As any filmmaker knows well, it's never easy to get a movie made. "I Declare War" is no exception. It took years to get it from the idea phase unto movie screens...ten years, in fact. But perseverance did eventually pay off.

Since its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film has gone on to win raves from critics and audiences alike.

Co-director Jason Lapeyre, who also wrote the script, used to play 'war' as a kid. A lot. And an idea was born. To him, that game appeared to be a "good metaphor for how difficult and confusing that time is for young people." Even the word "war" is derived from the old German “werren,” which means “confusion,” he notes. 

Lapeyre wanted to show the story through the kids' eyes and he also wanted to put real weapons in their hands. And so, in "I Declare War," what seems like a regular game between neighbourhood kids takes a  darker turn. Friendships and boundaries are tested, and some will stop at nothing to survive and win. 

First Weekend Club had a chance to speak with Jason Lapeyre and Robert Wilson and find out more about the filmmaking process, working with kids, and the themes in the movie:

It took 10 years to get from idea to screen, how come?

Jason Lapeyre: It’s a pretty crazy concept - a bunch of 12-13-year-olds running around a forest with machine guns.  I had a great experience taking the script through the National Screen Institute’s Features First program, which legitimized the project a lot, but it was still hard to find a producer to jump on board with that concept, and even when they did, it was still impossible to find financing.  I heard the same thing from almost everyone:  I’d love to see this movie, but I have no idea how to sell it.  In the end, it took someone who was willing to take the risk and who really believed that the story was strong enough to win over an audience - and that was Lewin Webb at Samaritan.

Jason, you wrote the script, but you’re also a co-director with Robert Wilson, why did you decide to co-direct and what was the experience like working with another director?  How are you similar and how are you different?

JL: It happened very organically as we were preparing to shoot the movie.  Rob is an experienced director and believed in the story as much as I did, and the more we worked together we realized we had tons in common regarding this particular story - we’re almost exactly the same age, we both played war (we actually shot the film right where Rob played war as a kid in Scarborough), comics are a huge influence on both of us.  So in the end it just made sense.  The actual process was very straightforward, there was no division of duties, we just had two people working on everything instead of one.

And you, Robert, what was it like co-directing the movie with Jason Lapeyre? How are you similar and how are you different?

Robert Wilson: As unfashionable as it sounds, I enjoyed co-directing I Declare War.   Aside from the practical benefits of the unusual (and sometimes day saving) ability to 'divide and conquer', co-directing provided a fairly constant atmosphere of collaboration and some really interesting flexibility in our approach to creating the film.   It was surprisingly rewarding to remove the 'directorship' from a starring role and focus entirely - and collectively - on the necessities of the story and it's real stars.

Jason and I could not be two more different people... but where this story was concerned, we might has well have played the same war games together as kids.   

Jason - Is there one question you’d like to ask Robert?

JL: I never did ask him which gun he used when he played war as a kid.  And I don’t think he ever told me which character in the movie best represents how he was back then...Rob?

Et toi, Robert? Do you have a question for Jason?

RW: No. He's pretty much the 'open book' of the relationship. 

What was the casting process like?

RW: Overwhelming and really easy.  There's a staggering pool of talent in the age range living in and around the GTA... most of our cast fell into place within the first session.  It seemed so simple that I seriously started to doubt our perspective and started cutting audition tapes together to be sure...

You’re working with a pretty young cast, what are some of the challenges with that?  What unique qualities did they bring?

JL: Honestly, and I’ve said this a lot, it was one of the best directing experiences of my life in terms of cast.  I love working with young actors.  Their enthusiasm and excitement is palpable, and their dedication is incredible.  They had all literally memorized the entire script, even the other parts.  They’re completely unencumbered by ego.  And they were just totally in love with the story.  At some point during the shoot, each one of them came up to me and proposed an idea for a sequel that would centre on their character.  It was amazing.  And I’m super proud of all their performances.

RW: Hours in the day were the only challenge we faced - These were some of the most engaged and enthusiastic actors I've had the pleasure of working with.  

Did anything surprise you about working with a cast that age?

JL: Just how good they were.  I had high expectations, and they surpassed them.

What unique qualities did they bring? Did anything surprise you about working with a cast that age?

RB: The cast was a team before the first read was finished - completely ego free, like they all lived in the same neighborhood and grew up together.  I attribute that in part to the script, but I think the rest was an age thing.  They could just go out and play, they didn't have to remember how, .  They hadn't lost that power yet.  The surprising thing was how infectious they were... a bunch of 40 year olds got to go back in time that summer.   Or at least I did, anyway.

I have to ask, how much of an inspiration was 'Lord of the Flies'?

JL: I’d read the book and loved it in high school, of course.  But there were more direct influences - Kinji Fukusaku’s Battle Royale, Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me, Francois Truffault’s Small Change, even The Goonies...any work where young people actually acted like young people instead of the sarcastic jerk-offs you usually see when movies and novels try to represent them.

There's a bit of blood/violence in the movie, which I think makes us cringe a little more since there are children involved, whereas we'd probably be fairly numb otherwise because we see so much violence in movies. Was it your intention to sort of wake people up to it?

RW: Not particularly.  I'm not sure the imaginations of children are supposed to be violent and bloody, but mine sometimes was.  And sometimes it was heroic and romantic, or jealous, and ashamed,  or friendly, or angry... whatever, you get the point.    Sometimes my imagination even fired laser beams from my eyes... but while I'm sure all those things came from the stories I read or watched as a child, the last thing I would ever do is try and single out a part of that and say 'wake up, this is bad now, remove it fast'.   And I think the 'numb'  reaction to over stimulation (violence, lets say)  is like when you get really tired of eating the same thing day in and day out.  It's time to wake up and try a different sandwich. 

What message did you hope to leave the audience with?

JL: I don’t like to impose a meaning on the film.  People can take from it whatever they like.  I just hope they’re entertained by a good story.

RW: Having a message was never part of the plan - at least not the sort of message you can easily articulate.   As far as I Declare War goes, if you played this game growing up I hope you get to go back there in some way.   And if you didn't...  well just where did you grow up anyway?

Has anything surprised you about the reaction to the film?

JL: I’m thrilled people are responding to it as strongly as they are - folks really seem to love it.  It’s interesting how much of a sponge the film seems to be for current events.  Whatever happens to be in the news at the time people see the film is usually how people want to frame the story - last year it was about bullying, this year it’s about guns, next year it will be about violence.  I hope that says something about the universality of the story.

RW: I'm very happy that people talk about what I Declare War means after they see it... but I'm more consistently surprised by the childhood war stories that come out of the woodwork.  Everyone seems to have one, and suddenly complete strangers are really into sharing.  It's pretty amazing.

What’s next for you, cinematically?

JL: I’ve actually directed another feature since I Declare War, a TV Movie called Restless Virgins that was written by Andy Cochrane, who wrote John Cusack’s new movie Adult World.  It aired in the US in March and will air in Canada later this year.  I’m also writing my next feature.

RW: I'm writing a feature and I'm reading in the hope of finding something awesome in the meantime.  I'm eager to work with young actors again and I'm leaning toward revisiting horror for some reason.   I guess I'll just see what happens.

VANCOUVER FILM INDUSTRY TO STRIKE THE RIGHT NOTES WITH "HIT N' STRUM"

First Weekend Club, MPPIA & We Create BC will present a special screening and celebration of local film industry on March 9th at 5th Avenue Cinemas. We're thrilled to be bringing industry together for such a celebratory occasion. This is what we are all in it for! Please join us in the occassion, all the details are below, and I've included quick links for you right here!

