| Film list (2006 Films) |
| Full descriptions follow alphabetical list |
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| 100% Woman |
59 min./Karen Duthie/2004 |
Michelle Dumaresq is one of B.C.'s top competitive downhill mountain bike racers. So why is there an effort afoot to oust her from the competition? Because Michelle used to be Michael and several of her competitors believe that gives her an unfair advantage. Reactions range from racing superstar Missy Giove's words of support to talk of a boycott from some of the other racers. Michelle's grace, humour and passion for racing hold steadfast in the face of lost friendships and an outspoken opposition to her presence in the competition. TOP  |
| 4Real Kenya (featuring K'Naan) |
24 min./Sol Guy/2005 |
| Travel with your guide Sol Guy as he takes you on an adventure through Kenya with Somalian refugee, poet and emcee, K'naan, the Dusty Foot Philosopher. Now living in Toronto, this is K'naan's first trip back to Africa since he escaped the war in Somalia in 1991. Meet local hero, Salim Mohamed, who takes us to Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa where Salim runs a medical clinic and a community development sports program, involving over 5,000 young people. The film crew also connects with Kenya's vibrant hip-hop scene. TOP |
| Arms for the Poor |
26 min./Anne Macksoud, John Ankele /2003 |
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| In unveiling the murky world of U.S. weapons exports to developing countries, this documentary exposes the present-day influence of the military-industrial complex that President Eisenhower cautioned about when he left office.While the poor need housing, education, and health care, U.S. taxpayers support an already immense military budget that is growing larger deal by deal. TOP |
| Aristide and the Endless Revolution |
83 min./Nicolas Rossier/2005 |
| * Canada/Haiti author in attendance * |
One hour away from Miami the elected president of the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation was twice removed from office with the complicity of the US and the international community. Rossier investigates events that led to the removal of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the democratically elected President of Haiti. He then journeys into political intrigue; armed criminals posing as freedom fighters, and economic fiascos. What emerges is a young democracy being constantly tested and is ultimately destroyed. Visits from Noam Chomsky and Danny Glover.
TOP |
| Argentina, Hope in Hard Times |
74 min./ Melissa Young & Mark Dworkin/2004 |
| Join the processions and protests; visit neighbourhood assemblies, workers, cooperatives and urban gardens in Argentina. This film takes a close-up look at the ways Argentines are picking up the pieces of their devastated economy and creating hope for the future. A spare narrative, informal interview settings, and candid street scenes allow the pervasive strength, humour, and resilience of the Argentine people to tell these tales. TOP |
| Behind the Loom |
25 min./Ana Carpio/2004 |
| For four decades, Guatemala suffered through an armed conflict that left thousands of victims. The widows left behind by this war, residents of a small indigenous community in the western highlands, organized to improve their lives by forming a weaving cooperative, ASOMADEK. 'Behind the Loom' is the story of these women's sacrifices, but also of courage, tenacity, and of overcoming fears to build a brighter future. TOP |
| Between Midnight and the Rooster's Crow |
66 min./Nadja Drost/2005 |
| Canadian oil giant EnCana is under fire for the construction of an oil pipeline in the Amazon. Faced with the contamination of their lands and coercion by "security" forces, Ecuadorian peasants tap into reserves of remarkable strength and courage as they resist. In a race for black gold -- a race fuelled by oil companies, and a government desperate for foreign investment, the people struggle not to come in last. TOP |
| Beyond Treason |
