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Congratulations to the Yukon Film Society and all the volunteers who make the Available Light Film Festival such an important event on Yukon’s cultural industries calendar.
Yukon.ca
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SEE BIGGER CANADIAN TALENT SHINES BRIGHT ON THE WORLD STAGE. TELEFILM CANADA IS PROUD TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE HOMEGROWN SUCCESS.
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Welcome to the 17th edition of the Available Light Film Festival! The ALFF 2019 Opening Gala Film will be, for the first time in the festival’s history, a Yukonmade feature. How to Bee is directed by Naomi Mark, who grew up in the territory and made her first short film as a Yukon Film Society member in 2005. YFS preselected How to Bee at the production stage for Telefilm Canada’s prestigious Talent to Watch program, so we’re mighty proud to host the world premiere. The 2019 ALFF Program includes a new programming series: ALFF Experimental – narrative and documentary features pushing the boundaries of the cinema form. As well, we’re excited to host our first-ever Dive-In Cinema screening at the Takhini Hot Pools. Catch a film under the stars while you’re soaking in the hot springs! Be sure as well to take in the special day of Indigenous and northern programming at Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre on Saturday, February 2nd. The Yukon Film Society is very honoured that so many accomplished story-tellers in this country will be at ALFF 2019: dynamite public speaker and Tlicho Dene author, Richard Van Camp, Indigenous activist Marcella Gilbert, Canadian filmmakers: Renée Beaulieu, Jasmin Mozaffari, Helen Haig-Brown, and the Executive Director of the Indigenous travelling studio Wapikoni Mobile, Odile Joannette, to name a few (see the full list on page 13). This year we’re hosting 50+ filmmakers, industry representatives, performing and visual artists from NWT, Yukon, Ontario, Québec, Alberta, British Columbia, PEI, North Dakota, Ohio and Finland. We’re also extremely pleased to announce that more than 50% of the films we’re presenting are women-led and directed productions. A commitment to gender equity in film needs to happen in the cinema and not just on set. There will be 84 films screened at ALFF 2019, nine of which will be world premieres. Also, keep an eye out at the festival for our programming committee members who gave input during the selection process and will introduce films throughout ALFF! We could not present this multi-faceted nine-day festival without the generous support of our festival partners Yukon Energy and Best Western Gold Rush Inn. Thank you to Yukon Media Development, Yukon Government, for partnering with YFS to present the adjacent ALFF Industry conference (the 10th annual!). Please join us in thanking all the artists, filmmakers and industry representatives for sharing their work and experience at ALFF and ALFF Industry as well as the sponsors, community organizations and hard-working volunteers and staff that make Available Light 2019 possible. Shäw níthän, Gunalchîsh, Mahsi cho, merci, gracias, chi miigwech, Salamat and thank you for coming to Available Light and making this a very special community event every Yukon winter. Vivian Belik, Co-programmer + Industry Producer Andrew Connors, Festival Director 7
On behalf of the Government of Yukon’s Department of Tourism and Culture it is my honour to welcome you to the 2019 Available Light Film Festival. Now in its 17th year, the ALFF has become a treasured midwinter celebration of northern, Indigenous and international film and arts. Organizers have once again put together a compelling and diverse array of films, performances, Q&As and workshops, showcasing the voices, stories and creative vision of local, Indigenous and international artists. There truly is something for everyone to enjoy and experience. The Government of Yukon is proud to support the Yukon Film Society and the festival through the annual Arts Operating Fund. To the organizers and volunteers whose dedication, inspiration and hard work bring us this marvelous event, congratulations and thank you.
Jeanie Dendys Minister of Tourism and Culture
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All Screenings are at the Yukon Arts Centre unless noted otherwise. VENUES Yukon Arts Centre: 300 College Dr Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre: 1171 Front St
Old Fire Hall: 1105 Front St Miner’s Daughter: 103 Main St
ALFF TICKETS & PASSES Individual Screening Tickets: $15/$13 YFS Member or Senior $10 Youth under 16 5 Film Pass: $60 10 Film Pass: $110 Dive-In Cinema Screenings $20 cash only (no Film Passes) Takhini Hot Pools (includes admission) Tickets at YFS (212 Lambert St), Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters or Takhini Hot Pools. Available Light Cabaret Soda Pony and NÀHGĄ: $15 (ages 19+) Miner’s Daughter Jeremy Parkin and NÀHGĄ: $15/$10 youth Old Fire Hall The Jenni House Waltz + Jennihouse with Peter Jickling: $15 YAC Studio Theatre Winter Trio: $15 YAC Studio Theatre WHERE TO BUY FESTIVAL TICKETS AND PASSES Online: www.yukontickets.com Yukon Arts Centre Box Office (867) 667-8574, Mon to Fri, 11am to 4pm At the door: Box Office opens one hour before films and is open between films. ALFF INDUSTRY TICKETS & PASSES ALFF Industry Passes: $175/$150 YFS Production Members Individual ALFF Industry Workshop Tickets: $25/$20 YFS Production Members ALFF Industry Passes are available in person at YFS (212 Lambert St, facing 3rd Ave) or by phone (867) 393-3456, at the door (cash and credit card) and online at alff.ca. Registration gives you access to all ALFF Industry events: panels, workshops, master classes, networking events and receptions. Pre-register for individual workshops by contacting alffi@yukonfilmsociety.com. Payment accepted: cash and credit card. GENERAL FESTIVAL INFO Passes do not guarantee a seat, you must redeem for individual tickets. With the exception of the Opening Gala, all seating is General Admission. No food or drink allowed in the Yukon Arts Centre theatre, unless in authorized YAC cups. Please turn off cell phones. No recording devices allowed. FESTIVAL FRIENDS We encourage you to pick up your tickets before the festival or at less busy times during the festival. This enables us to start the films at their scheduled time, which makes everyone happy. Plus, breezing into the theatre, tickets already in-hand, feels pretty great. Thank you and enjoy the festival! YukonFilmSociety
ALFFYukon
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Tear the ballot to indicate your rating (1 to 5 stars). The results of this balloting will determine the Audience Choice Awards for Best Canadian Documentary (over 30 minutes) and Best Canadian Feature Film. The winning film in each category receives $1,000. Sponsored by Super Channel. The Ballot Box is in the YAC Lobby and voting will end 30 minutes after the eligible screening. We want to know what you think about the films – rate every eligible film you see!
FICTION (CDN) A.R.C.H.I.E. 2 Elijah and the Rock Creature Firecrackers Edge of the Knife Mouthpiece A Colony (Une Colonie) Les Salopes (or the Naturally Wanton Pleasure of Skin) The Grizzlies When the Storm Fades
DOCUMENTARY (CDN) Snowbirds Bears: Ultimate Survivors How to Bee This Mountain Life The Woman Who Loves Giraffes The Song and the Sorrow What is Democracy? Finding Big Country Canada C3: A Voyage
2019 FESTIVAL TEAM Andrew Connors
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Vivian Belik
CO-PROGRAMMER
Kerry Barber Max Fraser Dianne Homan Chelsea Jeffery Genesee Keevil Kelly Panchyshyn
2019 ALFF PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Elyssia Sasaki PRODUCER
Karen Baltgailis Victoria Kennedy SPONSORSHIP
Guiniveve Lalena GRAPHIC DESIGN
Victoria Kennedy SOCIAL MEDIA
Alexandra Knowles
Takashi Samurai-Simon
Katie Newman Rebecca Manias
Jona Barr
Jayden Soroka
Kerry Barber Caitlin Beaulieu Tiffani Fraser Carol Geddes Jessica Hall Aileen Horler Victoria Kennedy Leo Lane Moriah MacMillan Noel Sinclair
TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR
MULTIMEDIA CURATORS
VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNICIAN
Bran Ramsey
GUEST SERVICES AND PRODUCTION SUPPORT
Vivian Belik
ALFF INDUSTRY PRODUCER
David Knipe
ALFFI ASSISTANT
PROJECTIONIST PRINT TRAFFIC
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, ALFF CABARET
YUKON FILM SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Erik Pinkerton
FESTIVAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Marty O’Brien
PROJECTIONIST
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Festivals play a vital role in ensuring that Canadian films from all corners of our country are discovered and enjoyed, and that Canadian talent is in the spotlight. The AVAILABLE LIGHT FILM FESTIVAL provides a unique opportunity to do just that! Canadian films are brought to the screen by vibrant teams that care deeply about creating the best possible product and reaching audiences at home and abroad. At Telefilm Canada, we are committed to seeing even bigger; and are supported in this endeavour by a growing number of public and private partners, both Canadian and foreign. We are also counting on your commitment so that our talent and their stories may take their rightful place. Our focus is on diversity, a great Canadian asset. We encourage the next generation to dare to make their first feature films. Indigenous filmmakers now enjoy more support, and we have seen our industry come together to support the shared goal of gender parity. We know that these voices will revitalize Canada’s rich cultural heritage and ensure its bright future. I would like to thank and congratulate all those who work to bring our diversity to the screen. Les festivals de films jouent un rôle essentiel en donnant la chance aux cinéphiles de tous les coins du pays de découvrir et d’apprécier les films canadiens, et en mettant les talents d’ici sur le devant de la scène. C’est exactement ce que fait le AVAILABLE LIGHT FILM FESTIVAL! Les films canadiens sont portés à l’écran par des équipes dynamiques, soucieuses de créer le meilleur produit possible et de rejoindre les auditoires chez nous et à l’étranger. À Téléfilm Canada, nous nous sommes engagés à voir plus grand encore, et de plus en plus de partenaires publics et privés, canadiens et étrangers, soutiennent cette ambition. Nous comptons aussi sur votre engagement, chers cinéphiles, pour que nos talents et leurs histoires prennent toute la place qu’ils méritent. Nous misons principalement sur la diversité, une grande richesse canadienne. Nous encourageons la relève qui peut ainsi oser réaliser ses premiers longs métrages. Les cinéastes autochtones bénéficient d’une aide plus importante, et l’industrie tout entière s’est mobilisée pour que nous puissions atteindre notre objectif commun de la parité hommesfemmes. Nous sommes confiants que les voix des différentes communautés sauront dynamiser ce riche héritage culturel et lui dessineront un brillant avenir. Merci et félicitations à tous ceux et celles qui portent notre diversité à l’écran.
