I can't finish watching this film.
instead of giving us insight into the concept, the filmmaker seems obsessed with garnering sympathy for his own life's story.
i understand the emotion inherent in the subject matter, but the film's construction is far too self indulgent.

as a documentary geek, i'm rather let down by this piece.
sorry, cbc

When I saw the documentary title "Twelve" on my tv, I was somehow drawn to it; as I always considered, "12", my lucky number. I was born December 12th, so 12/12. I had to watch and find out what it was about. I'm glad I did, I applaud you, your documentary was very informative and creative. It was the best thing to do for yourself to open up and have others who were in the "same shoes" do the same. It helped me realize that many people have their own stories to share and we ALL have to listen. Everybody can learn from others of all nationalities that came into Canada to make it was it is today, a beautiful country with many faces! Thanks!

When I saw the documentary title "Twelve" on my tv, I was somehow drawn to it; as I always considered, "12", my lucky number. I was born December 12th, so 12/12. I had to watch and find out what it was about. I'm glad I did, I applaud you, your documentary was very informative and creative. It was the best thing to do for yourself to open up and have others who were in the "same shoes" do the same. It helped me realize that many people have their own stories to share and we ALL have to listen. Everybody can learn from others of all nationalities that came into Canada to make it was it is today, a beautiful country with many faces! Thanks!

What a beautiful and touching film. It really stuck a chord. I especially loved the end, what Lester said about Listening and how it is the perfect balance between giving and receiving. 12 moving stories weaved together finely. I enjoyed it immensely. 5 stars! :)

What a beautiful and touching film. It really stuck a chord. I especially loved the end, what Lester said about Listening and how it is the perfect balance between giving and receiving. 12 moving stories weaved together finely. I enjoyed it immensely. 5 stars! :)

Absolutely fantastic movie. I think every 11 - 17 year old should see this movie. 1. those from Canada already can perhaps see the diversity of others and their struggles and be more empathetic, 2. other new canadian children can see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, 3. every child can use those 13 points of advice

I am going to seek this documentary and encourage my son to see it and have it reviewed by his school for showing at the grade 6 and 7 level. My son is 11 and I hope it will be encouraging for him.

Thank you for making this film.
Shannon (Windsor)

I only caught the last part of this program, but got the message.
I moved to the city as a young man of 16 who was raised in the country north of Toronto. I felt like i was in a foreign land. I hated the city.I wasn't their on my own accord.
I realize it really isn't where you come from.
People who are comfortable seem to get real uncomfortable when new people come into their space. I think this program should be shown in the schools.

This documentary is brilliant! Bravo Lester! I came from another country at a younger age and could relate to some of the people who spoke of their experiences. That's a difficult age to have such a major life changing event occur.. and along with this comes trauma. It stays with you forever.. I guess you just learn to cope and adapt as best as you can.

This documentary is brilliant! Bravo Lester! I came from another country at a younger age and could relate to some of the people who spoke of their experiences. That's a difficult age to have such a major life changing event occur.. and along with this comes trauma. It stays with you forever.. I guess you just learn to cope and adapt as best as you can.

Something about 12. I came from the Netherlands at 12 and my wife came from Poland at 12. We have a connection that only those with similar experience can appreciate. My sister, 5 at the time we came to Canada, does not seem to have the connection or lost the connection with Holland.

Although we have made a very good life for ourselves, I cannot help wonder where I would have ended up had my parents not moved to Canada. What would I now be doing? What kind of teen years and adult years would I have had? Would I be a different person because of my different interaction with people? Would I even know to question these things or would I have blissfully live my Dutch existence?

I was very impressed by the film. I know Lester a little bit and have known his wife for many year, yet I did not know about his struggles with coming to terms with the events of his emigration to Canada. To me he has always been a talented film maker and very confident and capable in the way he comes across. It doesn't hurt that he is married to a very attractive and talented woman, which always gives a man a certain status in the eyes of other men, I think.