89 min./William Lewis/2005 |
| The deadly effects of depleted uranium from warheads used in Iraq and Afghanistan, and The Balkans will contaminate those lands for eternity. The DU not only cause devastation in the bombed countries, but are brought back by soldiers and spread sexually to their families. Gulf War veterans from all 27 coalition countries slowly die of "unknown causes" as they await help from their governments. There are 250,000 disabled US soldiers alone from the first Gulf War. This is a hidden nuclear war that breaks all arms treaties. TOP |
| Bloqueo |
45 min./Rachel Dannefer & Heather Haddon/2004 |
| * Filmmaker in attendance * |
| 'Bloqueo' (or blockade) lets Cubans speak for themselves about how they have been affected by the economic blockade, and what it means to live in Cuba today. Observed annually by activists traveling with the Pastors for Peace Caravan, 'Bloqueo' sees Cuba as a model in healthcare, environmental stewardship, and other arenas that forge a more sustainable system. TOP |
| The Bottom Line: Privatizing the World |
62 min./Carole Poliquim/2003 |
| Just as God created the world in seven days, today the All-Powerful Businessman is intending to sell it-in 7 days. His ultimate goal: To declare the Total Market. Can the human community survive if all elements essential to life (water, healthcare, etc.) become commercial goods? Will human rights, or corporate profits prevail? Listen to "the Voice of God" explain the consequences of the world's submission to private interests. TOP |
| Broken Limbs: Apples, Agriculture and the New American Farmer |
57 min./Guy Evans/2004 |
| Wenatchee, Washington prospered for nearly a century as the "Apple Capital of the World." But the good times have vanished. Apple growers by the thousands are going out of business. After his own father receives a foreclosure letter from the bank, filmmaker Guy Evans sets out to learn what went wrong here in this natural Garden of Eden. The future looks bleak until Evans meets a new breed of farmer, who mixes very old practices with very new. TOP |
Brokeback Mountain
(at Cinema Central) |
134 min./Ang Lee/2005 |
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| A raw, powerful, yet epic love story set against the sweeping vistas of Wyoming and Texas, Brokeback Mountain tells the story of two young men - a ranch-hand and a rodeo cowboy - who meet in the summer of 1963, and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection, one whose complications, joys and tragedies provide a testament to the endurance and power of love. TOP |
| Call From a Coast |
32 min./Twyla Roscovich/2005 |
| An exploration of salmon aquaculture in BC, and the importance of wild salmon to coastal communities. Roscovich takes us underwater to catch glimpses of the sick and dying marine life in areas around fish farms. First Nations spokespeople, researchers, sports and commercial fishers point to changes they are witnessing since the introduction of industrial salmon farming to their areas. Beautiful cinematography. TOP |
| The Chain of Love |
14 min./Global Awareness and Judy Jackson/2005 |
| * Filmmaker in attendance * |
| Gulf Islands Secondary School (GISS) students from Global Awareness team up with Canadian filmmaker Judy Jackson to tell the story of "twinning" schools in Lesthoto and Salt Spring Island, modeling possibilities for Africa and Canada. Moving excerpts of Stephen Lewis' speech at the SOLID AIDS in Africa conference at GISS, fall 2004. TOP |
| The Collector of Bedford Street |
34 min./Alice Elliott/2003 |
| This Academy Award nominee follows Larry Selman, the filmmaker's 60 year old neighbour. A community activist and fundraiser with developmental disabilities, Larry raises thousands of dollars for charity every year while he lives at the poverty level. Because of Larry's 20 years of service to his neighbourhood, the community created a "supplemental need adult trust" fund for him. "Collector" reveals how a community celebrates a unique and valued member. TOP |
C.R.A.Z.Y.