Christa Dickenson Executive Director, Telefilm Canada Directrice générale, Téléfilm Canada
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FESTIVAL GUESTS Steve Bates
TELEFILM CANADA
Tracey Doyle Katya Preto
Murray Battle
CAVCO
Renée Beaulieu
BEARS: ULTIMATE SURVIVORS
KNOWLEDGE NETWORK LES SALOPES (OR THE NATURALLY WANTON PLEASURE OF SKIN)
Vivian Belik Moriah MacMillan MORE THAN THIS
Paul Bergman Daniel Janke Ken Searcy WINTER TRIO
Jay Bulkaert Pablo Saravanja
ARTLESS COLLECTIVE
Ida Calmegane Sandra Johnson Daniel Janke Andrew Sharp
HOMECOMING SONG
Kelsey Eliasson
Jeremy Emerson Jennifer Walden ELIJAH AND THE ROCK CREATURE
Ashley Evans Silver Kim
RISE ’N’ SHINE
Sean Farnel
DOCUMENTARY ORGANIZATION OF CANADA
Sam Gallagher Scott Maynard Peter Jickling JENNIHOUSE
Helen Haig-Brown
EDGE OF THE KNIFE
Elizabeth A. Castle Marcella Gilbert
Martina Halik Tania Halik
Julian Carrington Stephanie McArthur
Jessica Hall
WARRIOR WOMEN
HOT DOCS
Millefiore Clarkes
THIS MOUNTAIN LIFE WITCH HOLLOW
Kat Jayme
FINDING BIG COUNTRY
Allan Code
Peter Jickling Patrick Keenan Brendan Preston
OTTER EYE
THE LAST AVENUE
TBA
Odile Joannette
THE SONG AND THE SORROW
REPRESENTATIVE, CANADIAN MEDIA FUND
WAPIKONI MOBILE
Bryan Croft Julie Dobbin Steve Oliver Matthew Tiffin
FORETOLD
CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS
Sean Devlin
WHEN THE STORM FADES
Lulu Keating Casey Koyczan NAHGA
François Lemieux Marc-Antoine Levesque LA TOURNÉE QUÉBEC CINEMA
Neil Macdonald Shayne Putzlocher A.R.C.H.I.E. 2
Camilla MacEachren
NWT FILM COMMISSION
Naomi Mark Vivian Belik HOW TO BEE
Robin Mirsky
ROGERS GROUP OF FUNDS
Jasmin Mozaffari FIRECRACKERS
Marty O’Brien Naomi Mark
GREY MOUNTAIN
Joey O’Neil Jeremy Parkin Paris Pick MUSICIANS
Heidi Piiroinen
BLACK HOLE MAMA
Jordana Ross
CBC DOC CHANNEL
Dan Sokolowski 17 DAYS IN MAY
Richard Van Camp KEYNOTE SPEAKER THREE FEATHERS
Shirley Vercruysse
NFB BC + YUKON STUDIO
Wa’tla’ka Zazaxsmalis DJ Kookum
SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS
Suzanne Lacey BELL FUND
Renée Lear Aimée Dawn Robinson
THE JENNI HOUSE WALTZ 13
OFFICIAL BEER AVAILABLE LIGHT FILM FESTIVAL WE’RE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK. CHECK OUT WINTERLONGBREWING.COM FOR OUR BEER MENU & HOURS.
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TO YOUR BUSINESS Put the spotlight on your products or services in the only Yukon newspaper distributed territory wide. LOCAL NEWS | EVENTS & ACTIVITIES | NATIONAL & WORLD NEWS HEALTH & SCIENCE | BUSINESS & FINANCE | LIFESTYLE | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RESTAURANTS & NIGHTLIFE | CLASSIFIEDS
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THANK YOU! Nancy Chapelle, Christa Dickenson, Yellowknife International Film Festival, Independent Media Arts Alliance, Hot Docs Film Festival, Western Arctic Moving Pictures, Camilla MacEachern, Screen Production Yukon Association, La Tournée Québec Cinéma, Documentary Organization of Canada, Andrew Umbrich, Takhini Hot Pools staff, CINE Collective, Dead North Film Festival, Telefilm Canada, Canada Media Fund, Dylan Soo, Gimli Film Festival, Iris Merrit, Winnipeg Film Group, Grand Chief Peter Johnston, Jason Ryle, imagineNATIVE, Michele Emslie, Jona Barr, Andrea Stratis, Casey Prescott, Jennifer Heffernan, Jess McNabb, Mary Bradshaw, Reid Vanier, Josh Jansen, Duncan Sinclair, Katherine McCallum, Andrew Smith, Adam Pope, Tara Kiely, YAC Box Office and Front of House, Scott Price, Katya McQueen, Tanya Boone, Meghan Marjanovic, Dave Barber, Samuel Cohn-Cousineau, Isuma TV, Alexandra Marvar, Erin Corbett, John Dippong, Braden Brickner, Jenny Lee Craig, Vancouver International Film Festival, Elizabeth Radshaw, Ingrid Veninger, Kanina Holmes, Karen McColl, Natal Samuelson, Janet Patterson, Peter Mettler, Marie Clements, Tom Alexander, Mongrel Media, IFC Films, Pete Harris, Metro Cinema, Chris Emery, eOne Films Canada, Avi Federgreen, Kinosmith, Laura Good, TIFF, Jennifer Baichwal, Jane Gutteridge, National Film Board of Canada, Outpost 31, Jayden Soroka, Neil Macdonald, Daniel Janke, Lulu Keating, Max Fraser, Carol Geddes, Bobbi-Rose Koe, Michael Vernon, Paolo Gallina, Stéphane Cardin, François Lemieux, Mark Rutledge, Anna Crawford, Swedish Film Institute, Finnish Film Foundation, LevelK Films, Amanda Gauvin, Level Film, Katrina Costello, CinePhil, Danish Film Institute, Camille Jacques, Dan Cross, EyeSteelFilm, VVS, La Distributrice de Films, Peg Leg Films, Yukon Archives, First Generation Films, Fun Film Distribution, Wapikoni Mobile, Handful of Films, Midnight Light Media, Big Country Films, Daniel McCabe, Abramorama, Kartemquin Films, Students on Ice Foundation, Sea Fever Productions, Third Party Films, Andrea Bussman, Sean Devlin, Terry Chui, Henry, Stéphane Thibeault, Jeanine Myhre, Alexandria Edzerza, Mac’s Fireweed Books.
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Dozens of ALFF selections, on demand.
FRI FEB 1
SAT FEB 2
SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS
DJ KOOKUM
SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS
YOUTH HIP HOP VIDEO WORKSHOP SERIES
7pm Snotty Nose Rez Kids
was released in 2017 and in summer 2018 they released their new mixtape, The Average Savage.
