When local Yorkton Film Festival participants, past and present, gathered around a table in the Yorkton This Week 65 Years of Film Room to reminisce about the 65-year history of the event memories were varied as the films which have been entered through the decades.
For some it was the entertainment the festival has offered away from film through the years.
Kevin Cowley recalled efforts to reestablish cinema downtown in the mid 1990s. In particular he pointed to a western stunt group from Calgary which headlined the event for two years.
Cowley said in 1996 when a stuntman toppled from the third floor of the Yorkville Shops on 2nd "It was one of the most memorable things that happened in the downtown in a long while."
For others in the group it was the famous names who have attended the Festival over the years such as Canadian acting icons Gordon Pinsent, who apparently has a love for Scotch, Bruno Gerussi, Don Francks and Gordon Tootoosis. All are recognizable faces in terms of the history of Canadian film.
In other cases it was the evolution of the Festival itself. It began as an international festival with films coming from all over the world. In 1950, the first year for the awards, the top three in the agricultural category were from Canada, India and the United States.
For a time when it was international in scope the Festival hosted post screening parties with themes relating to different countries.
Margaret Cugnet said she recalled spending a day making Hungarian food at the old Yorkton Collegiate Institute, then hosting a Chinese-themed night, following on the third night by one dedicated to Canada and held at the radar base at Orcadia.
"It was a big thing to go out there for a social event," she said.
"And they went through a period when the festival was every two years," said Alwyn Vermette. He said volunteers were so played out by hosting the event it took a year to regenerate.
It was the workload volunteers faced which lead to the hiring of a full time director, he said, adding that person could "stay on task" by working year-round.
Kathy Morrell said the festival also changed names over the years, moving away from its international aspect, and then becoming the Short Film and Video Festival as video emerged.
Today the event is simply the Yorkton Film Festival.
Of course there were times in the 65-years it looked as though the Festival might not stay in the city.
"There were controversies," said Morrell.
"You mean somebody trying to move the festival?" stated Allan Bailey.
"Forever," suggested Janet Hill.
Vermette said there were always efforts being made to bring filmmakers from centres such as Regina more on-side with a Yorkton festival.
"We had to bring them in rather than have them pull us out," he said.
The Festival has resisted overtures to have it moved and continues to focus on the best in film, now exclusively Canadian film.
Vermette said in the earliest days of the Festival public viewing of films was more of an event.
"Film was a really precious thing in those days," he said, adding it was expensive to make a film, and even to access for viewing. "It was tough to come by."
In terms of film different ones stand out for people.
Shirley Huziak was quick to mention Asparagus.
"It caused quite a stir," admitted Vermette.
Huziak said the animated film "was very suggestive," but quickly added it was also "a beautiful film."
For Vermette it was another animated piece that stands out, The Man Who Planted Trees, by the famous Canadian animator Fédéric Back.
In another instance My Doukhobor Cousins, a 2002 National Film Board film, resonated with Brenda Pries because of her own family's background.