(at Cinema Central) |
129 min./Jean-Marc Vallée/2005 |
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| People are lining up to see this poignant and beautifully crafted gay coming-of-age story. Ten years in production, the film takes its title from the first initials of five brothers born into a suburban Catholic family. Narrating his tale is Zac, born on Christmas Day,1960,who grows up to understand how a blessing can also be a curse. When the Tupperware lady proclaims God has given him the ability to heal, it becomes clear he will never quite be like everyone else. TOP |
| Defending Women-Defending Rights |
32 min. /Amnesty International/2005 |
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| The documentary explores the lives of 5 Women Human Rights Defenders from across the world (one from each region). These extraordinary women stand up for human rights. Selflessly and often at great risk to themselves they fight injustice on the frontlines. They are just some of thousands of women who do this across the world. It is important to highlight the work and lives of Women Human rights defenders because they are in urgent need of recognition and protection. TOP |
| Development and Desecration |
20 min./APTN/2005 |
| An exploration of local development at Walker's Hook and Pender Island's Poets' Cove as seen from First Nations' perspective. TOP |
| Devil's Miner |
82 min./Kief Davidson, Richard Ladkani/ 2005 |
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| 14 year-old Basilio Vargas and his 12 year-old brother Bernadino, work in the Bolivian silver mines of Cerro Rico, which have existed since the sixteenth century. Through the children's eyes, we encounter the world of devout Catholic miners who sever their ties with God upon entering the mountain. Basilio believes only the mountain devil's generosity will allow them to earn enough money to continue the new school year. Without an education, the brothers have no chance to escape their destiny in the silver mines. TOP |
| Different Drummers; Daring to Make Peace in the Middle East |
50 min./John Michalczyk/2003 |
| North American media focus on the violence of Palestinian suicide bombings and Israeli house demolitions. There are, however, seldom-heard voices of peace crying out in the desert, which provoke all concerned parties to consider more seriously a path toward peace. Meet some of the remarkable people who are working for new understanding and reconciliation in extremely difficult circumstances. TOP |
| Everything Blue: The Color of Music |
76 min./ Jesse Acevedo/ |
| Jesse Acevedo's visually and aurally spectacular debut is an investigation of the music of the favelas in Brazil, Samba. While that vibrant music is considered an expression of the soul of Brazil and a realization of the peoples' joy, Acevedo portrays Samba in terms of racism and the long struggle of blacks to resist discrimination since first being brought to the Americas as slaves. TOP |
| The Future of Food |
88 min./Deborah K. Garcia/2004 |
| 'The Future of Food' offers the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled North American grocery stores for the past decade. From Saskatchewan to the fields of Oaxaca, Mexico, this film gives voice to farmers whose lives and livelihoods have been negatively impacted by this new technology. Alternatives such as organic and sustainable agriculture offer real solutions to the farm crisis today. TOP |
| GIFTS Student Films |
60 min./GIFTS Students/2005 |
| An unique array of shorts from Galiano Island's Gulf Islands Film and Television School, our local "film, video & animation production hub." Under the close mentorship of award-winning media professionals, our students are immersed in all aspects of the production process. These shorts are the results of intensives conducted in 2005. TOP |
| Granito de Arena (Grain of Sand) |
60 min./Jill Friedberg/2004 |
| For over 20 years, global economic forces have been dismantling public education in Mexico, but always in the constant shadow of popular resistance. 'Granito de Arena' is the story of that resistance. Interviews with internationally-recognized figures, such as Eduardo Galeano and Maude Barlow, place the Mexican teachers, struggle in a global context, clearly spelling out the relationship between economic globalization and the worldwide public education crisis. TOP |
| Hardwood |
29 min./Hubert Davis/2004 |
| Son of former Harlem Globetrotter Mel Davis, explores how his father's decisions affected his family life. Davis uses personal interviews, archival footage and home movies to delve into his father's past in hope of finding a new direction for his own. It's about the power of redemption and the healing of the bonds between fathers and sons. TOP |
| Hoodwinked: The Myth of Free Trade |
92 min./West Dunn Productions/2006 |
