heart poured out to them over their own respective heart conditions and their battle with the Minden Hospital closure. Patrick’s dedication to fight for his daughter, Kinsley, brought tears to my eyes. Being raised in a small-town community, I feel the connection that Patrick and Kinsley share with the people of Minden. I can’t wait to see this project shape out.

Maya Danou | Assistant Director/ Head Transmedia 
​

Hello! My name is Maya Danou. I am Assistant Director/ Transmedia. I’m proud to be working with such a dedicated team to bring attention to the impact of the Minden Hospital shutdown on families and communities. My goal is to help the directing process run smoothly and ensure that every scene tells this story with care and authenticity. I try to support wherever I can, because this issue is deeply important — when essential healthcare disappears, families are left vulnerable, and the effects ripple through entire communities. That’s why I believe this documentary matters so much: it gives a voice to those who are being silenced and highlights a crisis that needs to be seen and understood

​Fernanda Alarcon | Producer
​

Hello, I’m Fernanda Alarcon, the producer of this documentary. When Andrew first shared his vision, I was deeply moved by the stories of those connected to a hospital that once stood at the heart of its community. Having personally experienced the importance of healthcare support during challenging times, I felt an immediate connection to this project. This film is about more than a closure — it’s about resilience, memory, and the people who continue to care for one another. Through storytelling, we aim to honour their experiences and spark reflection on the lasting impact of losing such a vital place.

Bryan Wu | Director of Photography

 I’m Bryan, the Director of Photography for this project. As a film student deeply passionate about visual storytelling, I was drawn to this documentary because of its emotional weight and real-world urgency. I want to use cinematography to bring authenticity to the people affected, capturing both the quiet moments and the powerful truths behind this story. Joining this team has allowed me to contribute my craft to something meaningful—using light, composition, and movement to reveal the human struggle behind the closure and help amplify the voices that deserve to be heard.

Theo Hunter | Assistant Editor/Assistant Transmedia
​

I’m Theo, the Assistant Editor and Assistant Transmedia. I want to help support this incredible team and inform more people about this important story. I enjoy editing, and I want to help make the editing process as smooth as possible so this doc can be made and shared. I try to help out where I can, taking some additional transmedia responsibility, as I want to see this project completed as smoothly and properly as it can be. Especially in remote and small-town communities, Healthcare is essential, and denying it can be catastrophic, which is why I feel that this story is so valuable and needs to be shared.

​Camille Poon | 1st AC
​​

Hello, I’m Camille, and I’m the 1st AC. I was asked to join this project and when I found out what the subject was, I instantly said yes. I’ve seen firsthand within my family just how important good and accessible healthcare is. The people of Minden had this basic human right stripped from them, and I wanted to bring attention to this issue. I’m hoping that this documentary will open the right peoples’ eyes.

Dylan Dinning  |  Story Editor

Hi I’m Dylan and I’m the story editor. I joined this project because I felt it covered a very important subject that needed more light shined onto it. As story editor I am excited to help form the edit into the best version of the story.

Chen Huang | Head Sound 

Hey! I am Chen. I live in Mississauga. My favourite place to go is Jollibee! Let me know when you are in Mississauga. Let’s hangout together!

​Emily Kuhl | Gaffer/Head of Lighting
​

Hello! My name is Emily Kuhl, I’m the Gaffer for this documentary or the head of lighting. I had the opportunity to be on set and was able to listen to the stories of the people from Minden as well as Patrick and his daughter. Hearing them speak on the Hospital closure first-hand was very heartbreaking, and it’s definitely a story that needs to be shared everywhere to give a voice to the community.

Naima Pinto | 2nd AC, Behind The Scenes Photographer

Hi, I’m Naima, the BTS and 1st AC. Even though I wasn’t as involved in the full documentary process, I wanted to be part of this project to help bring such an important topic to light. I Photographed the behind the scenes of the making of this doc, which was a lot of fun, and I’m excited to see the final product.

Aidan Moore | Writer
​

 Hey! My name is Aidan Moore, I am the writer for this doc! While writing, I learned so much about the town of Minden and the difficulty these people have faced with the loss of their healthcare and a place to receive treatment. Writing the feel of the doc really connected me to Patrick and Kinsey and keep them.

Jacqueline Jurca  | Picture Editor

I’m Jackie, I joined this production to help the message get more seen as it is a very important topic to think and talk about.

Mandy Guo | Production Designer
​

 Hello I’m Mandy I am the production designer. I was invited onto the project to create a cozy, warm atmosphere for the interviewees, something that resembles the cottage-like wooden houses in Minden and Haliburton. This subject is important to me as someone who’s reliant on reliable, affordable healthcare for medication. I hope this documentary can both be an examination of the corruption within the government on a large scale, and also a story of tragedy, survival, and protest for the individuals affected. I hope this documentary can be empowering and a call to action for accessible healthcare for everyone.