Thursday, February 12th
The day kicks off with the festival’s final installment of the Fire Hall Film Talks, a series of free lunchtime discussions between filmmakers and artists about behind-the-scene development of projects. Thursday’s talk is on the changing face of music videos and narrative film.
Panelists are singer-songwriter John Southworth; Violent director and member of We Are the City, Andrew Huculiak; Andrew Stratis, of Headless Owl Records, and Tu Dors Nicole director Stéphane Lafleur.
That evening John Southworth and The South Seas, and We Are the City take over the Arts Centre stage at 8 p.m.
“The inclusion of music in the festival came out of our post-festival discussion with the (Yukon) Arts Centre — we realized that the stage could easily be set up for cabaret shows ‘behind the cinema screen,” says festival director Andrew Connors.
Southworth’s set includes video shot from both sides of Niagara Falls, a visual companion piece to the songs from his new double-LP, Niagara, which contains a “Canadian” and an “American” side. Images from Andrew Huculiak’s film, Violent, will share the stage with We Are the City.
Friday, February 13th
Friday’s programming is rooted strongly in the multi-disciplinary space, exemplified by Shary Boyle and Christine Fellows’ Spell to Bring Lost Creatures Home, at 7:30 p.m. Part ritual and part myth, Boyle and Fellows use sound, lyric, image, and light to tell stories that reconnect us with a sense of shared history and common humanity.
“This work premiered at the Northern Arts Centre in Yellowknife and was toured throughout the NWT in October,” says Connors.
Saturday, February 14th
Saturday’s programming kicks off with a labour of love five years in the making, by Yukoner Celia McBride — Last Stop for Miles, at 10:30 a.m. The film was made with a local cast and crew, and was shot on location in Whitehorse.
Connors laughs: “I keep describing the film as being made on a ‘micro-budget’ and Celia continues to correct my terminology to ‘no budget’.”
The evening will showcase 20,000 Days on Earth, at 9 p.m. This film revolves around 24 fictitious hours in the life of Australian musician, author and screenwriter Nick Cave.
“Nick Cave is like Bob Dylan or Neil Young to me,” says Connors. “He’s this legendary storyteller and musician, and this film captures his story perfectly.”
Sunday, February 15th
The final day of the festival kicks off with a free screening of, Howl’s Moving Castle, a classic from legendary animation artist Hayao Miyazaki at 10 a.m.
“Studio Ghibli’s (Miyazaki’s studio) work is magical but they are very picky about the standard at which their work is screened,” explains Connors. “We only have the right equipment in Whitehorse during the festival so it’s a priority for me to include their work in this window where we can meet the tech requirements.”
Later that day festival-goers will be treated to Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll at 12:30 p.m., which will allow audiences to experience the 20th Century history of the Cambodian people, culminating in the Khmer Rouge’s genocide, through music and culture.
“The film is able to look at Cambodia’s tragic past while also capturing the power of art to give people a sense of pride and identity,” says Connors.
Sunday also features DamNation at 5:15 pm., an eye-opening film about dam removal across the United States.
“It’s a timely piece, with Yukoners looking at further hydro developments to meet our energy needs, so we’ve invited Yukon Energy and Yukon Conservation Society to join us for a discussion after the screening,” says Connors.
The festival finishes with the new art house film from renowned English director Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner at 7:30 p.m., about the eccentric and talented British painter J.M.W. Turner. The film is up for four Academy Awards has already garnered Timothy Spall the award for Best Actor at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.
This guide is not exhaustive; to check out all the options, go to yukonfilmsociety.com/alff.