Save Me A Seat?
Alexandra

Find out about the film and event HERE
RSVP to the Facebook event HERE
And stay to-the-moment with First Weekend Club on Twitter HERE

Have you become a First Weekend Club Member yet?
Join free on our home page, and you'll get access to Canadian Film Industry news, events, contests, perks and more! www.FirstWeekendClub.ca


Vancouver, BC - There's a lot of talent in Vancouver. That's why First Weekend Club has partnered with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association of BC (MPPIA) and their WE CREATE BC campaign for a special screening of the made-in-Vancouver film, "Hit n' Strum," on Saturday, March 9th at Fifth Avenue Cinemas.  MPPIA Chair Peter Leitch will attend and speak at the screening.

"We are very pleased to help celebrate Vancouver filmmaker Kirk Caouette's Hit n' Strum under the newly established We Create BC banner," says MPPIA Chair Peter Leitch.  "We Create BC profiles the talent, jobs and investment driving BC's vibrant creative industries - so that all British Columbians can take pride in what is being achieved in this province. I can't think of a better way to inaugurate the campaign than with this locally made film," Leitch adds.  
 
Arguably, a bit of a love song to Vancouver, "Hit n' Strum" shows off the city's beauty and is made entirely by local cast and crews.

Vancouver director, actor and composer Kirk Caouette brings the story of an unlikely friendship between Stephanie (Michelle Harrison), a driven young lawyer and Mike (Caouette), a homeless busker. Worlds collide when Stephanie takes a wrong turn and runs down Mike with her car. As Mike gets to his feet, Stephanie panics and peels away, leaving the scene and her conscience behind her. The next day on her way to work she is shocked to see Mike playing guitar and busking in front of her office building...

Although Vancouver is known for the multitude of "Hollywood" films that have been shot there over the years and for the disguises that it has worn, portraying other cities, there's also plenty of local films shot in Vancouver that tell its unique stories. "Hit n' Strum" is just such a film, inspired by a chance encounter with a busker on a cold February morning in Gastown.

The March 9th event not only offers audiences a chance to see this great, locally-made film, but will also celebrate Vancouver's diverse and distinct film industry and community. The filmmakers and actors will be in attendance following the early evening screening (exact time TBA) and a post screening party with live music by Kirk Caouette and special guests will follow at Ceili's Pub. Anyone with a movie ticket stub will also receive a complimentary beverage, courtesy of Ceili's. This screening event is part of the film's theatrical run, opening March 8th at Fifth Avenue Cinemas.

The We Create BC movement, led by MPPIA celebrates B.C.’s creative industries and is leading the motion picture production community in its quest to tell its story and showcase its true value and contribution to the province's vibrant creative economy.
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Find out about the film and event HERE
RSVP to the Facebook event HERE
And stay to-the-moment with First Weekend Club on Twitter HERE

Have you become a First Weekend Club Member yet?
Join free on our home page, and you'll get access to Canadian Film Industry news, events, contests, perks and more! www.FirstWeekendClub.ca

Avi Federgreen has one mission: to make films that affect people. 

As a producer he has worked on an assortment of projects including One Week, Score: A Hockey Musical, and Still Mine, all with director Michael McGowan. He also served as an executive producer of the first ever Canadian 3D feature titled Dead Before Dawn directed by April Mullen and the Vancouver based feature film Random Acts of Romance directed by Katrin Bowen, amongst many other films. He is a huge and vocal supporter of Canadian film and has nurtured much homegrown talent.

In November 2011, Federgreen opened his own film distribution company IndieCan Entertainment, which focuses on low budget indie films (with budgets below $1.5 million). IndieCan has also recently begun screening short films at its theatrical screenings. Federgreen hopes the move to include short films will help promote emerging Canadian short filmmakers to a wider audience.  "Canadian short filmmakers need a way to get their films seen other than in film festivals," says Federgreen, “What better way than to give them a theatrical release through pairing them with a feature of the same genre. This way, they can get the much needed exposure they deserve."

First Weekend Club got a chance to speak with Avi Federgreen:

Why did you want to work in the world of film specifically as a producer?

The story I tell is that when I was 9 years old I went downstairs to say goodnight to my Dad and he was watching a movie.  I was fascinated by what I saw on the TV ....the film was titled Vincent Price's The House of Wax.  I pointed at the televison and turned around to say to my father, "That's what I want to do when I grow up."  My Dad said "What?"  I said "Make that!".  That's how it all began for me.  

I have always been fascinated with finding the property and developing it with great, talented people and see it through to showing it to an audience. I have always said that how you know that you've made a great movie is when people go to a restaurant, bar, or coffee house after watching your film and spend hours talking about it. Conversation about your film is the BEST form of marketing there is.

What was your first gig?

I worked on a Canadian/Swiss Co-Productiion feature titled Waiting for Michael Angelo.

You've worked extensively in Canadian film, was there ever a temptation to go pursue fame and fortune in the U.S.?

I have never once wanted to move away from Canada.  I love what I do right here.  I also have two children here and of course would never want to be far away from them. We have great writers, directors, crew, cast and production and post production talent here...why would I want to leave Canada.

One Week was a big success, with over $1.2 million in the Canadian box, a #1 rental on iTunes and top 10 in DVD sales in Canada during its first week of release. And I would say that this is a very "Canadian" film, even if you just look at how prominently it's set against its landscape. Why do you think audiences embraced the movie so much?

I think that people relate to it on many levels. Many people came up to us saying thank you for reminding us about how beautiful Canada really is, or that they did that same road trip and had forgotten how great the drive across the country was. Many people who were motorcycle riders who had done that drive shared how it brought great memories of the road traveled... Then there are those you who faced cancer head on and beat it or lost someone very special to it...and the memories of that person.

My favourite story was a woman originally from London, Ontario who now lives in Los Angeles contacted me to say that her husband had cancer and that her friend had told her about ONE WEEK. Her children were coming to Los Angeles to spend time with her and their dad and to discuss his next steps of treatment.  He was unsure as to whether to go through with the treatment. She asked if I could get her a copy of the film for her and her family to watch together.  I fedexed it that next day.  She called me the following week to say they watched the film as a family and that her husband decided to fight the fight and go into treatment.  He died about a year ago but he fought it and lived approx three years longer because he gave it his all and fought to live for him and his family.  That's why I make films!

Have you seen Canadian cinema evolve at all over the years? How so?

I think we are making really great films in Canada.  We are telling great stories that are wonderfully written, beautifully shot, amazingly acted and audiences are now seeing them more so now than ever before!  We are a country of extremely talented people that are being creative about how we make films for a small amount of money. The budgets of our films are decreasing but the number of films that we are making are increasing.  We are a very resourceful film community that will do whatever it takes to get our films made...I think this evolution is incredible and I am glad I am a part of it....the NEW AGE of making films.

Where do you think Canadian film is heading?

I think that we will continue to make amazing films for a small amount of money and that we will see more emerging filmmakers making low budget films and making films through non-conventional ways...I truly believe that independent financing will be the way most films will get made moving forward and that the budgets will continue to decrease. I think we will see some new and creative ways that films are being made... at a much smaller scale.

You've launch IndieCan, a distribution company, recently. What prompted this?

I had been thinking about starting up Indeican 5 years ago as I was making films that couldn't get a distributor because the budget of the film was too small, because the distributor didn't  feel they could take on the genre of the film that I had made, or maybe they did take the film but only put it in a total of two theatres across Canada.  I also had many friends that were in the same boat as me.  The distributors can only take on so much content.  There aren't enough distributors for the amount of content we are making and only a small percentage of all the content were making in Canada is getting distribution.  I wanted to change all of that.  I want to bring great Canadian films to Canadian audiences.  Maximizing the number of eyeballs to see our films is my #1 priority by creating unique ways of reaching out to the audience through non-tradional marketing approaches.

You mentioned that you're a bit of an underdog with Indiecan Entertainment, that people didn't expect it to succeed -- How have you proven them wrong so far?

I have released four films, all of which I am proud of the results to date.  I have worked extremely hard to get all of the films I am distributing into as many theatres across the country as possible.  I have also used non-conventional means of marketing the films and have been able to maximize getting the films on as many platforms as possible...again it's all about the number of eyeballs to see our Canadian films.