YUKON ARTS CENTRE $35 ADULT/$20 YOUTH
Yukon Arts Centre presents the ALFF Kick-Off Concert featuring the hip hop duo from the Haisla Nation, DJ Kookum from Vancouver and an opening set by Tahltan Havoc featuring Georgie Ann-Hager Sam; Paddy Jim, John Stosh and the youth who participated in the Youth Hip Hop Video Workshop Series presented by Skookum Jim Friendship Centre and Yukon Film Society. Recreating their identities within their own contexts, they aim to reclaim their voices and share them with a wider audience. Zazaxsmalis, otherwise known as Yung Trybez is a writer, rapper, photographer and spoken word artist of ‘The People of the Snow’ that is the Haisla Nation. Wa’tla’ka otherwise known as Young D or “D” is a songwriter/rapper that was born and raised in Kitamaat Village. Together they are the Snotty Nose Rez Kids. Their debut album
Funding and support for the Youth Hip Hop Video Workshop Series generously provided by Jordan’s Principle, Culture Quest, Yukon Arts Fund, the Yukon Arts Centre and the Heart of Riverdale Community Centre. DJ Kookum Cheyanna Kootenhayoo, also known as DJ Kookum, is a Dene/Cree Filmmaker and DJ. She is a member of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, originally from Cold Lake First Nations and is based out of Vancouver, BC. This past year Kookum opened for Princess Nokia, held it down on the decks at the first Vancouver Indigenous Fashion week and at the 18th annual ImagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival in Toronto.
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SAT FEB 2
RICHARD VAN CAMP
THREE FEATHERS
2pm Tia and Piujuq
5pm Three Feathers
DIR. LUCY TULUGARJUK, 2018, NU/PQ, 79 MIN
DIR. CARLA ULRICH, NWT, 2018, 45 MIN
KWANLIN DÜN CULTURAL CENTRE FREE SCREENING SCREENING SPONSOR: KLONDIKE KETTLE CORN
Tia is a 10-year-old Syrian refugee who has recently moved to Montréal with her parents. Her life changes when she finds a magic portal that transports her to the arctic tundra. Here she befriends Piujuq, an Inuk girl of her age, camping with her grandmother. In French, Arabic, Inuktitut and English with subtitles. 4pm Keynote Address: Richard Van Camp – Community Healing Through Storytelling KWANLIN DÜN CULTURAL CENTRE FREE EVENT EVENT SPONSOR: KWANLIN DÜN CULTURAL CENTRE
Dynamic speaker and author, Richard Van Camp (The Lesser Blessed, The Moon Letting Go, Three Feathers) originally from Fort Smith, NWT, talks about the process of turning the graphic novel Three Feathers into a ground-breaking film project that was filmed and produced in four different languages: nēhiyawēwin (Cree), Dëne Dedlıne Yatıé (Chipewyan), Dene Yatıé (South Slavey), and English. The 45-minute English version will be shown at ALFF 2019. 20
KWANLIN DÜN CULTURAL CENTRE FREE SCREENING SCREENING SPONSOR: KWANLIN DÜN CULTURAL CENTRE
Based on a graphic novel by Richard Van Camp, this beautifully made dramatic film tells the story of three young men who have vandalized their small northern community. They are sent by the town Elders to live nine months on the land as part of a circle sentencing process. There, the young men learn to take responsibility for their actions and acquire the values that have been lacking in their lives – humility, caring and respect. World premiere Followed by a Q&A with Executive Producer, Richard Van Camp.
SAT FEB 2
SNOWBIRDS
SNOWBIRDS
DEAD NORTH
9pm Dive-In Cinema: Snowbirds
11pm Dive-In Cinema: Selections from Dead North
DIR. JOANNIE LAFRENIÈRE, QC, 52 MIN TAKHINI HOT POOLS $20 CASH ONLY. SEE PAGE 9 FOR DETAILS.
Every year, thousands of Quebecers flock south to escape the harsh winters. Using a Wes Anderson–inspired aesthetic, Snowbirds examines their hibernation destination: the French-speaking community of Hallandale Beach in Florida. There we meet characters like Agathe, an 88-year-old Québécoise who eats chocolate bars, drinks cola for lunch and worships the sun. Many others come for the same reason, and together their days at this campground community are dictated by English conversation classes, jaunts to the beach and afternoon lawn bowling. With lots of tenderness and good humour, the film considers the joys and woes of aging, and the importance of community. Ages 12+. Presented in partnership with La Tournée Québec Cinéma and with the support of Arts Fund, Yukon Government.
DIR. VARIOUS, 2018, NWT/YT, 65 MIN TAKHINI HOT POOLS $20 CASH ONLY. SEE PAGE 9 FOR DETAILS. SCREENING SPONSOR: NWT FILM COMMISSION
A selection of short films from the 2018 festival in the genres of sci-fi, horror and fantasy, curated and introduced by Yellowknife’s aRTLeSS Collective. Parental guidance advised. Ages 16+. Dead North: over the course of two months, filmmakers from the circumpolar world produce original films in some of the world’s coldest climates. The films have their premiere at Dead North in Yellowknife in February. Program includes: Armplant (NT), Arsenic Wars: Noise (NT), Aurora Gorealis (NT), Bejede (YT), Cariboo! (NT), Dong Gone (NT), Elisabet & Baltasar (IS), Fireweed (NT), Hello Operator (NT), Off the Hook (YT), She Keeps Me Warm (NT), #Selfie (NT), The Master (NT), Within the Stars (NT) 21
SUN FEB 3
BIIDAABAN: FIRST LIGHT
ANOTE’S ARK VR
Virtual Reality Exhibition
The VR environment was created using to-scale architectural models of Toronto’s Osgoode subway station and the buildings surrounding Nathan Phillips Square.
Anote’s Ark VR Biidaaban: First Light SUNDAY, FEB 3, 2 TO 7PM MONDAY, FEB 4, 4 TO 8:30PM TUESDAY, FEB 5, 4 TO 8:30PM YUKON ARTS CENTRE STUDIO EVENT SPONSOR: OUTPOST 31
Biidaaban: First Light PROJECT CREATORS: LISA JACKSON, MATHEW BORRETT, JAM3, AND THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA 6 MIN
An interactive virtual reality project that illuminates how Indigenous languages can help us understand our place in a reconciled version of Canada’s largest urban environment. Biidaaban: First Light asks users to think about their place in history and their role in a possible future. As they move through a highly realistic future Toronto reclaimed by nature, they hear the languages of the place originally known as Tkaronto. Through gaze-based interactions, users engage with the written text of the Wendat, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) and Anishinaabe (Ojibway) and gain insight into the complex thought systems of this land’s first peoples.
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Lisa Jackson (Anishinaabe) is one of Canada’s most celebrated contemporary artists working in film and VR. In Biidaaban: First Light, Lisa joins forces with 3D artist Mathew Borrett to create a future for Canada’s largest urban centre from an Indigenous female perspective. Anote’s Ark VR DIRECTOR: MATTHIEU RYTZ PRODUCERS: BOB MOORE, MATTHIEU RYTZ, EYESTEELFILM 10 MIN
Have you ever heard of the Republic of Kiribati? With almost no environmental footprint, this Pacific Island nation is one of the most remote places on the planet, yet it is one of the first countries that must confront the main existential dilemma of our time: imminent annihilation from sea level rise. Anote’s Ark VR takes you on a journey to Kiribati to bear witness to one of the biggest challenges facing humanity. Presented with support of Arts Fund, Yukon Government.
SUN FEB 3
A.R.C.H.I.E. 2
2018 ALFF PITCH EVENT
A.R.C.H.I.E. 2
2018 ALFF PITCH EVENT
11am A.R.C.H.I.E. 2
1pm ALFF Pitch Event
DIR. ROBIN DUNNE, SK/YT, 82 MIN
OLD FIRE HALL, 90 MIN
YUKON ARTS CENTRE FREE SCREENING
FREE EVENT
SCREENING SPONSORS: SUPER CHANNEL
Partially shot in the Yukon, this familyfriendly sequel to the film A.R.C.H.I.E. (Artificial Robotronic Canine HyperIntelligence Experiment) features Michael J. Fox as the voice of A.R.C.H.I.E. This time around, A.R.C.H.I.E. befriends the son of a carnival owner as they try and solve who has been stealing from the carnival. Producers Shayne Putzlocher and Neil Macdonald in attendance.
In the 4th annual ALFF Industry Pitch Event filmmakers pitch their short film projects to a panel of national industry decisionmakers and local filmmakers in front of a live audience. This popular event is free to the public and the winner’s film projects will be screened at ALFF 2020. Cash prizes courtesy of Outpost 31, Yukon Film Society, and Yukon Media Development. Production services by Yukon Film Society. Event host: Melaina Sheldon.
