It’s bigger and better this year at DOXA

The 2009 DOXA Documentary Film Festival runs from May 22-31 at 2 main venues: Pacific Cinematheque (PC) and Vancity Theatre (VC).  The opening and closing night films play at Empire Granville 7.  There’s over 70 films to see, all of which have something real to say.  Here are my picks for you to choose from:

The Sixties (plays 8:30pm on Wed, May 27 @ PC)
Run, do not walk, to these gems!  In Black Panther, you’ll see Huey P. Newton and Eldridge Cleaver talk on film and hear Bobby Seale give the Panther’s 10 point plan, amidst great music and brilliant chanting by Panther women on the front lines.

The next Newsreel film, San Francisco State: On Strike gives us a glimpse of some of the struggles that these working-class students went through (scary shots of police brutality and guns drawn on unarmed black students packed in a hallway) to get the first Ethnic Studies department in the USA.  Oddly, but importantly in terms of the police response, their campus was located in a white suburb.

In contrast to these activist-made films, the 2009 film, Scarred Justice: The Orangeburg Massacre 1968 uses slick production and tries to give us both sides of a story that has been covered up ever since it occurred.  The Orangeburg Massacre was at least 9 police (of 150 heavily armed “law enforcement officers”) killing 3 and wounding at least 28 unarmed students on the night of 8 Feb 68 on South Carolina State’s all Black campus.  No public investigation has ever been held.

Shots in the Dark (plays 2pm on Sat, May 23 @ PC)
It took 2.5 minutes before my heart sank and tears welled up.  Not much later, the wailing began.  This is a powerful, well-made film that touches you on many levels.  As a parent, I know how hard it is to resist the medical establishment’s pressure to vaccinate your child.  This film will expose their claims but does so in a way that simply can’t be argued with: there is no scientific evidence either way!  The film shows real people that know that there is a problem.  I believe these parents because I know firsthand that we just know what is going on with our children.

Thankfully, my child has not suffered from any serious illness (and no, she has NOT been vaccinated), but the one time she did have a major body reaction, I knew exactly what it was from.  I didn’t need science to prove it.  But just as in the film, her mom had a vested interest in denying my knowledge and tried to use (or not use, as the case may be) science to discredit me.  That, in a nut shell, is what has been happening since 1929 with the pharmaceutical industry and vaccinations.  The only study done for one vaccine was in 1929 on 9 people dying from meningitis; because they died from meningitis shortly afterwards, they continue to claim that the vaccine and it’s toxic preservatives (mercury) and activators (aluminum) are safe.  Right.

This film speaks to parents, of course, but really it is relevant for everyone since it also includes the flu vaccine and others targeted at adults (Hep B).  It literally exposes documented risk (that many doctors aren’t even aware of) and it can empower all of us to make health decisions that will promote and protect our own and our children’s health.
Here are the News (plays 3pm on Wed, May 27 @ PC)
Edith Josie is an amazing human being and this film does well to document many of the incredible achievements and talents of this woman.

You may know of her name from reading her syndicated column or hearing/seeing her on CBC.  Chances of you meeting her in her home town of Old Crow in Gwitchin Territory are slim since it’s just about as far north as you can get on this continent.

What I found most interesting is how she has retained her culture, which she constantly shares with anyone.  The colonizing forces have not spared her territory or people, but despite them (she is very religious, speaks fluent English and obviously wrote in English) she has remained so strong in her culture that many of her children and grandchildren thrive in it.

There are many lessons in this film, beyond the beauty of this woman.

My Mother’s Farm (plays 4pm on Sat, May 30 @ PC)
This is a raw work from a rightfully proud daughter.  Her mother, Tale Kalna is a legend in Latvia for so many good reasons: single-handedly maintaining a farm for decades after being taken from her family’s land, agitating for change on so many levels (her work for better buses and slower cars spoke to me:), and being a political parent through it all.

The footage is a mix of her daughter’s and archival, so I got a much better sense of the politics of Latvia and the era of the Soviet Union in general.

For me, the most powerful message is that anyone can speak up and make change.  Of course, civilization has stagnated beyond the era depicted so bureaucrats and politicians don’t listen or act as “easily” as they did in the film, but much of her work easily translates to a world without civilization; indeed, much of her work on the farm was accomplished without fossil fuels.

Tale Kalna lives on in many ways in her country and this film will bring her inspiration to many of us living beyond Latvia.

