The Green Bench Documentary: Celebrating Elder Wisdom and the Power of Listening

The Green Bench Premiere

On March 10, 2026 Schlegel Village premiered The Green Bench at Centre In The Square in Kitchener to a packed theatre of more than 1,000 attendees!  The documentary follows five residents from Schlegel Villages as they return to places that shaped their lives.

You need to see this film

I began to get some perspective of how big The Green Bench Premiere was when I tried to find parking. I arrived a hour before the show and all the lots around the theatre were full!

When I made my way inside it was abuzz with energy. The seats weren’t green, but they might as well have been. There was a murmur through the crowd of people chatting to their neighbour as we waited for the show to start.

If you’ve got this far, I’m sure you’ve clued in that I’m no film critic. But you need to see this film, so I’m going to try to make a compelling case.

Five residents from Schlegel Village return to places that shaped their lives. They reflect on their experiences, the people they met, and the lessons they have learned.

The audience was literally laughing and crying at various times throughout the film. I felt like I got to know Joan, Doug, Tom, Jan, and Doug – each of their stories is compelling and well told.

I walked away from The Green Bench with two thoughts:

1. We all have a story to tell, especially older adults who have a lifetime of experiences. We just need to slow down to take a moment to hear them.
2. I am going to make more time to create new memories with with people closest to me.

Ageism exists. Instead of giving us a slap on the wrist and bombarding us with facts about all the way ageism in detrimental to society, The Green Bench uses storytelling to highlight the absurdity of it. Older adults have a lifetimes worth of wisdom to share. We think our problems are ours, and ours alone, but when we take the time to slow down and listen we quickly realize the generations before us have had to work through most of the same problems we’re working though today, they’re just dressed up a little differently. Today’s youth are tomorrow’s older adults.

Upcoming screenings of The Green Bench are listed below, and you can use THIS LINK to sign up to host a screening.

What Is The Green Bench Documentary?

At its heart, The Green Bench is about stories, memory, and connection.

The documentary follows five residents from Schlegel Villages as they return to places that shaped their lives. Along the way, they reflect on their experiences, the people they met, and the lessons they have learned.

The journeys featured in the film include:

• Joan Demetriadis returning to St. John’s to reconnect with her roots and community.
• Doug Robinson travelling to Brighton and reflecting on the adventures and relationships that shaped his life.
• Tom Farr returning to Elmira, where his connections to family and faith come together.
• Doug and Jan Nash visiting Ottawa, sharing stories about family, resilience, and growing older together.

Each journey shows that every older adult carries a lifetime of experiences worth hearing.

The film reminds viewers that wisdom is not just something we read in books. It lives in the stories of people around us.

The Meaning Behind the Green Bench

The Green Bench documentary celebrated 10 years of #ElderWisdom from the Green Bench.

When someone sits on the bench, it becomes an invitation. A place where people can slow down, talk, and listen to one another. The goal is to create space for conversations between generations.

Over the past decade, green benches have appeared in many places, including:

• Libraries
• Parks
• City halls
• Retirement communities
• Public spaces across Ontario and beyond

Thousands of conversations have taken place on these benches. Each one helps us understand each other in a more positive way.

Why Elder Wisdom Matters

One of the biggest challenges older adults face is ageism. This is when people make unfair assumptions about someone simply because of their age.

The #ElderWisdom movement pushes back against that idea.

Instead of seeing aging as decline, the campaign asks us to recognize something important: older adults hold valuable knowledge that comes from decades of life experience.

When younger generations take time to listen, several things happen:

• Stronger community connections form
• Misunderstandings about aging start to disappear
• Older adults feel seen, valued, and respected

In other words, listening helps build a more age-friendly society.

The #ElderWisdom Pledge

The Green Bench also invites people to take a pledge:

“I pledge to restore to a place of reverence the elders of our society, honouring the wisdom our oldest citizens have gained through lifetimes of trials, tribulations, joys and successes. I further vow to end ageism, once and for all counting this unjust form of prejudice unacceptable.”

Click to take the #ElderWisdom Pledge: www.elderwisdom.ca/pledge/

It is a simple commitment, but it carries a powerful message.

If more people take time to listen to older adults, communities become stronger for everyone.

What Families and Communities Can Learn

For families caring for older loved ones, the message of The Green Bench is simple.

Take time to listen.

Ask questions.
Sit together.
Learn from the stories that shaped the people you love.

Often, the most meaningful conversations happen when we slow down and give someone our full attention.

And sometimes, all it takes is a bench to start the conversation.

Upcoming screenings