June 14, 1993. A Monday night like any other, but one that would quietly spark something lasting. Bruce Saunders walks into the auditorium at the Eric Martin Pavilion at Royal Jubilee Hospital with a mix of purpose and nerves. He sets up the data projector, checks the cables, slides in a VHS tape, and brings Cannery Row—John Steinbeck’s tender ode to misfits and community—to life on the screen.
At 6:30 p.m., he steps to the microphone and welcomes the handful of people who have come out for tonight’s feature film. In that modest gathering, something clicks: a rhythm, a promise. This is the first Movie Monday – no one realizes it yet, but it’ll be a weekly tradition for more than 26 years,
In November, Saunders, now 75, was named a 2025 recipient of the Government of British Columbia’s Medal of Good Citizenship, awarded to individuals whose service strengthens their communities. But the spirit of that honour was already present on that first Monday night: one man, a movie, a handful of people, and a belief that showing up matters.
Just a month before Movie Mondays began, Saunders had been a patient at the psychiatric hospital—now the Victoria Mental Health Centre—while experiencing severe depression related to bipolar disorder. A fellow patient introduced him to Friends of Music, a program held in the building’s 100‑seat theatre. Saunders immediately saw potential in the space and wondered: what if we could show movies to entertain patients upstairs, and others struggling with isolation and poverty?
“Part of my recovery was looking forward to making that happen,” he said. “I wanted to entertain, educate, and put on a regular event people could depend on.”
Ron Thomson, then head of media services at Island Health, remembers the moment Saunders pitched the idea. He wasn’t sure if it would work, but he agreed to let Saunders try it out. After a quick tutorial on the projector, Saunders took the lead. “Attendance was low at first, but week after week, we saw a gradual rise. After a couple of months, the theatre was nearly half-full. I knew he was going to make it work,” Thomson said.
Island Health provided use of the theatre at no cost, allowing Movie Mondays to run by donation—something Saunders insisted on to keep it accessible to all. After four years, the organization also provided funding to further support the program.
People were free to come and go, watch from a TV in the lobby if crowds or dark theatre were overwhelming, or step out to talk with Saunders if needed. Discussions followed many screenings, often with guests such as local experts, filmmakers, or industry professionals. One standout evening featured Dr. Dean Brooks, former head of the Oregon State Hospital, where One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was filmed. Brooks allowed an empty ward to be used for filming, and was involved in the film, playing Dr. Spivey, shooting scenes with Jack Nicholson.
“With a few dedicated volunteers, it became a regular, well-advertised event people could depend on. I was a maintenance gardener by day, but a ‘movie mogul’ on Mondays,” Saunders said.
After a few years, Saunders was joined by Bruce Wallace, who helped establish a charitable society, unlocking grants from sources such as the Canada Council for the Arts and enabling donations.
“For 25 years I was ‘the other Bruce,’ a title I wore happily,” Wallace said. In Saunders’ nomination letter for the provincial honour, he wrote, “While people were talking about the stigma of mental illness, Bruce was open about living with bipolar disorder, and he invited people into the psychiatric hospital each week to be entertained and educated. It was both simple and profound.”
Movie Mondays ran uninterrupted until March 2020, when COVID‑19 restrictions ended in‑person gatherings. “It felt like a loss at first, but we weren’t getting younger, and we didn’t want to recreate it online,” Wallace said. Using some of the charitable society’s remaining grant funds, the pair created an archive with Madness Canada of 26 years of films, photos, programs, and press. Saunders also maintains an archive at www.moviemonday.ca with suggestions of Movie Monday-like films that can be streamed.
Saunders embraced the program’s end as an opportunity to give back in new ways. He now volunteers at Red Cedar Café and Community Food Support, delivering meals and groceries. As garden lead for the Shelbourne Community Kitchen, the team has grown more than 30,000 pounds of produce for their food hamper program.
“The garden reminds me of Movie Monday in some ways,” Saunders said. “It’s an under‑used space, brought to life by volunteers, doing something good for the community.”