6

presented by

Country Grocer

Salt Spring Film Festival Guide

March 6 - March 8, 2015
Gulf Islands Secondary School - 112 Rainbow Road

Opening Night Gala

Sponsored by Salt Spring Coffee

Friday March 6
Special dinner and desserts menu from 6 pm

Feature Film at 7:30 pm

Citizenfour
Tickets $10 at the door

Citizenfour
Laura Poitras, UK, 2014, 114 mins
A hotel room in Hong Kong. Chilling disclosures from a man who will be dubbed both hero and
traitor. Edward Snowden, former U.S. government employee and whistleblower extraordinaire,
argues that unfettered surveillance and data gathering by government spy agencies pose a threat
to our privacy and freedoms. In a real time series of filmed meetings and interviews shot over
8 days with Guardian newspaper journalist Glenn Greenwald, Snowden plans the release of
thousands of incriminating classified documents. Bold, engrossing and disturbing, Citizenfour
(Snowdens electronic pseudonym) unfolds like a political thriller in which an Orwellian nightmare
threatens us all.

Welcome to the Festival

The Salt Spring Film Festival is now in its 16th
year. Its longevity speaks volumes about the
kind of ongoing support and endorsement
received from islanders. Remember the old
saying about mighty oaks growing out of little
acorns? Well, thats our story. From its modest
beginning in the Anglican church basement to
its current home and scope at GISS, the roots
of the film festival are now deeply planted in
the life of our community. Yes, there have been
changes along the way. Changes needed to
keep the festival alive and strong for the future.
Last year, we transitioned from donations at the
door admission to a system of set price passes
that includes subsidized admission where
needed and requested. We want islanders to be
proud of their home-grown festival and to know
it is accessible to everyone.
Many of this years films ask us to explore the
notion of community and fellowship. What

strengthens and nourishes community? Perhaps

forgiveness and reconciliation after strife and
injustice as in Soft Vengeance. Maybe creating a
sense of belonging for those who are so often
marginalized as seen in Becoming Bulletproof
and Crazywater; or through collective
community actions undertaken to protest
environmental harm as shown in DamNation.
We invite you to take in as much of the
weekends wonderful program as your mind
and heart can embrace. Theres no denying
a few of the films are tough to watch and
may induce anger and sadness; many others,
though, will lift you up, make you smile, make
you cheer. We hope they also make you rejoice
at being part of the film festival community.
Patricia Lockie
President
Salt Spring Film Festival Society

The Salt Spring Film Festival

STAFF

COMMITTEE LEADERS

James Cowan - Festival Manager

Jane Aitken - Festival Administrator

Box Office - Bruce Eggertson, Patricia Lockie

Communications - James Cowan, Patricia Lockie
Decor - Noni Peck, Diana Morris Knox
Food - Melissa Searcy, Kahsia Hartwell
Fundraising - Richard MacKinnon
Graphics - Janine Gowans, Judy McPhee
Hospitality - Bruce Eggertson
Logistics - Cliff Knox
Membership - Therin Gower
Projectionists - Judy McPhee
Publicity - Patricia Lockie
Community Bazaar - Maggie Ziegler
Technical - David Vollrath
Venue set-up - Katharine Atkins
Volunteers - Therin Gower
Website - Alastair Aitken

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Patricia Lockie - Co Chair
Therin Gower - Co Chair
Bruce Eggertson - Treasurer
Melissa Searcy - Secretary
Katharine Atkins - Director
Janine Gowans - Director
Kahsia Hartwell - Director
Cliff Knox - Director
Richard MacKinnon - Director
Noni Peck - Director
David Vollrath - Director
Maggie Ziegler - Director

Festival Passes
Admission to the 2015 Festival is by Weekend, Day or Gala
Night pass. The passes may be purchased in the following
ways:
WEEKEND PASS ($35)
Available in advance, in person and online, from the
ArtSpring Ticket Centre, and at the door. Includes the Friday
Night Gala.
DAY PASS ($15) and GALA NIGHT only ($10)
Available at the door. No advance sales.
PASS PRICES
Weekend Pass Gala Night
(advance purchase only)
Weekend Pass
Day Pass
Gala

