If you’re like most folks in Vancouver, you not only care and have compassion for those folks living on the streets, but you know that homelessness is growing and will only get worse in the lead up to the corporate fest called the Olympics.

Well, 4 different people thought that becoming a “mentor” for one or two homeless people would not only alleviate their guilt but actually make a difference for someone no one else seems to care about.

DEVIL PLAYS HARDBALL documents these efforts and is showing SUNDAY, May 11th @ 7:30pm at the Pacific Cinematheque (1131 Hornby @ Helmken, Downtown) as part of the Frames of Mind Film Festival.

This film is very well produced and never drags. The “mentee”s are fascinatingly real and completely direct the action. The mentors growth is also well documented and the narration keeps it together and honest.

Some real insights can be gleaned from this hour long film:

• the woeful inadequacies of the supports that do exist,
• the maliciousness of the current social “welfare” system, and
• the near impossibility of getting out of a vicious vortex that anyone can land in.

This documentary really adds to the homeless discussion; see it if you can, especially since there will be a post-screening discussion with the director and an MD working in the DTES. I leave it for you to decide if the method of help/intervention used is effective for anyone involved…for more info, visit http://cinematheque.bc.ca/framesofmind/index.html#devil

Thursday, May 1st @ 7:30pm, One of Many makes its Vancouver Premiere at the Pacific Cinémathèque.

This film is powerful. It not only documents the genocide of aboriginal people in what is called Canada, it moves beyond by looking at some of the work going on to overcome the pain and dysfunction that residential schools and other Canadian government policy deliberately and consciously imposed on the people that have always lived on this land.

I really liked the use of various genres of music (Tutchone, Cree, hip-hop, more) to keep the viewer’s spirit lifted while we voyage through one survivor’s story of residential school and foster homes. Sally Tisiga, the courageous single mother of two teenage boys and a member of the Wolf Clan, Kaska Nation, first shares her story before we watch her struggle to overcome this past. Her passion to keep her sons with her and to connect all of them to her people’s culture touched this single father’s heart deeply.

Using archival footage, we see that far from what the capitalist media has portrayed, aboriginal people have been continually struggling for their inherent right to self-government. When a residential school northwest of Edmonton is occupied, the film shows how these elders transformed doubt into an incredible source of strength; 37 years later, Blue Quills continues to thrive and grow.

That this is a German/French co-production is both surprising and insightful. But then, why would “Canadians” want to expose their own genocidal practice, especially when it continues to this day. At the same time, a respectful outsider’s perspective can be sharper and go deeper.

One of the co-directors, Doris Butignol, will be at this screening for a Q&A. She has previously documented some of the work done by the Zapatistas and anti-globalization activists in Seattle and France. She will be arriving from Haida Gwaii where she is working on a film about the recent death of the Golden Spruce. She had a couple of moments to answer a few questions today:

Why did you make this film?
DB: I met Sally in 1992; the shock of her story was so big, I needed to try to understand it.

What makes this film different?
DB: I’ll let the audience decide.

What does the elder at the end of the credits say?
DB: in Blackfoot, she describes how her people survived through the power of ceremony and culture.

What is the joke that they laugh at?
DB: the elder makes a face.

Hank Bull, a long time member of and builder within the Vancouver Arts Community, will introduce the film.

This will be an event. Don’t miss it. For more information or to buy tickets online, visit:
http://www.cinematheque.bc.ca/mar_apr_08/one_of_many.htm

Sigur Rós’ concert film Heima plays this weekend (April 18-20) at the Vancity Theatre @ 7:15pm and 9:30pm

Heima is Icelandic for “at home” and watching this movie is a cozy, beautiful place to be, especially in the posh Film Centre’s seats.

This film is worth slowing down for. For me, it started slow; I took a song to get into it and then was mesmerized by the combination of music and cinematography. I must admit I didn’t know a thing about Sigur Rós but now understand them to be a group of very talented, humble musicians that have created a unique place within popular music…they seem worthwhile knowing and it was an enjoyable way to meet them.

The premise of the film is that Sigur Rós (and Amiina) are giving free concerts around Iceland as a way of giving back to their kin. Of course, they made a film out of this free tour, so it obviously wasn’t all give. In any case, they set a high standard for musicians (or anyone) that care about their friends and family; for a band that seems to be so popular and successful, it’s more than refreshing.

The setting makes this film gorgeous, even without the artistic stagings and lightings of the various concerts. Iceland still seems to have so much land in a wild state; I wonder if motorized vehicles really have as little presence as they do in the film or if the film makers consciously chose to remove them.

The band even makes a statement - albeit a feeble one - about the destruction of our planet when they divert their tour to include a protest camp at a new dam site that is to make electricity for a new aluminum smelter by flooding a vast, wild plain. If only they had read Derrick Jensen’s writings! To the filmmaker’s credit, the simultaneous statement by the wind/land/planet IS included.

