yukon film society and yukon energy present
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to the Yukon Film Society for another successful Available Light Film Festival. Here’s to ten years of exposing our vibrant film community to the world’s cinema and sharing our stories on the silver screen.
Wherever you go our films Will folloW. over 2000 titles to choose from. visit NfB.ca to download your free iPad, iPhone, Android or PlayBook app.
Nos films vous suiveNt PArtout. Profitez d’un choix de plus de 2000 titres. Pour télécharger gratuitement l’application pour l’iPad, l’iPhone, l’Android ou le PlayBook, visitez oNf.ca.
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welcome! Welcome to the 10th annual Available Light Film Festival! To celebrate our tenth birthday, the Yukon Film Society commissioned two senior Yukon artists to create exciting non-traditional film and media art projects that will premiere at this festival. Don’t miss the ALFF performance of The Grub-Stake Revisited or Degrees North x 3 gallery exhibition in the Studio Theatre. The 33 screenings at ALFF 2012 have been carefully selected to bring you a small sample of cinema from across Canada and the globe. This is our most northern ALFF yet, with films coming from seven regions of the Circumpolar north: Nunavut, Siberia, Alaska, Yukon, Nunavik, Northern BC, and NWT. As always, you’ll find compelling international cinema at ALFF, with films from Indonesia, France, Bosnia, Ukraine, Iran, Russia, Germany, and USA. ALFF has collaborated with Christie Digital to present these films in the highest quality digital cinema projection, and we’re presenting many films in surround-sound to give you the best cinema experience in the Yukon. New this year, we’re presenting films you can squeeze in over your lunch break at our convenient noon matinees. Or check out the free lunchtime Firehall Film Talks with visiting filmmakers and interactive web producers. The very first Available Light in 2003 wasn’t just about breaking new ground for cinema in Whitehorse. It was part of a zeitgeist in independent cinema in Canada as we witnessed with the hit of the festival that year: the first Inuit-produced feature film, Atanarjuat: the Fast Runner. As we reflect on 10 years of ALFF, we want to pay homage to the groundbreaking work by the Isuma Igloolik collective by presenting The Fast Runner Trilogy. Gunalchîsh, Mahsi cho, merci and thank you for making this festival an annual success. Andrew Connors Festival Programmer, Available Light Film Festival
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ALFF AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN DOCUMENTARY
Co-sponsored by the National Film Board of Canada, ALFF presents $1300 to the director of the film that is the winner of the ALFF Best Canadian Documentary Award. Festival audiences select the winner. The award will be announced before the audience at the closing film on Sunday, February 12. Get your ballots in the Yukon Arts Centre lobby. Eligible films: People of a Feather Eco-Pirate Rainforest Hole Story Degrees North
Family Portrait in Black and White Peace Out Aakideh Pink Ribbons Inc. To Make a Farm 5
Greetings and welcome to the Yukon Film Society’s
10th Annual Available Light Film Festival. The Government of Yukon congratulates the Yukon Film Society for an entire decade of success in presenting and promoting film in Yukon. Capitalizing on the success of last year’s industry forum, several broadcasters, distributors, producers and successful filmmakers will once again provide opportunities for Yukon filmmakers to further their professional careers through a series of workshops, presentations and discussions. Yukon’s Film & Sound Commission is pleased to contribute its support to this leading-edge initiative, and truly appreciates that many participating industry professionals travel to Whitehorse to share their skills, experience and knowledge. Events like these demonstrate the dedication and talent of Yukoners, and result in numerous benefits to this industry and to the diversification of Yukon’s economy. On behalf of the Government of Yukon, I wish you a successful and enjoyable festival. Sincerely,
Economic Development Minister Currie Dixon Government of Yukon
degree s n or t h x 3 a media art installation by dan sokolowski february 6 to 12, open daily 11:30am to 9pm studio theatre, yukon arts centre Commissioned by the Yukon Film Society, this three screen (3-channel) and sound media art installation is based on Dan’s experimental feature film about specific geographic points of latitude in Canada between Point Pelee and the Arctic Circle. Runs concurrently with the festival. Preparators: Scott Price and Matthew Poushinsky. 6
festival info Individual Tickets: $12/$10 YFS members, seniors, youth under 16 (incl. $2 box office fee) Five Film Pass: $47 (incl. $2 box office fee) Online: www.yukontickets.com until the day before the screening. Yukon Arts Centre Box Office: 867-667-8574, Mon to Fri, 10am to 3pm Arts Underground: 305 Main Street, Lower Level, Hougen’s Centre At the door: The Box Office is open throughout the festival. We encourage you to pick your films and get tickets issued between the films or at less busy times. This enables us to start the films at their scheduled time, which makes everybody happy. Thanks! How the Five Film Pass works The Five Film Pass is a voucher for 5 films that you choose. It’s not an entry ticket for a film. Use the pass to redeem tickets at the Yukon Arts Centre Box Office or at Arts Underground. You can purchase your pass and choose your films at the same time (if there’s a long line-up, see above). If you wish, you can redeem a portion of your tickets and choose the remaining films later. The Box Office staff will punch one of the numbers on your pass and issue you a ticket for the film(s) you choose. You then show that ticket to the usher. The Five Film Pass is not transferable. Hold onto it, we can’t replace them.
Venues Yukon Arts Centre theatre unless noted. Check schedule on pages 24 and 25. ALFF Industry Forum is at the Old Firehall (1105 First Ave). All seating is General Admission, except The Grub-Stake Revisited. No food or drink is allowed in the Yukon Arts Centre theatre. Please turn off cell phones. No recording devices allowed.
Links and film trailers are all up at alff.ca.
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Dear industry colleagues and friends: Telefilm Canada is proud to be a part of the Available Light Film Festival and to salute the extraordinary talent that this region generates. It is events such as this one that strengthen the industry as a whole by drawing attention to Canadian productions, developing talent and promoting creative collaboration. At Telefilm, our objective is to foster cultural success by supporting talent throughout Canada, and to encourage the production of content that appeals to audiences both at home and abroad. Our cinema entertains, enlightens, informs and challenges; it cultivates dialogue about our identity and our values. It represents us on the international stage, shapes our sense of belonging and contributes to the diversity of our society. Thank you to the organizers of Available Light Film Festival for bringing us together for the 10th year to celebrate the breadth of talent in Yukon communities. This event showcases artists on a regional, provincial, and national level, and gives audiences the opportunity to discover outstanding work and to enjoy the latest in home-grown cinema. Enjoy the festival!
Carolle Brabant, Executive Director – Telefilm Canada
alff production team
Festival Director: Andrew Connors Graphic Design & Marketing Manager: Guiniveve Lalena Industry Forum Coordinator: Celia McBride Guest Travel & Hospitality: Vanessa Corkal, StĂŠphanie Chevalier Events Producer: Vanessa Corkal Projectionists: Dean Williams, Jayden Soroka Workshop Venues Technician: Jayden Soroka 9
welcome alff 2012 Emily Alden is Vice-President, Production & Development for Pacific Northwest Pictures where she oversees project development and production as well as distribution. Alden is the Producer of Sisters&Brothers and After the Wedding, and is Executive Producer of Charlie Zone. Prior to joining PNP, Alden handled development and production at Raven West Films, where she co-produced the feature drama Unnatural & Accidental. She was also President of the feature film production company All Done Productions. Alden is a member of the board of the First Weekend Club.