Saturday and Sunday $35

The purchase price of a pass includes your Salt Spring Film

Festival Society 2015 membership.
Subsidized Passes
A number of subsidized passes, supported by the Salt Spring
Island Royal Canadian Legion, are available through the
main reception desk at Community Services main office (268
Fulford Ganges Road). Subsidized passes are also available at
the Festival Box Office. Please inquire at the door.
Special thanks to the Salt Spring Island Royal Canadian Legion
and Salt Spring Community Services for their support in our
subsidized pass program.
PLEASE NOTE: The Community Bazaar and food concessions
areas are available to all, without the purchase of a Festival pass

Saturday and Sunday $30

Saturday OR Sunday $15
only Friday night
$10

Food
Great films, wonderful food. The festival
Gala starts off with a dinner prepared
by Chef Mark and the GISS culinary
program students. There will be a
choice of soup with salad and a freshly
baked bun for $10.00 or a choice of a
hot entree buffet with salad and bun
for $15.00. There will be an exciting
choice of dessert sweets made by
Lou of CocoLoco fame for sale in the
multipurpose room. Salt Spring Coffee is
sponsoring the Gala and will be serving
their finest fresh brew.

Hot lunches will be served in the

cafeteria on Saturday and Sunday from
11:30am-1:30pm, featuring the popular
GISS salad bar, delicious soups and hot
entrees.
We are delighted to partner with
the GISS culinary program which is
committed to educating students on
healthy choices, preparing fresh food
including taking an active role in caring
for the GISS greenhouse and garden.
Funds from the this years Film Fest
will go towards their Salt Spring Salad

food cart project which will provide

an entrepreneurial summer school
program for select culinary students.
We are also very excited this year
to be bringing in two of the islands
most extraordinary bakers to supply
the Intermission Cafe with sweet and
savoury delights in the multipurpose
room - Janas Bake Shop and gluten free
treats from Laughing Daughters.
As always, delicious coffee will be
freshly made by Ometepe. Please bring
your own mug and/or water bottle!

Gentle Reminders
Please be patient at the entrance. Lineups happen. Volunteers try to get people through the doors as quickly as possible.
Please dont abuse them if you have to wait.
Arrive at screening rooms in good time for the showing. This maximizes your chance of getting to see the film of your
choice. There is no reserve seating. No standing permitted. Check your guide to see which films are being repeated.
Once the film has started, respect the audience by not entering late.
If you need to munch, do it before or after a screening. No food is allowed in the screening rooms (classrooms).
Bring your own water bottles if possible. There are two drinking fountains onsite and water stations available.
Bring your own coffee cups for coffee or hot beverages.
Vacate the screening room before the start of the next film.
Quiet in the hallways is appreciated so as not to disturb other film viewers.
Please refrain from wearing strong scents.

Filmmaker Series sponsored by Harbour House Hotel

Dennis Allen
Crazywater
Writer, director, producer and musician,
Dennis Allen comes from a long line
of storytellers. Inupiat Eskimo on his
fathers side, and Gwichin Indian on his
mothers, the influence of his grandparents
storytelling is the foundation of Allens
film and television work. His first short
drama, Someplace Better (2001), was presented at the Sundance
Film Festival, and his recent credits include My Father, My Teacher
(2005) and CBQM (2009), which won the Alanis Obomsawin Best
Documentary Award at the 2009 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts
Festival. His Whitehorse-based company, Mackenzie Delta Films, is
dedicated to making films about the North and its peoples.

Suzanne Crocker
All The Time In The World
Suzanne Crocker retired from her career
as a family physician in 2008 to follow her
passion for filmmaking. She has been prolific
in creating independent short films, creating
11 shorts in the first two years of her
filmmaking career. Two of her shorts aired
on CBC (2010) and her award-winning handdrawn animated short Time Lines (2010) screened at 6 Canadian,
4 American, and 1 European film festival and won two awards.
Suzanne Crockers filmmaking has been praised for its story telling
and its ability to evoke emotion. All The Time In The World represents
Suzanne Crockers feature film directing debut.

