The upcoming Bowen Island Film Society screening is of the short films, twelve in all, which were solicited from the youth of Bowen. Yes folks, it’s the first-ever Bowen Island Film Society Youth Gala, and we anticipate that many of the filmmakers will be on hand at this screening to accept the huzzahs of their peers and hopefully answer a question or two about their creations.
The program has been divided into three parts, with brief breaks for q+a in between, which could be characterized loosely, in order, as ultra-short, medium length, and long. These divisions also correspond very generally to comic, serio-comic, and serious. The shortest films generally feature stop-motion animation and surprise endings – Who’s Afraid of the Dock, by the youngest filmmakers participating, Emmett and Tobin Sparling, Spider in the Forest, by Ruth Kasasian, and Dragon Hunters, by Emmett Sparling and Calum Cole. Egg Breakfast, by Natasha Wehn, may be the most technically sophisticated among these efforts, as it manages to mix animation and live action. A couple of slightly longer comic pieces round out the first third of the program – A Shock to the Heart, largely the work of, and starring, Megan McPhee, and Surviving Bowen, by Austin Wrinch, Jake Bagshaw, and Andrew Cameron. As for A Shock to the Heart -- sufferin’ succotash, I thought superhoes with speech impediments were gone for good. But no, the spirit of Duck Dodgers lives on as The Defibrillator [Megan McPhee] appears to remind us that a big heart and some group hugs are all it takes to straighten out the bad guys, as well as ensure a steady supply of hot mamas. This is a very clever script and like many of the films merits more than one viewing. Lovers of slapstick, like myself, will find themselves richly entertained by Surviving Bowen. Faux documentarists Austin Wrinch and Jake Bagshaw hie off to the backwoods with legendary bushwhacker Meat McFear [Andrew Cameron] to face the dreaded black bear and some toxic mushrooms, not to mention SUVs, in the ‘middle of nowhere’ – better known as Bowen Island, BC. The not-so-subtle message underlying this film is ‘let me offa this rock’, but for those of us fated to remain here it’s good to know that the Cameron comic gene has been successfully passed on to a new generation.
The availability and affordability of the technology not just of filming, but editing and assembling a film with sound, means that in these times everyone, even the very young among us, is a potential filmmaker – and there are some surprisingly sophisticated efforts on display. This characterizes the three films of the second part of the program – The Hollow Men, Till Death Do Us Part, and The False Knight Upon the Road. I’m thinking particularly here of The False Knight Upon the Road, which brings us a metaphysical storyline combined with marvelous camerawork and use of colour, and a stunning performance from the very young Clancy Sindlinger. Oddly, it can also be viewed as a historic document since it uses – very effectively -- as a location the gnarled apple trees and old Union Steamship cottages of the Potivin property, which have since fallen into total ruin. Dinner is served in Till Death Do Us Part, a serio-comic rumination on marriage, which also provides a timely reminder that six-shooters and TV sets don’t mix. The acting in the film, starring Mariah Fleetham and Susanne Curry, is a standout. Susanne Curry also brings us The Hollow Men, which provides an imagistic interpretation of the T.S. Eliot poem. All three films have obviously benefited from the camera eye of Natasha Wehn – until now, she was merely the red-haired girl who lived down the street – I mean, who knew?
The third and final part of the evening’s program, which will run to about an hour’s length, features two documentaries, Lina Martin-Chan’s examination of the Irish troubles in This Side of the Wall. This Side of the Wall meditates on the nature of forgiveness and includes appearances by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The capper of the evening is Sam and Kailey Spear’s Himalayan Odyssey, which manages to be not just by Bowen youth, but about them too. It documents the B.I. Youth Odyssey group’s trek of 2007. Between these two docs there is a short art-piece called Menn Eru Gaeddir Vitsmunum [if I can Google it, so can you].
The Bowen Youth Film Gala screens on Friday, June 27, 2008 at 7:30 pm at Collins Hall. For more information I recommend consulting Leanne Romak’s beautifully designed gala programme, which is available in various locations, including the ferry bulletin board. The total running time, including breaks for questions and answers, will be about 2 ½ hours. This is an all ages event although there is some ketchuppy gore in evidence in a couple of the films, and young viewers may end up feeling bored by some of the ‘artier’ efforts on display. As always, facilities for the hearing impaired will be available. Bring your own pillow to improve seating comfort – this is particularly recommended as this evening will run somewhat longer than most BIFS presentations. Doors and concession open at 7 pm. Reserved tickets are available for film society members only by phoning 604-947-0450 and will be held until 7:15 pm. Ten percent of all door admissions are donated to the Bowen Island Community Hall and Arts Centre fund. For further information, Bowen Island Film Society membership forms are available at the BI Library, Ruddy Potato and the Office at Artisan Square.
Michael Epp
Bowen Island Film Society
