Loyalist College student competes in TVO's Short Documentary Contest

By Meagan Pecjak

Who would have thought that a Loyalist College student would soon find herself competing for the chance to be TVO’s Short Documentary Contest winner.

Found is a profound story about Dustin Rawding-Montgomery, a local 20-year-old who found a 73-year-old man who had gone missing east of Belleville several days before.

Chloë Ellingson is a photojournalism student at Loyalist College, as well as the creator of the documentary.

“It’s very exciting. It’s a bit strange because I have become so close to this piece, through getting to know Dustin and his story and through working on producing it,” said Ellingson.

She heard of the story while working on a school project, one that involved taking a portrait.

In desperate need for a photo, she stopped by a local prop shop, owned by a man named Pete Montgomery.

“He asked me if I wanted to know something that had nothing to do with his prop shop. I had no idea what he was going to say. He went on to talk about this missing man who wandered out of Belleville, was found by his son.”

Curiousity got the best of Ellingson.

“I thought about it all night. Thought about how I had to hear how this affected him, and just to see what he is like.”

Ellingson said that she found the story touching because it wasn’t just about a young man who found a missing man. It was also about how certain events occurring in someone’s life can change their entire outlook on life.

“What I wanted to address in the piece is how circumstances affect a person’s view of life, and faith,” she said.

Dustin’s story is not one easily forgotten, and Ellingson says, “To hear that other people are getting something out of it is strange and exciting all at once.”