Jaybe Allanson’s decade plus in the interactive design arena has proven his ability to bridge ‘art’ and ‘technology’ towards the creation of award-winning story-driven experiences for film and TV properties, as well as large-scale digital installations employing innovative user interaction technologies. As Senior Producer at Switch United, Jaybe’s cross-platform versatility and deep understanding of project management is backed by the patience of a yoga master, making him the calm at the center of such complex challenges as a 110 ft. long sensory digital wall installation for the 2010 Olympics; an augmented reality mobile museum tour; or a comprehensive web, mobile, social TV and social media multi-platform campaign for a national television series. Current specialties include producing documentation for various TV funding applications such as Bell New Media Fund, CMF Convergent Fund, and CMF Experimental Fund. Born and raised in Illinois, Xan Aranda lived in California for ten years until moving to China and eventually Chicago in 2001. Xan is a freelance director, producer, and curator affiliated with acclaimed documentary powerhouse Kartemquin Films (Hoop Dreams) and the U. S. Department of Education. Her directorial debut, Andrew Bird: Fever Year, had its World Premiere as part of the New York Film Festival. It will screen over a hundred times worldwide during 2012. Xan is currently at work on her next film, Mormons Make Movies, and is also the founder and Executive Director of the Chicago Short Film Brigade.
Sue Biely is an accomplished leader and member of the independent media community. She has over 12 years of varied domestic and international experience in administration, advocacy, curation, management and forward thinking in the areas of funding, producing, broadcasting, new media, public speaking, education and event co-ordination. Sue is a dynamic and passionate professional who is able to cross pollinate between worlds and motivate people to think outside the box. She launched a community speaking series called The What’s Going On Salons in Vancouver and works as an independent contractor/consultant.
Kevin Eastwood is a Vancouver-based producer and filmmaker. Most recently, Kevin produced Eco-Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson, a documentary about the controversial environmental activist. Kevin’s previous credits include the Gemini Award-winning CTV movie, Elijah; the cult hit zombie-comedy, Fido starring Carrie-Anne Moss and Billy Connolly; and the Canadian box office hit comedy, The Delicate Art of Parking. Kevin is currently producing Do You Really Want to Know?, a documentary about predictive genetic testing directed by Academy Award-winning director, John Zaritsky. 10
festival guests Kara Haflidson is the Manager of Independent Production (Comedy and Unscripted) for Bell Media. In this role, Kara develops comedic material to air across Bell Media’s family of channels including CTV, The Comedy Network and Bravo! In her two years at Bell Media, Kara has worked on The Comedy Network’s Picnicface and Bravo!’s Way Off Broadway, in addition to participating in the development of a number of projects. Before joining Bell Media, Kara spent three years as Network Programmer for Movieola – The Short Film Channel. Kara also learned the ins and outs of television (and other things) on the sets of Talk Sex with Sue Johanson and Disaster DIY with Bryan Baeumler. Joel Heath possesses a doctorate in Wildlife Ecology/Behavioural Ecology Research from Simon Fraser University. He has been studying the population of eider ducks on the Belcher Islands in Hudson Bay since 2002, which led to his becoming a documentary filmmaker. The film People of a Feather (winner of Best Environmental Film at VIFF 2011) and The Arctic Sea Ice educational package are an International Polar Year Education and Outreach Initiative, directed and produced by Joel. Kim Hudson studied at Vancouver Film School, University of British Columbia, and the International School of Analytical Psychology Zurich. She is the developer of an original theory on the feminine journey to know yourself and be yourself. She created this theory by drawing upon her life experience and varied education. The Virgin’s Promise is Kim’s first book. Kim’s speaking engagements have included: the 2011 Screenwriter’s Expo in LA, the University Film and Video Association, Boston 2011, the keynote address at the 2011 BC Student Film Festival, Vancouver Women in Film and Television, Vancouver Film School, and Yukon College.
Julia Ivanova was initially trained at the Russian Film Institute (VGIK) in Moscow, the worldrenowned film school. In 1995, Julia immigrated to Canada where she concentrated on writing, directing and producing documentaries. Her first film, an award-winning documentary From Russia, For Love, about adoption of older children, has been televised in 26 countries. She has worked on numerous documentaries since then and is on the boards of the Documentary Organization of Canada BC Chapter and Hot Docs Documentary Film Festival. Family Portrait in Black and White is her third feature documentary. Selwyn Jacob joined the National Film Board in 1997. As a Vancouver-based producer at the Pacific and Yukon studio, his recent productions include This Land, Warrior Boyz and River of Life directed by Yukon filmmaker Werner Walcher. He also produced Jeni LeGon: Living in a Great Big Way, the Leo Award-winning The Journey of Lesra Martin and recently completed work on a feature documentary Mighty Jerome about Harry Jerome, with director Charles Officer. Prior to joining the NFB, Jacob was an independent producer and director for more than fifteen years.
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welcome alff 2012 Larysa Kondracki was born in Toronto and studied English and theatre at McGill University. She received an M.F.A. in film direction from Columbia University. The Whistleblower is her feature directorial debut. A Canadian-born Ukrainian, the topic of sex-trafficking resonated deeply with her. She spent two years in Europe with co-writer, Eilis Kirwan, researching the subject of trafficking. Kondracki is currently based in Los Angeles and has written feature projects for Focus Features, HBO Films, Participant Media, and Showtime Entertainment, amongst others. She has numerous projects in development, including The Count of St. Petersburg, which she plans to direct. Founder of Doghouse Films, Oliver Linsley has been working in film in Vancouver for more than a decade. Coming out of a background as a Painter and Photographer, Oliver had a short life as an accountant before finding himself in film, but only behind the camera. Way behind. Currently, Oliver is producing the Reality TV series SAW DOGS, premiering in Canada on OLN in January 2012, as well continually developing feature projects. Of late he has just completed two feature films in 2011: The Odds, a dark mystery set in the world of illegal gambling, and Doppelgänger Paul, a film deeply rooted in a culture of narcissism.
Cory Mann (Gutchquena) is a Tlingit Indian entrepreneur and filmmaker operating out of Juneau, Alaska. He runs an independent business, Stories & Legends, that has been sharing Northwest art and culture since 1994 through trolley tours and gifts. Over the past 4 years he has been working with co-producer and co-director Luke Griswold-Tergis on his film, Smokin’ Fish. Cory hopes the film will inspire people to take the time regardless of how difficult it might be in the modern world to go out and do what your culture is calling you to do. Director of Independent Production Development, Rogers Media, Paritosh Mehta is a commissioning editor with Omni Television. As a leading provider of ethnocultural television programming in Canada, OMNI broadcasts 60% of its programming in no less than 15 languages to communities encompassing more than 18 cultures.
Jeremy Mendes is a Vancouver based artist with over 10 years’ experience working on interactive projects. He specializes in art direction, creative direction, design and illustration. His experience spans interactive design, motion design, information design, creative conceptual work, storytelling, brand development and advertising. He is currently working on interactive projects with the National Film Board of Canada, recent projects including This Land and Bear 71. David Paperny is an Academy Award® nominated and Gemini-award winning documentary filmmaker, executive producer, and head of the Vancouver-based television production company, Paperny Entertainment. Paperny Entertainment specializes in non-fiction programming and has produced over 30 original documentary specials and 20 long-running series. David received his B.A. from the University of Toronto and his M.A. from the Annenberg School of Communications, University of Pennsylvania. He began his career in broadcast journalism in 1983 at the CBC in
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festival guests Toronto. In 1994, David received an Academy Award® nomination for The Broadcast Tapes of Dr. Peter (CBC/HBO).