Throughout, the film stays true to its name, creating a cozy atmosphere where children and dogs roam free to explore the different stages. It’s seductive musicality is definitely worth watching - I’ve never seen a rock marimba before!

For more info or to buy tickets online, visit http://www.vifc.org/

The View from Above (La vue d’en haut) is a French language play about to start its second week in Vancouver at Théâtre la Seizième (Studio 16).

When I saw it last week, I was impressed with both the set and the acting. The storyline got me there though because it is set in North Vancouver two years after the cancelled Olympic games. Why were they cancelled? Because of the rain, which hasn’t stopped for 3 years!

The play digs deep at our current situation: the poor (mostly referred to as junkies in the play) were rounded up and imprisoned in the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool building on the North Shore before the Olympics. Two years later, they were still imprisoned until the silo is finally blown up from within.

The main character, Stuart (played brilliantly by Joey L’esperance), unquestioningly accepts the science offered by an article he read in a Danish magazine that blames the rain on the poor that were imprisoned. The article claims that when you put junkies and whores together, there is a lot of friction and wetness, which feeds the clouds and creates lots of rain.

Stuart’s wife Marsha (Rachel Robillard, who mesmerizes even before the play even begins) is literally on the edge of both her sanity and the North Shore slopes…she never leaves her house that is about to slide away.

When Stuart and Marsha’s son Roland (Allen Morrison) and his girlfriend Trish (Samantha Madely) return home after escaping from the silo they blew up, we learn that the local real estate agent/neighbourhood security enforcer/thug, Reg Simon, is offering a bonus to homeowners that sell: 1% added to the price of the sale price for each junkie that comes with it.

Stuart’s house has plunged in value, being less than a quarter of it’s pre-Olympic million dollar value, so he comically tries to round up the surviving junkies and sell the house before it slides away.

Perhaps the most powerful point of the show is how it makes clear that food is scarce for everyone now.

There are lots of subtle surprises throughout the show, which plays Wednesday to Saturday (April 5th) at 8pm.

If you speak French and want to see what the dark side of the Olympics can look like, as well as spark your imagination, it’s well worth a look. You can find more information here: www.seizieme.ca

If you don’t speak French, the English language version opens on April 11th with a free preview at Performance Works on Granville Island (and runs until April 27th with 2 for 1 Tuesdays and Wednesdays). It also has a second run beginning April 30th (to May 3rd) at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby. You can find more info at www.rubyslippers.ca

It’s becoming obvious to me that since I’ve become a parent, my life lens has changed dramatically. That fact, combined with my complete ignorance of Nirvana’s history allowed me to see Kurt Cobain: About a Son as a surprising source of inspiration and insight. A well crafted montage of Pacific Northwest images and video front a collection of audio interviews of Nirvana’s lead singer and songwriter. Kurt starts at his beginning and offers many compliments and criticisms of his parents, as well as insights into life as a teenager. The interviews were recorded within a year of his death, when he was still only 26 and clearly connected to his teenaged years.

One stand-out moment for me was his revelation that his father just “gave up”… Alice Miller’s work has shown that significant childhood experiences reoccur in some form. While Kurt’s father didn’t commit suicide, he simply left his son’s life; Kurt’s daughter Francis also no longer has a father.

Nirvana fans will undoubtedly flock to this Vancouver Premiere; my hope is that many other parents also find this film to be an inspiration to constantly stay connected with our children, no matter what.

At the Pacific Cinémathèque (1131 Howe Street, in Downtown Vancouver), it runs from January 3rd to 7th and Jan 9th, with shows every night at 7:30pm (except Sunday, when it shows @ 9:25; Saturday also has a 2nd showing at 9:25pm).

Two beautiful restorations of Albert amorisse’s children’s classics, The Red Balloon and the White Mane start their short, holiday season run today (Thursday) at 4pm.

Together running 73 minutes, both films’ enthralled my almost 3 year old daughter.

The Red Balloon’s story was one I was requested to repeat many times for her; vibrant red balloon takes on the persona of a schoolboy’s friend, which invokes the wrath and jealously of his classmates. Balloon solidarity ends this film on a very uplifting note!

White Mane is explicit about our culture’s obsession with control over others. Also gorgeous in its black & white form, it gives a glimpse into a world before colonization, at least in France. Our heroes prevail by sailing away to from it all to enjoy a life of peace. No wonder the capitalist machine tries to leave no stone unturned…

This duo continue on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Dec 30) at both 4 and 7pm…see www.cinematheque.bc.ca for more info.

At the Pacific Cinematheque: For the Bible Tells Me So + Czech Dream

From Dec 7th to Dec 13th at 1131 Howe Street (first film starts at 7:30pm each night)

Wow. These films are powerful.

