Bonnie Sherr Klein OC (born 1941) is a feminist filmmaker, author and disability rights activist.
[citation needed] She received a bachelor's degree in American studies at Barnard College, and became more active in the Civil Rights and anti-nuclear movements.
[citation needed] Her thesis film, For All My Students, was completed under the supervision of visiting professor George C. Stoney, and was funded by the US Department of Education.
[3] They provided equipment and training to residents of one of Montreal's poorest neighbourhoods to facilitate community dialogue and organizing.
[5] In 1975, she was invited by her Challenge for Change colleague, Kathleen Shannon, to join the newly formed Studio D, the women's unit of the NFB.
She is featured in the film, along with poet and writer Catherine Frazee, humourist David Roche, dancer and choreographer Geoff McMurchy, and Persimmon Blackbridge.
[13] In his remarks, the Governor General of Canada said, "Bonnie Sherr Klein has used her talents to shed light on social issues and to give voice to the voiceless.
[citation needed] In 2015, the Toronto International Film Festival screened it as part of their Open Vault series and stated "it remains both timely and essential viewing today.
[7] Reflecting on his time at the NFB, George C. Stoney noted "The two women who persuaded us to launch our first community videotape project were no ordinary film-makers.
Dorothy Hénaut and Bonnie Klein brought to the task a philosophy about democratic participation that shaped every aspect of the work, from the way to run training classes to the way editorial decisions are made.
It is largely their concept, their way of working, which guides social animators, teachers and community leaders generally who are now applying Challenge for Change techniques across Canada.