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SUN FEB 3
ELIJAH AND THE ROCK CREATURE
WARRIOR WOMEN
1pm Elijah and the Rock Creature
3:30pm Warrior Women
DIR. JEN WALDEN, 2018, NT, 84 MIN
DIR. ELIZ ABETH A. CASTLE, CHRISTINA D. KING, 2018, USA, 64 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: NWT FILM COMMISSION
Employing chutzpah and community to make her micro-budget kid-friendly sci-fi feature, Yellowknife director Jen Walden’s Elijah and the Rock Creature charms with warmth and creative special effects. A grieving boy and his mother embark on a trip to see the stars at the largest dark sky preserve in the world. Unable to contain his excitement, 10-year-old Elijah wanders away from his mother and loses his way in the vast wilderness of Wood Buffalo National Park. As he struggles to find his way back, Elijah encounters an extraordinary creature in a similar circumstance. The unlikely pair forms a bond and together learns that sometimes following your heart is the best way to find your way home. Writer/director, Jen Walden and producer/ editor, Jeremy Emerson, in attendance. Screens with: Birch Song DIR. KEITH ROBERTSON, 2018, NWT, 17 MIN
Making birch syrup is a labour-intensive process, it is ultimately not profitable, and the black, bitter syrup does not taste as sweet as its more glamorous sister, maple syrup. So why do three Yellowknife families head into the bush for two weeks to make it every year? 24
SCREENING SPONSORS: COUNCIL FOR YUKON FIRST NATIONS, CARCROSS/TAGISH FIRST NATION
A powerful documentary about the women of the American Indian Movement (AIM) in the 1970s that focuses on Lakota activist Madonna Thunder Hawk, her daughter Marcy Gilbert and their lives as Indigenous rights activists. Today, with Marcy now a mother herself, both women are still at the forefront of Indigenous issues, fighting against the environmental devastation of the Dakota Access Pipeline and for Indigenous cultural values. Through their story, the film explores what it means to balance a movement with motherhood and how activist legacies are passed down from generation to generation in the face of a government continually meeting Indigenous resistance with mass violence. This is an inspiring and fierce documentary. Western Canada premiere Film subject, Marcella Gilbert and co-director, Elizabeth A. Castle, in attendance.
SUN FEB 3
HOMECOMING SONG
HOW TO BEE
Screens with: Homecoming Song
disease. Through archival photographs and interviews with family, the film explores the history of Don Mark’s beekeeping in the Yukon and traces his journey in the present day as he spends the summer passing his knowledge onto his daughter. As Don’s health changes, Naomi struggles to accept what the new-found space between her father and the bees really means.
DIR. DANIEL JANKE, 2019, YT, 20 MIN
A poetic documentary that combines archival material, animation by Andrew Sharp and interviews to tell the parallel stories of two Indigenous men who came home. Many years ago Kaax’achgook of the Kiks.adi clan of southeast Alaska disappeared at sea, and was thought lost by his family and people. Three years later he returned with a song telling of his experiences. When Pete Sidney came back after being away for six years fighting in the Second World War, his mother Angela Sidney sang this ancient song for him. World premiere. Executive producers, Ida Calmegane and Sandra Johnson, animator, Andrew Sharp and director Daniel Janke, in attendance. 7pm ALFF 2019 OPENING GALA How to Bee DIR. NAOMI MARK, 2018, YT, 82 MIN GALA EVENT CO-PRESENTERS: CANADA MEDIA FUND + TELEFILM CANADA SCREENING SPONSOR: TRUE NORTH RESPIRATORY
In this heart-felt documentary, Whitehorse filmmaker Naomi Mark embarks on a journey to connect with her father through beekeeping after her dad: long time Yukoner and cantankerous Renaissance man, Don Mark, is diagnosed with a degenerative lung
Director Naomi Mark, producer Vivian Belik, cinematographer Marty O’Brien and members of the Mark family in attendance. Opening remarks by Steve Bates, Western Regional Film Executive for Telefilm Canada, Murray Battle, Executive producer with Knowledge Network, a representative from Canada Media Fund, and Richard Mostyn, Minister of Highways and Public Works and the Public Service Commission, Yukon Government. 10pm Gala After-Party with Soda Pony and NÀHGĄ MINER’S DAUGHTER (AGES 19+) TICKETS: $15
Music performances by Yellowknife’s NÀHGĄ (Casey Koyczan) and Whitehorse’s Soda Pony. Hosted by Yukon Film Society and the NWT Film Commission, with support from Music Yukon.
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MON FEB 4
BEARS: ULTIMATE SURVIVORS
BEAUTIFUL BOY
OTTER EYE
BEAUTIFUL BOY
12pm Bears: Ultimate Survivors
2pm Beautiful Boy
DIR. KELSEY ELIASSON, 2019, YT, 48 MIN
DIR. FELIX VAN GROENINGEN, 2018, USA, 121 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: NORTHWESTEL COMMUNITY TELEVISION
This natural history documentary looks at three species of bears and their ability to adapt to a changing world. Filmed by Yukoner Kelsey Eliasson across different parts of Canada. World premiere. Director Kelsey Eliasson in attendance. Screens with: Otter Eye DIR. ALLAN CODE, 2018, YT, 22 MIN
Otters are like little ghosts travelling above and beneath the ice between spots at lake outlets where upwelling warm water keeps ice from forming. Too wary to film even from blinds, long lenses and camera traps are used to capture an unobtrusive, intimate look at the world of otters. Camera trappers Kim Melton and Rene Rivard set motiontrigger with precision and intuition informed by years of observation and study. World premiere. Director Allan Code in attendance. 26
SCREENING SPONSOR: ARCTIC STAR PRINTING INC.
Teenager Nicolas Sheff (Timothy Chalamet) seems to have it all with good grades, being an actor, artist, athlete and editor of the school newspaper. When Nic’s addiction to meth threatens to destroy him, his father does whatever he can to save his son and family. “Chalamet now leaves no doubt that he’s an actor of refined and profound gifts: His performance in Beautiful Boy helps elevate a boho-bourgeois melodrama to something that aspires to be more achingly real and human.” ~Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
MON FEB 4
GREY MOUNTAIN
RISE ’N’ SHINE
6pm North by Northwest: Yukon Shorts
Foretold
DIR. VARIOUS, 2018, YT, 60 MIN SCREENING SPONSOR: NORTHWESTEL COMMUNITY TELEVISION
Filmmakers in attendance: Brendan Preston, Peter Jickling, Patrick Keenan, Lulu Keating, Naomi Mark, Marty O’Brien, Silver Kim, Ashley Evans, Tip Evans. Screening preceded with a music set by Yukon-based musician Joey O’Neil. Presented with support from Music Yukon. The Last Avenue DIR. BRENDAN PRESTON, PETER JICKLING, PATRICK KEENAN, 2018, YT, 3 MIN
Based on a poem by Peter Jickling. Fiona DIR. INGRID VENINGER, 2018, ON, 4 MIN
This short was improvised during ALFF 2018 when Veninger was a guest at the festival. Cast via a CBC radio interview where Ingrid invited anyone interested in being on camera to email. Fiona and Michel responded. Flour Pull at Rendezvous DIR. INGRID VENINGER, 2018, ON, 5 MIN
This short was improvised during ALFF 2018 when Veninger was a guest at the festival. JP Michaeu and his wife Aimée discuss his preparations to compete in the 2018 Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous flour pull contest.
DIR. LULU KEATING, 2018, YT, 8 MIN
There is so much that we don’t understand. Can a dream predict the future? Can it be sent by a deceased friend? Grey Mountain DIR. NAOMI MARK, MARTY O’BRIEN, 2019, YT, 18 MIN
Grey Mountain follows the story of Beau, a 14-year-old girl living in an isolated Yukon community and dealing with the recent loss of her mother. A shocking discovery at the cemetery throws Beau’s world into chaos and sets her on a journey to get to Pioneer Creek, a remote community 100km away. Winner of the 2018 ALFF Pitch Prize for short fiction. Rise ’N’ Shine DIR. SILVER KIM, ASHLEY EVANS, 2019, BC/YT, 21 MIN
This beautifully shot comedy by Vancouver actors and filmmakers Silver Kim and Teslin-raised Ashley Evans is about two down at heel dreamers that can’t seem to get ahead. Their relationship is volatile and magnetic; Jim is a chronic gambler and small-time criminal and Amanda is an alcoholic whose life ambition is to open a bakery just like the one her mom ran when she was a child. Just when it seems like Amanda has thrown Jim out for good, Jim and a pal steal a trophy moose-head from the local diner. 27
YAC KDCC OFH Studio Gallery MD
Yukon Arts Centre Theatre Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre Old Fire Hall YAC Studio Theatre YAC Community Gallery Miner’s Daughter
THP Takhini Hot Pools C/TLC Carcross/Tagish Learning Centre Free Screening or Event * Free Workshop. Please email ** laura.beks@canadacouncil.ca to reserve your space.
