Birds Without Feathers[/caption]
The Whistler Film Festival will present an unprecedented number of female focused films, talent, events, and awards throughout its 2018 programs. The Festival will screen 21 feature films and 18 short films directed or co-directed by women or non-binary individuals, which makes up 46% of this year’s film programming, the highest percentage for the festival to date. WFF will also have 41 Canadian females out of 80 (51%) participating in 11 different talent programs, including 16 directors, 5 producers, 3 screenwriters, 8 filmmakers, 1 actor, and 7 musicians in bands in the Music Showcase.
“The Whistler Film Festival’s female focused initiatives are aligned with several industry wide mandates, and we are committed to promoting the shared goal of breaking the celluloid ceiling, increasing the number of women in the director’s chair, addressing the imbalance of industry diversity behind the camera, and supporting the collaborative efforts to bring more female written and directed narratives to screen, and more females on screen to reflect society,” says Shauna Hardy Mishaw, WFF Executive Director. “With strong representation both in front of and behind the camera in our films, and talent programs this year, Whistler is maintaining a timely leadership role for women in the industry, when the need is not only apparent, the collective is calling for it.“
CIRCLE OF STEEL
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2018 Whistler Film Festival to Feature Record Number of Films Directed by Women
[caption id="attachment_29003" align="aligncenter" width="1214"] Birds Without Feathers[/caption]
The Whistler Film Festival will present an unprecedented number of female focused films, talent, events, and awards throughout its 2018 programs. The Festival will screen 21 feature films and 18 short films directed or co-directed by women or non-binary individuals, which makes up 46% of this year’s film programming, the highest percentage for the festival to date. WFF will also have 41 Canadian females out of 80 (51%) participating in 11 different talent programs, including 16 directors, 5 producers, 3 screenwriters, 8 filmmakers, 1 actor, and 7 musicians in bands in the Music Showcase.
“The Whistler Film Festival’s female focused initiatives are aligned with several industry wide mandates, and we are committed to promoting the shared goal of breaking the celluloid ceiling, increasing the number of women in the director’s chair, addressing the imbalance of industry diversity behind the camera, and supporting the collaborative efforts to bring more female written and directed narratives to screen, and more females on screen to reflect society,” says Shauna Hardy Mishaw, WFF Executive Director. “With strong representation both in front of and behind the camera in our films, and talent programs this year, Whistler is maintaining a timely leadership role for women in the industry, when the need is not only apparent, the collective is calling for it.“
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MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS to Open, MOMENTUM GENERATION to Close 2018 Whistler Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_31897" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
(l-r) Grace Molony stars as Dorothy Stafford, Margot Robbie stars as Queen Elizabeth I and Georgia Burnell as Kate Carey in MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, a Focus Features release.[/caption]
Festival goers attending the 18th annual Whistler Film Festival (WFF), taking place from November 28 to December 2, can look forward to 85 fresh films including 50 features and 35 shorts representing 12 countries. WFF is set to open this year with Josie Rourke’s MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, starring two of last year’s Oscar nominated best actresses, Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie. Rourke’s breathtakingly beautiful directorial debut explores the turbulent life of the charismatic Mary Stuart (Ronan), and her struggle to reclaim her rightful throne as Queen of Scotland, then under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth I (Robbie).
Closing the festival is the Canadian Premiere of groundbreaking surf documentary MOMENTUM GENERATION. Directed by Academy Award-shortlisted and Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmakers Jeff and Michael Zimbalist, the documentary follows the biggest names in surfing, including Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Kalani Robb and the late Todd Chesser. Executive produced by Sundance founder Robert Redford with stunning archival footage from the godfather of surf films Taylor Steele, MOMENTUM GENERATION gives audiences an inside look at the lives of these teenagers as they rose to super stardom as the first competitive surfers.
