REEL CANADA Brings Beyond 150 Years: An Acknowledgement of Cinematic Territory to Vancouver from March 5 th to 7 th The event celebrating Indigenous filmmakers across Canada is presented in advance of National Canadian Film Day 150 (NCFD 150), in partnership with VIFF VANCOUVER (February 23, 2017) REEL CANADA introduces Beyond 150 Years: An Acknowledgement of Cinematic Territory (Beyond 150), celebrating the impact of Indigenous cinematic stories and highlighting particular works and filmmakers from the REEL CANADA catalogue that have created, and continue to create, shifts within the larger cinematic landscape. In partnership with the Vancouver International Film Festival, Beyond 150 will span three days from March 5th to 7th as part of the national events leading up to National Canadian Film Day 150 (NCFD 150). It is a tremendous pleasure to present the Beyond 150 event in Vancouver as a small tribute to the deep cultural impact that Indigenous filmmakers have had on the Canadian film scene. As we approach NCFD 150, these three days will serve as a reminder of the many contributions that Indigenous peoples have made to the film industry, said Jack Blum, Executive Director, REEL CANADA. Beyond 150 features a schedule encompassing an array of events over the three-day period that offers FREE public film screenings, artist talks and presentations, a short lecture, new media, virtual reality, and a high school screening. It will kick off with an Opening Night Reception on Sunday, March 5 th, at 7pm PST, hosted by Indigenous multimedia artist Ronnie Dean Harris. Cultural leader Bob Baker will deliver the welcoming speech, followed by a performance from Spakwus Slulum (Eagle Song Dancers), and audio/visual projections by artist Bracken Hanuse Corlett. Monday, March 6 th, and Tuesday, March 7 th, will offer a unique opportunity for Vancouver s secondary students and the general public to participate in intimate discussions and screenings of a selection of Indigenous films including Angry Inuk (Alethea Arnaquq-Baril), Highway of Tears (Lisa Jackson), Four Faces of the Moon (Amanda Strong), Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (Alanis Obomsawin) and Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (Zacharias Kunuk).
We are very fortunate to have such a rich group of Canadian Indigenous filmmakers appearing throughout this unique three-day event. Participation from Alanis Obomsawin, Alethea Arnaquq- Baril, Lisa Jackson and Amanda Strong is sure to spark thought-provoking discussions for all attending film enthusiasts, added Sharon Corder, Artistic Director, REEL CANADA. The complete Beyond 150 schedule of events is as follows: All events will have reserved seating for attending Elders and seniors. All venues are accessible. Sunday, March 5, 2017 o Welcome & Reception 7:00 pm PST PRIVATE reception by invitation only Welcome by Bob Baker and Spakwus Slolem (Eagle Song Dancers) and remarks by official Beyond 150 Years host, Ronnie Dean Harris. The reception will also feature the audio-visual piece Wuulhu by local artist Bracken Hanuse Corlett. Monday, March 6, 2017 o Angry Inuk High School Screening 9:00 am PST (120 min) PRIVATE screening for high schools Live Q & A with filmmaker Alethea Arnaquq-Baril. o Highway of Tears Virtual Reality Documentary 10:30 am to 9:00 pm PST FREE TO THE PUBLIC on the second floor of the VIFF Vancity Theatre Participatory 4-minute virtual reality documentary by Lisa Jackson. o Flipping the Script: Making Films to Make Change 2:00 pm PST (75 mins) Artist talk with filmmaker Lisa Jackson on virtual reality and her eclectic body