Kim Hunter
Time To Play
Kim Hunter has been working with young
children her whole life, but formally in the
classroom for the last two decades. She is a
Waldorf Early Childhood Educator and has
been operating a mixed-age-kindergarten
on Salt Spring Island since 1999, prior to
which she worked at the Vancouver Waldorf
School. She hopes that Time To Play, her first film, can be used as a
spring board for conversations about how we can better meet the
needs of children, and stimulate the conversations we need to have
in order to create a new paradigm in the way we understand early
childhood.

Vic Sarin
The Boy From Geita
Vic Sarin is an Indian-born Canadian/American
film director, producer and screenwriter. A
passionate and diverse filmmaker, Sarins
career includes award-winning feature films,
documentaries and television movies. His
work as a cinematographer includes Partition,
Margarets Museum, Whale Music, Nowhere
to Hide, Normans Awesome Experience, and Riel. He also directed
such projects as Partition, Left Behind, and Wind at My Back. Sarin
is one of Canadas most celebrated Directors of Photography,
receiving numerous accolades including Genie, Gemini and Emmy
nominations and awards. He is the recipient of the prestigious Kodak
Lifetime Achievement Award for having created some of Canadian
cinemas most moving and memorable images.

Harold Crooks
The Price We Pay
Harold Crooks is an author and writer/
producer whose award winning and
acclaimed documentary film credits include:
Surviving Progress, The Corporation, Karsh Is
History, Pax Americana And The Weaponization of Space, The World Is Watching,
Bhopal: The Search for Justice, and the TV
series Black Coffee. He is a recipient of numerous awards, including
a Genie Award of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television,
a Gold Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival, a Leo Award
for Best Screenwriter (Documentary) of the Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences Foundation of B.C., a National Documentary Film Award
(Best Writing Category) at 1996 Hot Docs.

Mathew Parry
Hives For Humanity
Born and raised in Wales, filmmaker Mathew
Parry has worked in the film and broadcast
industries for almost twenty years. In the UK
he worked with the Wales Screen Commission
for 10 years, before relocating to Los Angeles
to take on a role with the UK Film Council US.
Following a move to Vancouver, and after
many years helping others realize their on-screen projects, Mathew
is starting to bring to life some productions of his own. His short
film, Hives For Humanity, premiered at Vancouvers DOXA Festival in
2014. His next project will focus on the Welsh diaspora in Canada,
particularly in British Columbia.

Richard Boyce
Coastal Tarsands
Richard Boyce is a documentary filmmaker
with more than 20 years experience
specializing as a cameraman/DOP who lives
on Vancouver Island. As a cinematographer
Boyce has shot documentary films with some
of Canadas most respected filmmakers,
in extreme conditions from the icy streets
of Montreal to the heat of the Sahara Desert, across the USA and
Canada, to the wild and wet climate of the Pacific Coast Rainforest.
Richard attended our 2013 festival, with his previous film, Rainforest
- The Limit of Splendour. The film received numerous awards for
creatively illuminating a critical environmental issue.

Scott Renyard
The Pristine Coast
Scott Renyard, filmmaker and scientist, has
worked on more than 100 film and television
projects in many capacities including
writing, directing and producing. In 2001,
Scott co-wrote and directed the one hour
doc Project Cougar for Discovery Channel.
The following year he directed the six-part
series Check it Out for Access Television. Scott then wrote, directed
and produced the award winning nature documentary, Who Killed
Miracle? In early 2014, Scott completed the remaster projects for
Living River and Indian Food Fishing on the Fraser River and finished
the feature documentary The Pristine Coast which launched at the
2014 Vancouver International Film Festival.

Activism 2.0:
The Black Fish

Alice Walker:
Beauty In Truth

Emily Hunter, Canada, 2014, 17 mins.

