Kamloops Fim Festival 2015

19 T H A N N U A L

2 www.kamloopsfilmfest.ca

WHATThe 19th Annual Kamloops Film Festival

WHENMarch 5-14, 2015

WHEREAll films are screening at the Paramount Theatre (503 Victoria St.). Events will take place at various locations in downtown Kamloops. See inside for more details.

WHYTo bring film lovers together for intriguing films, wonderful special events, and one heck of a closing night party!

HOW MUCHTicket prices are on page 5.

HOW MANYThe more tickets you buy the more you save and, even more importantly, the more you see. Ticket info is available on page 5.

knowledge.ca/storyville

March 5-14, 2015

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE & TABLE OF CONTENTS

THURSDAY, MARCH 5 FRIDAY, MARCH 6 SATURDAY, MARCH 7 SUNDAY, MARCH 8 MONDAY, MARCH 9

1PMCITIZENFOURA documentarian and a reporter travel to Hong Kong for the first of many meetings with Edward Snowden.

3PMSHANA: THE WOLF’S MUSICThe Merritt filmed coming-of-age story about a Canadian Aboriginal girl who is a very gifted musician. But to bring her violin to sing, she must follow the wolf.

7PMGETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE AMSALEMAn Israeli woman seeking to finalize a divorce from her estranged husband finds herself effectively put on trial by her country’s religious marriage laws, in this powerhouse courtroom drama.

7PMSTILL ALICEA renowned linguistics professor struggles to maintain her mind and self after being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, in this adaptation of the Lisa Genova novel.

7PMTHE BACKWARD CLASSThe first class of caste students in India’s history undertake the national high school graduation exams as a means to a brighter future for themselves and their families.

9PMOPENING Q&A AND MINGLEHotel 540, 540 Victoria St.

“THIS IS ANEFFORTLESSLY

EXCELLENTFILM, ABOUT A

HORRIBLY HARDSUBJECT.”

–Catherine Shoard, The Guardian

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1PMKAMLOOPS INDEPENDENT SHORT SHORT FILM FEST (KISS)The KISS Film Festival is a celebration of the short film format and local filmmakers. This event is our way of encouraging the hard work and passion of our regional talent. Support these films and filmmakers from our community by attending the FREE family friendly screenings. To enter see www.kissfest.ca.

3PMLEVIATHANIn a Russian coastal town, Nikolai is forced to fight the corrupt mayor when he is told that his house will be demolished.

7PMMOMMYCanada’s official submission to the 87th Academy Awards foreign film category, tells the story of a feisty widowed single mom who finds herself burdened with the fulltime custody of her explosive 15-year-old ADHD son.

7PMMAPS TO THE STARSA tour into the heart of a Hollywood family chasing celebrity, one another and the relentless ghosts of their pasts.S

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7PMBIG NEWS FROM GRAND ROCKThe story of a small town newspaper that is facing bankruptcy. In an attempt to attract advertisers and readership, the editor begins inventing stories based on old movies, with hilarious results.

9PMWHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWSFollow the lives of Viago (Taika Waititi), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), and Vladislav (Jemaine Clement) - three flatmates who are just trying to get by and overcome life’s obstacles-like being immortal vampires who must feast on human blood.

7PMMOUNTAIN MENA comedy/drama that follows two estranged brothers, Toph and Cooper, as they journey to a remote family cabin in the mountains to evict a squatter.

3PMWINTER SLEEP

Aydin, a former actor, runs a small hotel in central Anatolia with his young wife Nihal, with whom he has a stormy relationship, and his sister Necla, who is suffering from her recent divorce. In winter as the snow begins to fall, the

hotel turns into a shelter but also an inescapable place that fuels their animosities...

7PMWHEN THE OCEAN MET THE SKYThree estranged brothers must journey to a remote location in order to receive their inheritance due to a stipulation in their parent’s will.

9PMCLOSING PARTY!Plaza Hotel, 405 Victoria St.

7PMTWO DAYS, ONE NIGHTSandra, a young Belgian mother, discovers that her workmates have opted for a significant pay bonus, in exchange for her dismissal. She has only one weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses so that she can keep her job.

7PMROSEWATERIranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari is detained by Iranian forces who brutally interrogate him under suspicion that he is a spy.

