[Reellife] Vancouver's International Film Fest starts tomorrow (and there's even some bike parking)!

[bike at lasqueti.ca]

It's harvest time and Vancouver is about to be awash in celluloid...

The 2010 Vancouver International Film Festival[1] starts Thursday,  
September 30th and runs to Friday, October 15th.

The opening weekend looks like it will be blessed with sunny skies and  
warm breezes; thankfully bike parking has "improved" this year.  Easy  
to say when you're comparing with nothing, nada, zilch; last year the  
City had Granville closed to all traffic but refused to put bike racks  
out, even temporarily, as they did for many years before and the  
Bicycle Valet systems weren't up and running yet.  This year,  
Granville Street has just been reopened to buses (yeah!) but the City  
says there's no room for extra bike parking; there are a handful of 2  
bike racks around the main theatre area (Granville 7, between Robson  
and Smithe) and there is street furniture out now, too.  The City says  
they will try to get more parking installed along Robson for the  
Festival, so look there, too.  Despite a valiant volunteer effort by  
Ellie O'Day (a cycling Film Fest staffer), a bicycle valet won't be  
appearing this year due to difficulty in finding space and no funding;  
the Film Fest would love a sponsor to make this happen, so step right  
up!

Now assuming you can get there (remember the safe, separated bike  
lanes on the Burrard Bridge and Dunsmuir Viaduct!), I'm excited to  
share my thoughts on this year's lineup...

LIFE ABOVE ALL: AFRICA TODAY is a wonderful new series for this year's  
Fest and in my opinion allows the Fest to bask in a fully  
International flavour.  As someone who has had the good fortune to  
work and travel on such an immense continent with thousands of  
different ancient cultures, I can't wait to see as many images and  
stories as I can!

And don't forget that VIFF is one of the biggest showcases of Canadian  
film in the world; there are many local productions that I've got my  
eye on, too.

So let the reviews roll!  Remember, you can check the new 'views I'll  
be putting up daily on http://reellife.wordpress.com/[2] and  
intermittently via this email list.  You can click on the film's title  
below to go to the Film Fest's website for that film.  Here's a  
sampling below to wet your whistle!

TOGETHERNESS SUPREME[3]

This blend of real life with drama is an all Kenyan affair that is  
well filmed, produced, and sound tracked.  It exposes the politics of  
democracy in a real way and mixes in some human relationship drama for  
good measure.

What struck me is that the people of Kenya didn't sit back and allow  
the government to steal the national elections as Americans allowed  
George Bush to do.  They heard through the half-truths and media  
propaganda and took to the streets.  Some Americans grumbled over  
their Federal Court Judges giving their Presidency to George Bush  
despite gaining less votes than Al Gore, while others simply continued  
to poison themselves at McD's and other fast food outlets as quickly  
as they could drive to them.

/Togetherness Supreme/ is set in a million person slum outside Nairobi  
and really gets behind the scenes.  It won't be easy to see the  
poverty as the film doesn't try to hide it.  And further to its  
credit, it doesn't simplify the lives of its characters: we all are  
complex beings and most of the characters are aptly shown in this light.

Although the ending seems Hollywoodish, the bigger picture for me is  
that humans have an amazing ability to survive.  Any follow-up film  
will have lots of material to dig from though, as survival has its own  
serious repercussions.  But don't worry, this glimpse of urban Kenya  
will leave you all the better for it.

It screens on Tue, Oct 5th @ 10:45am, Wed, Oct 13th @ 9:15pm, and Fri,  
Oct 15th @ 2:30pm

HIMALAYA, A PATH TO THE SKY[4]

I enjoyed this documentary that openly blurs the line between front  
and back of the camera.  It's an intimate look at a Tibetan Buddhist  
monastery high in the Himalayas which focuses on a young Monk who is  
the reincarnation of a recently deceased elder Monk.

