A team of young Canadian film-makers have made a documentary in which they teach reluctant senior citizens how to use the internet.

In an amusing and heart-warming trailer for Cyber-Seniors, six subjects between the ages of 77 and 93 years old are seen being introduced to the virtual jungles of YouTube, Facebook and Skype, for the very first time, led by six very patient teen mentors.

‘I typed in… www.email.com?’ offers one senior hopefully, while attempting to grasp the concept of email, to which her teen mentor responds: ‘Yeah, that’s the problem.’

Initially, the group seem perplexed and unenthused by the prospect of computers in general – most of whom have never used one – let alone email or social networking.
‘Could you explain a bit about this Face… Face Book? Face something, and you having to be a friend?’ asks one senior.

‘I’ve heard of [YouTube] but I have no clue what it means’, says another.

‘I think I’m too old,’ Shura, 88, affirms.

As the trailer progresses however, a light bulb seems to go on for each of the seniors as they start to fully understand the scope of possibility available with the internet.

‘Welcome to a whole new world of information!’ exclaims 77-year-old Annette.

YouTube appears to be a particular hit; as Shura soon becomes fixated with watching cooking tutorials, and 93-year-old Marion even shoots her very own music video for the site, in which she comically raps: ‘My teeth are as fresh as hot popped corn.’

In fact, the seniors find themselves so enthralled with their new-found pastimes, they end up toe-to-toe against one another in a contest which sees them shoot creative YouTube concepts, and compete to win the most ‘hits’.

Marion has so far achieved over 27,000 views with her ‘Funny Rapping Granny’ video on YouTube, while Shura is up to 6,200 for her ‘Grandma Cooks Grilled Cheese with an Iron’ tutorial.

Touchingly though, it’s the better connections these subjects are now able to forge with their friends and families, near and far, thanks in particular to Skype, that make it all worthwhile.

‘No matter how old we are, we do need a purpose for getting up in the morning’

As we see contented grandparents speaking lovingly with their children and grandchildren, one senior can be heard saying: ‘No matter how old we are, we do need a purpose for getting up in the morning.’

The feature-length documentary is currently touring the U.S., having scooped a number of Official Selection accolades at film festivals so far.

View this article at Mail Online.