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TUESDAY, MARCH 10 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11 THURSDAY, MARCH 12 FRIDAY, MARCH 13 SATURDAY, MARCH 14

TICKET INFO 4OPENING NIGHT 4

Q&As 6OPINION 9

STEEPING DISCUSSIONS 11

FILM FOR A CAUSE 14KISS 15

DARKFEST 17CLOSING NIGHT 18

SPONSORS 19

“AN ASTONISHINGSTORY... ”

–Winnipeg Free Press

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NIGHTOPENINGTICKET INFO

#KFF2015

NEW

Regular Tickets, Full Festival Passes, and Party Tickets will be available at Moviemart (444 St. Paul Street) Note: Only cash and debit is accepted at MovieMart.

$5 TRU Student Discount Tickets will be available at the TRUSU Desk (TRU Campus Activity Centre).

Regular Tickets and Party Tickets will be available at the Paramount Theatre (503 Victoria Street) an hour before each screening.

PRICESAdult Admission: $10 per ticket

Student (Applicable for select screenings only), Senior (65+) Admission: $8 per ticket

TRU Student discount price with a valid TRU student card (Discounts do not apply): $5 per ticket

The Festival Closing Party: $12 in advance, $15 at the door per ticket

DISCOUNTS$1 OFF per ticket: When you purchase 6 to 9 tickets at the same time

$2 OFF per ticket: When you purchase 10 or more tickets at the same time

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WALK THE RED CARPETParamount Theatre Thursday, March 5

Arrive in your Thursday Best, walk the red carpet, pose for a memorable photo in front of our (not too pushy) paparazzi, and mingle with old and soon to be new friends as we kick off our 19th Annual Kamloops Film Festival with The Backward Class.

9PM | Q&A HOTEL 540

After enjoying this year’s opening film, please join us across the street at Hotel 540, a proud Kamloops Film Festival Sponsor, for an enlightening Q&A with The Backward Class Director/Producer Madeleine Grant and Knowledge Network

President & CEO, Rudy Buttignol. Sip a delicious beverage and engage with the artists behind this moving documentary about the first class of Indian caste students preparing to take their high school graduation exams, which are their only chance at a better future for themselves and their families.

Madeleine Grant graduated from UBC’s Film Production program and continues to be based in Vancouver. Her previous work has appeared in several international film festivals, including the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Montreal World Film Festival. The Backward Class, her first documentary, had its world premiere at the Hot Docs International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Choice Award. Grant was also the recipient of the Hot Docs Lindalee Tracey Award, in honour of an emerging Canadian filmmaker whose work displays “a passionate point of view, a strong sense of social justice, and a certain joie de vivre”.

Rudy Buttignol is the President and CEO of British Columbia’s Knowledge Network Corporation, and President of BBC Kids,

a national channel operated as a joint venture with BBC Worldwide. Knowledge Network is the Commissioning Producer of The Backward Class. Buttignol was born in in Pordenone Italy, and immigrated to Canada at the age of four via Pier 21 in Halifax. Buttignol attended York University in the Faculty of Fine Arts. Throughout his forty year career, he has been an independent producer, director, writer and editor of documentary and children’s programs, commissioning editor, television programmer, and broadcast executive. Known as the “Canadian broadcasting and documentary guru” and “friend of the auteur in Canada and abroad”, Buttignol has been an active participant in the development of Canadian cultural policy, as well as the advancement of the funding and broadcasting of documentary film.

9:30PM OPENING NIGHT MINGLE & JAZZ HOTEL 540

After the conclusion of The Backward Class Q&A, guests are invited to stay and enjoy complimentary appies, a cash bar and the soothing sounds of well-known Kamloops Jazz Singer, Caitlin Goulet, as we mingle the night away at Hotel 540. Make sure to wear your comfortable shoes, as this evening might become a long one, spurred by engaging conversations, delicious goodies, and mellow jazz. What a beautiful way to start the 19th annual Kamloops Film Festival!

Caitlin Goulet is a dynamic and powerful performing artist. Of Métis heritage, Caitlin was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. She is a gifted actor and talented dancer whose pre-eminent forte is singing.

Currently based in Kamloops, Caitlin was educated at the exalted

Randolph Academy of the Performing Arts in Toronto. Her style is bold, sultry, and rich.

Some accomplishments include placing in the Top 5 in Kamloops Idol 2012 and winning several categories in the 2009 World Championship of Performing Arts in Los Angeles. Most recently, Caitlin has been nominated for the 2015 Mayor’s Emerging Artist Award.

Caitlin sang soprano in the Kamloops Symphonic Orchestra Chorus and the Vivace Chamber Chorus. She continues to perform at private functions, for the increasingly popular house concert trend, at fundraising events, and regularly collaborates and performs with other well-known and appreciated artists. She fronted Chemical Mischief and the AKris2Cats, released an EP in 2014, and is currently working on recording a full-length album, expected to be released in December 2015.

