Easter Epic: A Short Film

“Easter Epic” is an independent, short film co-directed and co-produced by Y-Dang Troeung and Alejandro Yoshizawa. Inspired by true events, the film recounts one day in the life of a Cambodian refugee family soon after their resettlement in small-town Goderich, Ontario, in the region also known as “Alice Munro Country.” The events of this day are interwoven with scenes from a small slice of Canadian history —what has come to be known as “The Easter Epic,” the longest game 7 overtime hockey game in NHL history, which took place on April 18, 1987. The game was played between the Washington Capitals and the New York Islanders, going into quadruple overtime and the early hours of April 19. The film explores the intersections between twentieth-century global history, Canadian national memory, and personal family stories. It probes the deeper meaning of refugee resettlement and what it means to survive and remake life in the aftermath of loss, displacement, and family tragedy. The film is supported by a Canada Council for the Arts Explore and Create Grant.