of work. The talk will be moderated by filmmaker/educator Doreen Manuel and preceded by Lisa Jackson s short films Snare and Savage. o Angry Inuk with Director Alethea Arnaquq-Baril 7:00 pm PST (120 mins) Live Q & A with filmmaker Alethea Arnaquq-Baril hosted by Ronnie Dean Harris. Tuesday, March 7, 2017 o Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance and short film Mia 9:00 am PST (180 min) FREE POST-SECONDARY and PUBLIC event at the VIFF Vancity Theatre Live Q&A with filmmakers Alanis Obomsawin and Amanda Strong. o Highway of Tears Virtual Reality Documentary 10:30 am to 9:00 pm PST FREE TO THE PUBLIC on the second floor of the VIFF Vancity Theatre Participatory 4-minute virtual reality documentary by Lisa Jackson. o Past, Present and Future: In Conversation with Alanis Obomsawin and Amanda Strong 1:00 pm PST (90 mins) Conversation with filmmakers Alanis Obomsawin and Amanda Strong moderated by filmmaker/educator T uy t-tanat-cease Wyss. The talk will be preceded by a screening of Amanda Strong s Four Faces of the Moon and clips from Alanis Obomsawin s body of work. Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner with guest lecture by Gregory Coyes Talk at 6:00 pm, screening at 7:00 pm PST (265 mins) Screening of Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner preceded by guest lecture by
filmmaker Gregory Coyes entitled Cinematic Impact: Works by Zacharias Kunuk. Lecture will begin at 6:00 pm. Light snacks provided. There will be a 30-minute break between lecture and screening. The feature film will be preceded by slow-media piece KUUK The River at Iqaluit by Gregory Coyes. -30- For more information and to schedule in-person or in-studio interviews with Alanis Obomsawin, Amanda Strong, Jack Blum (REEL CANADA Executive Director), or Sharon Corder (REEL CANADA Artistic Director), please contact: Cara McCutcheon, REEL CANADA Kevin Pennant, Media Group cara@reelcanada.ca (416) 557-2139 kp@pennantmediagroup.com (416) 596-2978 About REEL CANADA REEL CANADA is a non-profit organization that celebrates Canada through film. Canadian films are the stories we tell about ourselves they open the door to so many conversations about place, nation, identity, and what it means to be Canadian. REEL CANADA promotes the power and diversity of Canadian film and encourages this ongoing conversation through three core programmes: Our Films in Our Schools, Welcome to Canada, and National Canadian Film Day 150. Through these programs, REEL CANADA increases audiences for our films, encourages dialogue and, most crucially, provides an opportunity to enjoy our great nation through the wonderful stories we tell. By celebrating Canadian cinematic storytelling we can build a stronger and prouder Canada. About National Canadian Film Day 150 (NCFD 150) National Canadian Film Day 150 (NCFD 150), an initiative of REEL CANADA, was created as a new way to celebrate this great nation, embrace Canadian cinema, and have some FUN! As part of its educational programmes, REEL CANADA has presented over 1,100 festivals of Canadian films for more than 400,000 high school students and new Canadians across the country since 2005. For 2017, NCFD 150 will become the world s largest one-day film festival in the world. Canadian film will be everywhere on foot, online and on-screen thanks to the generous support of the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario. NCFD 150 would not exist without our sensational major sponsors: Cineplex and Telefilm Canada, Quebec Cinema, Entertainment One, Google Canada, TIFF, Landmark Cinemas, VIA Rail, REDspace, Air Canada, Tim Hortons, William F. White International Inc. and Mecury Filmworks. Major broadcast partners include CBC, Bell Media, Hollywood Suite, Sportsnet, Corus, APTN, CHCH, OUTtv, Vision TV, Super Channel and Quebecor Media. Major distributor partners include Elevation Pictures, Mongrel Media, dfilms, KinoSmith, WFG, TVA, CFMDC, IndieCan Entertainment and Pacific Northwest Pictures. About VIFF Founded in 1982, the Greater Vancouver International Film Festival Society is a not-for-profit cultural society and federally registered charitable organization that operates the internationally acclaimed Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) and the year-round programming of the Vancity Theatre at the Vancouver International Film Centre. VIFF produces screenings, talks and events that act as a catalyst for a diverse community to discover, discuss and share the creativity and craft of storytelling on screen. In its 36th year, the Vancouver International Film Festival welcomes the world to Vancouver from September 28-October 13, 2017 as it showcases the top international, Canadian and BC films and plays host to industry professionals from around the globe. viff.org