Teri Snelgrove worked extensively in theatre before joining the NFB in 2006. She studied film/ video at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, and following her graduation in 1999, she was the recipient of the Academy of Canadian Film and Television Apprenticeship. She produced the video installation In Her Footsteps: Celebrating BC Women in Sport for the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, and worked extensively as a voice director for documentaries and animation. Recently, Teri worked with Marie Clements on the short Jesus Indian, and she is currently producing Jan Derbyshire’s Sanity for Beginners for the upcoming WAM Festival. This is her second visit to the ALFF and she’s happy to be here. Dan Sokolowski is a graduate in Fine Arts from the University of Ottawa. He currently lives in Dawson City, in Canada’s Yukon, and is the producer of the Dawson City International Short Film Festival. He has taught courses in 16mm filmmaking, animation and studio arts. He was a board member of the Independent Filmmakers Cooperative of Ottawa (5 years) and currently sits on the board of the Canadian Film Institute. He is a member of the Dawson City Arts Society and the Yukon Film Society. In addition to many of his own films, Dan has worked on over 40 independent productions as cinematographer, animator, assistant director, lighting director and editor. Born in Bratislava and raised in Canada, Ingrid Veninger formed pUNK Films Inc. in 2003 with a ‘nothing is impossible’ manifesto. An award-winning creative producer and director, Ingrid has made numerous films, including: Gambling, Gods, and LSD (TIFF 2002, Genie Award for Best Documentary), NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY. (TIFF 2008, nominated for 10 Genie Awards in 2010), and Modra (TIFF 2010, official selection Canada’s Top Ten). Upcoming, Ingrid is co-producing Peter Mettler’s Time Being with the National Film Board of Canada, and releasing her next feature (i am a good person/i am a bad person). She has joined the film faculty at York University to teach 3rd and 4th year students.
Charles Wilkinson got his start in feature documentary production while shooting a short documentary for the NFB (The Little Town That Did). During the shoot he and the crew secretly shot a feature film, My Kind of Town, which went on to receive national theatrical release. Charles has since directed 6 independent features and numerous TV movies and episodes. He’s also continued writing feature length screenplays, five of which have been produced to date. Charles has been awarded a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of British Columbia, teaches film directing at Capilano University, and continues to direct film and television programs, including his first feature doc, Peace Out.
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WE PUT YUKON ON OUR TAILS BECAUSE
IT’S THE CENTRE OF EVERYTHING WE DO. Air North, Yukon’s Airline is a proud community supporter of events, cultural performances, arts and sports across the Yukon.
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Image: Boise State University Library, Special Collections, Nell Shipman Collection
Y ukon film society
pr es ents
Co me dy, romance & adv enture i n T h e Klo n dik e ! Ne ll S hi p man ’ s 192 3 fil m w ith l i v e m usic & dia log u e .
A da p t e d f r o m S h a k e s p e a r e by Da n i e l J a n k e , E r i c E p s t e i n , C e l i a M c b r i d e Vo i c e s : Dav e H a d d o c k , C h a r l e s L a b e r g e , C e l i a M c B r i d e , J a m e s M cC u l lo u g h , S a r a h M o o r e , R oy N e s s M u s i c : Da n i e l J a n k e , P eg g y L e e , A n d r e a M cCo l e m a n , J o r dy Wa l k e r , J e s s e Z u b ot t i c k e t s : $ 2 0 / $ 1 8 YFS m e m b e r s . s e e pag e 3 0 f o r d e tai l s . Co-sponsored by Departments of Economic Development, Film and Sound Commission and Tourism and Culture.
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alff industry forum Available Light Film Festival, with the generous support of the Yukon Film & Sound Commission, presents
ALFF Industry Forum Monday, Feb 6 – Thursday, Feb 9 Old Firehall, 1105 First Ave at Main Street Free to attend, open to all. Learn about the changing face of the Canadian media landscape in the digital age and meet the people who are taking part in its development.
Network and build relationships with industry players in a relaxed, intimate festival environment. Present your projects for feedback in group discussions and one-on-one meetings. Expand your professional vision for your film and content-making projects and goals. The ALFF Industry Forum is designed to bring the experience of established media professionals to Yukon filmmakers and media producers. Our guests come to the Forum to support local growth expansion through shared knowledge of the industry and professional feedback and support. The Forum will feature panel discussions, one-on-one meetings and pitch sessions. The Forum will then segue into the traditional ALFF Filmmaker talks and hands-on workshops, which will continue until the festival closes on February 12th.
*Please note: Those wishing to participate in the One-on-One meetings and Presenting The Yukoners session should contact our Industry Forum Coordinator Celia McBride directly at 867-456-7830 or celiajanemcbride@gmail.com.
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alff industry forum Monday, Feb 6, 10:00 – 11:45am Panel: How to Stay in the Game: Producers Who Persevere Producing can be a tough gig. Long hours, little pay, scant recognition. How do they do it? Why do they persist? What keeps them motivated when the going gets tough? Hear from Canadian Producers who don’t give up. With Kevin Eastwood, Emily Alden, Oliver Linsley, David Paperny.
Monday, Feb 6, 1:15 – 3:15pm Panel: New Frontiers of Indie Media Creation and Distribution The media landscape continues to change daily with old platforms becoming redundant and new ones forcing their hand. Learn how to negotiate the strategies of engagement from those on the frontlines. With Dan Sokolowski, Richard Lawrence, Joel Heath, Sue Biely, Jaybe Allanson.
Monday, Feb 6, 3:30 – 5:00pm One-on-One Sessions 20-minute meetings with our guests. By appointment only.
Monday, Feb 6, 5:00pm ALFF Opening Night Reception at Yukon Arts Centre Tuesday, Feb 7, 10:00 – 11:45am Panel: Working with Broadcasters and Funders What are broadcasters and funders looking for? How do they choose projects? Hear from reps on the inside on how to secure that elusive deal. With Kara Haflidson, Selwyn Jacob, Jaybe Allanson, David Paperny, Paritosh Mehta.
Tuesday, Feb 7, 1:15 – 2:45pm Panel: Interactive Web and Digital Storytelling What is the process of creating interactive storytelling for the web? How do we use the technology? Our panelists demystify the systems, techniques and practice. With Jeremy Mendes Sue Biely, and Jaybe Allanson.
Tuesday, Feb 7, 3:00 – 5:00pm Roundtable: Finding our Goldrush – How to get a Yukon Series Made Ice Pilots, Arctic Air, Gold Rush Alaska, the airwaves are currently thrumming with series about the North. How do we take advantage of the fact that we live in the hottest location there is? With David Paperny.
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 5:00pm Industry Mixer at Burnt Toast Your opportunity to meet and greet our industry guests in an informal atmosphere.
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alff industry forum Wednesday, Feb 8, 9:00 – 11:45am Presenting: The Yukoners Five Yukon participants will have 20 minutes each to present their project to a roundtable of Industry Reps and receive expert feedback and advice on how to further develop the project. This is not a hardcore pitching session. It is designed to encourage and build confidence, to allow the Yukon participant to hone presentation skills and see first-hand where the project’s potential lies.