| "Canadians don't understand what they've signed. In twenty years, they will be sucked into the U.S. economy." So said Clayton Yeutter, U.S. trade representative, after the signing of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement of 1989. Free trade or subtle sellout? There's more to these trade deals than the matter of tariffs. Here's the analysis of free trade that our elites are afraid to have. After 16 years, it's time to take stock. BC Premiere showing. TOP |
| House Me |
8 min./Deirdre Rowland, Kate Leslie, & Elizabeth Nolan/2004 |
| * Filmmaker in attendance * |
| A comical look at a very serious subject for Salt Spring Island. It is no joke when there is no affordable place to live for many people. As real estate prices spiral out of reach for even middle class citizens, the problem reaches epidemic proportions, and threatens the very fabric of the local culture. What would SSI be like without young families? We don't want to find out. TOP |
| Imagine |
5 min./Amnesty International /2004 |
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| Yoko Ono Lennon has given Amnesty International a wonderful and generous gift: the rights to use her late husband's song "Imagine" in a campaign for human rights. This music video is a compilation of images of children around the world singing John Lennon's "Imagine". The video includes an introduction by Yoko Ono. TOP |
| In the Shadow of Gold Mountain |
43 min./Karen Cho/2004 |
| Karen Cho, a fifth-generation Canadian of mixed heritage, discovered that half her family wasn't welcome in the country they called home. While Canada encouraged and rewarded immigration from Europe, it imposed laws that singled out the Chinese as unwanted and unwelcome. Through a rich melding of stories, poetry and deeply moving testimonials, this film reveals the profound ways this history still casts its shadow. TOP |
| Invisible Children: Rough Cut |
56 min./"Jason, Bobby, and Laren"/2004 |
| Even at this moment Ugandan children, as young as 8, are methodically being kidnapped from their homes by a rebel group called the "Lord's Resistance Army". They are then turned into vicious fighters. We watch thousands of children "NIGHT COMMUTERS" travel from their villages to nearby towns each night in order to avoid the LRA abductions. Three teenage film students were amazed to find many things in common between these kids and kids in America. Their lives deepen and transform by what they witness in Uganda. TOP |
| Let Them Stay |
28 min./Alex Lisman/2005 |
| * War resister in attendance * |
| "Let Them Stay" features exclusive one-on-one interviews with U.S. war resisters in Canada, documenting their life-changing experiences in Iraq and the hidden realities of U.S. military recruitment and warfare. It also documents the War Resisters Support Campaign, a pan-Canadian coalition of labour, faith and peace groups, Vietnam war resisters, and individuals who are working with these war resisters to put pressure on the federal government to let them stay. TOP |
| A Letter to the Prime Minister |
71 min./Julia Guest/2005 |
| 'A Letter to the Prime Minister' follows Jo Wilding on her remarkable journey in solidarity with the people of Iraq. Narrated as a letter to Tony Blair, the film traces the non-violent resistance to US/UK policy in the region. In April 2004, she traveled into Falluja, when even Al Jazeera had pulled out, to stand alongside the civilians trapped and targeted by US forces. She also forms the Boomchucka Circus to work with school children and refugees. Disturbing scenes. TOP |
| A Life Among Whales |
57 min./Uncommon Productions/2005 |
| Unafraid of powerful images, this film's unique hybrid of the biography of whale researcher, Roger Payne, and natural history leaves viewers contemplating our stewardship of Earth and co-existence with some of its most intriguing creatures. Payne has consistently advanced the boundaries of science and activism through his pioneering research in Patagonia, and controversial discoveries of whale songs and cross-ocean communications. TOP |
| Loose Change |
80 min. / MoveonMoron /2004 |
| Was 9/11 a controlled demolition? Compelling visual evidence that 9/11 was not all that it seemed. Controversial, but ideas promoted are well worth pondering. TOP |
| The Magic Mountain |
50 min./Pat Morrow/2005 |
| Magic for Cynthia Hunt, the founder of HEALTH Inc (Health, Environment, And Literacy in The Himalayas), means empowerment of women, good health and nutrition. But these are not easy propositions in Ladakh - one of the highest and driest inhabited places on earth. Yet Cynthia helps the illiterate village women in their efforts to form a cooperative. They then undertake a perilous, four-day journey down a frozen river canyon to petition for funds to build green houses. TOP |
| Mardi Gras: Made in China |
62 min./David Redmon /2005 |