You're known for really nurturing talent, not just working with industry vets, but also up-and-comers… What are some people we might not know of today, but definitely will tomorrow?

There are a number of amazing talented up and coming filmmakers that Canadians really need to watch out for.  Some of them have done short films, some of them have done one or two small features, some of them have done documentaries and are now moving into narrative features and some are up and coming documentary filmmakers.

Here is a small sampling:

Jeremy Lalonde
Sarah Goodman
John Barnard
Joel Goldberg
Emily Hunter
Gaurav Seth
Jordan Canning
Dylan Pearce
Katrin Bowen
Adnan Ahmed
Sean Cisterna
Justin McConnell
Matt Sandowski
Deanne Foley
Amy Miller
Justin Kelly

If you could choose your own budget and have access to any talent, what film would you make?

I will always prefer to shoot low budget and work with Canadian actors and crews....Homegrown through and through.

What's one thing that would surprise people to learn about you?

I make it so that people know everything about me...
I hold nothing back, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I tell it like it is...honesty is always the way to go for me .I think people appreciate the fact that I don't dance around anything and that I am forward with my opinions and my passion for what I do for a living. I have nothing to apologize for...and NO is not an option.

Last great Canadian movie you've watched?

STILL MINE

What upcoming movie are you looking forward to seeing?

Anything J.J. Abrams makes....AND

I really love watching the films we make right here in Canada

You've been a member and supporter of First Weekend Club for a long time. Why did you decide to become part of it?

I think the initiative the FWC started right from the beginning is an important initiative: Get Canadian audiences to go and see Canadian films especially opening weekend when box office really counts...I am very supportive of this effort and hope that it continues for years to come.  The FWC's new VOD initiative is another way for eyeballs to watch Canadian Films and I really hope this initiative allows Canadian audience embrace this new opportunity to watch our indigenous content.

What's next for you?

I have a number of new films that Indiecan will be releasing in 2013 along with more short film being played in front of features in theatres across the country.

I also have over 15 projects in development and hope to shoot two indie low budget features this year and hopefully 1-2 documentaries will also start production this year.

I am also hoping that my indie record label will have a few artist signings this year with hopes for a first CD being recorded in early 2014.

To learn more about IndieCan Entertainment, visit: indiecanent.com

ACTRA Toronto's annual awards take place this Saturday February 23rd, a great opportunity for the city's actors to gather and celebrate each others' work. Comedian Elvira Kurt will host, and Shirley Douglas, a grand dame of Canadian film, television and stage, will be the 2013 recipient of the Award of Excellence. I look forward to hearing her speak on her long and varied career. 

This year's nominees include a number of stars of films we've been excited about at First Weekend Club. Actor and writer Jonas Chernick is nominated for his performance in the feature he penned, My Awkward Sexual Adventure, directed by Sean Garrity. Luke Kirby, who charmed Michelle Williams last year in Sarah Polley's Take This Waltz, is nominated for his performance in The Samaritan opposite Samuel Jackson. Tatiana Maslany, breakout star of the Sundance hit Grown Up Movie Star by Adriana Maggs, is nominated this year for her role in Picture Day by Katie Melville.

Stay tuned for live updates on Twitter from @1stweekendclub as we cover the event this Saturday evening. 

Fast approaching on March 6-8th 2013, is The Canadian Media Production Association's "Prime Time In Ottawa", Canada's Film, TV and Broadcast Media Industry and Networking 3 day power-panels. As always, First Weekend Club will be there, and you can be sure we'll be keeping you posted on what we're hearing straight from our Nation's Capital.

Find out everything you need to know about Prime Time in Ottawa 2013 here

We also want to share with you this link to a special discount coupon here

If you want to hear about our experiences at Prime Time this year, or if you too will be there, please follow us on Twitter @1stWeekendClub

About Prime Time in Ottawa 2013

The CMPA’s Prime Time in Ottawa conference is a national networking event for some 700 of Canada’s most prominent business leaders from the feature film, television, interactive media, broadcasting and telecommunications industries. The event takes place at the Westin Ottawa from March 6-8, 2013.

About the Canadian Media Production Association

The Canadian Media Production Association (formerly Canadian Film and Television Production Association), represents the interests of screen-based media companies engaged in the production and distribution of English-language television programs, feature films, and new media content in all regions of Canada. Please visit our website for more information.

 

 

This Friday February 8th, First Weekend Club, Vancity Theatre and Telefilm Canada will present the Oscar-nominated feature Rebelle (War Witch). Director Kim Nguyen will be on hand via Skype from Montreal to introduce the film. During TIFF 2012, I heard Nguyen speak at Telefilm Canada's panel about our international filmmaking perspective, "Canadian Cinema Beyond Its Borders." The Right Honourable Roméo Dallaire headlined the panel, which included director Sudz Sutherland (Home Again) and was moderated by Martin Bilodeau, of Mediafilm.ca and Senior Critic at Le Devoir.

As Canadians, Dallaire proposed, since we have an immigrant perspective, our vision is not provincial or local, it is wider than our borders. Dallaire emphasized that it is our responsibility to tell our own stories with our own ethos. Canada has a special place in the world and our films reflect that. 

Nguyen's own vision is shaping Canadian cinema and how it is perceived around the world. Rebelle tells the story of a child kidnapped by rebel soldiers and forced to take part in horrific acts of genocide. Her uncanny ability to escape danger gives her the name War Witch. 

Nguyen spoke about the challenges of making a film without a star in the lead. Both Sutherland and Nguyen admitted to being told time and again that a black lead actor will not sell a movie. Nguyen felt lucky that his producers told him to trust his instincts, that they didn't need a big name to carry the movie and it was more important to make their film authentic. His instincts paid off. Rachel Mwanza, the breakout star in the title role, has garnered acclaim and awards at festivals around the world and helped the propel the film all the way to the Oscars. 

When asked about the challenges of shooting abroad, both directors commiserated about the difficulties of importing weapons into the countries -- Trinidad in Sutherland's case, and the Congo in Nguyen's. 

Nguyen spoke about filmmaking as an imperfect art. While preparing a war scene in Kinshasa, an actual government overturning took place, mimicking what they were about to recreate. They were told not to worry, it was a regular occurrence in the city. They put ads on TV letting the citizens know that they were making a movie, but after they shot their AK-47's in the battle scene, they were met with a torpedo launcher and the army coming towards them. Apparently communication broke down somewhere along the line. 

Bilodeau drew a parallel between violence and religion in the film. Nguyen mused that since the Crusades, rebels use religious beliefs as a rallying cry for war. "They seek a rationale stronger than everyday life," he said.

Nguyen believes that the "pain of experience is necessary to make better films. We have to take off the safety net. Canada is a comfortable country." His solution is to make films with an international perspective to help reach outside ourselves.

Rebelle (War Witch) plays Friday February 8th at 8.30pm at Vancity Theatre. The event starts at 7.30pm. Tickets for the screening can be purchased in advance here: http://www.viff.org/theatre/programs/pg2511-rebelle-war-witch

  

"My students remind me of what it was like when I was first starting out and I like seeing that spirit; It offers me hope for the next generation of content creators." -Robyn Wiener
 

Robyn Wiener is a long time First Weekend Club member, and serves as both an active presence and force in the BC Film Industry. A soon to be film award recipient, she moved to Vancouver 18 years ago, and starting her first job in film in 1994, she now enjoys a thoroughly full life as an independent film producer, line producer and production manager, oh and a film school teacher in her ahem, "spare time". I was fortunate to have shared a diverse conversation with Robyn to learn more about her views and experiences and am pleased to share below some of the wisdom she passed along to us about her life and time in this 'business of art'.

Enjoy!
Alexandra Staseson
 

A:  Thank you Robyn for your generosity of time and spirit to sit down with me here.
I love that your company is called Synergy Cinema Inc. Why did you choose to name it so?