WFF will screen six award season contenders including hosting the Canadian premieres of ON THE BASIS OF SEX, Mimi Leder’s topical biography of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg played by Felicity Jones, and Robert Budreau’s STOCKHOLM with Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace. The festival will also feature Western Canadian Premieres of AT ETERNITY’S GATE, director Julian Schnabel’s take on the life on Vincent Van Gogh played by Willem Dafoe; IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK, the first film from director Barry Jenkins since winning the Academy Award for Best Picture with MOONLIGHT; Alfonso Cuarón’s masterful ROMA, which – for the first time ever at WFF – will be shown in 4k projection and 7.2 sound; and FAMILY FIRST (CHIEN DE GARDE) directed by Sophie Dupuis, Canada’s entry in this year’s Best Foreign Language Oscar category.
Other highlights include the World Premiere of Borsos Jury member Bruce McDonald’s CLAIRE’S HAT, an unprecedented filmic mea culpa about the making of the 2001 fiasco PICTURE CLAIRE. This funny, insightful and brilliantly reconstructed exploration documents what went wrong during the shooting of McDonald’s biggest budget movie to date. Direct from its premiere at Telluride, Brigitte Berman’s HUGH HEFNER’S AFTER DARK: SPEAKING OUT IN AMERICA, features a treasure trove of archival footage with everyone from Lenny Bruce to Moms Mabley.
Programming strands include American Indies, Canadian Vanguard, Contenders, Doc Bloc, First Features, From Overseas, From The Vault, Mountain Culture, ShortWork, and World Premieres.
WFF boasts that four of its five films in its American Indies strand will grace Canadian screens for the first time in Whistler. Titles include Wendy McColm’s funny and bittersweet BIRDS WITHOUT FEATHERS; Adisa’s horrifying look at sex trafficking in SKIN IN THE GAME; Alex Harvey’s brilliant WALDEN: LIFE IN THE WOODS with Oscar nominee Demián Bichir; and Emma Forrest’s moving UNTOGETHER, with Jamie Dornan (50 SHADES OF GREY), Jemima Kirke, Lola Kirke, Ben Mendelsohn and Jennifer Grey. Finally, Sebastián Silva’s TYREL features Michael Cera in a story about a lone black man on otherwise all-white weekend of drunken bro debauchery on a birthday trip to a cabin in the Catskills.
This year, 18 Canadian films will compete for Canada’s second largest festival prize in the 15th annual Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature. Borsos titles feature seven World Premieres including Jon Silverberg’s haunting WOODLAND (shot in BC); Métis director Shane Belcourt’s mission to Mars comedy RED ROVER starring Cara Gee; Jesse Zigelstein’s restaurant owner drama for foodies NOSE TO TAIL, Carolyn Combs’ ode to multiculturalism in Vancouver BELLA CIAO!; Natty Zavitz’s moving forbidden romance drama ACQUAINTED; Maja Zdanowski’s ambitious multi-character drama IN GOD I TRUST; Zack Bernbaum’s hilariously deadpan road movie about two Toronto Jews on a trek into Poland THE DANCING DOGS OF DOMBROVA; and Rama Rau’s HONEY BEE, which features another unforgettable performance by Julia Sarah Stone (WFF 2017 Star to Watch Alumni) as an underage truckstop hooker.
Western Canadian premieres in the Borsos Competition include Deanne Foley’s poignant exploration of mental illness and maternal yearnings, AN AUDIENCE OF CHAIRS; Kristina Wagenbauer’s moving story of mother/daughter conflict SASHINKA; Geneviève Dulude-De Celles’ A COLONY (UNE COLONIE), a memorable small-town coming of age story; Roz Owen’s study of a disenfranchised First Nations woman TROUBLE IN THE GARDEN featuring Cara Gee; Renée Beaulieu’s shockingly honest THE NATURALLY WANTON PLEASURE OF SKIN (LES SALOPES); Darlene Naponse’s FALLS AROUND HER featuring a career-best performance by Tantoo Cardinal; Lenin M. Sivam’s ROOBHA, a moving and empathetic look at transgender romance within the Canadian Tamil community; Sébastien Pilote’s award-winning coming of age story THE FIREFLIES ARE GONE; Sophie Dupuis’ first feature FAMILY FIRST (CHIEN DE GARDE), Canada’s entry in this year’s Foreign language Oscar category; and the Canadian Premiere of Robert Budreau’s STOCKHOLM with Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace.