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| "Mardi Gras: Made in China" follows the "bead trail" from the factory in China to Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras, poignantly exposing the inequities of globalization. First-time director David Redmon cleverly illuminates the clash of cultures by juxtaposing American excess and consumer ignorance against the harsh life of the Chinese factory worker. TOP |
| Money |
65 min./Isaac Isitan/2003 |
| Two years ago, Turkish-born Canadien director Isaac Isitan watched from the comfort of his living room as thousands of
people in Turkey and in Argentina took to the street, attacking the banks when their life savings evaporated overnight. Middle-class
people who once lined up at the bank were now lining up at food banks. How could these relatively wealthy countries possibly go bankrupt
in less than a decade? With this question in mind, Isitan takes us to Turkey, Argentina and the U.S. in a moving portrait of citizens
who have lost everything. Interwoven with these stories, a lucid essay dissects the the macro-economic policies, demanded by the World
Bank and the IMF, that have plunged entire nations into economic crisis. Faced with a lack of money, the people have begun to reinvent
it, initiating credit and barter systems and inventing local parallel economies. An essentiel and incisive look into the hidden side of
money. TOP |
| Money as Debt |
5 min./Paul Grignon/2004 |
| A clear and concise animated explanation of money and how it works in our society.and who for. A short history of how lending came into being from ancient times, how banks don't actually lend existing deposits, but materialize money out of thin air. Fascinating for all ages. TOP |
| Mr. Mergler's Gift |
31 min./Beverly Shaffer/2004 |
| 'Mr Mergler's Gift' is the moving account of a student and her mentor, and a lyrical homage to the transcendent power of music. Xin Ben illuminates Mr. Mergler's final months of teaching with her youthful talent, and in return he lovingly guides her towards a life in music. Oscar-winning filmmaker Beverly Shaffer crafts a film of elegant simplicity and deep emotion, gracefully documenting a dying man's dedication to his young prodigy. TOP |
| Oil on Ice |
58 min./Dale Djerassi & Bo Boudart/2004 |
| 'Oil on Ice' is a vivid, compelling and comprehensive documentary connecting the fate of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to decisions America makes about energy policy, transportation choices, and other matters. Caught in the balance are the culture and livelihood of the Gwich'in Athabascan Indians and Inupiat Eskimos and the migratory wildlife in this fragile ecosystem. 'Oil on Ice' exposes the risks of oil extraction in this extreme environment. Stunning cinematography. TOP |
| Owning the Slave |
33 min./Renee Poisson/2006 |
| Andy Stringfellow is a black man in a white town. Suddenly facing death he questions his identity. He has lost his culture, his marriage and his health as well as his successful career as a clinical counsellor. 'Owning the Slave' is about reclaiming oneself from imposed social, political and personal patterns and restrictions. TOP |
| Peace One Day |
80 min./Jeremy Gilley/2004 |
| 'Peace One Day' is the story of one man's attempts to persuade the global community via the UN to officially sanction a global ceasefire day; a day of non-violence, a day of peace. This documentary charts his 5-year journey. As a result of Gilley's efforts, the UN International Day of Peace is now celebrated annually, September 21st. The real challenge has just begun. Inspiring. TOP |
| The Power is the People |
52 min./SOLID/2005 |
| Follow the story of how a small group of committed Canadians work with their counterparts in impoverished communities in South Africa and Lesotho to create a community garden in a township, build a tree nursery in a rural high school, and connect with a support group for women living with AIDS. Through spoken word performances, choral song, and dance, the film reveals the resilience of African culture to carry on joyfully in the face of adversity. TOP |
| The Red Pill |
25 min./David Sheen/2005 |
| Twenty-five films in twenty-five minutes. This scratch video culture jam samples twenty-five Hollywood feature films creating a subversive, sometimes hilarious, deep ecology riff using the language of the masses. In a vertically integrated media environment a little editing software can be a powerful tool. Some disturbing scenes. TOP |
| Return to Kandahar |
65 min./Paul Joy and Nelofer Pazira/2003 |
| Nelofer Pazira, star of the movie 'Kandahar', returns to Afghanistan to seek out her childhood friend Dyana, whose story inspired that film. Nelofer journeys across a broken land smashed by war with the Russians, years of anarchy under the Northern Alliance, the Taliban, and now by America's "war on terror." Incisively weaving Nelofer's personal story with that of Afghanistan itself, the film shows a country once again in the grip of warlords. TOP |