TIME
FRIDAY, FEB 1
7pm
Snotty Nose Rez Kids: ALFF Kick-off Concert
VENUE
PAGE
YAC
19
SATURDAY, FEB 2
2pm
Tia and Piujuq*
KDCC
20
4pm
Keynote Address: Richard Van Camp: Community Healing Through Storytelling*
KDCC
20
5pm
Three Feathers*
KDCC
20
9pm
Dive-In Cinema: Snowbirds
THP
21
11pm
Dive-In Cinema: Best of Dead North 2018
THP
21
Studio
22
SUNDAY, FEB 3
2-7pm
Bidaaban and Anote’s Ark VR exhibition*
11am
A.R.C.H.I.E. 2*
YAC
23
1pm
Elijah and the Rock Creature + Birch Song
YAC
24
1-2:30pm
ALFF Pitch Event*
OFH
23
3:30pm
Warrior Women + Homecoming Song
YAC
24/25
6pm
Opening Gala reception
YAC
25
7pm
Opening Gala Film: How to Bee
YAC
25
10pm
Gala After-Party: NÀHGĄ and Soda Pony
MD
25
MONDAY, FEB 4
Noon
Bears: Ultimate Survivors + Otter Eye
YAC
26
2pm
Beautiful Boy
YAC
26
4-8:30pm
Bidaaban and Anote’s Ark VR exhibition*
Studio
22
6pm
North by Northwest: Yukon Short Films
YAC
27
8:30pm
Firecrackers
YAC
30
TUESDAY, FEB 5
12-2pm
Canada Council for the Arts presentation: New funding models for artists**
OFH
–
9:30am
Warrior Women (School Show)
YAC
24
12pm
Maj Doris
YAC
30
3pm
Our New President
YAC
31
4-8:30pm
Bidaaban and Anote’s Ark VR exhibition*
Studio
22
5:30pm
Warrior Women + Homecoming Song
C/TLC
32
6pm
This Mountain Life
YAC
31
8:30pm
Wildlife
YAC
32
8:30pm
Available Light Cabaret: NÀHGĄ + Jeremy Parkin
OFH
32
WEDNESDAY, FEB 6
12pm
The Woman Who Loves Giraffes + The Zoo
YAC
33
2:30pm
The Lord Eagle (Toyon Kyyl)
YAC
33
6pm
Edge of the Knife (Sgaawaay K'uuna)
8:30pm
ALFF Experimental: The Goose
8:30pm
Mouthpiece
YAC
33
Studio
34
YAC
34
THURSDAY, FEB 7
12pm
The Song and the Sorrow + My Dead Dad's Porno Tapes
YAC
35
3pm
What is Democracy?
YAC
35
6pm
Shoplifters
6:30pm
ALFF Experimental: Black Hole Mama + Fausto
8:30pm
A Colony (Une Colonie)
YAC
35
Studio
36
YAC
36
FRIDAY, FEB 8
Noon
Wapikoni Short Films
YAC
37
3pm
The Distant Barking of Dogs
YAC
37
5:30pm
Les Salopes or the Naturally Wanton Pleasure of Skin
YAC
38
8pm
Cold War (Zimna wojna)
YAC
38
10pm
Available Light Cabaret: The Jenni House Waltz and Jennihouse + Peter Jickling
Studio
39
10pm
Border (Gräns)
YAC
39
SATURDAY, FEB 9
10am
Finding Big Country + Fast Horse
YAC
40
12pm
The Grizzlies
YAC
40
2pm
ALFF Experimental: Mangoshake
Studio
41
4pm
Curator’s Talk: The Multimedia Exhibitions*
Gallery
47
3pm
This is Congo
YAC
41
6pm
Minding the Gap
YAC
41
8:30pm
If Beale Street Could Talk
YAC
42
9pm
Available Light Cabaret: Winter Trio
Studio
42
SUNDAY, FEB 10
10am
Canada C3: A Voyage*
YAC
42
12pm
When the Storm Fades
YAC
43
2:30pm
Amateurs (Amatörer)
YAC
43
5pm
The Silver Branch
YAC
45
7:30pm
Woman at War (Kona fer í stríð)
YAC
45
MON FEB 4
TUES FEB 5
FIRECRACKERS
MAJ DORIS
8:30pm Firecrackers
12pm Maj Doris
DIR. JASMIN MOZ AFFARI, 2018, ON, 84 MIN
DIR. JON BLÅHED, JIMMY SUNDIN, 2018, SWE, 73 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: TELEFILM CANADA
Lou and her best friend Chantal plan to get out of their isolated, run-down town and move to a city far, far away. When Chantal’s unstable and possessive ex violates her during a night of partying, the girls decide to exact their revenge on him through a night of vandalism and debauchery. The consequences of their actions are devastating, threatening the girls’ chances of ever leaving. The more Lou fights tooth-andnail to save her friendship and hold onto her dreams, the more she spins out of control as she begins to realize that freedom will come at a high cost. Content warning for language and sexuality. Director Jasmin Mozaffari in attendance. Selected a Top 10 film of 2018 by the Toronto International Film Festival Screening preceded with a music set by Soul-Pop musician Paris Pick. Presented with support from Music Yukon.
SCREENING SPONSOR: MUKTUK ADVENTURES
Some people have a special ability to live their life to the fullest and to be present in everything they do. One of them is the 74-year-old artist Maj Doris, who has traveled around the world and today lives on her own in a small house in the beautiful northern Swedish wilderness, where the northern lights undulate across the mountains. As a sought-after artist with exhibitions and a genuine interest in the young, it is natural for her to be surrounded by people. A young, Afghan man helps her out on the farm. To show her gratitude, she entertains him and his friends at the local burger bar about the time when she discovered rock ’n’ roll! The passing of time and of life in general in the frosty expanses follows its own rhythm in this sensual and beautiful documentary portrait. Screens with: Lalithaa DIR. INGRID VENINGER, 2018, YT/ON, 6 MIN
Ingrid Veninger met Lalithaa during the 2018 Available Light Film Festival. Late one evening, they met and made this short film.
30
TUES FEB 5
OUR NEW PRESIDENT
THIS MOUNTAIN LIFE
OUR NEW PRESIDENT
THIS MOUNTAIN LIFE
3pm Our New President
6pm This Mountain Life
DIR. MAXIM POZDOROVKIN, 2018, USA, 77 MIN
DIR. GRANT BALDWIN, 2018, BC, 77 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: THE CLAIM CAFÉ & FOOD CO.
The story of Donald Trump’s election is told entirely through the use of Russian propaganda. By turns horrifying and hilarious, Our New President uses stock footage from news media and online sources to expose Russia’s meddling in the 2016 US presidential elections. Impressive and irreverent use of music and sound enlivens footage that reveals an empire of fake news and the tactics of information warfare now being deployed in international politics.
SCREENING SPONSOR: YUKON CONSERVATION SOCIETY
Martina and her mother Tania embark on a six month, 2300km journey from Squamish, BC to Skagway, Alaska along the spine of the Coast Mountain Range; a group of nuns inhabit a mountain retreat to be closer to God; a photographer is buried in an avalanche; an impassioned alpinist; an alpine snow artist; and a couple who has been living off grid in the mountains for nearly 50 years. What is it that leads these adventurous people to sacrifice everything – comfort, family, personal safety – for a life in the mountains? Shot in cinematic detail, This Mountain Life is a riveting portrait of human passion set high in the peaks of British Columbia, Canada. Film subjects Martina Halik and Tania Halik, and executive producer, Murray Battle in attendance. 31
TUES FEB 5
WILDLIFE
JEREMY PARKIN AND NÀHGĄ
8:30pm Wildlife
8:30pm Available Light Cabaret: Jeremy Parkin and NÀHGĄ
DIR. PAUL DANO, 2018, USA, 104 MIN SCREENING SPONSOR: MINER’S DAUGHTER
In his striking directorial debut, Dano joins a canon of filmmakers who have explored the meaning, and the cost, of the American dream. Collaborating with co-writer Zoe Kazan, Dano chooses for his version a coming-of-age story, set in the postwar American Midwest and told through a feminist lens. When Jerry Brinson (Jake Gyllenhaal) loses his job, his family looks for work of their own. His wife, Jeannette (Carey Mulligan), awakening her fiery spirit and charm, convinces the local YMCA to give her a job as a swimming instructor. Meanwhile, their 14-year-old son, Joe (Ed Oxenbould), lands a gig at a local photography studio. Too prideful to look for work in town, Jerry joins in fighting the nearby wildfires. Adapted from Richard Ford’s novel of the same name, Carey Mulligan delivers one of the finest performances of her career.