An annual $2 Kamloops Film Society membership is required, available at the door. Under the Motion Pictures Act of British Columbia and Canada Customs Regulations, only members of the Kamloops Film Society

fee of $2 allows all members to purchase tickets for

members to all rights and privileges of the Society in accordance with and subject to the Constitution and Bylaws. The TRU student Upass is the equivalent of a membership, but must be presented at the door.

KAMLOOPS JAZZ SINGER, CAITLIN GOULET WILL BE PERFORMING AT THE OPENING NIGHT MINGLE & JAZZ

5 March 5-14, 2015

WALK THE RED CARPET

Paramount Theatre Thursday, March 5

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The Jewish Community Centre of Kamloops (JCCK) is proud to be a sponsor of the film:

GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE AMSALEMAfter the film, please join us at the Smorgasbord Country Gardens (225 7th Ave.) for a schmooze (discussion). If talking makes you

hungry, noshes (snacks) will be available for purchase.

For more information about the JCCK, visit kamloopsjewishcommunity.wordpress.com

O Billboards O Smart ScreensO Online Marketing

250-434-2535 / NEWWAVEADVERTISING.CA

Y O U R B U S I N E S S

SHOWCASE

Proud to sponsor cultural events in our community

www.newgold.com

Q&a’s6 www.kamloopsfilmfest.ca

MARCH 5 | 9PM

THE BACKWARD CLASSHOTEL 540

Q&A with The Backward Class Director/Producer Madeleine Grant and Knowledge Network President & CEO, Rudy Buttignol. For more details, see page 5.

MARCH 7 | 5PM

SHANA: THE WOLF’S MUSIC PARAMOUNT THEATRE

Filmed with the People of the Creeks, the Lower Nicola Indian Band near Merritt, Shana: The Wolf’s Music, is the coming-of-age drama of a young First Nations teenager who attempts – without losing contact to her people and their traditions – to search for her way in today’s world. The Film, shot with sensational beauty, is accompanied by a soundtrack of ritual rhythms and traditional melodies. It is a tender story that will enthrall the whole family. Following the screening, Henrik Meyer (Producer) as well cast members Delilah Dick (Lela Woodland),

Alana Aspinall (Melanie), Vonnet Hall (Jeff Morgan) and Mil Juricic will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A. All the actors and actresses in the film are First Nations members of the Scw’exmx tribe who were starring in a film for the first time. With such a great guest turnout from our own backyard, our audience is sure get a real deep insight into the Canadian film industry.

Originally from Germany, Henrik Meyer is the Owner/Producer of Red Cedar Films Inc. in Vancouver, BC. Working in Canada since 2004, he has produced both independent original productions such as Paul Fox’ and Douglas Coupland’s Everything’s

Gone Green (Leo Awards for Best Picture and Best Screenplay in BC), service productions such as a dozen movies of the German Im Tal der Wilden Rosen (The Valley of Wild Roses) program, the mini-series Miss Texas, as well as the feature film Gold (a period drama from 2013) which was also shot entirely in BC.

Delilah Dick was born on October 26, 1968 in Penticton, British Columbia as a part of the Syilx Nation (Okanagan Nation), neighbors to the Scw’exmx people. She married her love, Stephen Dick, in 1992, and they have three children, Jon-Anthony, Stephenie and Curtis. Delilah graduated from the University of Regina with a Bachelor

KFF COMMITTEE MEMBER CHRISTINE AND JASON JAMES, SPECIAL GUEST AT KFF 2014, PHOTO: EMILY MAY PHOTOGRAHY

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OPTOMETRISTSLeonard W. Demarchi, O.D.*Giovanni Cinel, B.Sc., O.D.*

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DOWNTOWN405 Victoria St. Kamloops BC

7 March 5-14, 2015

Degree of Social Work and is now assigned to the Nicola Valley. In her career, Delilah has been a youth worker, prison guard, First Nations support worker, and now, rather unexpectedly, an actor.

Alana Aspinall was born in 1968, the second of four children, in Prince George, BC. She was named after her father, as the story goes – her parents were hoping for a boy and had not picked a girl’s name, so they added an ‘A’ to the end of his name. Alana’s children are Alana Virginia K’wislexpetkw, Chrystah Attil (d) & Brianna Lepina; her granddaughter is Emerald Teyenet’kw. In her regular life, Alana has worked as an actor (on stage & small TV/film

roles), a jail guard, been a stay-at-home Mother, returned to university to earn her Bachelor’s in Social Work, and worked as a family therapist, an Aboriginal Family Group Conference Coordinator, and recently, changed career paths to work with the First Nations Health Authority. She is a board member for the Merritt Live Theatre Society and plans on pursuing more acting roles in the future; for the enjoyment, not as a job.

