“I know there are lots of good films at the festival, but I just never seem to get there.” That’s what we hear when we are out and about. Well, this is your chance and quite a chance it is! We are screening so many interesting films at the Gallagher Centre May 22 and 23. Come have a peek.
Randy Goulden, Executive-Director, Yorkton Film Festival
Me and My Moulton
Sat., May 23 at 9:30
This is a delightful film by NFB filmmaker, Torill Kove. Imagine a seven-year-old with parents who are so out-of-touch, they buy her a moulton instead of the bicycle she really wants. What is a moulton? I don’t think I should tell you. Come to the screening and find out.
Elwyn Vermette will lead us in discussion about this animated short and the reasons why it was nominated for an Oscar. Overall, the Academy Awards people love Kove’s work. She has been twice nominated for an Oscar, once for this film and once for My Grandmother Ironed the King’s Shirts. She won an Oscar in 2007 for The Danish Poet. This year, you can expect a retrospective of all three films at OPEN CINEMA, the YFF film series at the library.
Vanishing Points
Sat., May 23 at 3:35
Vanishing points is a stunning film about hip hop. I can strongly recommend it to anyone interested in dance.
54 Hours
Sat., May 23 at 1:00
54 Hours is a vivid account of the 1914 tragedy in which 132 men were stranded on the ice during a severe snowstorm off the coast of Newfoundland. Seventy-eight men froze to death on the ice pack.
What struck me about this short film is the artistry of the directors, Bruce Alcock and Paton Francis. The two filmmakers incorporated a variety of visuals into the narrative: survivor testimony, archival material, weather visualizations, animation and puppetry. It is truly amazing.
Prairie Diner: Big Bold and Beautiful
Sat., May 23 at 10:30
Jody Peters, emcee at our festival gala, brings warmth and exuberance to his film series about food and prairie restaurants. He will go anywhere, do anything and eat everything, looking for those hidden places where dining becomes an adventure. At The Legends in Warman and the Shawarma Khan in Winnipeg, we learn about the makings of two fabulous sandwiches. At the Terrace Dining Room in Broderick, Saskatchewan, we discover the secrets of preparing Yorkshire Pudding, a secret I have yet to discover.
For those of you who love food and humour – either one or the other or both – this film is for you.
Emergency Paramedics: Life and Death at VGH
Fri., May 22 at 3:25
Emergency Room: Life and Death at Vancouver General Hospital is blood and guts and everyday heroics. It shows the staff, the patients and the interactions between the two – interactions based on fear, humour and humanity.
Judging from the popularity of such television dramas as Grey’s Anatomy and House, this film should draw an audience. The big difference is that this show’s for real.
Between Allah and Me (and Everyone Else)
Fri., May 22 at 4:00
This film depicts four Canadian Muslim women and their thoughts about wearing hijab. By the end of the film, some decide to wear the head scarf. Others decide to discontinue. Beyond the portrayal the four women, the film portrays the message the hijab carries and its effect on community and society as a whole.
Just months ago, a judge in Montreal insisted that a plaintiff remove her hijab. When the woman refused, her choice made the national news. This film provides the background necessary to an understanding of that courageous decision.