Pratibha Parmar, UK, 2014, 83 mins.

Activism 2.0 is a series of films

looking at a new era in the environmental movement, directed
by Emily Hunter, daughter of the
first Greenpeace president. Hunters
aim is to highlight the next
generation of leaders with
innovative approaches to solving
ecological crises. In this first film,
she goes underground with a
group called The Black Fish as they employ unconventional tactics
to protect the Mediterranean Sea. Attempting to track illegal fishing
operations using controversial drone technology, the group quickly
finds the odds are stacked against them, as they attempt to expose a
multi-billion dollar market tied to crime syndicates. With Preempting
Dissent.
Saturday March 7 4:15pm Tuam

All The Time

In The World
Suzanne Crocker, Canada, 2014, 89 mins.

Many parents place importance

on interaction with the natural
world. We take our children
on hikes, attend nature talks,
picnic at the seashore. Suzanne
Crocker and her husband went
far beyond this when they
took their children to stay for
nine months in a cabin in the
Yukon. With no road access, no
running water and (gasp) no electricity, TV, Internet or phone, their
family found a new way to live. Suzanne switched from doctor to
professional filmmaker to document what happened, and her gentle
yet vibrant film immerses us in their timeless world of creativity, selfreliance, and joy in nature and each other.
Director Suzanne Crocker in attendance
Saturday March 7 4:15pm Erskine

Born a Georgia share-croppers

daughter in 1944, Alice Walker
became an influential feminist,
activist and a writer whose beloved
first novel, The Colour Purple
won
the
Pulitzer
Prize.
Whether engaged with black
civil rights, taking on domestic
violence in black communities,
challenging
female
genital
mutilation or embracing her love of women, Alice Walkers life
and stories are always powerful and often controversial. Its an
extraordinary life that also brings light to the central struggles of
the decades she has lived through, and in this film Walkers story is
presented with compassion and curiosity.
Sunday March 8 12:30pm Erskine

Anita
Freida Mock, USA, 2013, 77 mins.

Recent events in Canada have

shown what happens when
a powerful man is accused of
sexual harrassment and a media
furore ensues. 24 years ago it
was Anita Hills testimony against
US Supreme Court nominee
Clarence Thomas that was in
the spotlight. Hill was a young
African-American law professor
who had endured repeated
harrassment whilst working with Thomas. Bravely taking the stand in
front of a committee of 14 white men, she graphically described her
experiences and divided opinion around the world. Freida Mocks
documentary is a vital portrayal of a young woman speaking truth
to power.
Sunday March 8 2:30pm Erskine

Becoming Bulletproof

The Boy From Geita

Michael Barnett, USA, 2013, 80 mins.

Vic Sarin, Canada, 2014, 79 mins.

The villain, the hero, the show

girls, the townsfolk, the good
woman: all the classic Western
figures are in the film within
this film. The twist? They are
all played by disabled people.
This is no publicity gimmick; it
is the collaborative play/work
undertaken by normal and
disabled people from Zero Actors
Camp, where acting projects
are a vehicle for friendship, community and the knowledge that
we matter to one another...no matter what. We see the creative
struggles common to any group of filmmakers, and the specific life
challenges overcome as the players throw their hearts and souls into
their gloriously uproarious film.
Sunday March 8 2:30pm Tuam

A visually heart-rending and

ultimately inspiring journey,
we travel into the heart of
modern Tanzania where those
with albinism face persecution
and death simply due to the
paleness of their skin. Local
custom considers albino body
parts good luck and high prices
have made it open season on
the countrys surprisingly large
albino population. When twelve year old Adam survives a machete
attack but loses a thumb and two fingers he is helped in his recovery
by Peter, a sympathetic Canadian with albinism who arranges a trip
to Vancouver to try and recover the boys ability to write.
Director Vic Sarin in attendance
Saturday March 7 12:30pm Vesuvius

The Case Against 8

Ben Cotner & Ryan White, USA, 2013,
112 mins

An award-winning behind-thescenes look inside the struggle

to overturn Proposition 8 Californias ban on same-sex
marriage. The film follows the
two plaintiff couples and their
families as they wade into the
high-stakes and high-profile
civil rights trial. Add to this the
unlikely legal partnership of Ted
Olson and David Boies, political foes who last faced off as opposing
attorneys in Bush v. Gore, and youve got an emotional front row
seat for history in the making. Shot over five years, this Grishamworthy story is an emotional and informative marvel.
Saturday March 7 10:00am Tuam

Coastal Tarsands
Richard Boyce, Canada, 2014, 77 mins.