The respect of the young in this film is very refreshing; they are  
heard and their reasonable desires are implemented.  And the cycle of  
life is clearly shown: the young are cared for and mentored by the  
elders until this caretaking relationship is reversed by necessity and  
ability.

I was heartened by the lack of Western influences shown in the film,  
although there are still many (shoes were most notable to me).  That  
this film documented a religious sect was obvious, too, although not  
accented at all.  The subtleties of daily life are the main joy that I  
took from this film.  From finding and using wood for fuel to cooking  
the daily meal, the film even shows how the mountain paths are built  
and maintained...all inspirations for those of us who are  
Human-Powered[5]!

It will screen on THU, SEP 30TH @ Noon, Fri, Oct 8th @ 2:50pm, and  
Thu, Oct 14th @ 9:15pm

WINDS OF HEAVEN[6]

Gorgeous shots of forest open this film about Emily Carr.  Soon Ms.  
Carr's "voice" leads us through her fascinating and bold life story.   
It captivated my 5 year old daughter, but let that inspire you, not  
mislead you.  The history of this part of the world comes through very  
clear as does Emily Carr's immense talent.

This Special Presentation is a rare and literal portrait of the West  
Coast of Turtle Island.  It certainly documents Ms. Carr's careers and  
allows us to see her talent unfold in many ways.  But what captivated  
us was the history and beauty it depicted throughout.  Using the  
racist perspective and words of the time, the film gives us an  
authentic glimpse into what was also unfolding for the Haida,  
Lekwammen, T'souke and Wsanec People (in particular) who had lived  
here peacefully and sustainably throughout time until the Europeans  
colonized.  Ms. Carr herself was captivated by their culture and art  
and seemed to understand how the forests and these people were deeply  
interconnected.

Using Emily Carr's own words, this delightful film will be a treat for  
anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of being in an old-growth  
forest...if you're a rare human who has, you'll probably enjoy how Ms.  
Carr captured the essence of these innately sacred places in her  
paintings.  If we had a system of governance based on ethics, this  
film would become a staple for the local tourism trade.  See it while  
you can!

Screenings are on Sat, Oct 9th @ 6:30pm, Sun, Oct 10th @ 4:00pm, and  
Wed, Oct 13th 1:00pm

See you at the Film Fest!
-- 

   Take care and if you can't take the lane, take the bus!
dave

   /Feel free to check out my blog of rants and dreams, with a heavy  
dose of reality for today and tomorrow:  
http://humanpowered.wordpress.com/[7] /

   Movie lovers with a functioning mind (hopefully all of us!) might  
like to share their thoughts on Reel Life, Real Ideas: Movies and  
more...http://reellife.wordpress.com/[8]

By regularly riding through red lights and stop signs (after yielding  
to make sure it's safe for all), we can encourage the powers-that-be  
to modernize their rules (e.g., in Idaho[9])...we are NOT  
one-tonne-killing-machines!

   /Adam Smith, godfather of modern economics stated:/ "Civil  
government...is in reality instituted for the defense of the rich  
against the poor, of those who have some property against those who  
have none at all."

   /Hit by a car at 60 km/h (40mph), a pedestrian has an 85 per cent  
chance of being killed; at 50 km/h (30mph) s/he has a 45 per cent  
chance of being killed, while at 30 km/h (20mph) the risk falls to 5  
per cent. Source: British Parliamentary Advisory Council on Transport  
Safety (1996) _Taking Action on Speeding_/

Links:
------
[1] http://www.viff.org/festival/
[2] http://reellife.wordpress.com/
[3] http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2010/xslguide/eventnote.php?EventNumber=1854
[4] http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2010/xslguide/eventnote.php?EventNumber=1170
[5] http://humanpowered.wordpress.com/
[6] http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2010/xslguide/eventnote.php?EventNumber=0990
[7] http://humanpowered.wordpress.com/
[8] http://reellife.wordpress.com/
[9] http://www3.state.id.us/cgi-bin/newidst?sctid=490070020.K

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