| The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (AKA Hugo Chavez: Inside the Coup) |
74 min./Kim Bartley and Donnacha O'Briain/2003 |
| Hugo Chavez, elected president of Venezuela in 1998, is a colourful folk hero, beloved by his nation's working class and a tough-as-nails, quixotic opponent to the power structure that would see him deposed. Two independent filmmakers were inside the presidential palace on April 11, 2002, when he was forcibly removed from office and they were still there 48 hours later when Chavez returned to power amid cheering aides. In spite of suppression in the USA, the film has won numerous awards. TOP |
| Seeds of Change |
60 min./Ian Mauro, Stéphane McLachlan, Jim Sanders /2005 |
| An expose' on how genetically modified crops have changed the face of agriculture in western Canada. The film provides firsthand accounts by those who are most affected by the new crops' impacts on agriculture and rural life-the farmers. It makes explicit connections between rural decline and technology developments that do little to mitigate the plight faced by farmers across North America and the rest of the globe TOP |
| Seoul Train |
54 min./Jim Butterworth, Aaron Lubarsky, Lisa Sleeth/2004 |
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| In Fall 2003, first-time filmmakers Lisa Sleeth and Jim Butterworth set off for Korea with an ambitious plan: document the secretive Underground Railroad smuggling North Korean refugees out of China. "Seoul Train" is the definitive exposé into this growing and potentially explosive humanitarian crisis. It portrays not only the human toll, but also the complex geopolitics of a conflict that threatens to undermine the stability of East Asian peace. TOP |
| Shake Hands with the Devil |
56 min./Peter Raymont/2004 |
| Follow the searing, emotional journey of Canadian Lt-General Roméo Dallaire, who commanded the UN peacekeeping troops in Rwanda during the massacre 1994. This experience led to Dallaire's own life tragedies as he dealt with the psychological fallout of witnessing a genocide he was powerless to stop. Filmed during General Dallaire's first return to Rwanda, in April 2004. Disturbing images. TOP |
| Sombrio |
60 min./Paul Manly/2006 |
| * Filmmaker in attendance * |
| Sombrio Beach is one of the best surfing spots on Vancouver Island. It was also the home to a squatting community that had lived peacefully there for three decades. "The inhabitants were all kicked out of their homes when the government made it a park for yuppies to hike through." Sombrio presents a portrait of a vital subculture in BC's history and challenges our notions of what it means to be a self-determined citizen. TOP |
| Something's in the Air/But it's Not on the Airwaves |
8 min./Chris Chandler & Karen Kilroy/2005 |
| This short film is about the media blackout on the global peace and justice movement. It features video footage from several of the large demonstrations in recent years, including School of the Americas Watch, the FTAA in Miami, and the Counter Inaugural in Washington, DC. In the ten days it took to make the film, 42 U.S. Service people and countless Iraqis were killed TOP |
| Stolen Spirits of Haida Gwaii |
74 min./Kevin McMahon/2004 |
| After the Haida were forced by disease to abandon some 35 of their ancient villages, their islands became a paradise for the relic hunters of the early 20th century, greedy for the totem poles and masks that were desired by museums. These thieves and grave robbers also took away hundreds of skeletons. 'Stolen Spirits of Haida Gwaii' follows the Haida to a museum in Chicago and, ultimately, to reconciliation with the descendents of those who robbed island graves a century ago. The Haida engage their entire community in the preparations for the return of the ancestral remains. TOP |
| Sunset Story |
73 min./ Laura Gabbert/2003 |
| 'Sunset Story' is a funny and intimate documentary that will make you think differently about growing old. Set against the backdrop of a retirement home in Los Angeles for "free-thinking elderly", the film follows Irja (81) and Lucille (95), whose feisty engagement with life draws them together. They operate as an odd couple, with Irja the eternal idealist and Lucille, the irreverent skeptic, cracking ironic dry jokes. TOP |
| Teaching Peace in a Time of War |
54 min./Teresa MacInnes/2004 |
| A decade of civil war cost the lives of more than 250,000 people in the former Yugoslavia. The children of this region have been irrevocably afflicted by this violence. Can Hetty van Gurp help teach the language of peace to a generation of kids who have known only war? We witness small triumphs as "Teaching Peace" offers a sense of optimism that even schools in the most troubled circumstances can become beacons of peace. TOP |