In addition to the Canadian Premiere of the definitive surfing documentary MOMENTUM GENERATION which will close the festival, this year’s Mountain Culture films include premieres of Whistler-based directors Brian Hockenstein and Tamo Campos’ THE RADICALS which follows a group of snowboarders and surfers who drift from the mountains and oceans into the world of activism; Patagonia’s stunning winter film TREELINE which explores the diverse forests of British Columbia, Nevada, and Japan, directed by Vancouver-based Jordan Manley; and winner of the Best Documentary award at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, FREE SOLO, directed by E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, a stunning, intimate and unflinching portrait of the free soloist climber Alex Honnold’s preparations to achieve his lifelong dream: climbing the face of the world’s most famous rock – the 3,000ft El Capitan in Yosemite National Park – without a rope.
This year’s Doc Bloc competition features a refreshingly diverse line-up. Two BC-based productions will grace our screens, including NEVER BE DONE: THE RICHARD GLEN LETT STORY directed by Roy Tighe about a self-sabotaging Vancouver based stand-up comic, and the World Premiere of FUCK YOU ALL: THE UWE BOLL STORY directed by Sean Patrick Shaul. Canadian premieres include Brian Bellinkoff’s PSYCHONAUTICS: A COMIC’S EXPLORATION OF PSYCHEDELICS with comedian Shane Mauss, and Brigitte Berman’s HUGH HEFNER’S AFTER DARK: SPEAKING OUT IN AMERICA. In addition, WFF will screen the World Premiere of Jaren Hayman’s eye-opening exploration of Canada’s largest black community in THIS IS NORTH PRESTON. Western Canadian premieres include THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING, Tom Donahue’s timely reminder of gender inequality in the film and television industries being shown as part of WFF’s Women on Top Series, and our British Columbia premiere selection includes Laura Marie Wayne’s LOVE, SCOTT, about the lasting impact of a horrific incident of homophobic violence, produced by the National Film Board of Canada.
Other films of note in this year’s lineup include the family-friendly first feature from the Northwest Territories’ Jennifer Walden, ELIJAH AND THE ROCK CREATURE; musical Christmas zombie movie ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE that simply must be seen to be believed; Gillian McKercher’s realistic look at working in the Alberta oil sands CIRCLE OF STEEL; Collin Friesen’s hilarious comedy about burying a deceased father’s ashes featuring a stand-out performance from Bruce Greenwood, SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS; and Eva Husson’s rousing film detailing a Kurdish all-female battalion, GIRLS OF THE SUN. Borsos award winner Maxime Giroux (FELIX AND MEIRA 2014) returns with his newest THE GREAT DARKENED DAYS, and Gary Burns honors the festival with his Mountain Culture entry MAN RUNNING, about a doctor running a marathon in the Rockies.