Is the public getting all the facts

when it comes to deciding the
fate of BCs Northwest coast
ecosystems? Filmmaker Richard
Boyce paddles his kayak into the
heart of the matter - the narrow
channels and maze of islands
which will become a freeway of
bitumen-carrying supertankers if
the Enbridge Corporations plans
come to fruition. Alongside
breathtaking natural vistas and encounters with wildlife and locals
who directly depend on the land and waters, Boyce clearly discovers
that the corporations publicity has carefully omitted a myriad
of obstacles to the safe passage of millions of barrels of Alberta
Tarsands oil.
Director Richard Boyce in attendance
Saturday March 7 12:30pm Erskine
Sunday March 8 12:30pm Vesuvius

The Circle
Stefan Haupt, Switzerland, 2014, 102 mins

An intriguing combination of
dramatization, contemporary documentary footage and historic
stills, The Circle is both a chronicle
of changing attitudes to gay
men in 20th century Europe
and a particular (and touching)
love story. Teacher Ernst and
transvestite performer Robi fell
in love in Zurich in the 1950s. The
gay-friendly city beckoned men
from all over, many of them members of The Circle, an international
organization devoted to gay interests. But tension rose within The
Circle and between Ernst and Robi as persecution increased: was
it better to be conciliatory and moderate, or face the dangers and
pride of radicalization?
Swiss German, German, French, with English subtitles.
Saturday March 7 4:15pm Maxwell
Sunday March 8 12:30pm Tuam

Crazywater
Dennis Allen, Canada, 2013, 56 mins.

How can anyone understand us

if we dont tell our own story?
Inuit filmmaker Dennis Allen
courageously tells the story of
native substance addiction with
raw openness and specificity,
from his own first drink of
stolen Communion wine at age
twelve to Desirae, a foster child
at five due to generations of
alcoholism, who struggles as an
adult to give up her habit with mixed results. Why watch this film?
Because understanding is necessary before support and change are
possible. Because amid the sadness and repeated failure there are
glimmers of hope, and even some glowing examples of freedom
from the craziness.
Director Dennis Allen in attendance
Saturday March 7 2:30pm Vesuvius
Sunday March 8 12:30pm Fernwood

DamNation

A Dangerous Game

Ben Knight & Travis Rummel, USA,

2014, 87 mins.

Anthony Baxter, UK, 2014, 90 mins.

While the BC government

pushes for another dam on the
Peace River, an increasingly
mainstream movement south of
the border offers another way
forward. Take the dams down!
Graffiti activists swing from high
dams to leave their message, a
small community raises millions
to buy and blow up a dam,
and freed rivers transform the landscape. DamNations majestic
cinematography and unexpected discoveries move through rivers
and landscapes altered by dams, but also through a metamorphosis
in values, from conquest of the natural world to knowing ourselves
as part of nature. Hopeful and transformative, this film will be a
festival favourite.
Sunday March 8 4:15pm Bruce

Getting hit by a ball is the least

dangerous part of the high stakes
game of luxury golf courses.
Filmmaker Anthony Baxter
follows up his award winning
Youve been Trumped, with a
deeper dig into the conflict
in Aberdeenshire, Scotland,
over Donald Trumps golf course
development project. More,
Baxter takes us on a whirlwind
tour of the politics and devastating environmental impact of luxury
golf courses worldwide, including a visit to a Croatian coastal town
holding a referendum on a mega golf project and a site in the Mohave
Desert, irrigated daily by 3 billion gallons of water.
Saturday March 7 12:30pm Bruce
Sunday March 8 10:00am Bruce