R:  I’ve always liked the word ‘synergy’ and what it means.  I was looking for a company name that would not only flow, but embody a philosophy that I wanted to exist within my company. I saw a certain hierarchy that existed as a model within the industry, and decided to create a company that could involve the bringing together of all the elements of production in a harmonious fashion.  You see, Synergy is created when things work in concert together to create an outcome that is in some way of more value than the total of what the individual input is.   That was and still is how I want to work and work with people. Nothing less feels right.

   
What was your first job in film/tv/media?

I worked as an Assistant Production Coordinator on a Kirk Shaw movie in 1994 called “Hard Evidence” starring Gregory Harrison (Trapper John, MD).  I believe I was paid $500/wk and got a rental car!  It was a bit of a combo Assistant Coordinator/Production Assistant. I thought this was amazing that the pay was awesome and, at that time, and for my very first job, it really was!  I learned a lot on that one!




When did you know you wanted to work in film and TV? 

Before moving to Vancouver, I lived in Winnipeg and was finishing my time working for the world-renowned Royal Winnipeg Ballet as the coordinator for their Professional Division School. While the company was world class, the job was not the ideal fit for me, my skills, or my long term interests. The Vancouver Film School had only opened a few years prior and was picking up momentum.  As I'd been a life-long lover of films, and after spending years working in theater, I decided to leave the cold weather of Winnipeg and venture out West in pursuit of a new art medium and I’ve not looked back since.     



Were there other roles you tried in this industry before knowing you were passionate about producing? 

Even when I was in film school, I wanted to produce. I felt it was a natural fit for my personality and skills, satisfying both my right and left brain. VFS has changed drastically since I attended; at the time I was forced to be a grip and gaffer on a couple of student productions to my chagrin. I hated both jobs. I knew that being a technician was never going to be something I could do or would enjoy doing, it wasn’t for me. But today, VFS has an entertainment business program which I now in fact teach at – Ah, the irony!  I wish they had created that back then.  After  film school I did many different jobs, from a location PA and craft service, to being a boom operator for 2 days. I was an assistant for several producers, writers, directors and actors (including Kelly Lynch & Billy Baldwin). I did product placement, script revisions, clearances, was an office PA and then spent a number of years in the Production Office working as a production coordinator on over 40 films for live action (both TV and film), an animation series, and commercials too. The whole time, I was drawn to the creative process and kept my focus on producing. In 2002, I produced my first short film for my now good friend, Robert Holbrook entitled ‘The 30 Second Guaranteed Foolproof Ancient Cantonese Method’ and I knew that was only the start of something I had to keep doing; It just felt right and natural. 


This past year has been a markedly exciting one for you Robyn. Will you describe a few of your recent projects?

Most recently, I wrapped the Indie Canadian film dark comedy, entitled “Lawrence & Holloman” where I worked as the co-producer and line producer.  The film was directed by first-time feature director Matthew Kowalchuk who also co-wrote and produced with co-writer, lead actor Daniel Arnold. Paul Armstrong was the producer and Mary Anne Waterhouse and Andrew Currie were our Executive Producers.  We have an incredible team!  The film stars Ben Cotton and Daniel Arnold with Katharine Isabelle and Amy Matysio in lead as well.  We are currently editing the film with hopes of the film circuit this summer/fall.  It was a great project and I can’t wait to share our final edit with everyone. Prior to that, I was the co-producer/line producer on the Indie Canadian Horror/Thriller entitled “American Mary” starring Katharine Isabelle which has become a huge hit across the globe. The film was co-directed/co-produced and co-written by North Vancouver identical twin sisters Jen & Sylvia Soska, also best known as The Twisted Twins.  The film has gone on to win numerous awards, has played film festivals internationally and Universal Pictures is distributing the film in the UK & Germany. There is also a distribution deal with Anchor Bay & Industry Works amongst a number of other deals still brewing. It's been a great year!



These projects you've mentioned are seemingly diverse in content & nature.
How do you choose the projects you align with? 

For me, it comes down to only a couple of factors, a key one being a good story.
You see, producers are invested in a project for such a long period of time that if it doesn't actually appeal or resonate, it’s just not worth taking it on. Because the time, work and team commitments are so great, it has to be great. And so the other key factor, equally as important, is the team involved. There has to be a chemistry with the other producers, writer, director and key creative talent involved. It all comes down to that ‘synergy’ I was referring to earlier. And in the end for a producer, our projects are a visual resume of what we’ve been a part of, so we have to be proud of the content we're creating. I also like challenges and working on something that is fresh and interesting that will also give me the opportunity to learn. If I can combine all these factors, I’m in! That’s the winning ‘cocktail’ for me!



What's next for you?  

This year is starting off with a bit of a very nice surprise.  Some people get big gifts at Christmas but mine is coming this March. I’ve been selected to be the 2013 recipient of the Wayne Black Service Award as one of 11 Spotlight Awards that will be presented by WIFTV and the WIFF opening night.  This award honours a woman with a ‘behind-the-scenes’ role and for her continued efforts within the film and television community. This award is named in memory of Wayne Black of Alpha Cine who gave tirelessly of his time and talent to help filmmakers.  I’m extremely honoured and humbled by the recognition. I will receive the award 2 weeks prior to my birthday and it’s probably one of the best birthday presents! I’m also currently working for/with Raymond Massey on a couple of projects that are set to be co-productions with China.  I’m very excited about that.  I’ve also got a thriller feature in development and a few other projects I would like to see take flight. For me, I’d like 2013 to be a year of non-stop activity. I hope I’m not being too zealous asking for that!
(Details on the awards ceremony can be found at www.womeninfilm.ca)


Along with these creative factors you've just mentioned Robyn, producing involves a high level of ensuring both bankability and accountability. What, in your opinion, are a few factors to make for a bankable and accountable project? 

Good question. When it comes to what distributors will see as ‘bankable’ I'm still learning. But indeed there are a few key ingredients that seem to rarely stray. Because this is a buyer/sellers market, for a project to be truly ‘bankable’ and ‘saleable’, attaching cast who can aid in that sale is integral. If you don’t have key cast then a known director can elevate the project. But yes there are still factors to help sell a movie; Today, it’s the genre-based, lower-cost productions (that still maintain high production value) in which a distributor knows they can sell that project in many territories and be able to recoup box office, DVD or online sales. But always, there are the 'surprise movies' such as last year’s “Beasts of the Southern Wild” that had no known cast and no known feature director, but because of it being a huge hit at Sundance Film Festival, distributors were eager to pick up this ‘sleeper' and sell it as such. Yes, there will always be the tent-pole movies that will be bankable no matter what, but the indie films struggle to stay above water. Adding to this is a good story; I heard George Clooney say on the program, Inside the Actor’s Studio, something to the effect of, 'You can take a good story and still make a bad movie but it’s almost impossible to take a bad story and make it good’...  I think that is very true. And so, good stories, with or without some key ingredients, will still rise above the rest.  
 



What are a few factors that you have learned can destroy a production?

Again, it comes back to that word, ‘synergy’.  For me, whichever team is assembled, be it a low budget film with financial and creative restrictions, or a high budget production, the goals of each film have to be the same for the whole team. I find that if anyone on the team does not support the vision of the project - in whatever way that may be- it upsets the apple cart so to speak and things can fall apart. That being said, you don't have to all love one another, but you all have to get along.  Communication is key, along with having good management from the top down.  Respect for one’s team is also integral; We are all in this together and sometimes people get caught up with their priorities instead of the whole of the project.  It’s the microcosm of the macrocosm. 





It's clear you have a great sense of explaining both the microcosm and the macrocosm. That is a lot of wisdom and experience to share. And so you mentioned you also teach? Where do you teach and what do you teach?

Yes, I teach part-time at the Vancouver Film School in the Entertainment Business Management (EBM) program.  The program is only a few years young and I started teaching there in May of 2010. I teach a course on budgeting and scheduling during their 3rd term for 7 weeks.  I love teaching part-time!  I also mentor previous EBM students upon request through the school to assist them in their final projects.  It’s rewarding for sure.