Vonnet Hall is of the Nlekepmx Nation (TZhomposn) of the Shulus Tribe of the Zoht Chapter (Lower Nicola Indian IR#4). He lives near the city of Merritt BC in a little community called “Zoht”, meaning the debris left by the spring

floods at the end of the river. He is the youngest boy of fourteen children: seven girls and seven boys. His Grandfather, Eddie Hall, was in the Wild West Show with Wild Bill Hickok, and all his sisters and brothers were singers and entertainers, so Vonnet also became an entertainer and storyteller. He enjoys all the arts: movies, stage, opera, etc. In the past he has started a band and a family business. He Hopes to use the knowledge and training he gained from the En’owkin Centre and the University of Victoria in teaching his language and culture to his grandchildren and to others who want to learn.

Mil Juricic had a small speaking role in the film. He was a huge proponent

of the opportunities that Shana provided, and through the Sayso Expression Society of Merritt, BC, that he is the President of, he even campaigned to raise money for two of the lead actors to attend the World Premiere of the film in Switzerland. Mil is an Instructor at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology which is the home of excellence in education grounded in Aboriginal experience and Indigenous Knowledge.

MARCH 11 | 9PM

MOUNTAIN MEN PARAMOUNT THEATRE

Cameron Labine (Director & Co-Writer) and Jason James (Producer) will be in attendance for the post screening Q&A of Mountain Men. James and Labine connected through the tight-knit Vancouver film and television industry before making this film. Mountain Men is a comedy/drama that follows two estranged brothers as they journey to a remote family cabin in the mountains to evict a squatter. Buried resentment and bruised egos soon derail the plan and when the smoke clears they’ve destroyed their car and burned down the cabin, leaving

them stranded in the cold Rocky Mountain winter. Shot in Revelstoke and featuring the always funny Tyler Labine, Mountain Men is sure to raise many interesting behind the scenes questions, for example: How hard was it to work with your brother?

Jason James reurns for his second year in a row to KFF. He was the Director and Producer of the KFF 2014 closing film, That Burning Feeling. James is a producer, director and the president of Resonance Films, a Vancouver based production company dedicated to innovative film and television projects. He has produced and/or directed projects like Da Vinci’s Inquest, Robson Arms, Ice Pilots,

This Space for Rent, Repeaters and Cole (KFF 2011). His company is involved in a wide range of projects and collaborations in the film and television industry, making for a healthy development slate and exciting future.

Cameron Labine is the brother of Mountain Men star, Tyler Labine, and an actor, writer and director in his own right. He is known for Control Alt Delete, Little Women, and various other TV shows.

FROM L TO R: MADELEINE GRANT, HENRIK MEYER, DELILAH DICK, ALANA ASPINALL, VONNET HALL, MIL JURICIC

FROM L TO R: JASON JAMES, CAMERON LABINE

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DOWNTOWN AND NORTH SHORE ECHOYour Neighbourhood. Your Newspaper.

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GREAT FILMS NEED A SUPPORTING CAST

And now for something completely different...

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Q&a’s

MARCH 14 | 8:30PM

WHEN THE OCEAN MET THE SKY PARAMOUNT THEATRE

Join us after the last screening of the 2015 Kamloops Film Festival for a Q&A session with three stars, writers and producers of When the Ocean Met the Sky. Coincidently, the film follows three estranged brothers forced to reconnect in the wilderness of British Columbia after the death of their parents. Stick around after the film to hear from Phillip Thomas (actor, writer, producer), Terry Field (actor, executive producer), and Spencer Foley (actor, writer). Learn about the filmmaking process, perhaps get to hear a funny story or two, and find out once and for all when the ocean met the sky.

Phillip Thomas was born in Montreal and raised in Hay River, NWT and Kelowna, BC. Unlike many other filmmakers, Phillip Thomas did not grow up performing in theatre or

practice creative writing. In fact, he didn’t start in film until he was 24. Now, at 28, he has written, produced, and starred in When The Ocean Met The Sky, along with various roles in numerous other creative projects. Phillip began working with Lukas Huffman (Director) in 2010 when Lukas was attending Columbia University. Their creative styles meshed and they became a formidable filmmaking duo. Now on their 4th project, their efforts have streamlined and the work is getting the acknowledgment it deserves.