Wednesday, Feb 8, 1:30 – 3:00pm Workshop: Finding the Story Structure with Kim Hudson Is everything random, or does story, and life, have a pattern? Kim Hudson, Yukon story editor and author of The Virgin’s Promise, will give a run down on archetypal patterns and story structures in contemporary cinema (documentary and and fiction stories) using both the traditional model of saving the world (Hero’s Journey) and her own feminine version of bringing your dream to life (“the Virgin movie”).
Thursday, Feb. 9, 1:00 – 2:30pm Panel: Documentary Production in Canada With Julia Ivanova and Charles Wilkinson The landscape for Canadian documentary-makers has changed dramatically in the past decade. Broadcasters have stopped commissioning one-offs but theatrical distribution has exploded. Filmmakers are self-distributing their docs, shooting on shoe-string budgets and making compelling, heart-breaking and hilarious documentaries with the new lightweight high-def technology available to everyone. The medium has been democratized and glutted with content but it has never been more exciting for audiences. Hear two directors discuss their approach and share the challenges and the triumphs from their most recent projects.
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workshop Master Class: Producing and writing micro-budget dramatic features Friday, Feb 10, 9:00am – 4:30pm Old Firehall, 1101 First Ave at Main Street Register: YAC Box Office in person, or by phone: 867-667-8574. Note: Please present your YFS member card when purchasing or picking up your ticket. Cost: $70/$50 YFS Production Members. Class size is limited. Writer, director and producer of three micro-budget feature films, Ingrid Veninger will instruct a one-day master class. This master class gives participants an overview of all the stages involved in independent filmmaking and is great for beginning directors and producers. Topics include writing, pitching, casting, crewing, securing locations, building budgets, scheduling, working with actors, getting the most out of your camera and sound, how to approach editing and the many options for finishing, clearing music, marketing, distribution, and exhibiting your film.
Ingrid Veninger Born in Bratislava and raised in Canada, Ingrid formed pUNK Films Inc. in 2003. An awardwinning creative producer and director, Ingrid has made numerous films, including: Gambling, Gods, and LSD (Genie Award for Best Documentary), NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY. (nominated for 10 Genie Awards in 2010), and three micro-budget dramatic features: Modra (ALFF 2011, official selection Canada’s Top Ten), Only and i am a good person/i am a bad person (Saturday, Feb 11). Ingrid is a member of the film faculty at York University.
firehall film talks Free admission lunch events at the Old Firehall, 1105 First Ave at Main Street Each session starts at 12:00pm and is 45 minutes in duration. See clips from films in the festival and hear the filmmakers and interactive media producers discuss the process behind making their projects. From micro-budget documentary to bigbudget international co-productions to interactive web docs.
Tuesday, Feb 7 Wednesday, Feb 8 Thursday, Feb 9
The Whistleblower and Delmer and Marta Welcome to Pine Point (interactive webdoc) and Soldier Brother Family Portrait in Black and White and Peace Out 19
Carl Beam works February 4 to 12 Community Gallery, Yukon Arts Centre
Burying the Ruler, 1985 Video documentation, 15 minutes, Courtesy Ann Beam / Neon Raven Gallery Fragile Skies, 1995. Serigraph: 18 x 22” and Two Kinds of Power, 1995. Serigraph: 16 x 25” Courtesy Yukon Arts Centre Public Art Gallery Permanent Collection
Carl Beam (1943-2005) told stories through pictures, taking back cultural identity and issues of the day. For example, Two Kinds of Power juxtaposes an electrical meter and raven, challenging standard western outlooks with a native perspective. “Of Ojibway heritage, the artist extended a strong influence on a whole generation of aboriginal artists and was instrumental in the development of the art of Canada’s First Nations.” ~ Canada Council for the Arts Presented in conjunction with the Available Light Film Festival screening of Aakideh: The Art and Legacy of Carl Beam Saturday, February 11 at 12:00pm
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monday FeB 6
National Parks Project
Before Tomorrow
12:00pm — National Parks Project Dir. Various, Canada, 2011, 78 min, All tickets $5 A selection of 8 films from the 13 short films produced in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Parks Canada. These are beautiful works that need to be experienced in a cinema. The program for this screening: Prince Edward Island: The Stars and the Waves by John Walker Sirmilik by Zacharias Kunuk Nahanni: Standing Wave by Kevin McMahon Kluane by Louise Archambault Waterton Lakes: Paahtomah Ksikimii by Peter Lynch Cape Breton Highlands by Keith Behrman Prince Albert: Night Vision by Stéphane Lafleur Gwaii Haanas: Looking Around Without Blinking by Scott Smith
4:15pm — Before Tomorrow Dir. Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Madeline Ivalu, Nunavut, 2008, 93 min Set in a small Inuit community in the Nunavik region in the 1840s, Before Tomorrow (ALFF 09) features the naturalistic mysticism that typifies the Isuma Igloolik approach to moviemaking. The film stars Madeline Ivalu as an Inuk elder isolated with her grandson (Paul Dylan Ivalu) after most of their community perishes from smallpox transmitted by strange traders. Before Tomorrow won Best Canadian First Feature Film at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. In Inuktitut with English subtitles. Part of the ALFF anniversary presentation of The Fast Runner Trilogy – feature films by the Isuma Igloolik collective. Screening sponsor: Alayuk Adventures
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monday FeB 6
People of a Feather
Sisters&Brothers
5:00pm — Opening Reception Kick off the 10th Anniversary Available Light Film Festival with guests, a dance performance and 2 gallery exhibit openings: Carl Beam Works in the Community Gallery and Degrees North x3 by Dan Sokolowski in the YAC Studio Theatre. Catering by Mary-El Kerr.
6:00pm — Performance by The Dakhká Khwáan Dancers 6:30pm — People of a Feather Dir. Joel Heath (In attendance), British Columbia/Nunavut, 2011, 90 min Featuring breathtaking underwater and time-lapse photography from seven winters in the Arctic, People of a Feather takes you through time into the world of Inuit on the Belcher Islands in Hudson Bay. Connecting past present and future is a unique cultural relationship with the eider duck. Eider down, the warmest feather in the world, allows both Inuit and bird to survive harsh Arctic winters. Recreations of traditional life are juxtaposed with modern life in Sanikiluaq, as both people and eiders face the challenges posed by changing sea ice and ocean currents disrupted by the massive hydroelectric dams powering eastern North America. Q&A with the director follows the screening. Winner of the 2011 Vancouver International Film Festival Audience Choice for Best Environmental Film. Screening sponsor: EDI Natural Resource Consultants
9:00pm — Sisters&Brothers Dir. Carl Bessai, British Columbia, 2011, 93 min Carl Bessai’s third installment in his Vancouver-set improvised familial trilogy is a bracingly funny look into the lives of four sets of siblings. Brimming with affection, hostility and a healthy dose of guilt, it is a rich and gratifying journey through siblinghood’s love and dysfunction and features an impressive ensemble cast that includes Ben Ratner, Gabrielle Miller, Camille Sullivan, Gabrielle Rose, and Cory Monteith from Glee. Q&A with producer Emily Alden follows the screening. Screening sponsor: Sequoia Kitchens & Design
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tuesday FeB 7
Rainforest: The Limit of Splendour
The Whistleblower
Soldier Brother
Eco-Pirate: The Paul Watson Story
12:00pm — Rainforest: The Limit of Splendour Dir. Richard Boyce, British Columbia, 2011, 52 min, All tickets $5 Inspired by his relationship with Chief Adam Dick, a Kwaxkwaka’wakw elder, Richard Boyce embarks upon a cinematic journey contrasting the tree-farms that dominate the landscape surrounding his Vancouver Island home with an ancient rainforest on the Pacific Coast. A beautiful, meditative and thoughtful discourse that lets the viewer come to their own conclusions about the sustainability of BC’s logging industry and the management of old growth forests.