To some degree I can identify with the feeling explored in 12, even though I am not an immigrant. As a child my family moved frequently, more than once from one city to another. When you are 12 or younger moving to another city might as well be to another country: everyone is new; you don't fit in; you leave any friends you had behind. This happened about three times for me before I was 12 years old.

Parents do assume, as was said in the film, that children are adaptable and will get along okay. To some extent that is true, but children are also in a social cauldron in school that has no real parallel in the adult world. It is a place you have to go to, you have no choice about that, and there are rules at play that have nothing to do with adult rules. They are the kind of jungle rules the William Golding wrote about in Lord of the Flies. It's a competition for status and the easiest way to single someone out, to ostracize them, is to point out their differences.

For an immigrant, especially one with a language barrier, a strong accent and darker skin colour there are many differences that are easy to point out.

You also are just learning the new social frame of reference.

Well done, Lester, I am very glad that I watched your film.

Wow. My mom actually called me to tell me this was on tonight and that I should watch it. I was sure glad I did.
I moved to Canada from the Netherlands when I was 12. I didn't know the english language and Canada was culturally very different from where I came from.
I hated it here. I wanted to go back to the Netherlands so much. I felt very isolated and alone here. Kids teased me because of my accent and my name. The daily school bus commute was terrifying and I got bullied for being different.
I, like Alfonso, felt like something had been forcibly taken away from me. I felt a big gap within myself where my former "self" used to be. I tried to fit in, but I just felt different and I was. I just felt fake when I tried to fit in. It's awful when you feel people dislike you for who you truly are. At 12, you're not really old enough to understand that it has nothing to do with you and that you shouldn't take it personally, as was one of the twelve points made. At 12, you just want to fit in and belong and all the good advice to the contrary isn't going to stop the bullying, teasing or the feelings of shame that you harbor for not fitting in.
I was crying when I saw Alfonso cry, because I just felt so much empathy. I had been there too and felt that way.
After all this time, I still don't really feel like I belong here, even though for all intents and purposes I look and sound like I fit in just fine. I think it's a battle that rages on for perhaps the rest of my life. The feeling of being of two countries and two cultures and not feeling completely at home in either one anymore is strong and maybe something I will just have to accept.
I think I would have been a stronger, more self-confident person if I hadn't gone through this. As much as people say, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," I think I can also say that what doesn't kill you may very well leave a deep lasting scar...

There needs to be more of these documentries to make canadians aware of what our true national identity is. We need these stories to make us adopt the ideals of understanding, acceptence, and tolerence for others no matter their back-ground. What canadians of all stripes need to realize is our true national identity lies in not having a specific one but a broad general one which incumpasses and accepts ALL human beings. I reject our identity of hockey loving, beer drinking, this identity is forced on us by the media due to not havig an identity which creates money for someone else, this is far to narrow. I accept our identity of accepting, understanding, and tolerating people of all back grounds with an open heart, common Canada lets be a template to the world on how to get along with one another.

I really enjoyed every aspect of this film. It was an intersting issue to explore and the photography was wonderful. I appreciated the personal story and honsesty of each story teller. I think all the subjects learned something about themselves and connected to the universal of the immigrant experience.

This was a terrific doc. My compliments to the filmmaker and CBC for airing this. Can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this. The skill of the filmmaker and honesty of the story was superb.

I came to Canada from HK at the age of 15 while my brother was 12. Watching this documentary has brought back a lot of memory how our family struggled to fit in this new culture. The transition would have been easier if I knew the advice from this doc. Very touching documentary!

I came to Canada from HK at the age of 15 while my brother was 12. Watching this documentary has brought back a lot of memory how our family struggled to fit in this new culture. The transition would have been easier if I knew the advice from this doc. Very touching documentary!

I found this documentary to be so uplifting.

When I think of my move into Canada at the age of 12, I know now that others were in the same boat as me. Moving from the Southern States of the US caused me to have a culture shock.

I couldn't identify with anyone. I was a complete outcast. When I saw other kids tormented for being different I felt I was one of them. I was often angry that none of the labeled "outcasts" identified with me. They saw me as another "white" girl. My southern accent and my white skin made me an outcast to everyone. If I wasn't Canadian I wasn't anyone.