Terry Field was born in Penticton and raised in Castlegar, BC, a small town in the Kootenays. A day after graduating high school, Terry left his town to pursue carpentry. One day while working, his friend called him and asked if he wanted to move to Victoria. That’s when he decided to take a totally different route and go to film school. After a 9-month intensive program, he fell

in love with the art form, moved to Vancouver, got an agent, and started training. Terry met Phillip Thomas in a scene study class and they became great friends, ultimately founding Image Nation Films together.

Spencer Foley is a 24 year-old actor born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. After attending the University of Victoria for a period of time and discovering that it wasn’t where his heart was, he went to film school to study drama under Drama Centre Graduate Jason Stevens. This was where he met Terry Field for the first time. Since moving to Vancouver to continue training and working, Spencer has appeared in commercials and ads, and has had small roles in local TV series. Spencer began working on the script for When the Ocean Met the Sky with co-star and producer Phillip Thomas in late 2012, after being inspired by the Jay and Mark Duplass brothers film The Puffy Chair.

CONTINUED...

PHOTOS FROM L TO R: PHILLIP THOMAS, TERRY FIELD, SPENCER FOLEY

Pr o u d s p o n s o r s o f t h e K a m l o o p s Fi l m Fe s t i v a l .M o r e t h a n j u s t R e a l t o r s .

by Alicia Ashcroft

A KFF Committee Member and blogger, who experiences the film festival the same way she does life: with an open mind, an open heart and an open bag of popcorn.

Award season is in full swing; and the social media newsfeeds are filled with tidbits from these congratulatory evenings that pulsate with fevered anticipation, glittery gowns, and talented performers who are spray tanned within an inch of their life. ‘What are you wearing?” “Who are you here with”? “Are you excited?” Nervous? And my question if I were granted court: “When was the last time you had a sandwich?” Of course these people are excited. Number one: if you’re walking that red carpet, dripping in diamonds and adjacent to a bulging three hundred pound bodyguard named Rocco—you’ve made it. You’ve been a part of a significant project, and it’s now being clustered into an exclusive group of significance and a lucky few receive a holy trinket as a result.

But seriously, win or lose, that’s a pretty solid way to spend an evening.

Coiffed to perfection, you are privileged to wear diamonds and couture, rubbing elbows with wealth, talent and celebrity; swag bags would have gold dipped M&M’s and the after-party people watching would be Olympic level greatness. As it is happening, and in the days that follow, the event and its participants are neatly categorized by the media under: best/worst/memorable/uncomfortable; the hits, the misses. I can’t help but think about the people behind the flops. Who are the people behind the choices? Like…who approved Bjork’s swan dress? The late 80’s scandal magnet Rob Lowe singing Proud Mary with Snow White? Who was the guy who pitched Anne Hathaway and James Franco as Oscar hosts? Fact is things hit as often as they miss—and sometimes the miss is spectacular in retrospect. Rob Lowe + Snow White x “Proud Mary” = The Greatest Thing to Ever Happen to Me. If only someone tossed Lowe a saxophone so he could play a la Billy Hicks from St Elmo’s Fire, it would have lifted the bar a bit. This thing was so bad that the Academy received strongly worded letters from the likes of Paul

Newman and Julie Andrews. Ouch. I just hope I never screw up so badly that I get a strongly worded letter from Mary Poppins. Perhaps I can comfort my small failures with the sentiment.

It also says something about formulas for success. I imagine the late 1980’s executives in their boardrooms. “People love Rob Lowe. People like Snow White. People love bastardizing the lyrics to “Proud Mary” with clever cracks about dwarves. What if we threw it all in a great big blender…how smooth would that go down?” Hey—I like fish and I like ice cream, but it doesn’t mean I want to combine the two. In my experience as an event coordinator, I constantly obsess at the near mathematical combination of time of day/day of week/point in year in combination with financial climate/theme/location…and all the details in between. Most importantly, “Who am I catering to?” “What gets people off the couch and out the door? “Why should they get a babysitter?” “Why should they make the time?” Socialization is hard work—at least the idea of it is. I feel like participating in dinner

parties or social occasions is like exercise. You don’t feel like doing it, and then you do it and it starts off painfully, and then…you’re just running—smiling, cheeks flushed, wind in your hair, and heart pounding mightily in your chest. You’re glad you tried it. You feel better for having done it. Still, you need to get moving to get that feeling. And that, as everyone knows is the hard part.