OLD FIRE HALL TICKETS: $15/$10 YOUTH EVENT SPONSOR: WINTERLONG BREWING COMPANY
This event promises an aural and visual journey through the eyes of two modern Indigenous artists: NÀHGĄ (Casey Koyczan), a Tlicho Dene multi-media musician and Jeremy Parkin, a Tutchone/ Gwich’in electronic music composer. This performance is supported by the Yukon Arts Fund and NWT Film Commission. Carcross Screening 5:30pm Warrior Women + Homecoming Song DIR. ELIZ ABETH A. CASTLE + CHRISTINA D. KING, 2018, USA, 64 MIN
CARCROSS/TAGISH LEARNING CENTRE, ADMISSION BY DONATION SCREENING SPONSOR: CARCROSS/TAGISH FIRST NATION
Warning for mature content.
See film description on pages 24 and 25.
“A small-scale gem with a haunting final image, Paul Dano’s debut feature Wildlife is the story of a 1960s family quietly imploding.” ~ Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times
This screening will be followed by a circle discussion with the guests in attendance: Ida Calmegane, Sandra Johnson, Marcella Gilbert, Elizabeth A. Castle and Daniel Janke. Event host: Gary Sidney Johnson
32
WED FEB 6
THE WOMAN WHO LOVES GIRAFFES
12pm The Woman Who Loves Giraffes DIR. ALISON REID, 2018, ON, 82 MIN SCREENING SPONSOR: ORDISH & ORDISH CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS
EDGE OF THE KNIFE (SGAAWAAY Ḵ’UUNA)
a bad omen. The old people dare not drive it away because eagles are sacred so they call on a shaman to help. Filled with drama and humour, this remarkable film was made with 100% Indigenous cast and crew in the Sakha Republic. Winner of the top film prize at the Moscow International Film Festival. In Yakut with English subtitles.
Dr. Anne Innis Dagg re-traces the steps of her ground-breaking 1956 journey to South Africa to study giraffes in the wild and discovers a startling contrast between the world of giraffes she once knew and the one it has become. Her harrowing journey gives us an intimate look into the factors that destroyed her career and the forces that brought her back.
DIR. HELEN HAIG-BROWN, GWAAI EDENSHAW, BC/QC, 2018, 100 MIN
Screens with: The Zoo
SCREENING SPONSOR: MICHE GENEST AND HECTOR MACKENZIE
DIR. JULIA KWAN, 2018, BC, 11 MIN
Acclaimed filmmaker Julia Kwan’s animated film explores themes of abandonment, home, and change, while touching on some of the debates swirling around two seemingly disparate subjects: the decline of ethnic neighbourhoods and urban zoos. 2:30pm The Lord Eagle (Toyon Kyyl) DIR. EDUARD NOVIKOV, RU, 80 MIN SCREENING SPONSOR: WHAT’S UP YUKON
This film will be introduced by guest programmer, and YFS board member, Kerry Barber. Set in Yakutia, Siberia in 1930, an elderly couple discovers an eagle has taken up residence outside their home, which may be
6pm Edge of the Knife (SGaawaay Ḵ’uuna)
The world’s first Haida language feature film is a remarkable community-based filmmaking collaboration between the Inuitowned film company: Isuma International and the Haida Nation of Haida Gwaii. On the remote islands of Haida Gwaii, off the west coast of British Columbia, in the 1800s, two extended families re-unite at their annual summer fishing camp. Soon conflict between a charismatic young nobleman, Adiits’ii, and his best friend Kwa, tears their interwoven families apart. In Haida with English subtitles. Director Helen Haig-Brown in attendance. Best BC Film and Best Canadian Feature Film at VIFF 2018. Selected for Canada’s Top 10 of 2018. 33
WED FEB 6
MOUTHPIECE
THE GOOSE
8:30pm Mouthpiece
8:30pm ALFF Experimental: The Goose
DIR. PATRICIA ROZEMA, 2018, ON, 91 MIN
DIR. MIKE MARYNIUK, 2018, MB, 75 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: YUKON NEWS
YAC STUDIO THEATRE
Following her mother’s sudden death, an aspiring writer grapples with reconciling her feminism with her conformist choices in this funny and modern cinematic drama set in Toronto. Based on the award-winning play of the same name. From the award-winning director of I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing and Into the Forest.
SCREENING SPONSOR: YUKON NORTH OF ORDINARY
Selected for Canada’s Top 10 films of 2018. “Iconic Canadian filmmaker Patricia Rozema’s latest is a potent exploration of how women across generations must contend with their own socialization. Rozema knots together the thematic threads of her past work – feminist consciousness, the struggle for self-expression – into one of her most vibrant films to date.” ~ Danis Goulet, TIFF
34
The Goose is a marvel of inventive storytelling and imagination. Filmmaker magician Mike Maryniuk has conjured up weird visions like you’ve never seen before. The Goose is a mute young man who attempts to regain his voice and escape his oppressive surroundings. The Goose must traverse a gauntlet of miscommunication, small town bravado and his Snowbird weirdos to achieve this goal. He meets a woman known as the Escape Artist in the hospital and they hatch a loose plot to migrate to Arizona, where The Goose can receive new-age voice therapy and the Escape Artist can escape winter’s clutches.
THURS FEB 7
THE SONG AND THE SORROW
SHOPLIFTERS
12pm The Song and the Sorrow
3pm What is Democracy?
DIR. MILLEFIORE CLARKES, 2018, PEI, 42 MIN
DIR. ASTRA TAYLOR, 2018, ON, 107 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: YUKON EAST COAST CULTURAL CLUB
SCREENING SPONSOR: YUKON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
“Elvis covered his songs. I mean, everybody did his songs… But any time I tried to tell him how great he was he felt like he didn’t deserve it.” ~Anne Murray
Featuring a diverse cast – including celebrated philosophers, trauma surgeons, factory workers, refugees, and politicians – What Is Democracy? connects past and present, emotion and the intellect, the personal and the political, to provoke and inspire. If we want to live in democracy, we must first ask what the word even means. In English, Greek, German, Syrian with English subtitles. Open captioned screening for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Musician Catherine MacLellan, the daughter of Canadian singer/songwriting legend Gene MacLellan, grew up surrounded by her father’s music. He committed suicide when she was 14. Two decades after his loss, Catherine is finally ready to confront the hurtful mystery of her absent parent and embrace his musical legacy.
6pm Shoplifters
Director Millefiore Clarkes in attendance.
DIR. HIROKAZU KORE-ADA, JAPAN, 2018, 121 MIN
Screens with: My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes
SCREENING SPONSOR: JAPANESE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF YUKON
DIR. CHARLIE TYRELL, 2018, ON, 14 MIN
Charlie seeks to better understand his emotionally distant late father through the personal belongings he left behind including a stack of VHS dirty movies. Shortlisted for Best Short Documentary Oscar.
After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets, testing the bonds that unite them. Winner of the 2018 Palme d’Or at Cannes. In Japanese with English subtitles. 35
THURS FEB 7
A COLONY (UNE COLONIE)
BLACK HOLE MAMA
8:30pm A Colony (Une Colonie)
8:30pm ALFF EXPERIMENTAL: Black Hole Mama + Fausto
DIR. GENEVIÈVE DULUDE-DE CELLES, 2018, QC, 101 MIN SCREENING SPONSOR: ASSOCIATION FRANCO-YUKONNAISE
A touching and heartbreaking coming of age story. Mylia is a shy 12-year-old about to leave her isolated community to attend high school. She copes as well as she can with the hostile environment, but a younger sister, a parental break-up and a disastrous ‘first kiss’ at a school party all take their toll. It isn’t until she meets Jimmy, a young Indigenous outsider that she learns to stand her ground and celebrate who she really is. Not that Jimmy doesn’t have his own issues.
DIR. HEIDI PIIROINEN, 2017, FIN, 47 MIN YAC STUDIO THEATRE SCREENING SPONSOR: FINNISH FILM FOUNDATION
This beautiful black and white personal documentary traces out details of a neighbourhood facing a massive change. People miss their community and reflect on life as a whole and their own purpose within. Gradually, their memories and stories are woven into a tapestry where the convivial everyday life intertwines with darker tones. Canadian premiere. In Finnish with English subtitles.