I find it inspiring that you are busy and active working as a producer in the film community, and yet still giving of your self and time with students. Has there been a notable moment when perhaps you knew your expertise and sharing of knowledge with your students was actually landing, and perhaps having a tangible impact on them?

I’m a bit tough on my students and yet, I’m a pussy cat compared to the ‘real’ world tough bosses out there.  I sometimes wonder if it’s sinking in and then, they will show me how they budgeted for their final projects and I know they’ve learned.  Also, I give them numerous practical exercises that are not easy and when they hand in assignments that show their understanding, I’m happy.  On top of that, I receive anonymous feedback and evaluations on my course and get to read the feedback.  The feedback is mostly positive and I smile when they tell me they’ve learned so much.  I’m thrilled when I can award good grades for good work and their understanding the material. For me that is great! In January I started back for the teaching term and was pleasantly surprised to find a thank you card from a previous student.  His first words to me were ‘you rock’ and then went on to tell me how much he’s learned.  It was a golden moment that I will cherish.  I love knowing that I’m having a positive impact on their learning.  




What do your students teach you?

Patience! Haha!  Actually, they do. I keep having to remind myself that what I teach is hard and they have to comprehend a lot. (Even some of my colleagues doing short films don’t have this level of understanding or get this amount of learning I teach.) I have to stop and explain things sometimes in terms that make sense to something in their daily lives.  As well, not all are interested in being producers in film so I have to make sure I relate the material to all sectors and give them tools so that what they are learning has a broad appeal -even if the content they are creating may differ. They also will question ME and challenge ME on things, and I love that. I don’t always have the answer readily at my fingertips and I will need to find it for them. You’d be surprised what you are challenged on!  I feel I’m always learning from them and as a result of them wanting to learn more, I’ve set the bar pretty high for them.  Also, they are growing up in an era of technology and information that was not made available to me while I was learning and studying in University and later in film school. I have to remember that their access to information, while made easier sometimes takes more time to sift through, explain and dilute.  It’s a different but very exciting time for them to be in the creative sector.  I envy the advantages they have that I didn’t have.  Also, I love their enthusiasm for this business.  After you’ve been doing this for as long as I have, one can become jaded.  My students remind me of what it was like when I was first starting out and I like seeing that spirit; It offers me hope for the next generation of content creators.  





Who was a mentor (of any sort) that had a marked impact on  your choices to work in the film industry?

There are many people today that I look to for mentoring and advice.  There is always going to be someone who will have more work experience, more talent and more life experience.  It’s ego that will not allow one to reach out – I’m confident enough by what I do know and humbled enough to ask for help in that which I don’t know.
Part of that understanding comes with age and experience.  

 
1. My Mother, who is no longer living was a big influence in my life; The day before I moved to Vancouver, she gave me 2 things: The book “The Beauty Myth” by Naomi Wolf and a beautiful hand-written card. Inside the card she wrote the following,

“Another adventure! Another Chapter!  Each a step towards realizing a dream.  You should walk tall, be proud.  You are a credit to your family, friends and special to people whose lives you have touched. You are a credit to women – who, in spite of obstacles of every kind, will go after their dreams, with drive, ambition and fortitude until it comes true.  I hope your dreams come true.  I hope your dreams become reality – whatever they are and wherever they take you.  When success follows, may you enjoy it in good health and with great happiness.  And, know that my love will be there with you as a witness to all you accomplish”. 
-When you have that kind of support, you have the best mentor you can have. 

In terms of professional life?  Producer, Josanne Lovick (co-exec producer of Andromeda) was very kind and saw my keen interest to produce so she took me under her wings with her to Cannes that year to the MIPCOM TV Market.   She allowed me to be part of the meetings and see ‘how things work’ in a market environment.  She was incredibly generous with her time and contacts. I will never forget that. We are good friends to this day and are attempting to work together on a few projects.  Similarly, Sherry Lansing (former CEO of Paramount Pictures, producer of “The Accused”, “Fatal Attraction”, “Titanic”) spoke here in 2007 as part of the 'Unique Lives and Experiences' talk series.  If there was one woman in Hollywood to emulate, I would have to say, she is it. Not only was she a leader and one of the big driving forces in Hollywood for years, she is an incredible humanitarian.  For me, hearing her speak, knowing the work she has contributed, I think she embodies the perfect combination of intelligence, beauty (inside and out), integrity, strength, talent and humility. Not to mention her now current work with stem cell research.


 
 

You were once the head of Women in Film and Television in Vancouver? Tell me about that?

 I joined the WIFTV board of directors in 2007, diving in full-force with the organization. I was incredibly impressed by the commitment this group of women that had built a community and a place where women could be supported by other women. After 2 years, I felt like I was only just starting to be more familiarized with the community,  organization and its impact and importance – I didn’t feel I could walk away after my term and knew I wanted to stay on.  In 2009, we had a few shifts on the board and I decided to run for President and was elected by the board. The commitment to be involved in a non-profit organization is a big one, but the rewards, in my opinion were huge. I’m very proud of having been a part of that organization for 4 years.  I’m proud of the work WIFTV has done over the past 20+ years and continues to do.  I’m committed to the public seeing a different point of view and I support a place that will support women in screen-based media. Many of my close friends and colleagues today are those I met through WIFTV. I’m grateful for the time I spent there and I continue to be involved with the organization as a member and in any other ways I can help.  In 2010, I liaised with WFW in Ontario to bring the WFW Production Manager mentorship here to Vancouver.  It’s now in its second year and I’m grateful to WFW for being so supportive to the cause of supporting women in our industry.



How did the experience of working for WIFTV open your awareness to the challenges / bonuses of being a female who works in film?

I personally like to view people and their skills as equal. Sadly enough, we’ve all had our share of inequity, sexual misconduct, etc.  I’ve experienced a bit of that.  What I did not know however were the abysmal statistics of female directors; with North American women buying 55 per cent of theatre tickets, yet they constitute only four per cent of feature-film directors, 11 per cent of writers and 13 per cent of editors. I find that appalling. Through the work of Please Adjust Your Set and many of the women at WIFTV and around the world, the awareness is far reaching.  Changing attitudes is key as well. Women as directors are not better or worse, but they do offer a different point of view which, in the telling of human stories is vital. It would be great one day if WIFTV and other chapters ceased to exist meaning that we have reached equity status. Sadly, I’m not sure I will see that in my lifetime. As to the bonuses as a woman in film, I believe that women can be tremendous support allies to one another.


Producers and leaders are expected to have all the answers for everybody, all the time. So, who do you go to when you need a breath of guidance ? 

Well, even those people have advisors and mentors.  When I come across something I don’t know or need guidance or advice on, depending on the circumstance, I will seek the counsel of someone more senior and whom I admire.  There will always be people who will have more experience or have paved the path and will offer you a perspective and knowledge that you don’t have. This is golden! I love knowing so many talented, highly skilled people.  I’m constantly learning from them. Also, I have a few close friends who I will go to for that certain professional perspective that only a good friend can offer. They will be honest, look out for your best interest and have your back.I’m lucky to know those people in my life and they are equally as important as my mentors. 




Why do you think the film industry in Vancouver is unique?

I haven’t worked in any other city film industry to do a comparison on that so I can only speak to my personal experience of what it’s been like for me. But given that Vancouver is still, by comparison to NY, LA or Toronto a younger city as a film industry business, what impresses me time and time again are the exceptional crews, cast and very supported community vibe that exists here. Aside from the fact that I’ve been in this business a long time, I still find that the community at large is pretty small and inclusive. I’ve worked in both the union and non-union worlds and in both, I find that a real camaraderie exists here. I’ve personally not experienced too much competitive nature and that is refreshing. I have a feeling this is unique to Vancouver from LA or NY and I find the cast, crews, vendors and the city as a whole to be incredibly supportive of fostering, nurturing and boosting talent.  Case and point – The recent town hall meeting to discuss the current government tax incentives, over 4000 people showed up from all walks of the industry.  It was a tremendous show of support!  As a destination to shoot at, given our close proximity to LA, same time zone and a province that is rich in a very diverse landscape, we offer something unique for filming.  Vancouver, in my opinion, can easily boast world class crews and cast alike. I’m extremely proud of the work we do and the people here I call my film family.  