So…who are you? What do you want? What do you want in a party or event? What kind of music? What would you eat? Drink? What would make you want to stay? Want to go? The mind reels, right?

Do you even know what you want? You want that freshly exercised feeling without the pain. I know I do. Whenever I have a hand in the planning of an event, it always comes with a touch of heartburn and crippling self-doubt. If I planned an event that suited me, there’d be nothing but cheeseboards, bread, mellow lighting, listening to the CBC at a moderate level while waiters who looked like George Clooney handed out free drinks and lingered while making eye contact.

Also, planning takes time, and when you don’t have time—you are up a creek without a paddle. I don’t know about you, but I

personally have the ability to overload my schedule in the same way a prison inmate or a university student would load up their plate at a buffet on a cruise ship. Always, always, always room for dessert, and maybe more mashed potatoes. Heaping spoonful’s of absolutely everything—YOLO y’all, YOLO. Sleep is for babies and great things can be achieved if you make that the thing to take off the plate. It kind of makes you like a circus performer who rides a unicycle and balances plates on sticks…except you are drunk, experiencing vertigo and only have one leg. Oh. And you are on fire. In the thick of film festival

preparedness, beyond my demanding career, I was also participating in a thirty-day yoga challenge. Then, just for fun, my husband and I got a new puppy. We named her ‘Bluebear”, which is Latin for “Nothing will ever be achieved in a timely manner again”.

With my e-mail inbox fuller than a Kardashian’s pout, Bluebear’s need for attention at an ‘11’ on the puppy scale, I was at a breaking point: downward facing-dog-gone-girl. This furry little toddler was gnawing away at my spare time like the carpet in the living room; prevention had no point, she was destroying

9 March 5-14, 2015

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DOWNWARD FACING DOG GONE GIRL

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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Tchaikovsky’s grand music will leave you breathless and the character of “Brazen” will capture your imagination.

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LAST YEAR’S STEEPING DISCUSSION AT OOPS CAFE, PHOTO: EMILY MAY PHOTOGRAHY

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MARCH 9 | 9PM

MAPS TO THE STARSZACK’S COFFEES TEAS & GIFTS (377 VICTORIA ST.)

Zack’s has graciously offered their wonderful space to sip a tea or coffee after our screening of Canadian legend David Cronenberg’s Maps

to the Stars. Mia Wasikowska stars as burn-scarred Agatha, returning to the alienating womb of California after a lengthy period of enforced separation. Via the vagaries of social networking, Agatha lands a job as “chore whore” for fading actress, Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore), whose broiling neuroses are being treated by self-help media quack Dr Stafford Weiss (John Cusack). With an entertainment gumbo consisting of Cronenberg’s scathing satire, big Hollywood stars (including Robert Pattinson), and the only 18A rating of the festival, this film will certainly welcome an in-depth discussion, over delicious coffee, tea and treats.

MARCH 10 | 9PM

ROSEWATEROOPS CAFÉ (274 3RD AVE.)

Since we only held one last year, Oops Café is our sole returning “Steeping Discussion” location and we are excited to host another

event while enjoying their tasty coffees and teas, and delectable baked goods. For the second Steeping Discussion of the festival we are looking

to dissect the themes and issues brought forward by Rosewater from Jon Stewart of The Daily Show fame. The film is inspired by a real-life story and highlights the risks journalists face around the world. It is based on The New York Times best-selling memoir “Then They Came for Me: A Family’s Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival”, written by Maziar Bahari. Load up your opinions and fire when ready as you engage with fellow film lovers, film aficionados and film festivaliers.

MARCH 12 | 9PM

TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHTPDK CAFÉ (438 VICTORIA ST.)

PDK Café has kindly offered their wonderfully charming space to the KFF for the third and final Steeping Discussion of 2015. Sip a tea or

coffee and try their amazing donuts (guaranteed to be full of doughy goodness), as we create a debate around Two Days, One Night. With this

film, starring the always-enchanting Marion Cotillard, the Dardennes have turned a relevant social inquiry into a powerful statement on community solidarity; once again delivering a film that is simple on the surface but alive with both compassion and wisdom. Two Days, One Night slams and damns modern management techniques, lifting the lid on a culture of short-term contracts and non-unionised labour. What’s your view? Join us for this exciting Steeping Discussion to have your opinions heard and your notions challenged.

