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New short documentary aims to expose hidden hunger on the West Island

​A duo of Montreal-born Concordia students are hoping to raise awareness about hunger and food insecurity on the West Island with a new, 10-minute documentary called Hidden Hunger / Faim cachée.

Max Duguay and Akshay Grover both grew up on the West Island, in Pierrefonds and Dollard-Des Ormeaux respectively, and the two have been making videos together since high school.

Their short film profiles people struggling to make ends meet, as well as politicians and community organizations that are trying to make a difference.

"The West Island is a fairly affluent, rich area [with] big houses and stuff. It would be the last place you would think there would be a hunger problem," said Grover.

The film, produced by McGill undergraduate student Luca Brown, was made possible by the Collective Impact Project (PIC), mandated by Centraide of Greater Montreal.

Grover said that while there are many community organizations in place to help West Islanders get by, those groups "are feeling a huge strain right now."

Marilla Steuter-Martin/CBC
Marilla Steuter-Martin/CBC

Grover, 20, said he had no idea growing up in the area how people in his own neighbourhood were struggling.

"I had no idea until I started working on this film."

Inspiring others to lend a hand

Co-creator Duguay said he wanted to illustrate how these kinds of problems are "prevalent everywhere" and combat stereotypes about who actually ends up using services like food banks.

He said he was surprised by how open the interview subjects were to sharing their experiences and hopes that the film will inspire people on the West Island to lend a hand.

"In getting more awareness of it, hopefully people might be more willing to help, help out in their community, help out their neighbours ... and remove that type of stigma." said Duguay.

The documentary premieres at a free screening event Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. at John Abbott College. Watch a short trailer, here.