 How do you think the BC film industry could use this special strength to push forward through the current obstacles faces at a government level?   

Currently, our province is in a bit of a low ebb of productions due to a number of factors:  hard economic times in the world; competition with other provinces and states offering a more competitive tax incentive;  a BC government that is both out of touch with our current statistics and one that is not interested in further bolstering tax incentives in our industry.  It would be good to get the government on board to see our industry as more than a service industry and see that what we do is really a manufacturing industry. As a province, we have great crews, talent and resources here that are on par with places like Ontario, but our less overall competitive tax incentives and the reinstatement of the GST are driving business away.  We’ve also seen a big drop in domestic production and that too is going to be a big loss not only to our economy but our Canadian culture as a whole.  We have great content creators here and it would be sad to lose that voice. 



What is one thing you'd like to look back on and know that you were able to make a strong contribution to in your life?

Aside from a good body of work and a contribution to the film community here, I’d like to know more than that, that my presence made some significant difference in someone’s life. I want the work I leave behind to have that effect too.  My favourite film, as sappy as it sounds is, “It’s a Wonderful Life”. It’s one of the greatest stories of how we matter – Frank Kapra got that right. I’d like to do that too. I’d also like to leave more of a mark contributing my time to helping out others and doing more altruistic work. At the end of the day, no one will talk about your money, your success or business model but they will say what kind of a person you were, what you contributed to others. I’d like to be remembered the way I fondly think of my parents; with love, gratitude and immense respect. If I live my life that way, I will have left a great contribution. Perhaps intangible and immeasurable but priceless!
  





What is your favorite Canadian Film?

In the past 10 years, one of my favourite Canadian films was “C.R.A.Z.Y” ! There is something special about how French-Canadian filmmakers approach films that I have yet to figure out. It was an amazing film!  Lately, I fell in love with “Starbuck”. (Quebec) There have been so many great films in our cinematic history that it is hard to pick one.  Our culture gets overlooked because we don’t produce as much domestic content, but what we do create has been rich and has been very good story telling.  




What do you think we need to see more of in Canadian Film?

More government funding and more money for publicity.  So many good films fall by the way side because we don’t have huge studios here that will put millions into P&A and as a result, we fall behind. Think of the bad countless films you’ve seen from the US but with some advertising dollars, those bad films can still attract bums in seats, DVD sales, online sales, etc.  Unfortunately, we just don’t have that advantage and as a result, we suffer. 





What would you love to just edit right out of Canadian Film?

As much as I am proud of my heritage and where I’m from, I would like to see less government funded films see the need to portray something ‘Canadian’.  I’ve honestly not even figured out what that is!  We are such a diverse culture with so many people and stories, that I think we limit our stories by finding a ‘Canadian’ element.  Why can’t a good story be a part of our film making history as much as what makes us Canadian.  





Why are you a First Weekend Club member?

I LOVE what Anita is doing and has done with First Weekend Club. I’ve been a member for a long time and I’ve tried to come to as many events and screenings as I can.  I want to support Canadian filmmakers, their talents and their voices.  I love the fact that this organization exists that unites us as Canadians but also is a platform and vehicle for Canadian films to have a place to be seen, advertised, talked about and promoted. The entire First Weekend Club and the team all over Canada are a great contribution to our cinema.  I cannot commend Anita more for having the foresight years ago to put this together and applaud the efforts of FWC ever since. I hope it will always exist.  




What is your best memory with First Weekend Club?

I attended TIFF in 2010 and was there for the screening of “Amazon Falls” , a film I line-produced. While I was there, FWC put on 2 amazing events that I remember fondly.  One was a gift lounge for all Canadian filmmakers and some of the stars of the films. While swag is always nice, it was the vibe in the room; the people that were there and the great effort that the entire FWC team put together to honour the filmmakers. The other was a great Canadian Film party that was hosted by FWC at The Drake Hotel. It was great to see so many Canadian filmmakers, friends and colleagues all gathering and celebrating our cinema. While I’ve always enjoyed each and every event (not always each film), I was really impressed with the lengths that FWC went to in order to launch these events at TIFF and continue to do so to this day.  
 
 




Finally, if someone reading this wanted to bring you a project, what would you tell them are the guidelines for submitting a script or one-sheet to you? And how would they best be in touch with you? Do you have specific things you look for? Any deal-breakers?

 For scripts and one sheets, I’m very interested in stories that are powerful, moving, have a strong story element.  I like complex and interesting characters.  That being said, I’m open to most genres if the story is well written, has a fresh take on an old theme and has great dialogue.  I’m pretty approachable and most people could email me directly but they need to be patient as I don’t have any readers currently working for me so most of the work falls on my shoulders to sift through. As for deal breakers, they sound so simple but really, they are basic things that people miss all the time.  I like people to write something to me that is a bit personal as opposed to just a standard ‘to whom it may concern’,' Dear M'am'  email. I tend to almost always delete those. Worse than that, the dear sir/madam!  If you haven’t taken the time to find out who I am why should I want to find out who you are? I also don’t like junior writing with bad spelling or obvious grammar mistakes. I can’t stand it when I have to read a script where the writer has chosen to tell me how he/she would direct it with camera angles, etc. I just want to be immersed in a good story that flows. If I get through 10 pages and I’m not dreading the next 90-100, then you had me at the title page!


Robyn, thank you so very much for the time you've taken to share of yourself and to the community. It's clear that you are not only passionate about what you do, but that you truly want to see the community thrive and help as many of those "great stories" have a chance to be shared. Congratulations on your upcoming award, and perhaps send us a little red carpet tweet from the ceremony to @1stWeekendClub so we can share it with our followers too?

All the best from the First Weekend Club team!

For more information Robyn Wiener can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


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Can a human interaction occur between two ideologically opposed former violent enemies? This is the question asked by The Last White Knight, a documentary by Paul Saltzman, which opens at the Bloor Cinema on February 1st, in honour of Black History Month.

Saltzman, who made the critically-acclaimed 2007 documentary Prom Night in Mississippi, was a civil rights worker during the sixties, when was assaulted by a Klu Klux Klan member in Greenwood, Mississippi. Five years ago, he returned to the South to find this man. His conversations over the next five years with devoted Klan member Byron "Delay" de la Beckwith Jr. constitute the spine of the film, an exploration of the possibility of reconciliation.

"It takes people into their own belief systems," says Saltzman. "...the value of the film is you start to see the enemy as human. You never resolve conflicts unless you make the enemy human." 

A strange comraderie develops between Saltzman as he interviews Beckwith, now a charming elderly man living in Memphis, Tennessee.  Beckwith, though mellowed, says he is committed to the Klan to the day he dies, and still holds many of his extreme beliefs, which makes his charm difficult to absorb.

As he sits in his easy-chair during one interview, Beckwith pulls out a revolver. "We laugh and joke that if I've got my pants on, I've got my 45 ACP with me," he says. "It's just for my self protection and to build my confidence." 

One of the more chilling moments in the film is a live interview with modern Klan members, who refuse to remove their hoods and speak with concern for their diminishing human rights. This scene is contrasted by messages of hope as Saltzman interviews young Mississippi school children who express a desire to move beyond racism. 

Harry Belafonte weighs in, expressing a wariness towards Mississippi, despite the advances in race relations.  He points out the state still has the greatest poverty and the largest prison population in the South. 

Morgan Freeman, who grew up in the state, talks of a gratitude for the unique education he received through the library system which introduced the actor to Shakespeare. His reaction to Obama's Presidential victory is contrasted with Beckwith's. 

