On April 16th 1945, HMCS Esquimalt, a Canadian Minesweeper led by Captain Robert C. Macmillan, became the last Canadian ship sunk in the Second World War. Torpedoed off the coast of Nova Scotia, those that survived the blast were stranded for 6 hours in the ice-cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving only 27 of the 71-man crew alive.
As the son of her captain, Halifax-based composer Scott Macmillan has a particular interest in the story of HMCS Esquimalt, and as Musician-in-Residence for the 2007/2008 St. Cecilia Concert Series, he will be commemorating the event with an original composition.
Having never had the opportunity to meet his grandfather, filmmaker Ian Macmillan, Scott’s son, joins his father in seeking to answer his own questions regarding the tragedy. From the lens of a camera, Ian watches Scott meld their research with a unique creative vision and lay the groundwork for his composition. Offering a fresh perspective in the telling of a historic Canadian war story, Within Sight of Shore celebrates a family, a ship, and the legacy left behind.