I didn’t think I’d get through For the Bible Tells Me So simply because of the name of the film. But am I glad I did: this is one of the best films I’ve seen. Technically, it is extremely well made. But it’s power lies in the depth of its message.

For the Bible Tells Me So examines the power of the Bible, specifically in how Bible literalists have used it to condemn homosexuality. Personal stories are shared to show how damaging this is. Cartoons are used to show how stupid this is. And theologians share what the Bible really means and contextualize the quotes that are commonly misused and abused.

A surprising subplot for me was that a US Presidential candidate embodied the ultimate in parental love. Another was that learning about the Bible wasn’t painful; because this message is so positive, it was actually empowering. That is far from what I recall of Sunday School!

But don’t worry: you won’t feel compelled to go to church any time soon. But you will have some powerful tools at your disposal the next time some Bible thumper misrepresents something that was written many moons ago…just be prepared for a Biblical-sized flood of tears!

At the Pacific Cinematheque: For the Bible Tells Me So + Czech Dream

From Dec 7th to Dec 13th (first film starts at 7:30pm each night)

Czech Dream caught my attention from the get go: scenes of food lineups in the Communist era turn into lineups of greedy consumers in these Capitalist times.

Two student filmmakers achieve what many only hope: a reality film that examines important issues. The beating they take at the end of it all (you’ll have to view the trailer to see it, it’s not pretty) shows just how deep into the consumer psyche they reached.

From concept to grand opening, the film documents the decisions capitalists make, in this case when creating a “hypermarket” (think big box). One of the many twists is that they also ask tough questions, to themselves, to the advertising agents, and to the consumers. The process is very revealing.

Generally speaking, Czech people seemed very similar to “Canadian” folks: polite, unassuming and living in the shadow of a capitalist giant. Maybe one day we’ll see a Canadian Dream manifest at a meadow near you…

I loved this film! Easily my favourite fiction flick of this year’s festival…

This is a multi-layered look at how families and relationships can be affected by an automobile “accident” in the white, western world. I’m sure it spoke to me because of the portrayal of so many men, but the lead, Carrie-Anne Moss is fabulous to the end.

Ironically, it is set in Oak Bay, home of the recent murder-suicide of rich folks and this film offers some insight into how things can get so messed up in that world. Carl Bessai and Travis McDonald (and let’s be fair, all their female assistants!) go so much deeper than the shallow portrayals of loneliness and dysfunction; the drunken driving death of a teenage basketball star is the vehicle and the actors really make it real. Although redemption is near, the ending is brutally honest and definitely not from Hollywood!

If I were making the decisions, this film would be mandatory viewing for all drivers…imagine an enjoyable experience that could educate on an emotional level! Let’s hope that after the theatrical release here, it ends up in every new driver’s package and anyone renewing gets a free ticket to a theatre near us…

No Remaining Screenings

Mr. Big is a secretive, almost unknown “sting” type of operation carried out by the RCMP. Essentially, the police spend hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars to pose as organized crime, with the sole goal of videotaping confessions.

Not only are many crimes committed along the way (many of which are, or hint at, extreme violence), but this type of “police work” is simply not allowed in the USA and UK. Much research has been done to prove that coerced confessions are simply not useful in finding out the truth and laying the blame for crime.

Mr. Big, the movie, documents the ongoing case of Atif Rafay and Sebastian Burns and Patrick Fischer as well as two cases that have been closed: Clayton George Mentuck and Jason Dix.

The writer/director/producer, Tiffany Burns left her 10 year career as a TV News journalist to make this film. Given the content, she had no option but to make it independently: government funders don’t like to expose other government agencies and corporate funders need the police to keep us all good little workers and consumers.

Her background has obviously helped her produce a hard-hitting and insightful film that will literally shock and deeply disturb you. The trailer from the movie’s website was recently posted on YouTube and it has prompted many comments.

Another shocking piece of information not included in the movie is that in 1996, then Liberal Federal Justice Minister Alan Rock ordered that Rafay and Burns be extradited to Washington State to face the death penalty. After 5 years and a trip to the Supreme Court of Canada, it is now legally impossible to extradite people from Canada to face the death penalty.

In all of these cases and many more, the only evidence used to convict these people is the taped confession, shown without the context of many months of befriending - followed by coercion and threats, which are standard procedure in the Mr. Big operations.

At least 25 of these “sting” operations take place every year: even residing in West Vancouver does not protect oneself from these police operations, which should put everyone on high alert and hopefully prod us into action.

So check out the movie’s website , see the film on Wednesday, Oct 10th, and use the energy this film gives you to at least write a letter to your MP and Federal Justice Minister, demanding an end to these police actions (hey, why not demand civilian oversight of the police, too, and a ban on police carrying guns while you’re writing).

Remaining Screenings:
Wednesday, Oct 10th @ 11:00am: Pacific Cinematheque