Sponsoring DRESDEN 1957

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Dresden 1957 sponsorship program — and to introduce Grounded Engineering as our first official sponsor!

Dresden 1957 tells the forgotten story of a construction disaster that took place in Dresden, Ontario, in 1957, when six Dutch immigrant workers lost their lives in an excavation collapse. At the time, the tragedy made headlines across Canada and in the Netherlands. Today the story is virtually unknown.

That is why we are making this film: to honour the men who died, to restore this chapter of Canadian history to public memory, and to reflect on the lessons it still holds for us today. Sponsorship is one way for businesses and organizations to help make that possible.

Sponsorship is not just about funding. It is about partnering with organizations that have a meaningful connection to the story we are telling — through engineering, construction, workplace safety, immigration, community, public memory, or the broader question of how we choose to remember the past.

Grounded Engineering is a perfect example of that.

Based in Ontario, Grounded Engineering is a geotechnical engineering firm whose work is connected, in a very real way, to the world at the centre of Dresden 1957: excavation, soil, infrastructure, risk, and responsibility. Their support reflects not only a commitment to the film, but also an understanding of why this story still matters.

As part of our sponsorship launch, I sat down with Chris Elvidge of Grounded Engineering to talk about the why they chose to become involved, and why this story continues to resonate today.

Eric Philpott speaks with Chris Elvidge about Grounded Engineering and why sponsoring Dresden 1957 is important for them.

Our first sponsor! Jory Hunter at Grounded Engineering presents director Eric Philpott with a cheque.

Becoming our first sponsor is no small thing. It means stepping forward before the path is fully established. We are deeply grateful to Grounded Engineering for taking that step and helping us launch this next phase of the project.

Sponsorship Opportunities

We are offering three sponsorship tiers for Dresden 1957: Community Sponsor, Premier Sponsor, and Presenting Sponsor.

• The Community Sponsor level is designed for organizations that want to make a meaningful contribution to the completion of the film and be publicly recognized for that support.

• Premier Sponsors receive additional recognition, including a dedicated blog post and opportunities connected to public screenings or presentations.

• The Presenting Sponsor will be recognized as foundational to the making of the film, with the highest level of visibility across the project, including opening credit recognition where possible.

These tiers provide a framework, but each sponsorship will be approached as an individual relationship. We want to shape each partnership around the sponsor’s connection to the story and the community they serve.

We are limiting the number of sponsors. This is to make sure each sponsor receives meaningful recognition for their support — not only through credits and website acknowledgement, but through opportunities for public engagement, presentations, screenings, and social media collaboration.

The film is currently in production, with a goal of screening in 2027. Support from sponsors, alongside individual contributors and grant funding, will help us complete the film and ensure that this important Canadian story is preserved, shared, and remembered.

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, download our Sponsorship Brochure or contact us directly.

What about crowdfunding?
We are extremely grateful to everyone who contributed in our two crowdfunding campaigns. Both campaigns hit their targets. Our first crowdfunding campaign in 2024 enabled us to complete principal photography; our second (2025-26) made it possible for us to start post-production, the phase we are currently in. Anyone who still wishes to contribute, can do so via our PayPal page and they will be added to our crowdfunding page as supporters, by name or - if they wish to remain anonymous, by their initials.

Copyright Eric Philpott, 2025