WFF 2018 COMPLETE FEATURE FILM LISTING BY STRAND
American Indies
BIRDS WITHOUT FEATHERS (United States) Dir. Wendy McColm SKIN IN THE GAME (United States) Dir. Adisa TYREL (United States) Dir. Sebastián Silva UNTOGETHER (United States) Dir. Emma Forrest WALDEN: LIFE IN THE WOODS (United States) Dir. Alex HarveyCanadian Vanguard
AN AUDIENCE OF CHAIRS (Canada) Dir. Deanne Foley FALLS AROUND HER (Canada) Dir. Darlene Naponse THE FIREFLIES ARE GONE (Canada) Dir. Sébastien Pilote THE GREAT DARKENED DAYS (Canada) Dir. Maxime Giroux MAN RUNNING (Canada) Dir. Gary Burns THE NATURALLY WANTON PLEASURE OF SKIN (Canada) Dir. Renée BeaulieuContenders
AT ETERNITY’S GATE (United States) Dir. Julian Schnabel FAMILY FIRST (CHIEN DE GARDE) (Canada) Dir. Sophie Dupuis IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (United States) Dir. Barry Jenkins ON THE BASIS OF SEX (United States) Dir. Mimi Leder ROMA (United States, Mexico) Dir. Alfonso Cuarón STOCKHOLM (Canada) Dir. Robert BudreauDiscoveries
A COLONY (Canada) Dir. Geneviève Dulude-De Celles ACQUAINTED (Canada) Dir. Natty Zavitz THE DANCING DOGS OF DOMBROVA (Canada) Dir. Zack Bernbaum HONEY BEE (Canada) Dir. Rama Rau ROOBHA (Canada) Dir. Lenin M. SivamDoc Bloc
FUCK YOU ALL: THE UWE BOLL STORY (Canada) Dir. Sean Patrick Shaul HUGH HEFNER’S AFTER DARK: SPEAKING OUT IN AMERICA (Canada) Dir. Brigitte Berman LOVE, SCOTT (Canada) Dir. Laura Marie Wayne NEVER BE DONE: THE RICHARD GLEN LETT STORY (Canada) Dir. Roy Tighe PSYCHONAUTICS: A COMIC’S EXPLORATION OF PSYCHEDELICS (United States) Dir. Brian Bellinkoff THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING (United States) Dir. Tom Donahue THIS IS NORTH PRESTON (Canada) Dir. Jaren HaymanFirst Features
CIRCLE OF STEEL (Canada) Dir. Gillian McKercher ELIJAH AND THE ROCK CREATURE (Canada) Dir. Jen Walden SASHINKA (Canada) Dir. Kristina Wagenbauer SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS (Canada) Dir. Collin Friesen TROUBLE IN THE GARDEN (Canada) Dir. Roz OwenFrom Overseas
ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE (United Kingdom) Dir. John McPhail GIRLS OF THE SUN (France) Dir. Eva Husson KARMA (China) Dir. Lutao Wang THE QUAKE (Norway) Dir. John Andreas AndersenFrom The Vault
CLAIRE’S HAT (Canada) Dir. Bruce McDonaldGalas
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (United Kingdom) Dir. Josie Rourke [caption id="attachment_31845" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Momentum Generation[/caption]
MOMENTUM GENERATION (United States) Dir. Jeff & Michael Zimbalist
Mountain Culture
FREE SOLO (United States) Dir. E. Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin MAN RUNNING (Canada) Dir. Gary Burns MOMENTUM GENERATION (United States) Dir. Jeff & Michael Zimbalist THE RADICALS (Canada) Dir. Brian Hockenstein & Tamo Campos TREELINE (Canada) Dir. Jordan ManleyWorld Premieres
BELLA CIAO! (Canada) Dir. Carolyn Combs IN GOD I TRUST (Canada) Dir. Maja Zdanowski INTO INVISIBLE LIGHT (Canada) Dir. Shelagh Carter NOSE TO TAIL (Canada) Dir. Jesse Zigelstein RED ROVER (Canada) Dir. Shane Belcourt WOODLAND (Canada) Dir. Jon SilverbergWFF 2018 Feature Films Eligible for the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature:
A COLONY ACQUAINTED AN AUDIENCE OF CHAIRS BELLA CIAO! THE DANCING DOGS OF DOMBROVA FALLS AROUND HER FAMILY FIRST THE FIREFLIES ARE GONE HONEY BEE IN GOD I TRUST THE NATURALLY WANTON PLEASURE OF SKIN NOSE TO TAIL RED ROVER ROOBHA TROUBLE IN THE GARDEN SASHINKA STOCKHOLM WOODLAND
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THE GRIZZLIES and CAPERNAUM Win Audience Awards at 2018 Calgary International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_29049" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
Capernaum[/caption]
The 19th annual Calgary International Film Festival wrapped up this past Sunday, and today the Festival announced the winners of the Audience Favourite Awards and Fan Favourite Award, both of which were determined by audience ballot. The highest rated film by the festival audience was THE GRIZZLIES, directed by Miranda De Pencier, which won in the Canadian Narrative Feature category.
