Movie: To My Son in Spain: Finnish Canadians in the Spanish Civil War

Top 3 Billed Cast

Michelle Derosier
Michelle Derosier

Narrator

Jules Päiviö
Jules Päiviö

Self, Spanish Civil War veteran

Michael Petrou
Michael Petrou

Self, author of 'Renegades: Canadians in the Spanish Civil War'

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    To My Son in Spain: Finnish Canadians in the Spanish Civil War

  • Overview

    This documentary features the story of Jules Paivio, the last living Canadian volunteer of the infamous Mackenzie-Papineau Battallion of the “International Brigades”. When Jules left from his home near Port Arthur (Thunder Bay), Ontario, his father, a famous Finnish poet, wrote a lasting lament: “To My Son In Spain”. In 1936-37, 1700 Canadians volunteered to fight with the Spanish people against a fascist coup d’etat led by elements of the Spanish Army. Backed by Musselini and Hitler, the fascists were bent on overthrowing Spain’s democratically elected socialist government and replacing it with military and church rule. It could be argued this conflict marked the true beginning of what would become World War II.

  • Release Date

    2009-05-30

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  • Tagline

    To My Son

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