[Reellife] Halfway through VIFF 2015

Thu Oct 1 07:53:43 PDT 2015

Today marks the mid-way point of this year's Vancouver International Film 
Festival and it looks like sunshine and clear skies are going to dominate this 
year's two weeks!  So get on your bike and find a fabulous film for you to enjoy 
before these celluloid creations leave town...most for good!

Here's a few more suggestions to ponder, all with an indigenous focus:

<http://viff.org/festival/films/f17880-ever-the-land>Ever the Land 
<http://viff.org/festival/films/f17880-ever-the-land> is a New Zealand 
documentary that shows the struggle of the Tūhoe (a tribe of Maori) to have the 
colonizing government acknowledge their land, independence and dignity...and act 
accordingly.

Concurrently, we see their negotiations with the government and within their 
tribe as well as their process for creating a new Community Centre that is much, 
much more.

I enjoyed hearing Elders talk of the harm that they and their ancestors have 
passed on by having to fight constantly to survive and resist the colonizers.  
Their struggle to be the traditional guardians of Te Urewera National Park, 
their traditional homeland, is particularly passionate.

And their new Te Wharehou o Tūhoe (Community Centre) is stunning and impressive. 
The behind-the-scenes look at its creation allows us to see how difficult it is 
to build sustainably today (and this Natural Builder was disappointed that this 
was as good as it gets!).

It was also a pleasure to have to need subtitles: the Tūhoe language is alive 
and well.  The filmmakers did well to subtitle everyone equally as well.

Ever the Land <http://viff.org/festival/films/f17880-ever-the-land> plays today, 
Oct 01 @ 6:15 pm at SFU Woodwards 
<http://viff.org/festival/venues/sfu-woodwards> and Oct 03 @ 11:00 am at SFU 
Woodwards <http://viff.org/festival/venues/sfu-woodwards>

<http://www.viff.org/festival/films/f15541-deep-time>Deep Time 
<http://www.viff.org/festival/films/f15541-deep-time> is a doc that lets the 
players speak for themselves.  It seems to truly wish to remain neutral, and 
mostly succeeds.

It shows the fracking shale oil boom in North Dakota.  Both in the white town of 
Stanley and the nearby Indian Reserves.  It even shows the recent history of the 
reserve, how it was created where the oil lies when a massive dam wiped out 
their sustainable way of life.

You'll hear people laud oil and all it has to offer, as well as those that see 
the pain, destruction and temporary gain for long term pain.

I was impressed to witness the resistance to the way the wealth is used on the 
reserve.  These people acknowledge the need of community first even though their 
opinions are vastly different.

Despite many efforts to keep the seedy side of boom towns away, you'll see how 
things how changed from 2008 to 2014 as the film has interview footage from both 
years.

Deep Time <http://www.viff.org/festival/films/f15541-deep-time> plays today, Oct 
01 @ 10:45 am at SFU Woodwards 
<http://www.viff.org/festival/venues/sfu-woodwards> and Oct 02 @ 9:30 pm at 
Vancity Theatre <http://www.viff.org/festival/venues/vancity-theatre>

The Pass System <http://www.viff.org/festival/films/f18459-the-pass-system> is 
all about the completely illegal system to keep indigenous peoples from leaving 
the reserves they’d been herding onto.  It’s also called Apartheid in another 
part of the world.  The Pass System was in effect for 60 years starting in 
1885.  Where?  Right here in so-called Canada.

Yup, this film shows irrefutable proof.  Not only of the illegal system, which 
was a challenge to prove since the Canadian government tried to destroy all 
record of it, but of the knowledge of the highest ranking officials that this 
system was illegal.

If you want to blow your mind (because you simply can’t believe this could 
happen) or confirm your worst fears, check this film out.  Cris Derkson’s 
musical score is a wonderful complement to Tantoo Cardinal’s narration.  It also 
provides more understanding of how the inhumane Residential Schools could and 
did happen, which is obviously very timely.

The Pass System <http://www.viff.org/festival/films/f18459-the-pass-system> 
plays once more on Oct 2 @ 1:00 pm at International Village #8 
<http://www.viff.org/festival/venues/international-village-8>

Enjoy the 2nd half of the Festival!
-- 

Warmly,
dave/
//
Parenting with an Open Heart: a seminar series for all Parents, Caregivers, and 
Parents-to-be: for info and session dates, please visit/ 
/http://humanpowered.wordpress.com <http://humanpowered.wordpress.com/>

Movie and Theatre lovers who know a saner world is possible may enjoying reading 
and sharing their thoughts on Reel Life, Real Ideas: Movies and more... 
<http://reellife.wordpress.com/>

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_//

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...read Ina May Gaskin's insightful book, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, packed 
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...consider Natural Infant Hygiene (aka Elimination Communication) and reduce 
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Did you know that in Scandinavia...
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--> the elderly are able to remain at home thanks to programs that provide free 
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