In French with English subtitles.
Director Heidi Piiroinen in attendance.
Winner of Philip Boros Best Canadian Feature award at 2018 Whistler Film Festival.
Screens with: Fausto
Presented in partnership with La Tournée Québec Cinéma.
36
DIR. ANDREA BUSSMAN, 2018, ON, 70 MIN
Shot on Mexico’s Oaxacan coast, this hybrid ethnography is a direct, rigorous, and largely theoretical adaptation of Goethe’s Faust that wholeheartedly adopts that text’s antiempiricist ideals: it’s a portrait of a place and its inhabitants caught in limbo between what is and what was. In hushed narration, local myths commingle with the Faust narrative, while the images open onto a precolonial world where land and capital were not so synonymous. In English, Spanish, French, Arabic with English subtitles.
FRI FEB 8
WAPIKONI SHORTS
THE DISTANT BARKING OF DOGS
WAPIKONI SHORTS
THE DISTANT BARKING OF DOGS
12pm Wapikoni Shorts
3pm The Distant Barking of Dogs
VARIOUS DIRECTORS, 2014-2017, 52 MIN
DIR. SIMON LERENG WILMONT, 2018, DEN/SWE/FIN, 90 MIN
A curated program of short films created through Wapikoni Mobile, a youth-focused First Nations travelling audiovisual and creation studio touring Canada and the world. Executive Director of Wapikoni Shorts, Odile Joannette, in attendance. Films included in this program: Flower (Fleur), Missing Offering (L’offrande oubliée), Volleyball, What Would You Do If You Were Me (Que ferais-tu si t’étais moi?), Ka mitshelitakuess auass (Lenfant qui plantait des clous), Lettre à mon passé, Don’t Be Afraid To Hit the Ice, Head’s Up (Côté Face), Kirano (nous-mêmes), Onickakw! (Réveillez-vous!), Where the River Widens, Écoute ta passion, Wamin (La pomme), Tshekuannan Tshi Pum Amun, (C’est quoi ton rêve?), Becoming the Warrior.
SCREENING SPONSOR: JACKLEG FILMS
Ten-year-old Oleg lives in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine; a warzone that often echoes with anti-aircraft fire and missile strikes. At school, Oleg learns about the bomb shelter and what to do when encountering a landmine. While many have left this dangerous area, Oleg remains with his grandmother, who has taken care of him since the death of his mother. This riveting observational film follows a year in the life of Oleg, and emphasizes the warm bond he has with his grandmother and his close friendship with his cousin Yarik. In Russian with English subtitles. Shortlisted for an Oscar for Best Feature Documentary.
Presented in partnership with La Tournée Québec Cinéma. 37
FRI FEB 8
LES SALOPES
COLD WAR (ZIMNA WOJNA)
LES SALOPES
COLD WAR (ZIMNA WOJNA)
5:30pm Les Salopes or the Naturally Wanton Pleasure of Skin
8pm Cold War (Zimna wojna)
DIR. RENÉE BEAULIEU, 2018, QC, 97 MIN
DIR. PAWEL PAWLIKOWSKI, 2018, POL/UK/ FRA, 88 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: ASSOCIATION FRANCO-YUKONNAISE
SCREENING SPONSOR: KOBAYASHI + ZEDDA ARCHITECTS
A happily married wife and mother (Brigitte Poupart in a bold performance) with a promiscuous secret life must confront the consequences her choices have for her family and career when a scandal threatens to shed light on her affairs, in this introspective drama about the nature, limits, and consequences of desire. In French with English subtitles.
A passionate love story between two musicians of different backgrounds and temperaments, who are fatefully mismatched. Set against the background of the Cold War in the 1950s in Poland, Berlin, Yugoslavia and Paris, a passionate love story between two people of different backgrounds and temperaments, who are fatefully mismatched and yet condemned to each other.
Director Renée Beaulieu in attendance. Content warning for scenes of nudity and sexuality. Presented in partnership with La Tournée Québec Cinéma.
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In Polish, French, Italian, German and Croatian with English subtitles. Shortlisted for an Oscar for Best Foreign language film. Content warning for sexual content, nudity and language.
FRI FEB 8
THE JENNI HOUSE WALTZ
BORDER (GRÄNS)
JENNIHOUSE AND PETER JICKLING
BORDER (GRÄNS)
10pm ALFF Cabaret: The Jenni House Waltz with Jennihouse and Peter Jickling
10pm Border (Gräns)
YAC STUDIO THEATRE TICKETS $15
Part dance, part video, part spoken word, this performance brings together dancer Aimée Dawn Robinson and artist Renée Lear, followed by spoken word artist, Peter Jickling. The evening is scored by Whitehorse duo Jennihouse. The Jenni House Waltz was developed during the July 2018 Jenni House Artist Residency, organized jointly by a collective of Yukon-based arts organizations including: the Yukon Arts Centre, Yukon Film Society, Jazz Yukon, Music Yukon, and Kicksled Readings. More information about the Jenni House Residency can be found online at yukonartscentre.com. Presented with the support of Arts Fund, Yukon Government.
DIR. ALI ABBASI, 2018, SWE/DEN, 110 MIN SCREENING SPONSOR: THE COLLECTIVE GOOD
A customs officer who can smell fear develops an unusual attraction to a strange traveler while aiding a police investigation which will call into question her entire existence. Tina can literally smell guilt, fear and fury seeping off of some travelers. Mostly she detects booze-smugglers and other minor transgressors, but two separate travelers give off clouds of strange scent that give her reason to look closer: one is carrying a cache of child pornography, the other is a smiling, swaggering rambler whose silent ways and familiar-strange features pull Tina closer. Deeply humane and at times deeply disturbing, this Swedish dramatic fantasy is like no other film you’ll see this year. In Swedish with English subtitles. Content warning for disturbing and mature scenes. 39
SAT FEB 9
FINDING BIG COUNTRY
THE GRIZZLIES
FAST HORSE
THE GRIZZLIES
10am Finding Big Country
horse to another in the middle of the race. Accidents happen. Simply finishing a race demands masterful skill and courage.
DIR. KATHLEEN JAYME, 2018, BC, 44 MIN SCREENING SPONSOR: MEADIA SOLUTIONS
The Vancouver Grizzlies’ inglorious six-year NBA history may’ve lacked for highlights but it undeniably had a poster boy: Bryant ‘Big Country’ Reeves, the centre whose less-than-sculpted man-mountain frame made him an easy target for criticism. Documentarian Kathleen Jayme sets out to track down her hard-luck hero who has become infamously reclusive since he was forced into early retirement by injuries. Director Kathleen Jayme in attendance. Screens with: Fast Horse DIR. ALEXANDRA LAZ AROWICH, 2018, AB, 13 MIN SCREENING SPONSOR: ICYCLE SPORTS
Cody BigTobacco is a young Blackfoot man and new jockey in North America’s original extreme sport: Indian Relay, where jockeys ride horses bareback and jump from one 40
Winner of Best Documentary Work Short Format award at imagineNATIVE 2018 12pm The Grizzlies DIR. MIRANDA DE PENCIER, 2018, NU/ON, 104 MIN SCREENING SPONSOR: DRIVING FORCE
Based on a true story, this inspiring drama is about the determination and resilience of a group of Inuit youth in Kugluktuk, NU. When new teacher Russ arrives in town he is shocked and overwhelmed by the numerous social issues facing the youth as a result of colonization. Russ introduces the students to lacrosse creating a sense of pride and purpose amongst the community. Filmed and produced in Nunavut. In Inuktitut and English with subtitles.
SAT FEB 9
THIS IS CONGO
MINDING THE GAP
2pm ALFF EXPERIMENTAL: Mangoshake
6pm Minding the Gap
DIR. TERRY CHIU, 2018, QC, 104 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: MOLOTOV AND BRICKS TATTOO
YAC STUDIO THEATRE
An anarchic and altogether hilarious shoestring-budget film verging on outsider art. Set amidst the boredom of Montréal suburban summertime, a group of young friends express their collective existential malaise in a series of surreal episodes. This DIY film incorporates the rawness of Slackers and Clerks embracing the absurdity of adolescence and resisting the urge to follow a classic storyline. 3pm This is Congo DIR. DANIEL MCCABE, 2017, USA/CAN/DRC, 93 MIN SCREENING SPONSOR: NORTHERN COUNCIL FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION
DIR. BING LIU, 2018, USA, 93 MIN
Three young men bond together to escape volatile families in their Rust Belt hometown. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship. Short-listed for 2019 Oscar for Best Feature Documentary. Special Jury Award, Sundance Film Festival. Warning for mature content. “An extraordinary feat of filmmaking… Liu’s intimacy with his subjects becomes contagious, to the point where their small victories are thrilling and their failures feel devastating.” ~Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic.
