Private Project

BURD

At 110 years old, Burdett "Burd" Sisler is the oldest person in Canada and one of the last surviving WWII veterans. Through interviews, reenactments, and archival material, the film reflects on a life shaped by war, grief, and love.

  • Abraam Dawod
    Director
    My Girl, Skelly (2021)
  • Abraam Dawod
    Producer
  • Käroli Grenman
    Producer
  • Devon C. Codrington
    Producer
    These Triggas (2024)
  • Scott Morris
    Producer
  • Burd Sisler
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Kyle O'Neill
    Key Cast
    "Adult Burd"
  • Erynn Brook
    Key Cast
    "Adult Mae"
  • Robert Black
    Key Cast
    "Teen Burd"
  • Grace Koscak
    Key Cast
    "Teen Mae"
  • Zachary Donald
    Key Cast
    "Child Burd"
  • Nathan Donald
    Key Cast
    "Child Louis"
  • Abraam Dawod
    Executive Producers
  • Käroli Grenman
    Executive Producers
  • Devon C. Codrington
    Executive Producers
  • Paul Persic
    Executive Producers
  • Sandesh Bharthur
    Editor
  • Graham Campbell
    Original Score By
  • Liam Higgins
    Cinematography By
  • Jason D'Souza
    Cinematography By
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Biography, History, War
  • Runtime:
    26 minutes 19 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 6, 2026
  • Production Budget:
    35,045 CAD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Abraam Dawod

Abraam Dawod is a Canadian-Egyptian filmmaker working in documentary and narrative film. His work often explores history, anthropology, and culture through the lens of individual lives.

Since 2018, he has directed 18 short films, including the sci-fi short MY GIRL SKELLY (2021), which screened at 11 film festivals, and HOTEL PARAÍSO (2026), produced in Portugal under the mentorship of Werner Herzog. The documentary BURD marks his most ambitious project to date.

Dawod has worked in a wide range of production roles on over 100 independent and studio projects, including BLACKBERRY (2023), HONEY BUNCH (2025), and Amazon Studios' BEAST GAMES (2024).

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I was fascinated by Burd Sisler’s story since early 2025, even before he became the oldest living man in Canada. When 109-year-old Albert Middleton passed away in February 2025, Burd inherited that title.

I reached out to his daughter-in-law Marg and pitched the idea to preserve his life story through film. What followed was one of the most moving collaborations I’ve experienced. Four generations of the Sisler family opened their homes and their hearts to our team.

Since then, I’ve gotten to know them very well. They’ve been warm, generous and genuinely excited to tell this story. It’s rare to be given that kind of access to someone’s life, let alone be trusted with it.

'BURD' confronts the physical and cognitive toll of living to 110. As he reflects on war, love, and grief, larger questions become unavoidable.

What does it mean to outlive not only one's peers, but one's entire century? To become one of the last living witnesses to events that now exist only in history books?

What begins as a celebration of Burd's life becomes something more searching: a final effort to understand a man who grew up in a largely disappearing era, and to preserve his story before it fades away.