| Their Brothers' Keepers: Orphaned by AIDS |
56 min./Catherine Mullins/2005 |
| "Their Brothers Keepers" goes inside Chazanga Compound, a shantytown in Lusaka, Zambia to focus on two families headed by children, and their ongoing struggle for food, water, schooling and health care. Excerpts from speeches by Stephen Lewis fill in the broader social context. 'Their Brothers' Keepers, powerfully conveys the sense of hope grounded in the human spirit to survive. TOP |
| Thirsty Planet |
59 min./Ed Carswell/2005 |
| * Filmmaker in attendance * |
| 'Thirsty Planet' reveals the surprising potential of solar ovens in equatorial regions, holding great promise for using the sun to cook food and pasteurize water. Local doctors learn how solar ovens can eradicate parasites from contaminated water. Locals, who normally walk two or three kilometers to find firewood, are delighted to learn of an alternative method to pasteurize water. They are also preserving their forests by using the limitless energy of the sun. TOP |
| This Beggar's Description |
65 min./ Pierre Tétrault/2005 |
| Philip Tétrault has been locked up in jails and psych wards, kicked out of the house by a desperate family, and spent long periods living on the streets of Montreal. However, he is also a talented writer and loving father whose deep family bonds have helped him come through periods of incredible darkness brought on by his schizophrenia. 'Beggar's Description' offers extraordinary insights into street life in Montreal, the beauty of nature and what he calls "the gymnastics of my mind". Music by Leonard Cohen. TOP |
| The True Cost of Food |
15 min./Sierra Club/2004 |
| The Sierra Club Sustainable Consumption Committee Mission: To encourage people to think about the environmental impacts of their consumption choices by providing specific information "The factory meat industry has polluted thousands of miles of rivers, killed billions of fish, pushed tens of thousands of family farmers off their land, sickened and killed thousands of U.S. citizens, and treated millions of farm animals with unspeakable and unnecessary cruelty." - Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Waterkeeper Alliance TOP |
| Two Worlds Colliding |
49 min./Tasha Hubbard/2004 |
| 'Two Worlds Colliding' chronicles the painful story of Saskatoon's infamous "freezing deaths," and the schism between a fearful, mistrustful Aboriginal community and a police force that must come to terms with a shocking secret. The result is a major RCMP investigation into several suspicious deaths, the conviction of the two constables who abandoned a native man, Darrell Night, and the reopening of an old case, leading to a judicial inquiry. It remains to be seen whether the gulf between the two worlds can be bridged. TOP |
| The Ungrateful Dead: In Search of International Justice |
94 min./Judy Jackson/2005 |
| * Filmmaker in attendance * |
| Filmmaker Judy Jackson's thought-provoking documentary traces the evolution of international law and justice from the tribunals of the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, through the arrest of General Pinochet in London, to the opening of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The documentary focuses on Canada's contributions since the campaign for global justice began. The film also looks at the US, who opposes the new court, and visits Iraq, Kosovo, Northern Uganda, and Darfur, charting a path to international justice. TOP |
| The Vanishing Ice |
22 min./Rachel Gauk/2005 |
| The earth's glaciers are disappearing, and the impact it will have on humanity could be cataclysmic. Water has been called the blood of the earth, and glacial ice is one of the most reliable storage systems for fresh water. Within 20 years glaciers in the Canadian Rockies will lose at least half of their current mass, and with it much of our available water. TOP |
| Vendetta Song |
52 min./Eylem Kaftan/2005 |
| For years, Montreal filmmaker Eylem Kaftan has been haunted by a family mystery: the murder of her aunt Guzide nearly three decades ago. In the documentary Vendetta Song, Kaftan returns to her Kurdish roots in eastern Turkey to uncover the truth, and to confront the ancient traditions that cost Guzide her life. Kaftan's search brings her face-to-face with a suspect in her aunt's murder. Was the "honour killing" really worth her aunt's life? TOP |
| Wal-Mart: High Cost of Low Price |
20 min./Robert Greenwald/2005 |
| "An engrossing, muckraking documentary ... but if you're expecting an angry diatribe, you're going to be disappointed." -LA Times. "The free market functions effectively only when consumers have all the facts. A brilliant new film by Robert Greenwald tells the real story of the corrosive effects that Wal-Mart wreaks upon the communities in which it operates and the men and women it employs." -Rob Reiner. TOP |