Why is it that some countries seem to be continually mired in cyclical wars, political instability and economic crises? This is Congo is an unfiltered documentary look in to the lives of three characters surviving amongst the most recent cycle of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, otherwise known as the M23 rebellion. In English, French, Swahili, Lingala with English subtitles. Content warning for scenes of graphic violence.
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SAT FEB 9
SUN FEB 10
WINTER TRIO
CANADA C3: A VOYAGE
8:30pm If Beale Street Could Talk
10am Canada C3: A Voyage
DIR. BARRY JENKINS, 2018, USA, 119 MIN
NARRATED BY SARAIN CARSON FOX AND MAXIME LE FLAGUAIS, 2018, ON, 46 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: KAREN WALKER AND WAYNE TUCK
In early 1970s Harlem, daughter and wife-to-be Tish vividly recalls the passion, respect and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny. Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together, but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit. From the director of Oscar Best Picture award-winning film, Moonlight. Content warning for language and scenes of sexuality. 9pm ALFF Cabaret: Winter Trio YAC STUDIO THEATRE TICKETS: $15
Winter Trio has a unique approach to the classic jazz piano trio based on their collective experience that draws on both American and European jazz traditions, with heavy gospel influences. Winter Trio features Daniel Janke (piano), Paul Bergman (bass) and Ken Searcy (drums). They recently released their second album, Muse. Presented in partnership with Jazz Yukon.
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FREE SCREENING SCREENING SPONSOR: MICHE GENEST AND HECTOR MACKENZIE
A Canada 150 project, Canada C3 was a 150-day expedition from Toronto to Victoria via the Northwest Passage in 2017 and included prominent Yukoners at various times of the journey. This documentary captures impressions and reflections of the journey and focuses on re-defining Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples. The narration was written by Atlin, BC resident Kate Harris. Guests in attendance.
SUN FEB 10
WHEN THE STORM FADES
AMATEURS (AMATÖRER)
12pm When The Storm Fades
2:30pm Amateurs (Amatörer)
DIR. SEAN DEVLIN, 2018, BC/PHL, 80 MIN
DIR. GABRIELA PICHLER, 2018, SWE, 102 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: DIRECTORS GUILD OF CANADA BC
SCREENING SPONSOR: MIDNIGHT SUN COFFEE ROASTERS
A genre defying docudramedy starring a real Filipino family of typhoon survivors following 2013’s Super Typhoon Haiyan. Three years after the storm, the Pablos have rebuilt their seaside home in Tacloban but their recovery is shaken up by two awkward Canadian volunteers planting trees in the community. Part comedic fiction, part dramatic re-enactment, the result is a satirical examination of the white saviour complex and a meditation on grief in the era of climate change. In English, Waray with subtitles.
A sleepy Swedish town hopes to lure a discount store chain by hiring a pompous commercial director to document their town’s worthiness, but two bright, brash high school girls from immigrant families use their cellphones and selfie sticks to tell the real story. A hilarious and tender film about community, adolescence and immigration. In Swedish, English, Arabic, Tamil, Kurdish, Bosnian, Romanian, German with English subtitles. Winner of Best First Feature, Goteborg Film Festival 2018.
Director Sean Devlin in attendance. “When the Storm Fades contains a startling combination of tragedy and comedy… But the quality that lingers longest is the beauty of the place and its people. A dark tree, bedazzled with fireflies, or a strobe of lightning making fractal patterns across the ocean look like scenes from a Terrence Malick film. A true and genuine gem, don’t miss this one!” ~Dorothy Woodend, The Tyee
Screens with: Some Like It Hot (Some Like it Cold) DIR. REBECCA MANIAS, LIZ MCCARVILLE, 2018, YT, 5 MIN
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S U I T E 2 0 1 A , 1 7 0 T I TA N I U M WAY WHITEHORSE, YUKON PHONE: 867-668-6484
213 Range Road, Whitehorse, YT
1•888•407•7681 44
www.drivingforce.ca
SUN FEB 10
THE SILVER BRANCH
WOMAN AT WAR (KONA FER Í STRÍÐ)
THE SILVER BRANCH
WOMAN AT WAR (KONA FER Í STRÍÐ)
5pm The Silver Branch
7:30pm Woman at War (Kona fer í stríð)
DIR. KATRINA COSTELLO, 2018, IRE, 75 MIN
DIR. BENEDIKT ERLINGSSON, 2018, ICE/FRA/UKR, 101 MIN
SCREENING SPONSOR: FRIENDS OF MCINTYRE CREEK
This multi-award-winning film The Silver Branch depicts the life and insights of the inimitable philosopher, poet, and farmer, Patrick McCormack, owner of ‘Fr Ted’s House’ in the beautiful, austere Burren, County Cork, Western Ireland. Through Patrick’s eyes and pastoral verse, the film immerses us in the exquisite textures of the natural world, bringing us a rare glimpse of a disappearing way of life with all its richness and roguery, and leading to a deep connection with the Earth and our ancestral wild spirit. Top 10 Audience Choice film at Hot Docs 2018.
SCREENING SPONSOR: CHINOOK BOOKKEEPING SERVICES
Halla, a single woman in her forties, is a committed undercover eco-terrorist trying to save Iceland’s natural landscapes from industrialist destruction, but when a long-desired child becomes available for adoption, she must choose between the greater good and her own dreams. A dark comedy that features an incredible soundtrack, elements of magical realism and a unique meditation on climate change. In Icelandic, Spanish, English, Ukranian with English subtitles. “From the opening scene – in which Halla (Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir), choirmaster and stalwart of the community, uses a bow and arrow to destroy an electrical tower – you know you are in for a treat with this quirky, visually splendid work.” ~VIFF 45
MULTIMEDIA FEB 2-24
UNTITLED
YUKON ARTS CENTRE COMMUNITY GALLERY
Untitled MONIQUE ROMEIKO (YUKON), VAGARAM CHOUDHARY (RAJASTHAN, INDIA)
Influenced in part by Kangra miniature paintings, artists Monique Romeiko and Vagaram Choudhary have created a contemporary paradise for Radha & Krishna / Adam & Eve. The lovers play in an endless cycle amongst a tropical utopian setting. Untitled is an intricately layered moving collage with components of photography, performance, dance, video, digital and physical painting. We the viewer watch elements of the painting that are normally static come to life. Monique Romeiko and Vagaram Choudhary have been collaborating on various video and multimedia pieces since 2017. Their works are a combination of constructed and manipulated video of dance/photography/painting (such as this one) and also painting on prints. Presented with the support of Arts Fund, Yukon Government. 46
POP-UP VIDEO GALLER Y FEB 3-10
WITCH HOLLOW
17 DAYS IN MAY
THE LAST AVENUE
MORE THAN THIS
This gallery features four short films by Yukon artists. These works explore unique places, personal stories, and beliefs using documentary modes, stop motion animation and poetry as driving concepts. Taking both figurative and literal views of landscape, self-identity and place, this collection of short films meanders through nature, poetry and mysticism. YUKON ARTS CENTRE LOBBY
Witch Hollow
More Than This
DIR. JESSICA HALL, 4 MIN 30 SEC
DIR. VIVIAN BELIK, MORIAH MACMILLAN, 30 SEC
Witch Hollow explores the grounds and remnants of an old pagan place of worship deep in the woods of Ontario, guided by the voice of its new owner, a dark witch. The Last Avenue DIR. PETER JICKLING, BRENDAN PRESTON, PATRICK KEENAN, 4 MIN 8 SEC
Nestled against the clay cliffs, 8th Avenue in downtown Whitehorse is the end of the line. It’s unpaved and ignored, but it’s also beautiful. 17 Days in May DIR. DAN SOKOLOWSKI, 3 MIN 45 SEC
The Yukon spring promotes a fast maturing of plants. 17 Days in May chronicles birch leaves as they go from dormant twigs to green gems.
A stop-motion animated short film using paper cutouts and archival film footage set to a poem written and narrated by Rupi Kaur. Curators Talk SATURDAY, FEB 9, 4PM YUKON ARTS CENTRE LOBBY FREE EVENT
Join Multimedia and Pop-Up Video Gallery curators Rebecca Manias and Katie Newman for a discussion of the works programmed for the 2019 Available Light Film Festival.
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