Saturday March 7

Erskine

10:00am

Dance Studio

Vesuvius Fernwood Maxwell

N205

N207

S205

Tuam
S207

S208

112 min

Design Is
One: Lella
& Massimo
Vignelli
86 min

The Price We The Pristine

Coast
Pay

This Aint No
Mouse Music

The Case
The
Overnighters Against 8

92 min
Filmmaker

92 min

100 min

110 min
Filmmaker

Bruce

4:15pm

2:30pm

12.30pm

LUNCH BREAK
Coastal
Tarsands

The Boy
From Geita

Who Is
Dayani
Cristal?

On The Trail
Of The Far
Fur Country

Freedom
Summer

A Dangerous
Game

77 min
Filmmaker

79 min
Filmmaker

85 min

80 min

113 min

90 min

God Save
Justin
Trudeau

Crazywater

Microtopia
55 min and
Hives For
Humanity

Soft
Vengeance

90 min

56 min
Filmmaker

10 min
Filmmaker

84 min

Maidentrip
Miners Shot
80 min
Down
and
Short Films By
Ehren McPhee 86 min
10 min

All The Time The Secret

In The World Trial 5

Slums: The
Cities Of
Tomorrow

The Circle

81 min

102 min

89 min
Filmmaker

84 min

Preempting
Trick or
Dissent 42 min Treaty?
and
Activism 2.0
The Black Fish 85 min
17 min

Note: Shaded area indicates films also shown on Sunday

Sunday March 8

Erskine

10:00am

Dance Studio
Greenwich
Village: Music
That Defined
A Generation
92 min

Vesuvius Fernwood Maxwell

N205
Microtopia
55 min and
Hives For
Humanity
10 min
Filmmaker

N207

S205

Tuam

Bruce

S207

S208

Jalanan

Regarding
Freedom
Susan Sontag Summer

A Dangerous
Game

107 min

100 min

113 min

90 min

2:30pm

12.30pm

LUNCH BREAK
Alice Walker: Coastal
Beauty In
Tarsands
Truth

Crazywater

Private
Violence

The Circle

This Aint No
Mouse Music

83 min

77 min
Filmmaker

56 min
Filmmaker

81 min

102 min

92 min

Anita

Time To Play

On The Trail
Of The Far
Fur Country

Soft
Vengeance

Becoming
Bulletproof

77 min

43 min
Filmmaker

80 min

84 min

80 min

No Fire Zone:
The Killing
Fields Of Sri
Lanka
93 min

TBD
FILMS FOR
THIS TIME
SLOT WILL BE
CHOSEN AT
THE FESTIVAL

TBD
FILMS FOR
THIS TIME
SLOT WILL BE
CHOSEN AT
THE FESTIVAL

4:15pm

Derby Crazy The

The Starfish
Love
Overnighters Throwers

65 min

100 min

82 min

DamNation

87 min

Note: Shaded area indicates films also shown on Saturday

REMEMBER TO SET YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD 1 HOUR FOR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

Derby Crazy Love

Maya Gallus & Justine Pimlott,
Canada, 2013, 65 mins

Enter the fray inside the

adrenaline-filled
world
of
womens roller derby, where
badass warriors such as Raw
Heidi, Kamikaze Kitten, and
the Iron Wench are changing
how we look at femininity
and competition. The fastestgrowing womens sport in the
world, modern derby has come
a long way since the 1950s: punk, feminist, queer-positive and allembracing. Including footage from the first-ever Derby World Cup,
the film charts the battle for rolling supremacy between elite teams
from New York and London, plus an upstart team of tattooed misfits
from Montreal - the New Skids on the Block. Fast, fun and smart!
With guests
Sunday March 8 4:15pm Erskine

Freedom Summer
Stanley Nelson, USA, 2014, 113 mins.