LAST YEAR’S STEEPING DISCUSSION AT OOPS CAFE, PHOTO: EMILY MAY PHOTOGRAHY

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9DOWNWARD FACING DOG GONE GIRL

the fabric like it was her mission from God. I had one afternoon to myself, and was bent on catching up. I ran an errand with the dog on the passenger seat. The radio playing low and the pup resting her head peacefully, and me…just driving for 45-minutes basking in the quiet. Once home, the opportunity presented

itself to work alone in the sanctity of my office. I faced the email onslaught with the intensity of Rocky dashing up the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art once he’s finally in fighting form.

Why do this? Every volunteer has full plates of their own: families, jobs, responsibilities

and yet they save room on the dish for the film festival. We do it because we are film-lovers who love filmgoers. We like to put all these pieces together, and create a special experience for our community. No greater joy than to sit back and watch others’ enjoy; like the matriarch in a multi-generational

family watching everyone devouring the meal she spent the day making: feasting, tasting, laughing—satiated by your own loving efforts. It makes the yoga challenges, puppy problems, and time constraints worthwhile. To participate in a committee like this is to invest your time in creating a special, cathartic, emotional, entertaining and fabulous chain of events. It’s a cinematic holiday in your daily life where film-goers gather to love movies together. It’s worth the lost sleep and increased intake of Tums.

Why the film festival? To me, it’s one of my favourite times of the year. In this Netflix age—much precious time is spent looking for “something good”. And then—you finally make a selection, only to lose interest in the first

15 minutes. And so—the journey continues, trudging the path of indecision in the land of endless choices. The issue is of timing and context. It’s the dilemma of film’s purpose—entertaining vs. edifying. Let’s be honest, life can take some pretty dark turns: disease, divorce, war, poverty, the way toddlers have a better i-phone than you and are so technologically adept that they could very well be the Sony Hackers. There are many serious, important, controversial films that hold a mirror up to history, to humanity—and I have never seen them. Simply because there never seems to be a good time to experience the breakdown of a marriage, the death of a loved one, the atrocities we afflict on others on large and small scales in the comfort of your own home. It never goes well with the end of a

long work week, a ratty oversized hoodie and a plate of Chinese food on your lap. If nobody minds, I’d like to keep it so light that the movie could practically float away.

Though in my defence, I am a true sap, an empathetic cinematic sponge that is inflicted with whatever ailment haunts the characters within. My husband has said on more than one occasion: “You know this movie isn’t actually happening to you…right?” Of course I know that…but it could, and being reminded of life’s fragility whilst my fingers are tunnelling through a bag of buttery popcorn is as bad a combo as Snow White and Rob Lowe. It makes me think of last year’s beautiful The Broken Circle Breakdown, which is quite possibly the most devastating film I’ve ever seen. That’s a kind of film that you watch

once, die inside a little and then never again. It does such an exceptional job at bringing you into the heartache, like a 3-D effect, that it hurts way too much to repeat. With that in mind, it makes you want to polish off too many margaritas and watch a Cameron Diaz movie on a Friday night. Sure, you watch it ironically, and it’s the cinematic equivalent of taking a cabana boy as your lover on holiday. You wouldn’t bring it home with you, but it’s good for the night. But one cannot live off of twenty year olds named Pedro and Bad Teacher alone. You need to see the poetry of the human experience in its full breadth: the best/worst/memorable/uncomfortable; the hits, the misses. There are so many excellent emotional cinematic efforts that would pass you by if you avoided the film due to its emotional weight.

My husband has said on more than one occasion: “You know this movie isn’t actually happening to you…right?”

ALICIA, SPECIAL GUEST PAUL AMOS FROM KFF 2014, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS NATHALIE AND CHRISTINE. PHOTO: EMILY MAY PHOTOGRAPHY

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That’s the beauty of the film festival. It’s a safe place. It is an adventure. It’s a little bit dignified; it’s a social community event. You’re out in public, so odds are your bra is still intact and not carelessly flung onto the kitchen table in the decisive—“Not leaving the house ever again” kind of way. Whether it’s a comedy, a tragedy or somewhere in between—it’s something outside of the norm, outside of your comfort zone. You’re surrounded by empathetic film goers, who share the same doubts, fears, concerns, and who also quiver in the chill of life’s dark shadows; who want to laugh whenever possible, who want to talk about the minor details over a cup of tea afterwards. In the darkness, the group becomes one collective heartbeat, muted observers glimpsing into the lives of others, at the light that shines through the cracks. And you know that you are not alone.