…and music (plays noon on Sun, May 24 @ PC)
This film will excite many parents: imagine a school curriculum based on music!  Think French immersion with a serious twist; learning based on reality and hands-on experience.  The players are wonderful to watch as they learn and teach this universal language, while graduates impress current students with the skills that they attained in everyday school life.

But this is still a school.  The bell may be Mozart, but the ratio of students to teachers still is too high.  Without a doubt, the edge of this institution is much softer, but even the excellent teaching on screen (respectfully asking for self and peer evaluation) didn’t quite convince me that school is the best place for a child.

But if school was mandatory, this is the school I’d choose for me or my child…ah, music!

A Dream for Kabul (plays noon on Sat, May 23 @ PC)
Despite the context (911), this is an intriguing film on many levels.  The destruction of Afghanistan is contrasted with the WTC and WWII Tokyo very respectfully, dramatically and convincingly.

This is primarily the story of a father, whose son perished on September 11th, 2001.  Through his grief and pilgrimage to recover as much of his son’s life as he could (he was living in Japan and went to NYC as soon as he could), he begins to refill his empty, aching heart by looking behind the tragedy of his son’s death to find his own future.

And it seem to be a future of hope and magic, as he travels to Kabul to learn from and connect with the children there.  One scene of a young boy (Ihsanullah, pictured above right) telling the story of how shrapnel entered his body (and continues to leave, piece by piece) is filled with a clear understanding of how absolutely wrong this is.  And if you don’t already know, the US has just start bombing again and the Canadian government is debating the deployment of a squadron CF-18 fighter bombers there (You can send a letter to all federal party leaders by clicking here).

The scenes of his interactions with children in the USA and Japan, as well as the Afghani kids, reach deep and seem to be a way for this traditional Japanese father to make amends for healing his relationship with his son.  Indeed, he makes it clear that the children are what keep him, and his project, alive…

For more information about these and the other 65+ films, visit http://www.doxafestival.ca/

Enjoy all that you can!

ONLY 3 days left in this exclusive first run…interview included!

The two fabulous leads

ONLY is an independent Canadian film shot in Ontario that will warm just about anyone’s heart.

A rare foray into the world of pre-teen minds, this film spends a day with two “only children” that fate brings together, if only for that day.

The beauty of this film is how the characters come to life at a believable pace, while being realistic about their larger lives.  Both children have not been integrated into their parent’s lives and are treated as most are in our culture: superfluous, if not a chore and bother.  But these leads show us that not only is that a path to disaster in many ways (and for everyone concerned), but that they are self-resilient and they are able to deviate from that path whenever a genuine moment arises.

The film melts by quickly and in so doing, calmly brings us back to that moment of first showing your love to another that is so innately awkward; the ending could go either way and I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw (I’m trying not to give anything away here!).

I asked one of the two co-directors, Simon Reynolds, some questions by email to get a bit deeper into the film (see below for the interview).  Simon will also be available for a Q&A after every screening of ONLY at the Pacific Cinematheque (1131 Howe Street in Vancouver).  Here’s the remaining schedule of this exclusive first-run:

Friday, May 15 – 9:30pm
Saturday, May 16 – 7:00pm
Sunday, May 17 – 9:00pm

An interview with Simon Reynolds, co-director of Only:

reellife: Why Only?

Simon: The word seems to be layered with several meanings.  From the obvious (the lead characters are ‘only’ children) – to the cryptic (the word ‘lonely’ contains the word ‘only’) to the sublime (they ‘only’ have one day together).  But early on in the screenwriting phase, Only was briefly the name of one of the lead characters. Over time, we began to see how the word seemed to resonate with the story and themes in different ways – and eventually it just became the name of the film.

reellife: Was the time of the year chosen for the snow or for other reasons?

Simon: We really wanted to capture that moment of Winter slowly thawing and giving in to Spring. That was our
aim.  It’s like the kid’s relationship.

reelife: How would you explain the two leads’ personalities, and why do you think the film accurately portrayed them?  To me, the portrayals were universal to our culture; what does this say about our culture for you?

Simon: One of my favourite things about these kids and this age in general – is that it seems to be a time before personality has really formed.  Also before a lot of bullshit sets in.  You know, you’re still trying different personalities out – almost like different sets of clothes – but you’re not attached yet.  We did research with a group of about 6 kids of this age before we started writing.  We asked them what they thought about the world and they told us.  A lot of their answers are in the film – and it wasn’t what anybody was expecting to hear.  As strange as their personalities sometimes seem, their is a ring of truth that no one can deny.

reellife: In our culture, children are often thought of as extras, are not considered important in our daily “productive” lives, and that they “get in the way.”  Could you comment on this statement?