12:00pm — Firehall Film Talk: The Whistleblower and Delmer and Marta Free lunchtime event at the Old Firehall, 1105 First Ave. See clips from The Whistleblower and hear director Larysa Kondracki talk about making this Canada-Germany co-production. Senior interactive web producer Jaybe Allanson presents the web-based comedy project Delmer and Marta, which is an interactive web companion for the APTN television show May Contain Nuts. 45 minutes.
4:30pm — Eco-Pirate: The Paul Watson Story Dir. Trish Dolman, British Columbia, 2011, 110 min This feature documentary about a man on a mission to save the planet and its oceans is a riveting and sometimes unflattering portrait of one of the original members of Greenpeace. In many ways, Paul’s story here is really the telling of man’s determined slaughter of the world’s largest mammal, the whale. Q&A with producer Kevin Eastwood follows the screening.
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alff 2012 schedule Monday, February 6
Venue
Page
10am–5pm
ALFF Industry Forum
OFH*
17
12pm
National Parks Project (8 short films)
YAC
21
4:15pm
Before Tomorrow
YAC
21
5pm
ALFF 2012 Opening Reception
YAC*
22
6:30pm
People of a Feather
YAC
22
9pm
Sisters&Brothers
YAC
22
Tuesday, February 7 10am–5pm
ALFF Industry Forum
OFH*
17
9:30am
Elementary School Show - Smokin’ Fish
YAC
35
12pm
Firehall Film Talk: The Whistleblower (Larysa Kondracki) and Delmer and Marta (Jaybe Allanson/ Switch United)
OFH*
23
12pm
Rainforest: The Limit of Splendour
YAC
23
4:30pm
Eco-Pirate: The Paul Watson Story
YAC
23
6:45pm
Take Shelter
YAC
26
9pm
Doppelgänger Paul
YAC
25
Wednesday, February 8 9am–3pm
ALFF Industry Forum
OFH*
18
12pm
Firehall Film Talk: Welcome to Pine Point and Soldier Brother
OFH*
27
4:30pm
To Make a Farm
YAC
27
6:30pm
Family Portrait in Black and White
YAC
28
9pm
The Whistleblower
YAC
28
Thursday, February 9
24
12pm
Firehall Film Talk: Family Portrait in Black and White (Julia Ivanova) and Peace Out (Charles Wilkinson)
OFH*
29
12pm
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
YAC
29
1–2:30pm
Documentary Panel Discussion
OFH*
18
8pm
The Grub-Stake Revisited Live performance & screening
YAC
30
10pm
ALFF 10th Birthday Party Live films, live music, live people
Foxy’s
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trailers at alff.ca Friday, February 10
Venue
Page
9am-4:30pm
Master Class with Ingrid Veninger Writing and producing micro-budget dramatic features
OFH
19
9:45am
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
YAC
31
1pm
Hole Story
YAC
31
2:30pm
Darwin
YAC
31
4pm
Keyhole
YAC
32
6:15pm
Peace Out + panel discussion
YAC
32
9pm
Monsieur Lazhar
YAC
33
11pm
The Upsetter
YAC
33
Saturday, February 11 10am
Pink Ribbons Inc.
YAC
34
12pm
Aakideh: The Art and Legacy of Carl Beam
YAC
34
1:30pm
Degrees North
YAC
34
3pm
Smokin’ Fish
YAC
35
5:15pm
Le Havre
YAC
35
7pm
i am a good person/i am a bad person
YAC
36
9:30pm
Andrew Bird: Fever Year
YAC
36
Sunday, February 12 9:30am
Wapos Bay Movie: Long Goodbyes
YAC
37
11am
Happy People: A Year in the Taiga
YAC
37
1pm
Position Among the Stars
YAC
38
3pm
My Perestroika
YAC
38
5pm
Into the Abyss
YAC
39
7pm
Circumstance
YAC
39
Venues OFH YAC Foxy’s *
Old Firehall, 1105 First Ave at Main Street Yukon Arts Centre, 300 College Drive Foxy’s Cabaret, 306 Alexander Street Free Event
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tuesday FeB 7
Take Shelter
Take Shelter
Doppelgänger Paul
Doppelgänger Paul
6:45pm — Take Shelter Dir. Jeff Nichols, USA, 2011, 120 min Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young husband and father questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from himself. Assuming mental illness, he seeks medical help and counseling. However, fearing the worst, he starts building an elaborate and expensive storm shelter in their backyard. Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire), and Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life) may just net ‘best actor’ and ‘best actress’ nominations at the 2012 Academy Awards for their performances in this psychological thriller that’s already being hailed by critics as a modern American classic. Winner of the Critics Week Grand Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Screening sponsor: Baked Café
9:00pm — Doppelgänger Paul or A Film About How Much I Hate Myself Dir. Dylan Akio Smith and Kris Elgstrand, British Columbia, 2011, 81 min Slyly funny, and absurdist, Doppelgänger Paul is a comedy about alienation, plagiarism and identity in an increasingly fragmented world. The hero, a fiercely lonely would be writer named Karl, is convinced that Paul, the last man he saw before a near death experience, is his doppelgänger—even though they could hardly be more dissimilar. Great Canadian microbudget cinema that’s unlike anything you’ll see from Hollywood, except Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). Q&A with producer Oliver Linsley follows the screening.
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wednesday FeB 8
Welcome to Pine Point
To Make a Farm
12:00pm — Welcome to Pine Point and Soldier Brother Free lunchtime screening at the Old Firehall, 1105 First Ave. Welcome to Pine Point (live screening of an interactive webdoc) Dir. The Goggles, British Columbia, 2010, 30 min A multimedia portrait of the disappeared Canadian mining settlement of Pine Point, NWT as told by one of its former residents. Built in the 1960s, but closed down with the mine when the stocks of zinc and lead ore ran out in the late 1980s: Pine Point was literally torn down and wiped off the map. It existed exactly long enough for one generation to live there. The documentary made by Michael Simons, who grew up in the vicinity of Pine Point, and Paul Shoebridge about this former town revolves around memories and the objects that keep these alive. This live version of Welcome to Pine Point (an NFB interactive webdoc) will be presented by National Film Board of Canada interactive web producer, Jeremy Mendes.