Saltzman also looks at the struggles of the Jewish community in Mississippi, which adds more complexity to the documentary. Saltzman's 2007 Prom Night in Mississippi was invited by President Obama to screen at the White House, and Saltzman was honoured by the President as the only Canadian among 100 Community Leaders.  More information on Saltzman and his community activism and films can be found at his production company Moving Beyond Prejudice.  

The Last White Knight opens at the Bloor Cinema on Friday February 1st. Saltzman will attend Q&A's at 6.30pm on Friday and Saturday.  Check out our site for screening information, and for a live interview with Saltzman by First Weekend Club's Priya Rao. 

Critically-acclaimed at its world premiere at TIFF, Krivina, a haunting and surreal journey through Bosnia, opens at the Royal Cinema on Friday and plays an exclusive engagement to the end of the month. 

A meditative and sparse film, Krivina follows an immigrant from the former Yugoslavia, Miro, as he returns home to find a missing friend, convicted of war crimes. His travels through rural Bosnia are bookended by his lonely and restless existence in Toronto. A sense of dislocation pervades Krivina, which is haunted by encounters with ghost-like characters. I was left with more questions than answers at the end of the film, but was shaken by an overall emotional impact. Defying traditional narrative structures, I was challenged to engage instead with the film's imagery.  

Director Igor Drljaca, a Toronto filmmaker, born in the former Yugoslavia, credits a supportive filmmaking community here in his adoptive city for getting the film made. He will be on had for Q&A's following the Friday and Saturday screenings at the Royal. 

For screening details and to view the trailer, visit The Royal Cinema at http://www.theroyal.to/films/krivina/

The First Weekend Club extends our congratulations to the talented filmmakers who are screening at two of the best film festivals in the USA this week, The Sundance Film Festival and Santa Barbara Film Festival. As you read in my previous blog, Canada celebrated a lot of screen time at the recent Palm Springs International Film Festival, and has now hit the road to move audiences at The Sundance and Santa Barbara Film Festivals this week.

Below, I've put together a look at the Canadian Film line-ups for Sundance and Santa Barbara Film Festivals. You can be sure to hear more about these great films as 2013 progresses, and as always, count on www.firstweekendclub.ca to let know when and where they'll be playing near you! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter here and on Facebook here

Save Me A Seat,
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Sundance Film Festival

Now underway, Sundance Film Festival invited five Canadian Films to screen this year. Take a look below; we're certain the festival will help to generate a lot of success for this fab-5, and we extend our congratulations and best wishes!  (Learn more about Sundance Film Festival Here)
 

NEW FRONTIER

The Meteor (Le météore) (World Premiere)
Directed by François Delisle

Forty-something Pierre is serving a 14-year prison sentence. His mother, who is approaching 80, visits him every week. Suzanne, Pierre’s current wife, has moved on since he was sent away. Each character gives us a frank account of a period in their lives that seems suspended in time by the fragile connection between life “on the inside” and the world outside. Their destinies are linked by crime, guilt and loneliness, and like casualties of love and desire, they are dying to stick their heads above water and breathe the air of life.

SPOTLIGHT

Stories We Tell
Directed by Sarah Polley

Stories We Tell is an inspired, genre-twisting film by Oscar®-nominated director Sarah Polley. Her playful investigation into the elusive truth buried within the contradictions of a family of storytellers paints a profound portrait of a complicated and deeply loving family.

INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS

The Near Future (Le futur proche)(International Premiere)
Directed and produced by Sophie Goyette

While at work, Robin, a French immigrant pilot, receives a phone call that sends shock waves through his soul. Unseen by others, turmoil seeps into his inner world and echoes in his daily life. He will have to let this pain in, but not now. An impressionistic depiction of an all-but-ordinary day, The Near Future takes us to the poetic boundary between droning engines and complete silence, aerial and terrestrial, pastoral and urban, man and machine, life and death.

PARK CITY AT MIDNIGHT

S-VHS 2 (United States, Canada)
Directed by Simon Barrett, Adam Wingard, Edúardo Sanchez, Gregg Hale, Timo Tjahjanto, Gareth Huw Evans and Canadian filmmaker Jason Eisener (Hobo with a Shotgun).

Searching for a missing student, two private investigators break into his abandoned house and find another collection of mysterious VHS tapes. In viewing the horrific contents of each cassette, they realize there may be terrifying motives behind the student’s disappearance.

DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES

When I Walk (United States, Canada)
Directed by Jason DaSilva

At 25, filmmaker and artist Jason DaSilva finds out he has a severe form of multiple sclerosis. This film shares his personal and gruelling journey over the next seven years. Along the way, an unlikely miracle changes everything.



Santa Barbara Film Festival
 

Congratulations to the following filmmakers, many of whom are celebrating world premieres at Santa Barbara Film Festival this year! I've had the absolute delight to attend this festival and it is honestly one of the pound-for-pound, most enjoyable around. Santa Barbara is a perfectly- charming city-by-the-sea, and as such, the spirit of the well-connected film community shines forward into their festival! If you ever have the opportunity to spend a few days there, try to plan it during the SBFF, I promise you it's worth it!

Here's a link to read more about the Canadian Programme at SB Film Fest: 


An Awkward Sexual Adventure
by Sean Garrity

Accountant Jordan Abrams plans on proposing to his girlfriend, Rachel. Unfortunately, Rachel is unhappy with their unfulfilling sex life and after having fallen asleep during intercourse, Rachel decides to end the relationship. Decimated, Jordan heads off to Toronto to stay with his best friend Dandak, a notorious player who throws Jordan an impromptu party packed with available women. However, our heartbroken hero can’t talk about anything else but Rachel. Kicked out of his own party, Jordan stumbles into a strip club where, after too many drinks, he is rescued by one of the dancers, Julia. The next morning he wakes up in Julia’s apartment filled with unpaid bills, and the pantless Jordan strikes a bargain. If Julia will teach him how to be a better lover, he’ll help her deal with her crushing debt.

Boucherie Halal
by Babek Aliassa

A Muslim couple opens a butcher’s shop in Montreal and wishes to integrate into Quebec society. But the butcher's father, an old imam, establishes a small mosque in the back of their store which he uses to spread his fundamentalist message. Fearful for his reputation when his daughter-in-law is declared sterile, he orders his son to divorce her. When the imam is arrested by the police authorities, the son is torn between his love for his wife and his allegiance to his father.

Buzkashi!
by Najeeb Mirza

In Tajikistan’s majestic Pamir Mountains, horse riders battle in a centuries-old sport that pits individual riders against one another. Azam, a successful shepherd and buzkashi champion, is experiencing drastic change. At home his son prefers to study medicine than take over his father’s flock. On the field, Azam plays for honor and integrity but his main rival, Khurshed, threatens to change the game forever by using his seemingly infinite wealth to employ teammates in organized mafia-style alliances. Sports documentaries have a powerful capacity to combine emotional, physical and cultural elements into unforgettable cinematic moments, and director Najeeb Mirza brings us into a world of underdogs and villains from a nation on the cusp of dramatic transformation. From the chaotic, brutal action of the game to the serenity of the quiet hillsides, we follow a man shaped by tradition, now forced to face the modern world that surrounds him.

Greenwich Village: Music That Defined a Generation
by Laura Archibald

For the first time, the greatest singer-songwriters, authors and performers from Greenwich Village reflect on how they collectively became the voice of a generation. Through poignant interviews with the likes of Pete Seeger, Carly Simon, Judy Collins, Kris Kristofferson, Arlo Guthrie, Peter Yarrow, Michelle Phillips, and many more (plus rare archival footage and new live performances), this film tells a story about community, courage and—most importantly—music

High Plains Doctor: Healing on the Tibetan Plateau
by Michael Oved Dayan

High Plains Doctor: Healing on the Tibetan Plateau follows Dr. Isaac Harry Sobol, Chief Medical Officer of the Northern Canadian Territory of Nunavut, and his volunteer medical team as they assemble and conduct a primary care clinic in a remote Tibetan village. The film documents the team's treatment of nearly 1,500 indigent patients. The team encounters late-stage conditions peculiar in Canada, and the same ethical complexities beleaguering our own North American health-care debates. High Plains Doctor brings viewers a rare window into the uncensored pain and disharmony in an isolated part of Tibet. Bridging health-care in Nunavut and Tibet, the film reveals disquieting parallels facing these aboriginal peoples. High Plains Doctor captures unforgettable images of life in a village since devastated by a 7.1 level earthquake.