Simon:  It’s certainly true.  I think we have a lot to learn from children.  Their capacity for imagination and curiosity – particularly their ability to see things as they actually are – to cut through to the simple truth.  But instead of paying attention to their inherent wisdom, we ignore, control, repress and otherwise beat down their natural impulses and ultimately, everything that makes up their individuality.  Of course, no one does this intentionally.  We’re all born into the same situation and moulded by the same forces – it just gets passed on.  Kind of grim.

reellife: Are you aware of the term, “emotional incest?”  If so, did you consciously intend to include a reference to it or do you not think the film touches on it?

Simon: Not so much ‘emotional incest’ as simply emotional manipulation.  At least that was our intention.  I think all people at one time or another are guilty of it.  We’ve all had moments when our self-pity got the better of us – and we tried to shame those around us into giving us attention.

reellife: Why was the scene of the girl’s father crying included?

Simon: Because that’s what grown ups do.  We like the idea that, at the end of the day, we’re all still just kids slipping on the ice and falling down.  It’s just that when you’re older, it’s so much harder to get up, dust off and move on.  Kids roll with the punches better.  That’s what we forget.

reellife: Why or how did it become co-directed?  How did that benefit the film and how did it detract?

Simon: Ingrid [Veninger] and I have known each other since we were kids working as actors on Friday the 13th.  We caught up with each other again about 6 years ago.  Ingrid has produced a large body of work, but I had been writing on my own for years – in a bit of a vacuum.  Ingrid liked my scripts and she produced my first short in 2004, then my second in 2006.  I had been pitching her various feature scripts – then one day she called up and pitched this idea of ONLY to me.  She had been percolating it on her own for months and I thought it was just great.  She said “do you want to do it with me?” and that was that.

I can only see the benefits of our collaboration.  When I think about how the film would have been different if we hadn’t collaborated from the beginning – I realize that we did something together that perhaps we could not have done on our own.  Specifically, you need someone close to you at every turn whose judgement you can trust – who you can bounce something off of and know they are going to give you the straight goods.  We did that for each other.

Now do this for yourself: see the film.  Thanks for reading.

Cinebar at the Cinematheque

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles is a wonderfully minimalist and feminist piece by Chantal Akerman (who was 25 when she made it).  The crew for the film was all female and I found it a serious hoot (initially) for its subtleties and completeness in showing the life of this woman.  But this isn’t a comedy and the realities of life for sub/urban women – especially single women – in the 40’s and 50’s are plainly but frighteningly brought to light.

Because it is made by women, the depth of the lead character is astounding.  But this film will keep you guessing (if you don’t read the previews beforehand) throughout its massive length (3 1/4 hours).

Tonight’s screening at the Pacific Cinematheque (1131 Howe Street in Downtown Vancouver) also includes some free wine to add to the ambiance, which I imagine will enhance the flavour even more.  Given the real time presentation, the Hob Nob Pinot Noir seems like it’ll be a perfect accompaniment to this Belgian classic.

Showtimes for Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles:
Thursday, March 26 – 7:30pm – CINEBAR SCREENING
Friday, March 27 – 7:30pm
Monday, March 30 – 7:30pm

For more info, visit www.cinematheque.bc.ca/jeanne-dielman-23-quai-du-commerce-1080-bruxelles

Bon Film!

11th Annual European Film Fest at Pacific Cinematheque!

It’s one of my favourite events of the year: the European Union Film Fest at the Pacific Cinematheque!  This year it runs from November 28 to December 11th.  Unlike the big International festival, films only screen once, so plan ahead in order NOT to miss the ones you want.  Their revamped website makes it easy to select by date, country or film.

Most of the films are the best that each country has to offer, using popularity and polish as the primary criteria of what’s best.

Finland’s Christmas Story plays on Saturday, Dec 6th @ 4pm so the whole family can attend ($8 for those under 18).  And it may just rewrite the story of Santa Claus for the new generations.  I’m thinkin’ it will rouse the ire of some Canadians by setting the story in Lapland/Finland and others by taking a page from Hollywood North: high on production values and low on depth of story.

It is a lovely retake on our annual consumer frenzy, though; it certainly justified my desire for wooden toys!  The best part for me was not one reference to any religious practice!  The breathtaking (and breath making) scenes explain how it won the Finnish Oscar for Best Cinematography.