As for the Fan Favourite Award, audience members who saw ten or more films were sent a special ballot to choose their favourite festival feature with this year’s Fan Favourite Award going to CAPERNAUM, directed by Nadine Labaki.
AUDIENCE FAVOURITE AWARD WINNERS
Audience Favourite, Alberta Feature- CIRCLE OF STEEL, directed by Gillian McKercher Audience Favourite, Canadian Narrative Feature (new) – THE GRIZZLIES, directed by Miranda De Pencier Audience Favourite, US/International Narrative Feature (new) – CAPERNAUM, directed by Nadine Labaki Audience Favourite, Canadian Documentary Feature (new) – LETTER FROM MASANJIA, directed by Leon Lee Audience Favourite, US/International Documentary Feature (new) – SCIENCE FAIR, directed by Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster Audience Favourite, Alberta Short – INDIAN RIGHTS FOR INDIAN WOMEN, directed by Alex Lazarowich Audience Favourite, Narrative Short (Live Action or Animated) – PEGGY, directed by Justin O’Neal Miller Audience Favourite, Documentary Short – INDIAN RIGHTS FOR INDIAN WOMEN, directed by Alex LazarowichFAN FAVOURITE AWARD
Fan Favourite Award presented by Evans Hunt & Stone-Olafson: CAPERNAUM, directed by Nadine LabakiJURIED AWARD WINNERS
Best Canadian Narrative Feature and $10,000 cash prize winner, presented by RBC Emerging Artists Project: THE GREAT DARKENED DAYS, directed by Maxime GirouxBEST OF SHORTS AWARDS
Best Overall Short – $2,500 and Academy Award qualification: FAUVE, directed by Jérémy Comte (Honorable Mention: THREE PAGES, directed by Roger Gariépy) Best Documentary Short and recipient of $2,500: PRINCE’S TALE, directed by Jamie Miller (Honorable Mention: 5 YEARS AFTER THE WAR, directed by Samuel Albaric, Ulysse Lefort, and Martin Wiklund) Best Alberta Short and recipient of $2,500: GROSS INDECENCY: THE EVERETT KLIPPERT STORY, directed by Laura O’GradyFAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Fan of the Year Award recognizes one audience member who saw the most films. This year’s winner, Cliff Lawley, watched 37 films over the 12 days.
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SMUGGLING HENDRIX, BIRDS OF PASSAGE Among Films Added to 2018 Calgary International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_28552" align="aligncenter" width="1392"]
Smuggling Hendrix[/caption]
The Calgary International Film Festival added twelve more films, some from as far away as India, Columbia and Sweden, others closer to home, including one from a Calgarian first-time feature director, to the 2018 lineup.
In a film that will resonate with many festival-goers, Director Gillian McKercher paints a portrait of life working in an industry with looming layoffs in CIRCLE OF STEEL, all to an Albertan soundtrack. Other films with buzz to watch for include the winner of Tribeca Film Festival’s Best International Narrative Feature: SMUGGLING HENDRIX, directed by Marios Piperides, and BIRDS OF PASSAGE. Directed by Ciro Guerra and Cristina Gallego, this visual feast takes us into the heart of the drug trade in the Guajira desert.
“These films shine a light on those defining moments that set us on a new path,” said Stephen Schroeder, Executive Director of the Calgary International Film Festival. “Whether that moment is about moving past invisible borders, tangible walls or simply embracing different mindsets, the subjects in these films are all about to make that leap.”
AMATEURS directed by Gabriela Pichler
When the German low-cost superstore Superbilly considers opening shop in the small Swedish community of Lafors, the local government office makes a commercial to sell Lafors as the prime location. Aida and Dana, two high school kids, decide to turn their mobiles and selfie sticks toward everyone that isn’t allowed to take part in the commercial. A quirky narrative film, with subtitles.
BIRDS OF PASSAGE directed by Ciro Guerra and Cristina Gallego
This visually stunning narrative feature takes us to the origin of the drug trade in the Guajira desert of Colombia, from the perspective of the indigenous Wayuu population who end up trading their traditional farming for marijuana.