Soldier Brother (interactive webdoc) Jeremy Mendes will present a ‘click through’ talk about the design and production of this interactive webdoc on the nfb.ca website. 30 minutes. Screening sponsor: Meadia Solutions
4:30pm — To Make a Farm Dir. Steve Suderman, Saskatchewan, 2011, 80 min Three small scale organic farms. One Canadian growing season. Little room for bad weather, crop failure or pest destruction in the high-risk venture of farming. Here are people who’ve decided to put their money where their mouths are, turning their environmental idealism from theory into practice as they set out to establish their own local-supply food sources using sustainable means. This inspiring and vital documentary about feeding ourselves and the experience of small scale farming succinctly exposes our growing dilemma with industrial agriculture and global food distribution. Critical viewing for people whose food travels, unless it was locally grown, a minimum of 2400kms by truck. Screening sponsor: Mary-El Fine Food and Catering 27
wednesday FeB 8
Family Portrait in Black and White
The Whistleblower
6:30pm — Family Portrait in Black and White Dir. Julia Ivanova (in attendance), British Columbia, 2011, 99 min Opening with a montage of belligerent skinheads in Kiev, Julia Ivanova’s doc portrays radical compassion under fire. Strong-willed Olga is a single woman raising 16 orphans in a rundown home in a small Ukrainian town—some biological, but most fostered. Most of the children are mixed-race blacks, many rejected by their mothers due to social stigma. Growing up in a country of blue-eyed blondes, these children must always be on guard against the world around them. Economic desperation, intimate psychology and plain, imperfect human beauty are on full display in this documentary. Ivanova has an eye for fly-on-the-wall observation and a trust in her audience: she knows we’re scrupulous enough to sort the good from the bad. In Russian, Ukrainian, and Italian with English subtitles. Q&A with director to follow the screening. Winner, Best Canadian Feature Award, Hot Docs Film Festival 2011. Screening sponsor: Yukon Human Rights Commission
9:00pm — The Whistleblower Dir. Larysa Kondracki (in attendance), Canada/Germany, 2010, 112 min This raw and dizzying political thriller is based on the true story of a Nebraska police officer turned peacekeeper who uncovers a disturbing sex-trafficking underworld in Bosnia and its shocking connection to the UN. As Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) feverishly works to expose the scandal, the UN does its utmost to keep her quiet. Directed by first time Canadian filmmaker Larysa Kondracki, the film also stars Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave, Monica Bellucci and Academy Award nominee David Strathairn. Q&A with director to follow the screening. The Whistleblower is nominated for six Genies for 2011, including best actress for Rachel Weisz. Winner of the Phillip Borsos Award at the 2010 Whistler Film Festival.
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thursday feb 9
Family Portrait in Black and White
Peace Out
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
12:00pm — Firehall Film Talks: Family Portrait in Black and White and Peace Out Free lunchtime event at the Old Firehall, 1105 First Ave. Directors Julia Ivanova and Charles Wilkinson share clips from their respective documentary films and discuss the process behind making them. 45 minutes.
12:00pm — The Journals of Knud Rasmussen Dir. Zacharias Kunuk, Nunavut, 2006, 112 min From the creators of Atanarjuat comes the first film to visualize the Christianization of Indigenous people from their own perspective. Set in and around Igloolik and based on the journals of 1920s Danish ethnographer Knud Rasmussen, the film tells the story of the last great Inuit Shaman and his headstrong daughter as they try to resist the changes encroaching upon their family and culture and make the choice between Shamanism and Christianity. In Inuktitut with English subtitles. Part of the ALFF anniversary presentation of The Fast Runner Trilogy - feature films by the Isuma Igloolik collective. Screening sponsor: Air North
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thursday feb 9
The Grub-Stake
The Grub-Stake
8:00pm — The Grub-Stake Revisited with the Longest Night Ensemble Dir. Bert Van Tuyle, USA, 1923, 68 min Nell Shipman’s Klondike adventure film is accompanied by the live performance of a new music score by the Longest Night Ensemble and Shakespearean verse by a cast of six actors. Music written by Whitehorse-based composer, Daniel Janke. Script adapted by Daniel Janke, Celia McBride and Eric Epstein. Don’t miss this chance to witness this forgotten work of independent cinema history by a Canadian iconoclast as it takes in a breath of life from the north-country the film depicts. Shot in Idaho at locations that appear surprisingly like Dawson, The Grub-Stake sees Shipman play Faith Diggs, a beautiful young woman who supports herself and her ailing father by taking in laundry and modeling for artists. Enter the villain, Leroy, who agrees to back her plan to open a laundry in gold rush country. Once in the Klondike, Faith discovers Leroy’s true and dastardly schemes. Faith flees with her father in a dogsled and gets hopelessly lost. A series of Shipman’s trademark animal and wilderness scenes ensue before Faith is rescued in what Shipman described as a ‘sockeroo finish.’
Musicians Daniel Janke, Jesse Zubot, Jordy Walker, Peggy Lee and Andrea McColeman
Cast Celia McBride, Charles Laberge, Dave Haddock, James McCullough, Roy Ness and Sarah Moore The creation of this project was commissioned by the Yukon Film Society for the 10th Anniversary Available Light Film Festival, with support from a Yukon Artsfund Award.
Tickets: $20/$18 YFS members, seniors, youth under 16 Five Film Passes cannot be redeemed for admission to this event. 30
friday feb 10
Hole Story
Darwin
9:45am — Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) Dir. Zacharias Kunuk, Nunavut, 2001, 161 min This classic Canadian epic was the hit of the inaugural Available Light Film Festival in 2003. Come see the newly re-mastered version in the comfort of the Yukon Arts Centre theatre. Atanarjuat is Canada’s first feature-length fiction film written, produced, directed, and acted by Inuit. Its success changed Canadian cinema and flung open the door for other aboriginal filmmakers. An exciting action thriller set in ancient Igloolik, the film unfolds as a lifethreatening struggle between powerful natural and supernatural characters. In Inuktitut with English subtitles. Winner of the Best Canadian Feature Film award at TIFF 2001, the Golden Camera at Cannes, and 8 Genie Awards.
1:00pm — Hole Story Dir. Richard Desjardins and Robert Monderie, Québec, 2011, 79 min A provocative documentary that explores the history of mining in Canada by focusing on the mineral rich heart of the Canadian Shield in Northern Québec and Ontario. Directors Desjardins and Monderie tell a story of astronomical profits made with disregard for the environment and human health in this fast paced documentary about capital, labour, environment and national sovereignty. Screening sponsor: CPAWS Yukon
2:30pm — Darwin Dir. Nick Brandestini, Switzerland/USA, 2011, 80 min A poetic, utterly compelling documentary film, Darwin explores an isolated community at the end of a weathered road in Death Valley, California. Set in a former mining town, Darwin is like a peeling an onion: each new layer reveals unexpected details and fascinating real-life characters. This cast of society refugees, survivalists, artists and retired miners are outsiders in a uniquely American place and yet a place that is unique even within America. Winner of the Best Documentary Award at the 2011 Zurich Film Festival. Screening sponsor: Pixelbox Studio 31
friday feb 10
Keyhole
Peace Out
4:00pm — Keyhole Dir. Guy Maddin, Manitoba, 2011, 105 min Guy Maddin’s latest opus delves into melodrama and family relationships surrounding a gangster and deadbeat father (Jason Patric), in his trademark black-and-white style. The kicker: the film is loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey, but transplants the action indoors to a domestic study of the emotionally complex importance of the characters’ home, and all the memories that haunt every nook and cranny of our childhood domiciles. Also starring Isabella Rossellini, Udo Kier and Kevin MacDonald. Winner of the Borsos Competition for best Canadian feature at the 2011 Whistler Film Festival.