I tried to be like everyone else. I still haven't found anyone that I truely have belonged with. I preferred to be alone than talk to anyone, at least they couldn't hear the sound of my voice and I somehow fit in with my skin. I only had to be quiet.
If I made friends, I wasn't their true friend. I was a follower. They had history with eachother. If ever there was a fight all my friends seemed to agree with one another like they had to choose and they would choose the obvious answer... Not Me. I did not retain any of my friends from school. I preferr to forget my school years in Canada.

Twelve was a terrible year for me. I left anyone and everyone who understood me. When I visit the states I am labeled "that canadian", no longer one of them. Up here in Canada I am "a damn Yankee". No winning in either country.

I really appreciated this documentary. I thought I was the only Twelve year old that didn't fit in. I don't hate my childhood so much anymore.

S

To the filmmaker of "Twelve", you did an excellent job making the documentary. You were genuine, raw and vulnerable. That took courage. I can only hope for such courage in my writing. As for the subject matter, well I was raised in the same city I was born in, in Canada, and I had a hard enough time dealing with life, but for different reasons than yours. Keep talking and sharing with people who have experienced what you have. Don't give up. The most important person you have to fit in with anyway, is yourself. Because there will always be some weird person or some weird situation in society that you don't want to fit into, even if you could figure out a way to. I hope that helps... Ambra... Great work!

Wow. That was amazing.
I am one of those people that came to Canada at age 12.. And I can say from experience that it was ridicuosly hard. Everything around you is completly different than what your used to. School was the hardest because while I wasn't bullied I was pretty much by myself always.. Making friends was stressing because you don't know how to interact with people in such a foreign environment. It was difficult to overcome it but even now, 4 years later to the day that I arrived, there's a moment everyday when I feel like I don't truly belong here.
This film was so powerful yet it touched the subject in such a simple way that made it seem to me like it is not so out of this world anymore. It's such a relief to see that there's actually people out there that experienced the same thing I did. It Provides lots of comfort to know that you're not alone.
The people in the film expressed Everything I felt at that time perfectly. It felt as if I had written it down for them to read.. Yet there was something different about them. Truly wonderful. Thank you for making this film that comes at a moment in my life that I need reasurrance that everything will be alright.
THANK YOU.. Ü!
XO.

I wish there were some kind of manual back then(70's) Your Documataries showed various aspects of being immigrant,but for me it was half/half there were some bad and good times along the way. My thing back then was How can you tell the difference between Chineese and Filipino. Filipino Hit's you back...that got me into lot trouble but also gained a lot respect who i am........

This film was very touching. I moved from my hometown when I was 13 into a new town and a new school. I am originally from Canada so I didn't have to deal with the cultural/language barriers but I did have troubles finding new friends. I sat alone on the front step of the school for the first three days. It was extremely difficult and, like many of the people portrayed in this doc, I felt angry towards my parents for putting me through that. I still wonder what my life would be like had I not moved, but I have made new friends and am looking towards the future where I will hopefully get the opportunity to make films that will touch others as this one has touched me. I had tears in my eyes when the director told the story of getting stones thrown at him as a kid. This is an excellent doc and it shows the difficulties that new immigrants go through. Great Job!

It was a great film, Lester, I watched the whole documentary, I was very touched, I cried when I heard your story of being bullied at the bus stop, it was so harsh and very hard to take in for a 12 year old...or anyone at any age... I came to Canada at a much older age , I was 22 when I came...

Prior to watching the film, I thought, moving to Canada at 12 is a wonderful thing, no one should be complaining about the fact that you get to move to this great country at such a young age.. you were young, so you could learn to speak accent free Canadian English, you would have a good educational background, you will fit in gradually as you grow up...whereas people like myself, we have none of those advantages...I wish I could move to Canada at 12 not 22.

After watching your documentory though, I am kind of glad that I didn't come to Canada when I was 12....at age 12, everything happened in life seem to be so dramatic and unbearable, it has such a huge impact on rest of your life...and you guys have to go through so much in school...I hate being bullied for being different...