CIRCLE OF STEEL directed by Gillian McKercher
The first feature from Calgary director Gillan McKercher, this narrative feature is a satirical yet sympathetic portrait of life in the oil and gas industry. New engineer Wendy Fong works for an energy company with rumours of upcoming layoffs. Long days in the field and long nights alone begin to take their toll. Wendy navigates personal ethics and corporate interest, with an Albertan soundtrack and stunning visuals of the Western landscape.
CLARA directed by Akash Sherman
Isaac Bruno (Patrick J. Adams, SUITS, ROOM FOR RENT) is an astronomer obsessed with searching the cosmos for signs of life beyond Earth, despite the collapse of his personal life right in front of him. His relentless research of the night sky leads him into the path of an unqualified but confident amateur astronomer named Clara (played by Troian Bellisario, SUITS, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS). Working together, their effort ultimately leads them to a shocking and profound scientific discovery. This is Canadian director Akash Sherman’s second feature film.
GIANT LITTLE ONES directed by Keith Behrman
This Canadian feature tells the tale of two best friends since childhood. High school royalty, the boys are handsome, stars of the swim team and popular with girls. They live a perfect teenage life – until the night of Franky’s epic 17th birthday party, when Franky and Ballas are involved in an unexpected incident that changes their lives forever.
ISLAND OF THE HUNGRY GHOSTS directed by Gabrielle Brady
On a remote tropical island, forty million crabs migrate through a dense jungle and rocky shores to the freedom of the sea. Christmas Island is also a temporary home to refugees seeking passage to Australia but confined to a high security detention centre deep in the jungle. With a brilliant score, lush cinematography and keen attention to detail, this award winning documentary focuses on the detention centre’s trauma counselor as she and her young family navigate local mythologies that surround them.
MEGA TIME SQUAD directed by Tim Van Dammen
A small-town criminal finds an ancient Chinese time-travel device that can help him pull off a heist and start a new life – but he may not survive the consequences of tampering with time. This Late Shows feature is a study in high-meets-low, combining elements of the sci-fi, the crime thriller and the comedy to make a comedy heist film with a time-traveling twist.
ROOM LAUNDERING directed by Tomoo Ezaki
Shy and preferring to keep to herself, Miko has with the perfect job – a “room launderer.” When a previous tenant dies of unnatural cases, such as murder or suicide, the “room launderer” purifies it. This is done by staying on the property long enough to clear its manager from legal requirement to inform future tenants of the tragedy. Miko’s only problem is she can see and talk to the dead. This Japanese first feature blends quirky comedy and light-hearted drama.
SIR directed by Rohena Gera
Ratna works as domestic live-in help with Ashwin. Although Ashwin is wealthy, Ratna can sense that he he’s given up on his dreams and is somewhat lost. On the other hand, Ratna who seems to have nothing, is full of hope and works determinedly towards her dream. This narrative feature depicts the social structure in India and the restrictions that prevent people from following their dreams.
SMUGGLING HENDRIX directed by Marios Piperides
Yiannis, a fading musician, is planning to leave crisis-ridden Cyprus for a better life abroad. His plans are put on hold when his dog Jimi runs away and crosses the UN buffer zone that divides the “Greek” from the “Turkish” side of the island. Since animal exchange between the two “sides” is prohibited, Yiannis reluctantly joins forces with Hasan, a Turkish settler, and a cast of unexpected characters to smuggle his best friend back.
SOULS OF TOTALITY directed by Richard Raymond
Lady 18 and Guy 3 have a secret. They are members of a cult that believes if they die during a solar eclipse, their souls will be taken to paradise. But that’s not their secret. They are also profoundly in love. An American short film.
THE UNICORN directed by Robert Schwartzman
When an engaged couple, Caleb and Malory are forced to go to Palm Springs for a weekend to celebrate Malory’s parents’ 25th wedding vow renewal, they discover the secret to the parents’ happy marriage – threesomes. Horrified but intrigued, and determined to properly celebrate their own ‘re-engagement,’ they set out on a wild night in search of a threesome of their own.