Germany’s Vier Minuten (Four Minutes; Fri, Dec 5th @ 9:05pm) is an intense rollercoaster of a ride.  The two women leads are solid in their portrayal of emotionally wounded characters and the film goes places I couldn’t have even guessed…it certainly is worthy of the German Oscar (Lola) that it won last year.

Don’t worry, it’s not all intensity, despite being a German film.  I love the scene where clothes are exchanged, which is followed by a series of similarly humorous scenes.  But intense it is and as the characters’ stories unfold, it does well to remain honest and true.  The music (the context is a piano teacher and her student) is also great and healing in so many ways.  Oh yeah, the lesbian subplot: although it’s all in flashbacks, there’s nothing fluffy about it…and it helps us remember a history that cannot be forgotten.

Václav is another Czech comedy (Sat., Dec 6th @ 7:15pm) that goes deeper than most comedies that are made over here.  It plays well on the tension that living with a mildly mentally challenged man can manifest, while having fun with the mischief that seems to naturally transpire.

I think where Václav shines is in the last third as the trouble mounts to levels that can no longer be tolerated.  The two women that support Václav (the character) are not as well developed in the film as they could be, but they honour their gender in a genuine if stereotypical way.  Be warned that the film could tear your heart out, but then that’s nothing new for those of us caught in a culture that simply won’t acknowledge and respect other ways of being.

The big budget Latvian film, Defenders of Riga, starts out with promise to be more than another war film.  It hints at the core problem of civilization and the women play a prominent role in the film.  I haven’t got through it yet, so I can’t say if I would have been in one of the many that smashed all the box office records in their home country.  If you don’t see my full review beforehand, then check it out yourself on Wed., Dec 3rd @ 7:15pm and add your review here by adding a comment to this!

Bon voyage a la Festival!

International films continue to shine their light on Vancouver

If you’re still reeling from the end of the Vancouver International Film Festival, fear not cinephile!

Pacific Cinematheque is currently showcasing the latest in Slovenian film (until Oct 23rd) with some classic French flics up shortly.  I’ve had a chance to review a couple of the Slovenian films, which you can read below.

The Vancity Theatre will be hosting the Brazillian Film Festival starting this Wednesday (Oct 22nd), continuing through the weekend.  I hope to review some of these and post them on http://reellife.wordpress.com/ later this week, check it regularly….

The cinematic trip to Slovenia shows a glimpse into a young country that seems to be a major pathway for refugees.  Both Guardian of the Frontier and Spare Parts used this reality as a major theme.  But that is the only similarity between these two films…

Guardian of the Frontier is a magic-realist/dream-like film that cheekily impersonates the “lesbian horror flic” genre.  The feminist director (Maja Weiss) makes it all work very well by adding nuances that only a woman could add to most of the subplots that explore the patriarchy that also runs rampant in that part of our planet.  Even the topless shots are done tastefully and respectfully…you’d may even think that woman’s breasts were a natural part of our humanity (well, if you close your eyes to avoid billboards, newspapers, magazines, tv, etc. for a few days before and after watching the film).

The film really does well when it tries to convince us it’s a horror film…by showing the horror of a world dominated by nationalistic patriarchs.  It’s actually fun and smart but I’m sure it could also be scary…

Spare Parts educated me about the trade in human organs (spare parts) while the cancer that is nuclear power lingered in the background throughout.

Unfortunately, all the main players are men and their contemporary countrymen are portrayed all too accurately (see the patriarchy rant above).  Of course, even patriarchs are people too (yes, really, honest), so the film does well to show their emotional side in a realistic but almost hopeful way.

But the film doesn’t stoop into sentimentality despite the plot and shows us how resilient both humans and the systems we devise can be.

For more info and tickets, visit http://www.cinematheque.bc.ca

Viff ‘08: Special Presentations: Heaven on Earth

Intense.  Important.  Impressive.  Deepa Mehta has created another great film.

I found Heaven on Earth surprising in its intensity.  But given the subject matter – abuse – it is more than appropriate.

The context is that a mail order bride arrives in Toronto from India, with nothing but hope that her new husband and family will be decent human beings…they aren’t.  They aren’t monsters, they are like most in western civilization: deeply wounded and willing to pass on their abusive training to others around them.

What makes this film unique is that it is set in the South Asian community and it both shows how domestic violence exists and is covered up.  The impressive aspect is that it also shows the pain that the abuser goes through.  Yes, they are fucked up, but they are human and rare is the human that causes pain without having received it (and therefore learned how to create it).  This film doesn’t go far into that realm but it does touch on it.