In Search of Blind Joe Death: The Saga of John Fahey
by James Cullingham

John Fahey is known as "the father of American Primitive Guitar." Some think of him as a foundational figure in American folk music. Fahey himself, however, insisted "I am not a volk. How can I be a volk? I"m from the suburbs." Fahey, as both musician and musicologist, made a fundamental contribution to the global understanding of classic American musical genres such as Delta blues, Appalachian bluegrass and New Orleans jazz. Fahey"s music stretches the boundaries of past musical traditions, creating a complex musical dialogue primarily with his steel stringed solo guitar. Fahey eventually transcended his essential Delta influences by exploring bluegrass, Brazilian, classical, Indian, New Orleans, musique concr"te, and gothic industrial ambience. Director James Cullingham introduces us to the id, ego and superego of a man mostly known for his fingers.

Laurence Anyways
by Xavier Dolan

An epic romance about an untenable love affair, Xavier Dolan’s third feature film is his most stylish and mature work to date. The film centers on the tortured, on-again, off-again relationship between Laurence (Melvil Poupaud), a writer and teacher, and his girlfriend Fred (Suzanne Clément), a line producer on film productions. As the film opens, they’re ensconced in one of their favorite places: the car wash, a fitting emblem for their claustrophobic relationship. Devout bohemians who have little interest in conventional mores, they lead a charmed existence buoyed by their contempt for virtually everyone else on the planet. That is, it’s a charmed existence until Laurence breaks down in tears and confesses that he believes he’s a woman trapped in a man’s body. Initially shocked, Fred soon decides to carry on as if nothing has happened. But as family pressures and her own doubts begin to mount, the couple drifts apart.

Occupy The Movie
by Cory Ogilvie    

OCCUPY THE MOVIE is a documentary about the 99%. The group, who describes their protests as a reaction to toxic corporate culture, began to protest on Wall Street, a place they see as the real source of power in America. After the initial occupation of Zuccotti Park, the movement spread across the country and began to pop up in places as far away as Madrid. This movement, known as Occupy, became one of the most prominent protests since the civil rights movement. Interviews with important members of Occupy and figures such as Noam Chomsky, Cornel West, Andy Bichlbaum (the Yes Men), and many others discuss what started the movement, what they are protesting, what the problems are within the movement, and what they think is the future of Occupy. This is an effective and relevant documentary that shines a light on a movement that claims to represent the majority.

Old Stock
by James Genn

Stock Burton (Noah Reid) is a local legend. A monumental event from his past has sent his family into a tailspin and pitted his small town against him. He has chosen to drop out of life and “retire,” joining his recently separated grandfather at Golden Seasons, a home for senior citizens, where life is safe, comfortable and worry-free. But after two years of crokinole playing, pill popping and blissfully denying his problems, Stock is forced to return to reality. Outside the safety of Golden Seasons, Stock’s past quickly catches up with him, and he knows he must finally face Dahlia (Meghan Heffern), the person who suffered most from Stock’s past mistake. With the help of Patti (Melanie Leishman), a cute girl with a criminal record, Stock starts to muster the strength he needs to finally make things right.

Retreat
by David Cherniack

This documentary follows thirty-five Westerners as they go through an intense eight-week meditation retreat in a new, specially built facility on the island of Phuket in Thailand. The group is a mixture of experienced in meditation, while others are beginners. Led by scholar and Buddhist practitioner Alan Wallace of Santa Barbara, the retreat is seen through the eyes of the five main characters as they learn to develop balance and well-being through Shamatha, the practice of stilling the mind with one-pointed concentration, a simple practice that is extremely difficult to master.

Revolution
by Rob Stewart

Rob Stewart’s stirring new documentary examines the mortal dangers facing marine life around the globe. Eighty percent of life on earth lives under the sea, a quarter of which lives in or around coral reefs, vital habitats which are themselves beginning to disappear. Travelling the globe to chronicle the efforts being taken — and not taken — to stem the tide of destruction, and plunging into the ocean depths to observe their wonders first-hand, Stewart examines our destruction of our own invaluable natural heritage. Travelling to another failed environmental conference, he angrily dismisses the proceedings as a farce. Yet despite the spectacle of governmental inaction and the terrifying data on marine decline that it relentlessly presents, REVOLUTION is above all infused with a sense of wonder and hope. The underwater photography is breathtaking, capturing the sense of awe that Stewart felt when he first became intrigued by aquatic life as a child. Stewart sees a new face of the movement in the youth who plead with the leaders to do something about climate change and the dangers facing the planet.

Sex After Kids
by Jeremy Lalonde

This edgy ensemble comedy follows a variety of relationships. Newlyweds with a newborn try to align their baby’s schedule and their libidos. An aloof single mom has a brother who insists that she should get back out in the world. A lesbian couple finds they don't share the same child-rearing principles. A single dad grows tired of one-night stands. Recent empty nesters wonder if they can find the spark that brought them together. And the wife in the high-powered couple who never planned to have children is now looking to become a soccer mom. Their relationships and ideals will be put to the test with the question: is it possible to have children and a sex life—and is it even worth it?

Still Mine
by Michael McGowan

Based on a true story, Michael McGowan's Still is, in part, about the battle between heritage and modernity. One of a dwindling number of family farmers in rural St. Martins, New Brunswick, Craig Morrison (James Cromwell) is used to doing things for himself. Sometimes cantankerous and always stubborn, he’s kept his traditional farm going in a period when industrial agriculture dominates the marketplace. The primary reason he’s been able to do so is his relationship with his wife, Irene (Geneviève Bujold), who’s as tough and determined as he is. But when her health begins to fail, Craig is faced with the choice of either building a new, more suitable home for her, or leaving the farm they have lived on for decades. A skilled carpenter, he figures the only obstacles he faces are time and the weather. That is, until he meets Rick (Jonathan Potts), a government inspector who makes it his personal mission to halt construction on the new house.

War Witch
by Kim Nguyen

WAR WITCH tells the story of Komona (Rachel Mwanza), a young girl whose life is anything but normal. Kidnapped by African rebels at the age of 12, Komona was forced at gunpoint to slaughter her own parents and fight as a child soldier against the government in the jungles. But Komona was no ordinary solider. Due to her ability to see gray ghosts in the trees that warn her of approaching enemies, she was deemed a sorceress and bestowed the title of War Witch by the supreme leader of the rebels, Great Tiger. WAR WITCH exudes visceral energy and emotional power as Komona’s journey ultimately finds her in love with a fellow child soldier named Magician (Serge Kanyinda), but pregnant with another man’s child. Saddled with the reality that a life of normalcy is forever beyond her grasp, Komona must find a way to resolve the actions of her past. / Abridged from Tribeca Film Festival

The World Before Her
by Nisha Pahuja

Weaving together the seemingly opposing stories of the Miss India beauty pageant and a fundamentalist Hindu camp for girls, director Nisha Pahuja illuminates the situation of women across contemporary India, drawing surprising parallels in the way women are perceived and the opportunities that are afforded them in both modernizing and traditional cultures. The World Before Her is a riveting, thoughtful profile of the fundamental contradictions of a country in transition.

Yellow Sticky Notes | Canadian Anijam

For the first time in Canadian history, fifteen of Canada's most award-winning and celebrated independent animators have come together to create one collaborative animated film.


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