Celebrating World Kindness Day with Skookum & Chums

Celebrate World Kindness Day with the TELUS and Huron Media Productions animated short film, “Skookum & Chums!”

“Skookum & Chums” spotlights the importance of kindness, providing insight into how we can be more inclusive, embrace each other’s differences and encourage self-empowerment. The animated short, created and produced by Indigenous filmmaker Alfredo Di Blasio, is available for free on channel 611 on TELUS Optik TV and the TELUS YouTube channel.

Produced with the support of TELUS, and written by award-winning duo Julie and Scott Stewart, the 11-minute animated film features Skookum, a flying turtle, who takes their critter friends on a trip into a magical forest. As a proud member of the Huron-Wendake Nation, Alfredo Di Blasio, a Producer and President of Huron Media Productions, took inspiration from his Indigenous heritage and identifies with the turtle as a bringer of insight and wisdom to children.

“Skookum & Chums stories are based on Indigenous values and culture and the importance of inclusion,” said Di Blasio. 

The film features notable Indigenous artists Lorne Cardinal and Michelle Bardach, in addition to award-winning actor, Robert Carlyle, and was established to support Indigenous creators and shared values. Skookum and Chums features characters, Lil’ Panda, and friends, and was inspired by the idea of seamlessly weaving Indigenous values into modern animated media that can be shared with audiences around the world. 

“We hope the film can change the world one child at a time by teaching about kindness and inclusivity. Our partnership with TELUS demonstrates that we are all in this together, to make kindness cool again," said Di Blasio.