Thankfully, there is a character that doesn’t accept the bullshit that is abuse.  Her methods for dealing with it are hilarious and it provides for a subtext that I don’t fully understand, but readily appreciated.

See this film.  It will have a big release and rightly so.  The NFB scores again…

For more info, click here.

Viff ‘08: Canadian Images: Drux Flux

This very short film is a barrage of images that meld art with politics leading up to the second world war.

For me, it linked all the propaganda of the time together: Nazi, American, Russian, British.  It also spoke loudly about how this propaganda was meant to fool one and all…a message so important and relevant still today.

It’s part of the A Dérive program of shorts; click here for more information and tickets.

Viff ‘08: Canadian Images: Passage

I have to admit I avoided this film, but I’m so glad to have experienced it.  I think I was resistant because I’m so done with history from a colonizer’s point of view, but although this is a white man’s film in many ways, it undermines much of accepted colonial history.

Moreover, this film is interesting in how it is made.  It is a documentary, a historical story, and a making of, all rolled together in inventive and dramatic ways.

Essentially, it is about John Rae, born in the Orkney Islands into the upper class, but who chose to not only live in “Canada” before it became a country, but actually respect and learn from the people who have always lived there (here).

The reason why this story is historically important is that the search for a Northwest Passage was one of the most sensationalized stories of the time in the media and the raison de siecle to funnel taxes to rich people both in and outside of the navies (think Iraq and Afghanistan today).

This film searches for the truth regarding a British exploration headed by Franklin: the official story says they got lost and died; John Rae’s story says they descended into madness and cannibalism.  Franklin’s widow was hugely influencial and both pushed for some sign of life or death from her husband’s failed expeditation, but also led the cover-up and misinformation campaign once the truth was unearthed.

And surprise, the Inuit took the fall.

The National Film Board has a series of winners in this year’s Fest…this is certainly one of them.

Click here for more info and tickets.

Viff ‘08: The Ark: Ice People

Well, how can I say this?  This is one bad movie.  Not bad as in good, not not bad as in okay, I’m talking sleeper!  When I was trying to get through it, alone on an island, I suddenly found myself screaming out loud, “BORING.”  Really.  True Story.

So why did I find it boring?  Well, it’s a film about scientists and their support people doing science and support work.  Yes, it is set in Antartica and yes, the scenery is stunning at times.  But if not watching this film means never seeing what Antartica looks like, let’s just say there’ll be lots of other opportunities to see rocks and ice on screen.

When the “ice people” (most, if not all, are Americans) talk there’s certainly some insight to glean from why they are there as well as from their US-centric comparison of how amazing it is to be there.

But I couldn’t help thinking about how mislead these people are.  Under the guise of research, they are “discovering” a part of the planet that humans really need not be.  Sure, there are conventions in place to prevent the exploitation of the area, but guess how useful those conventions will be when oil or something else of economic worth is found?  About as useful as all the treaties the American (and Canadian) government signed with the people that have always lived in North America.

Another thought in my mind (which was starved for stimulus) while watching this film is how wonderful a job it did to show how “Science” is the (not-so) new Theology.  Science will save us.  Science will allow us to understand the world.  Just don’t notice how dependent Science is on unsustainable practices.  Now substitute the name of any religion for Science and see how those sentences read…

If you’re interested in snow, ice and cold, I suggest seeing Belonging or the soon-to-be-reviewed Passages.

Scientists and insomniacs, click here for more information and tickets.

Aside to Viff curators: putting films like this in the “environmental” genre just reinforces the negative stereotype…maybe start a new genre called “Science” so it can reinforce that stereotype honourably…

Viff ‘08: Canadian Images: Indigenous Plant Diva

Although this is a short film (10 min), it is both beautifully shot and surprisingly complete.

It is also well named:
Indigenous: T’Uy’Tanat (Cease Wyss is her English nickname), the focus of the film, is strong in so many ways: Squamish, mother, woman, activist, herbalist, …

Plant: some are identified, yes, but the power of plants and the reasons why humans need to know are what makes T’Uy’Tanat and this film special.

Diva: Many of T’Uy’Tanat’s words are voiced over a veritable photo shoot that makes this film fun.

Indigenous Plant Diva is part of the Parenting program of shorts.  I didn’t think I was feeling particularly emotional, but when this film ended, my face was awash with tears…fellow parents, be prepared!

Click here for more information about the Parenting program of 5 short films and for tickets.