Now, when I think back, my school days back in Beijing (from age 6-18), and my university years in Kuala Lumpur(Malaysia) , I have always been a very popular kid in school, doing very well academically, won all kinds of awards, teachers loved me, my school mates loved me..I truely felt I belong, and the feeling of being loved and popular was wonderful and self assuring...

So when I came to Canada at age 22, I wasn't afraid of being different, I embraced my cultural background, and felt I was so lucky to be able to go back and forth in both cultures and identify with them. I think my self-confidence came from my achievements in my school years back in China and Malaysia...

I know the feeling of being seen as outsiders from both sides, in Beijing, people see me as a outsider, in Canada people see me as Chinese. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, that shows how multi-cultural we have become nowadays in this world we live in.

I know I've written too much, as this is also in someway my self-healing process... I sometimes felt ashamed for not speaking perfectly accent free English, even though I've been told by many of my Canadian friends that my accent is so mild that lots of people would think I was either born here or came to Canada at a very young age when they hear me speak, and they wouldn't worry about it if they were me... but I became very self-conscious about that...get very insecure sometimes...But then I thought, if God asks me one day to make a choice, I can either speak perfectly accent free English, but I will have to give up my ability to read, write and speak Chinese and Japanese, or I have to stuck with this mild accent for rest of my life but I will keep my other language skills, I know I will choose the later in any given day and time.

See you guys that moved here at 12, will not have my struggle now with English...So all in all, there is always good and bad for immigrating to a new country for any age group, one could dwell on the bad, and get depressed and feeling sorry for themselves for not fitting in, or you could choose to look towards the positive side, and move on, cherish what you've got in life... I love my life in Canada, I wouldn't exchange it for anything else, being different is not necessarily a bad thing, I find I get along with people better,people love me for who I am, I don't have to pretend...I have more understanding towards other cultures now too after I've moved here... I don't feel I am alone, or isolated, in fact my friends are very mixed, I have had friends from all different backgrounds (e.g Japanese, Chinese, Indian,Spanish, Korean, German, French, British, Canadian natives, etc), we all get along fine....

Yes, it sucks to feel like an ousider, but you don't have to feel that way, as long as you have an open heart, you could make friends with anyone else with an open heart, you don't expect EVERYONE out there to accept you as who you are, but trust me there would be more Canadians that are willing to accept you just the way you are than rejecting you... from my personal experience, Canadians are one of the most generous and kind hearted, tolerant, group of people I've come across in life, so are the Malaysians...

So even though I moved to Canada at 22, I have come to terms with myself, and adopted into this new world, and now, I could proudly say I am a Canadian, and I could also proudly say, I am a Bejinger, this 2 identities do not conflict from each other, I hope all those that are struggling with this identity issue will also see light at the end of the tunnel..We are all going to do just fine! Cheers!

A brilliant idea for a documentary - and so extremely well done! Twelve yrs old is such a delicate and often hurtful time. I am older than most posters. Oldest child, Cdn born, white, just Cdn accent - no problems - right? But at that stage my family moved from a small country town into a large city, leaving behind my group of closeknit friends from grade 1-8 onwards. At new school I waited alone waiting for the middle school bell to ring to let students inside, while others chatted happily in groups after a fun summer. So lonely and scared! Those days long distance calls to friends were unheard of by kids so I lost touch. Eventually made new friends but often felt 'alone in a crowd' in high school years. I know I had it easy compared to these wonderful people who shared their stories, but wished I had known about them & others. However perhaps my now love of diversity of people and their stories has been nutured by that beginning at age 12 and always wanting to reach out to anyone who is new to Canada or my community.Sp grateful to Lester and to those who shared so openly - your stories will help so many who are coming behind you! Know you are all special and such an help to all you come in contact with!

Great documentary. I also came to Canada when I was twelve, 1979. Now in my adult years I've commented on how hard it was for me to adapt to a new country at this age. Many people don't believe this and think that it must have been easier, since twelve was still young. This film might help some people to be more sensible towards children and teens that are new to Canada.

