The First Feature Film made on the West Coast!

Today (Friday), Saturday, Sunday will showcase the First Feature Film made on the West Coast and the oldest surviving feature made in so-called Canada.

The film is called In the Land of the Head Hunters and displays the wealth of the Kwakwaka’wakw who “star” throughout.

The story is more than lame and in my opinion ridiculously Hollywood and overtly racist, but the images are breathtaking.

Seeing real villages and real people living 100 years ago is more than a treat.  It shows how they lived through their clothing, buildings, and boats, all of which are stunning.

This film, like all film, was fabricated from the mind of a civilized person (in this case Edward Curtis), but he didn’t have the resources like they do today.  So he filmed real people with their usual clothing and ways of living, something we could do well to learn from.  More surprisingly, he also filmed ceremony and the costumes are literally out of this world!

The score is completely out of place of course, given that it was performed in 1914 by Vancouver’s Turning Point Ensemble.  It, too, is enjoyable for what it is.

If you’d like to see what life was really like here on the coast, check this out.  On December 7th, the centenary date, it plays at Vancity Theatre at 7pm (with special guests) while the previous two nights it plays at the Cinematheque at 6:30pm.

Tonight and Saturday at the Cinematheque also has The Bitter Ash at 8pm (with a 4:30 screening on Saturday, too).  This 1963 feature was shot in Vancouver for a mere(?) $5,000 by then-student Larry Kent.  It was banned from many theatres because it has a partially nude scene (imagine!).

For nostalgic Vancouverites and cinephiles, this is a must-see, as it is shot on location all around Vancouver.  Given the era and the absence of digital technology, this film is truly a monumental achievement.  Larry Kent will introduce each screening and host a Q&A after each screening.

Best of all, there are a few sequences of dialogue that point-blank challenge the system…perhaps that was the real reason for the banning?!

Can’t get EUFF of this Film Festival!

The 17th Annual European Union Film Festival opens tonight at the Cinematheque in Downtown Vancouver.

It’s one of my favourites to be sure.  And this year has another stellar lineup.

The only downside to this fest is that each film plays only once and the fest ends on December 4th.  So you gotta be on your celluloid toes!

I’ll be posting more reviews on Reellife as often as I can to let you know what’s coming up and what’s not to miss!

For now, here are 3 reviews of films that will open the Fest…enjoy Europe without the jetlag!

Clownwise
This Czech film continues to enhance this country’s reputation as stellar feature film makers.

A full-length feature at 2 hours, it combines clownery with real human issues, including children (but it’s not a child’s film) and a storyline that will definitely keep you guessing.

The production quality is outstanding as well, overlaying shots that enhance as well as startle.

Hollywood would have taken this story down a much more predictable path; each time I thought we were going there, I was surprised, and very pleasantly.

The ending left me laughing out loud, too.  Get ready to catch this film while you can as it only plays once!
Clownwise plays Saturday, November 22nd at 8:35pm

The Road Uphill
I have to admit that this film captivated me; I couldn’t wait to get back to it to see how it ended.

It’s focused on the Schleck brothers from Luxembourg, who were favoured to win the 2011 Tour de France.

I’ve never been a big fan of the Tour, mostly because I haven’t lived near enough, but the film really shows why it is such a huge event.  That it has not changed to accommodate TV compensates somewhat for the outrageous drug scandals of the recent past.  Lance Armstrong brought awareness of the TDF to North America before he completely undermined its credibility.

There’s not a mention of drugs in this film and I was amazed to hear Andy Schleck speak of how the TDF would be wonderful to win but life is so much more, especially when he thinks of his brother Frank’s child.  Rather than a bunch of boys trying to have a good time, this film is about dedication and determination in a respectful, straight forward manner.  And after the film was completed, Andy was declared the winner of the 2010 TDF after Alberto Contador was found guilty of using a banned substance.

Unfortunately it also shows just how ridiculously car-dependent even a bike race has become (watch for the lead car taking out a cyclist!), but the ending wasn’t what I expected.  The warmth and love that 2 brothers share on screen is marvellous to behold, especially given the context.

What I didn’t expect was to be so taken in by the event and drama.  If you are a TDF fan, you’ll love this; if you don’t know a thing about it, you’ll be surprised and roundly informed.

That a French commentator nails the truth of this and every event so clearly (“we love the TDF because we can escape from our miserable [civilized] lives”) is simply the icing on this delicious cake.

The Road Uphill plays Monday, November 24 @ 8:20pm

Christmas Tango
This Greek film really wasn’t very enjoyable for me.  The military theme was omnipresent and frankly, oppressive.

There were lots of subtle humourous scenes, especially when a Lieutenant commands his underling to teach him to tango, but the acting was mediocre and the film generally gloomy.  The Colonel’s wife and daughter bring splashes of life to this film, which was based on a novel about that Lieutenant’s obsession with the Colonel’s wife, but they are too infrequent for my taste.