6:15pm — Peace Out Dir. Charles Wilkinson (in attendance), British Columbia, 2011, 80 min Peace Out asks and answers the question: are we ripping up our back yard for energy - or not? By putting himself into the equation by acknowledging his personal responsibility for his own energy footprint, Wilkinson seeks to engage those of us who do not connect our daily decisions with global land use issues. It focuses on the North Western Canadian wilderness, particularly the proposed Site C dam near Dawson Creek, BC, a proposed nuclear plant in Peace River, AB and the proposed oil and gas pipelines across central BC. The film pits energy executives, Tar Sands reps and nuclear spokesmen against academics and activists in an intelligent debate that leaves the viewer to decide what to believe. This special screening will be followed by a panel discussion on energy production and use with panelists: director Charles Wilkinson, and Yukon Energy CEO David Morrison. Screening sponsor: Yukon Energy
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friday feb 10
Monsieur Lazhar
The Upsetter: the Life and Music of Lee Scratch Perry
9:00pm — Monsieur Lazhar Dir. Philippe Falardeau, Québec, 2011, 94 min From the producers of the unforgettable Incendies (ALFF 2011), comes one of the most charming and gripping Québécois films of the last decade. Monsieur Lazhar is a middle-aged Algerian immigrant seeking political refuge in Québec and jumps at the opportunity to replace a Montreal elementary school teacher who committed suicide. Expanded from a one-character play by Evelyne de la Chenelière, and set in a Montreal elementary school, this beautifully crafted character study speaks of loss and death, innocence and guilt, imposture and honesty, in an eloquent and complex, yet simple and fluid manner. In French with English subtitles. Winner of the Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. A TIFF ‘Canada’s Top Ten’ film for 2011, and nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 84th Academy Awards. Screening sponsor: Association franco-yukonnaise
11:00pm — The Upsetter: the Life and Music of Lee Scratch Perry Dir. Ethan Higbee and Adam Bhala Lough, USA, 2008, 90 min Guaranteed to please music-lovers, The Upsetter charts 70 years in the life of Lee “Scratch” Perry, the originator of Reggae and Dub music, in his own words through an exclusive interview given to American filmmakers Higbee and Lough in Switzerland in 2006. It is equally a documentation of 30 years of Jamaican music and culture as it is a study of one of the most creative and inspiring human beings of all time. Lee Perry burst on the 1960s Kingston scene with a brand new sound, inventing a genre of music that would come to be called Reggae while mentoring a young Bob Marley and gaining international recognition as a record producer and solo artist. Soon he was being called upon by musicians as diverse as The Clash and Paul McCartney to provide his unique sound to their recordings. Besides originating reggae music, Perry was also the first person to ever use a sound sample in a song. Perry’s influence on popular music ranges from reggae to dub to hip hop and electronica music. Narrated by actor Benicio del Toro (The Usual Suspects, The Wolfman, Che, 21 Grams). Screening sponsor: Triple J’s Music, Tattoos and Piercing / gallery22 33
saturday FeB 11
Pink Ribbons Inc.
Aakideh: The Art and Legacy of Carl Beam
10:00am — Pink Ribbons Inc. Dir. Léa Pool, Québec, 2011, 98 min The devastating reality of breast cancer, which marketing experts have labeled a “dream cause,” has been hijacked by a shiny, pink story of success. Director Léa Pool delves into the poster child of corporate cause-related marketing campaigns in this award-winning documentary (selected one of ‘Canada’s Top Ten’ films for 2011).
12:00pm — Aakideh: The Art and Legacy of Carl Beam Dir. Paul Eichhorn and Robert Waldeck, Ontario, 2010, 65 min Carl Beam, one of Canada’s most influential and significant artists, earned a reputation for being fearless, visionary and ultimately, unforgettable. From his early years growing up on Manitoulin Island to his turbulent years spent at a residential school, this beautifully produced documentary explores how these early experiences not only impacted Beam’s life but also his art. Preceeded by Material, Daniel Cockburn, Ontario, 11 min. A selection from the National Parks Project, see page 21.
1:30pm — Degrees North Dir. Dan Sokolowski (in attendance), Yukon, 2012, 65 min Beginning at Pelee Island (42 degrees north), and finishing at the Arctic Circle (66 degrees north), Degrees North is a journey of discovery, space, and time. Using light, colour and composition, Degrees North is an alchemistic blend of live action landscape photography, animation, and music that results in a meditative exploration of Canadian landscape. Ten years in the making, the film also includes scenes filmed at the Mingan Archipelago (Québec), the Alberta Badlands, Lake Superior, North Grenville (Ontario), Lakelands (Sask), Castle Butte, Athabasca, and Southern Lakes region of the Yukon. Available Light is honoured to be presenting the world premiere of this Dawson-based filmmakers’ first feature documentary. Featuring music by, Peter Togni, Sanctuary, Rebecca Campbell, and Ian Tamblyn. Screening sponsor: Terra Firma Art Company 34
saturday FeB 11
Degrees North
Smokin’ Fish
Le Havre
Le Havre
3:00pm — Smokin’ Fish Dir. Cory Mann (in attendance) and Luke Griswold-Tergis, Juneau, AK, 2011, 80 min The unusual story of Cory Mann, a quirky Tlingit businessman, and the untold history of his people interweave with the process of preparing traditional food as Mann struggles to pay his bills, keep the IRS off his back, and keep his Juneau-based businesses afloat. A delightful film about discovering oneself, one’s culture and history, and existing in a modern North. Q&A with co-director Cory Mann, and family members Sally and Valentino Burattin follows the screening. Travel for the three guests with this film was generously provided by Tle’Nax T’awei Group. Screening sponsor: Tle’Nax T’awei Group
5:15pm — Le Havre Dir. Aki Kaurismäki, Finland/France/Germany, 2011, 93 min Legendary Finnish director Kaurismäki takes his trademark deadpan style to northern France in his 16th feature film. A shoe-shining bohemian befriends a young African refugee in this warmhearted portrait of the French harbour city. A political fairy tale that exists somewhere between the reality of contemporary France and the classic cinema of Jean-Pierre Melville and Marcel Carné, Le Havre is a charming, deadpan delight. In French with English subtitles. Finland’s official submission to the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 84th Academy Awards. Screening sponsor: Association franco-yukonnaise
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saturday FeB 11
i am a good person/i am a bad person
i am a good person/i am a bad person
Andrew Bird: Fever Year
Andrew Bird: Fever Year
7:00pm — i am a good person/i am a bad person Dir. Ingrid Veninger (in attendance), Ontario, 2011, 80 min Following up last year’s charming film Modra, ALFF is pleased to present director Ingrid Veninger’s follow-up film, i am a good person/i am a bad person. When a mother and daughter tour film festivals in Europe and decide to part ways, they must confront life-changing choices alone, before returning home. Sincere and cinematic, and full of the exhilarating creativity characteristic of Veninger’s work, i am a good person/i am a bad person is about taking a good look at who you are, and where you want to go next. Q&A with director to follow the screening. Screening sponsor: Burnt Toast Café/The Cork & Bull