TWELVE made me go back in time. I also realize that this bad experience help me in my field working with children. It made me be more sensible towards children that go through separation anxiety, ESL kids and newcomers to Canada. Overall I think this film was great.

I don't want play shrink, but the attempt to "garner sympathy" is actually the longing to be aknowledged. A longing the author dragged along since he found himself, at the age of twelve, an ignored entity in the midst of existential pain and cultural shock that he couldn't understand. In other words, he had no idea what had happened to him and longed for someone to explain it. Actually, this film still begs for someone to explain.

Great documentary. The first one I've seen on this topic. I also came to Canada (from Hong Kong) when I was 12. I remember my experience primarily in terms of colors - how Toronto seemed overwhelmingly beige, after the exoticism of Hong Kong. I had also been educated in a very strict all girls' school in Hong Kong and the coeducational Canadian system was a huge shock to my system, particularly at 12. I guess I was bullied in school at the time but I didn't realize it - the kids would laugh at my lunch (with ingredients like Chinese sausage). Someone in the documentary mentioned that it was hard to fit in when people had known each other for so long (particularly since I came into a Grade 8 class - right before high school). Language was not a problem - having been educated under a British style school system my English excellent but I did have a slight British accent which did not help me to fit in either.

Lester, you put it best when you used the analogy of being "left at the edge of the woods".

Like you and many others, I knew I didn't fit in but at that age, I couldn't figure out what was "wrong" and for the longest time I thought there was something wrong with ME. I also went through a long period (till my late 20s) of utter confusion in my life. Fortunately I met my husband not long after (ironically or maybe not, a Canadian) who has been of tremendous help.

In my situation, we were not escaping a war or economic hardship. My parents emigrated primarily to escape their own personal unhappiness.

To all parents out there who do NOT have to move because of economic or political hardship - I would implore them to think twice, talk to your kids before and after. TALK TO THEM. Kids do not have a choice and there are effects that linger for years and years.

To Sushmita - keep smiling. I was in your shoes once. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Just keep remembering you are beautiful and special and no matter where in the world you are or how alone you feel, no one can take YOU, the person inside, away from you.

Thank you, Lester, for giving voice to my experience, and many others like mine.

I came to Canada at eight and even at that young age I was confused and lost. I did not speak the language, and no one, adult or child paid any attention to me.

In 1963, there was no English as a second language classes, and every kid knew English.

A lot of adult assumed something was wrong with me, because I did not respond to their language.

For a long time I did not fit into any culture, I did not belong to any country, I lived all alone in a world of my own.

Wow... I was really moved by this documentary. I also came to Canada at age 12...and went through many of the same difficult episodes that Mr. Alfonso and the other people did.

Except that in my case I was actually coming BACK to Canada after spending a few years abroad. You see, I am a Québécois 'pure laine', if I may use that expression... but that didn't seem to make a difference in the eyes of my schoolmates, since my accent was worse than different: it was Parisian French! (Gasp)
Ironic, isn't it...

The sad thing in this movie is to come to the realization that even after several decades, people don't seem to fully overcome the trauma of their uprooting and the difficult transition to their new life... Several moments will stay with me - such as the little girl who asks if Lester has ever been bullied, or the young woman who regrets not responding to her grandfather while he was alive, and hopes that she may trust someone. Thinking about it today, I believe many people can relate to this movie, so best wishes for its success. Hopefully many young people who now face adversity can see it and understand that they are not alone.

What a poignant film. I hope this documentary can be made available to children in middle school, junior high & high school. Lester's film could provide a bridge towards understanding some of the challenges that face new Canadians. Most immigrants settle in urban centres yet they often feel alone. If each of us could extend a hand in friendship what a different story these immigrants might be able to tell.

It was a truly emotional day for me after the broadcast... The outpouring that came from across the nation.. people I have yet to meet writing me personal emails telling me how their life was changed by the broadcast. I can't express how touched and happy I am to hear the film speaks to so many. I really appreciate all the kind words. Peace!