Of course, there aren’t many chances to hear Greek in Vancouver… χυμός πορτοκάλι pah-rah-kah-LOH

Christmas Tango plays Thursday, November 27 @ 6:30pm

Home Stretch for VIFF!

It’s the middle of the last weekend, and the beginning of the last week for the Vancouver International Film Festival!

Global warming/Climate Change has made this festival one of the warmest and driest on record, perfect for riding your bike to your favourite venue.

A surprise film for me was Welcome to Me, a hilarious look at today’s culture that may just go a lot deeper than it appears.

Kristen Wiig is stellar as Alice Krieg, who wins the lottery and starts to unravel her long history of being labelled, especially from a mental health perspective.  The hilarity comes in the form a buying herself an Oprah-like show and living her wildest dreams.

I enjoyed the cutting critique of contemporary culture best.  Lots of subtlety that makes this seemingly superficial film delve much deeper; it’s not only the secret of Alice’s success, it may hold the key for you and me!

Welcome to Me screens on Oct 10 at 4:15 pm in the Vancouver Playhouse

Turbulence is well-named: this fictional feature is full of it.  Set in Vancouver, Kurdish immigrants find life isn’t quite as grand as it’s advertised.  Focusing on an older father and his addict daughter, the film shows how difficult life is when you don’t have a rock to provide a base.

Sure, these characters make regrettable choices, but the heart of this film lies in the fact that the bond between daughter and father was broken and trust never regained.  Realistic and raw, this film is gritty and will thrill Vancouver audiences with it’s on the streets look at life.  There’s even a cameo by my daughter’s and I’s choir!

Turbulence plays today, Oct 5 at 1:00 pm in International Village #9

Enjoy your last week of Film Festing, and keep checking my daily reviews to help you find your favourite films!

It’s delicious at this year’s Film Fest!

The first weekend of this year’s Vancouver International Film Festival is half over, but there’s still almost 2 weeks of Festing Fun left to go.

One thing I’ve noticed is that this year’s Festival looks delicious!  At least the last few films I’ve seen do, and I mean in the food sense.

I’ll be writing a review of Ventos de Agosto (August Winds) very soon, but it was the film that tied this theme together for me, with it’s lush cinematography all around food.

Two documentaries focus on food in a very different way: waste and corporate profit.

Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story

This hot doc has won awards (the most recent being the BC film voted as a “must see” at this year’s VIFF) and with good reason: it’s fun, challenging and visually appealing.

Two Vancouverites decide to see if they could live for 6 months off of the food waste around them.  At first it’s a challenge, as all new systems are while we learn them, but soon they find other challenges, which makes this film surprising and fun.

Unfortunately, this film is deeply rooted in our current system, so much s

o that the myriad of other ways of feeding ourselves aren’t even mentioned much less tried or debated.  There is only one way: buying food from a store.  But given these immense constraints, the film still finds much to analysis and discover, which will shock even the most aware food activist.

East Vancouver plays a large role, so if you’re in East Van, you can see it in your own neighbourhood tomorrow!

Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story plays on Sep 28 at 6:30 pm in the Rio Theatre
and on Sep 30 at 10:30 am in SFU Woodwards

as well as on Oct 6 at 1:30 pm in the Vancouver Playhouse

Food Chains

Immokalee, Florida was the site of a TV news story in 1960 about the exploitation of farm workers.  This doc shows that nothing has really changed.

It’s heartening to see the folks who are being exploited organize into a strong and creative front, but still nothing changes.  Except that the powers that be have different names.

This doc does well in showing the problem and the human side of it.  But all the players are so committed to the game nobody dares to act or even think outside that little box.  Nothing changes, the misery continues, and the rich keep eating well.

Food Chains shows on Sep 29 at 6:00 pm in International Village #9

and on Oct 1 at 4:30 pm in International Village #10

And don’t forget I’ll have daily reviews right here to inspire and inform your Film Fest choices…enjoy the extended summer by biking to your favourite film!

VIFF ‘07: Canadian Images: White Vans

This 13 minute short packs a hefty punch…right in the eye of the next bike thief!

Local filmmaker Aren Hansen helps us feel the pain and loss that is much more than a bike stolen: a wide range of people who have suffered the loss of their loved one share how it affected them as well as their vengeful fantasies.

Ending up as a advertisement to return an abandoned blue bike to its rightful owner (it was left behind by a thief who stole the filmmaker’s bike), we see lots of great shots of East Van as well as slam poetry and a wonderful stakeout that puts important perspective on the bigger issues.

Shown with 8 other Canadian shorts.

Screenings:
Wednesday, Oct 10, @ 9:15pm: Pacific Cinematheque
Thursday, Oct 11, @ 4:00pm: Pacific Cinematheque