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MARCH 14 | 3PM

WINTER SLEEPParamount Theatre

Every year the Kamloops Film Festival Committee makes an effort to give back to our community by presenting a Film for a Cause where all of that screening’s proceeds are donated to a local charity. This year’s Film for a Cause, Winter Sleep, revolves around the life of a former theatre actor who wishes to write a book on the history of Turkish theatre. For this reason, and the fact that it is their 40th anniversary season, we have chosen to make our 2015 donation to Western Canada Theatre (WCT).

Over its long history as a non-for-profit organization, WCT has brought top-notch, world-class theatre to the audiences of Kamloops and region. They have also looked to the future by providing professional theatre training for artists and technicians, and theatre arts education for children and youth. With ticket sales covering only about 25% of the show production costs, WCT relies on financial donations to keep building and producing shows locally and hiring talented artists as designers, actors, builders, technicians, costumers, musicians, writers, directors and stage managers. We are happy to lend our support so that this cultural institution, and the arts in general can continue to thrive in Kamloops.

www.wctlive.caKISS 2014 Winners with the KISS Committee and Vicci from the TNFC

15 March 5-14, 2015

MARCH 8 | 1PM

A CELEBRATION OF SHORT FILM Paramount Theatre

The Kamloops Independent Short Short (KISS) Film Festival is a celebration of the short film format and local filmmakers. We accept films of any genre under 5 minutes in length. The screening of films is a free family friendly event, so please keep that in mind when submitting. Please have all permissions for copyright secured before you submit. That means: did you use a Nirvana song? Did you ask them if it was ok? If not, ask the person who’s artwork you are using if you can use it in your film and have proof that they said “Ok”. Films may be dropped off at MovieMart downtown. You may submit them in DVD

format but preferably a .mov or a quicktime file on DVD. Feel free to contact us regarding any format questions. All submissions must include an entry form (available at MovieMart or online at www.kissfest.ca) and a $10 entry fee. Several cash prizes will be awarded, including 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place; a Youth Prize; and an Audience Favourite Award. The TNRD Film Commission also supports local filmmakers by sponsoring two cash prizes.

Competition policy: Kamloops Film Society Board Members, KISS committee members and/or their immediate family members are excluded from the

KISS Film Festival juried competition. However, these same persons may submit a film for screening at the KISS event and may have their film considered for the Audience Award. Any filmmaker who submits a film to the KISS Film Festival must not have been paid to produce their film; in other words, any films submitted must be independently produced rather than a commercial, paid-for production. Filmmakers must have full copyright compliance for all material used in their films.

KISS 2014 Winners with the KISS Committee and Vicci from the TNFC

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FRIDAY THE 13TH

The second Friday of the KFF lands on the 13th. So, we decided that this was a sign from the ether to bring back DarkFest! We are excited to feature a DarkFest showing at Paramount Theatre at 9pm devoted to a hilarious horror mockumentary from the comedy geniuses behind Flight of the Concords and KFF 2013’s Boy. Though featuring vampires, the film is rated PG, so you can bring the whole family… If you dare…

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NIGHTCLOSING8:30pm

WHEN THE OCEAN MET THE SKY Q&AParamount Theatre

Join us for a Q&A session with Phillip Thomas (actor, writer, producer), Terry Field (actor, executive producer), and Spencer Foley (actor, writer) of When the Ocean Met the Sky. More info on pg. 8.

9PM

THE CLOSING NIGHT PARTYThe Plaza Hotel

Even once the last film has played and the last question has been answered, the KFF does not call it a night. In fact, we bring it up another notch for one last

celebration of 15 films over 10 days! Join us at The Plaza Hotel, a proud KFF sponsor, for an evening that will not disappoint: Kamloops’ own Back Alley Sallies followed by Common Sound (a dance inducing DJ service) will surely keep a smile on your face and your feet moving on the dance floor. Make sure you don’t miss out on this final event, because it is 365 days until next year’s party. Tickets can be purchased for $12 in advance at MovieMart and at the Paramount Theatre during KFF screenings, or at the door for $15.

The Back Alley Sallies are a Kamloops-based roots and folk setup which includes Chris Hum,

Daniel Hum, Zack Currie, Eric Schwalb and Kathleen Lochhead. They are inspired by decades of music, infusing 3 part harmonies with an eclectic range of instruments and rhythms.

Common Sound founders Jesse Faubert and Iain McKee have been independently and collaboratively providing

the tempo for a wide range of events and social functions since 2008. With a joint passion for finding the balance between a unique yet familiar portfolio of atmospheric music, Common Sound was born.

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The City of Kamloops is proud to be a diamond sponsor of the Kamloops Film Festival

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Kamloops Fim Festival 2015

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