Generation Why

Generation Why explores current social challenges and asks three young Vancouver changemakers: could this generations’ collective beliefs, shared responsibility and irresistible opportunity to change the world save the planet and bring humanity together?

Creative team

Writer/director: Tara Mahoney
Producer: Fiona Rayher

Director’s statement

Tara Mahoney says:

“I wanted to make a film that presented an alternative narrative of Generation Y through the eyes of its members.

In contrast to the pessimistic stories in the mainstream media, I wanted to explore what Gen Yers are doing to address the convergent environmental, social, and political challenges of this era.”

About Tara Mahoney

Before completing her master degree in media production from Ryerson University, Tara Mahoney worked in the non-profit sector as Community Outreach Coordinator for a non-profit film school, Pull Focus and campaigned for the Sierra Club of Canada and Greenpeace at their Headquarters in Washington D.C.

Along with environmental activism, social justice issues have always been important to Tara – illustrated most clearly in her first documentary film, ForGive. Tara wrote, directed and produced ForGive, a film that follows National Chief Phil Fontaine to the Vatican to seek an apology from Pope Benedict XVI for the culture damaged caused by Indian Residential Schools.

Tara is currently the Creative Director and co-founder of the Gen Why Media Project – Tara has become a cultural commentator in generational issues, frequently appearing in the media as representing the Generation Y perspective.

The Gen Why Media Project spawn Gen Why Media, a social enterprise production group that re-imagines civic engagement using events, workshops, participatory media an public art.