9:30pm — Andrew Bird: Fever Year Dir. Xan Aranda (in attendance), USA, 2011, 81 min Acclaimed musician Andrew Bird’s rigorous touring year culminates in perpetual fever as he crosses the finish line on crutches from an onstage injury. A wonderful concert documentary exploring an undeniable creative force, the film featuring collaborators Martin Dosh, Annie Clark of St. Vincent, and others. Concert performances are intercut with moments spent getting to know the very private artist in his home, backstage and farmhouse studio in rural Illinois. If you don’t know Andrew Bird’s music, this smart documentary is the perfect introduction. Q&A with director to follow the screening. Screening sponsor: Cambio Consulting
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sunday FeB 12
Wapos Bay: Long Goodbyes
Wapos Bay: Long Goodbyes
Happy People: A Year in the Taiga
Happy People: A Year in the Taiga
9:30am — Wapos Bay: Long Goodbyes Dir. Dennis Jackson, Saskatchewan, 2011, 74min This long running APTN clay-mation series signs off by making the jump to the big screen! But everything is not well in this idyllic northern community. After a lifetime of happy memories in Wapos Bay, Talon and Raven discover their dad has accepted a job in the big city. Faced with the reality of moving away, the two siblings react in different ways. For Talon, the news sends him on a journey of self-discovery as he sets out to accomplish his “bucket list” of things he’s always wanted to accomplish with his friends. Raven, on the other hand, is determined to keep her family in Wapos Bay, even if it means getting her dad elected as the new Chief ... without his knowing. A feel-good film for all ages featuring the voice talents of Lorne Cardinal, Andrea Menard and the late Gordon Tootoosis. All tickets $5. Screening sponsor: What’s up Yukon
11:00am — Happy People: A Year in the Taiga Dir. Dmitry Vasyukov and Werner Herzog, Germany, 2011, 94 min A portrait of the life of the people, particularly focusing on the trappers who live there, of the village Bakhtia at the river Yenisei in the Siberian Taiga - one of the largest ecosystems in Russia. The camera follows the protagonists in the village over a period of a year. The perpetually bemused Herzog provides the narration. His admiration for the locals’ capacity to enjoy a full life in this environment is only matched by his delight when discovering the complete absence of bureaucracy and other contemporary malaises. Screening sponsor: Midnight Sun Coffee Roaster 37
sunday FeB 12
Position Among the Stars
Position Among the Stars
My Perestroika
My Perestroika
1:00pm — Position Among the Stars Dir. Leonard Retel Helmrich, Netherlands/Indonesia, 2010, 110 min Twelve years ago, Dutch filmmaker Retel Helmrich decided to visit Indonesia, the birthplace of his Dutch father and Indonesian mother, looking for inspiration. The trip ignited his fascination with the country and he started filming the Shamshudin family living in a Jakarta slum. Now comes the riveting third film in an engrossing trilogy—told in a cinema verité style reminiscent of Last Train Home (ALFF 2010), Helmrich will bring you closer to Indonesia than you will ever get on your own. “Whatever you think you understand by the word ‘documentary’, throw that out the window now. This is an exhilarating cinematic ride, a funny, pungent, piercing slice of neo-realist poetry that feels closer to Slumdog Millionaire than the Knowledge Network.” ~VIFF Screening sponsor: Omni Sound Productions
3:00pm — My Perestroika Dir. Robin Hessman, USA/UK/Russia, 2010, 88 min My Perestroika follows five ordinary Russians living in extraordinary times—from their sheltered Soviet childhood, to the collapse of the Soviet Union during their teenage years, to the constantly shifting political landscape of post-Soviet Russia. Together, these childhood classmates paint a complex picture of the dreams and disillusionment of those raised behind the Iron Curtain. Screening sponsor: Uniglobe Specialty Travel 38
sunday FeB 12
Into the Abyss
Into the Abyss
Circumstance
Circumstance
5:00pm — Into the Abyss Dir. Werner Herzog, Germany/USA, 2011, 107 min In his fascinating exploration of a triple homicide case in Conroe, Texas, master filmmaker Werner Herzog (Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Grizzly Man) probes the human psyche to explore why people kill—and why a state kills. In intimate conversations with those involved, including 28-year-old death row inmate Michael Perry (scheduled to die within eight days of appearing on-screen), Herzog achieves what he describes as “a gaze into the abyss of the human soul.” As he’s so often done before, Herzog’s investigation unveils layers of humanity, making an enlightening trip out of ominous territory. Screening sponsor: Pixelbox Studio
7:00pm — Circumstance (Closing Film) Dir. Maryam Keshavarz, France/USA/Iran, 2011, 106 min A suspenseful tale of love and family upended by obsession and suspicion, Circumstance is also a provocative coming-of-age story where a young woman’s most electrifying passions can become the most dangerous of secrets. The Audience Award winner at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, writer-director Maryam Keshavarz’s debut feature boldly takes film-goers inside a modern Iran rarely witnessed by outsiders: an exhilarating, invisible realm of illicit parties where young hipsters risk arrest, and their futures, as they experiment with sex, drugs and defiance, all while trying to evade the authorities. Screening sponsor: Yukon Women’s Directorate
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the B ig One-O Thursday, Feb 9 y alff 10th Birthday Part Foxys Cabare t, 10pm , $5
film buffs, staff, volunteers — come out and celebrate with us. if you’re reading this, you’re invited! 10:30 pm: music by jordy walker, jesse zubot, andré gagné.
live projections by erin corbett.
11:30 pm: dave haddock & friends.
Don’t be fooled by our name, we do a lot more than you think. Yes, werent out great gear andyes, wesupport local filmmakers—but wealso offer workshops for filmlovers andfilmmakers alikeyear round. Whether you’re intostop-motion, lighting, sound, editingor just want tochat about filmmaking, theYukonFilmSociety is heretofeedyour creativeendeavors. For moreinformationabout what weoffer andtorenewyour membership, check out our boothhereat thefestival or visit us at www.yukonfilmsociety.com
$5 Exhibition Membership
$30 Production Membership
Yukon FilmSociety 212 Lambert St. (2ndfloor), Whitehorse, YT Y1A1Z4 Phone 867-393-3456 Email yfs@yukonfilmsociety.com Facebook /yukonfilmsociety 40
thank you! Vancouver International Film Festival, Mongrel Media, Kinosmith Distribution, E One Entertainment, Films We Like, Jane Gutteridge, National Film Board of Canada, Ravens West Films, Mongrel Media, Eye Steel Films, Luke Griswold-Tergis, Chris Emery, John Hallman, DOXA Festival, Tracey Friesen, Richard Lawrence, Jody Shapiro, Vtape, Ingrid Veninger, Maryne Dumaine, Steve Martindale, StÊphane Thibault, David Curtis, Christopher Griffiths, Moira Sauer, Henry Connors, Ann Beam, Klondike Institute of Art and Culture, Baseline Communications, Nina Bremer, Stephanie Bacon, Boise State University Archives, Cinematronix, Ryan J Noth. The staff and volunteers of the Yukon Arts Centre and Old Firehall. YFS Board of Directors; Daniel Janke, Vanessa Corkal, Max Fraser, Victoria Kennedy, Louis Martel, Dean Williams, Richard Lawrence, Dan Sokolowski. Our festival volunteers, sponsors, supporters, guests and audiences over the last 10 years. Here’s to 10 more.
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WE ARE MORE GREEN THAN EVER
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Phone: 867.668.4733 info@asprinting.ca 204 Strickland Street, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2J8
* because the environment matters
Festival Presenters
Major Festival Sponsors Co-sponsored by Departments of Economic Development, Film and Sound Commission and Tourism and Culture.
Festival Sponsors
screening Sponsors
burnt toast
yukon film society annual support
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YOUR NEEDS POWER WHAT WE DO
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Congratulations to th e Available Light Film Festival for another pr emiere event. Yukon Energy is proud to play a supporting role in the festival’s su ccess. www.yukonenergy.ca (867) 393-5333