In 1964, less than 7% of

Mississippis African Americans
were registered to vote and
a plan was devised to send
northern white students south
to join in voter registration drives
and set up freedom schools. This
film tells the tale of that summer,
an astonishing and relevant story
of organized activism and race
relations, how students were
selected, how they fanned out across Mississippi and lived locally
with African Americans. This gripping film is an important testament
to the courage of both the students and the black Mississippians and
a powerful exploration of the legacy of that extraordinary summer.
Saturday March 7 12:30pm Tuam
Sunday March 8 10:00am Tuam

Greenwich Village:
Music That Defined A
Generation
Laura Archibald, USA, 2013, 92 mins.

The music scene of 1961-1973

is the focus of this affectionate
look at the singer/songwriters,
performers and writers who
made Greenwich Village the
epicentre of the musical protest
movement. These artists were
determined to challenge the
status quo - protesting against
the Vietnam War and campaigning for civil rights in the fight for
peace and harmony. Featuring interviews, archival footage and new
performances, key players including Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Buffy
Sainte Marie and Oscar Brand explain what drew them to The Village,
and how they became the world-renowned voice of a generation.
Sunday March 8 10:00am Erskine

Design Is One:
Lella & Massimo Vignelli
Kathy Brew & Roberto Guerra, USA,
2012, 86 mins

Many North American designers

focus on one area. Italian-born
Lella and Massimo Vignelli
refused to be limited, bringing
their philosophy, taste, trained
eye and inspiration to any design
need. From typeface to teacups,
from sofas to subway maps,
from ad logos to architecture,
their modern style is timeless. It is not a style issue, it is a moral
issue, said Massimo. It is imperative that design lasts a long time,
as long as the material itself has integrity or until technical areas
improve or change. Along with beautiful examples of their work,
this film introduces us to the warm, witty and intelligent designers
themselves.
Saturday March 7 10:00am Bruce

God Save
Justin Trudeau
Guylaine Maroist & ric Ruel, Canada,
2014, 90 mins

In 2012, Liberal MP Justin Trudeau

and Conservative Senator Patrick
Brazeau met in the boxing ring
for a charity match benefiting
cancer research. The film joins
their respective camps leading up
to the fight for an unprecedented
behind the scenes look at what
becomes as much a political
allegory as it is a physical battle. From vastly differing backgrounds, the
hardscrabble Brazeau and the heir-apparent Trudeau lock in a clash of
words and wiles building up to the climactic Thrilla on the Hilla. An
intimate and revealing early look at the present Liberal leader and his
now suspended Senator rival.
Saturday March 7 2:30pm Erskine

Hives For Humanity

Mathew Parry, Canada, 2013, 10 mins

As sweet as the honey that

glistens in the hives, as full of
hopeful energy as the rooftop
gardens the bees service in
downtown Vancouver, this short
film presents the project of Julia
Common. In 2012, Julia was
looking for a hobby to benefit
herself and others. She placed
a hive in a communal garden
in the downtown east side and
trained street people to care for it. The results were so positive for
herself, other individuals and the community that the project has
expanded to over 75 hives, burgeoning honey sales, and a start
toward corridors of pollinization throughout Vancouver.
With Microtopia
Director Mathew Parry in attendance
Saturday March 7 2:30pm Fernwood
Sunday March 8 10:00am Vesuvius

Jalanan
Daniel Ziv, Canada/Indonesia, 2013,
107 mins

Boni lives in a sewage tunnel

with his family, Ho is an
irreverent bachelor and Titi
is a woman exploited by her
husband and who wants to
return to school. They are
inspired and inspirational street
musicians, three of Jakartas
estimated 7,000 buskers, and
their compelling story is revealed
with a compassionate intimacy by Canadian filmmaker Daniel Ziv.
Showcasing the buskers humanity, the challenges of deep poverty
and the resourcefulness required to survive while at the same time
revealing the wider social context of their lives, Jalanan (Streetwise)
has been a hit both in and outside of Indonesia.
Indonesian with English subtitles
Sunday March 8 10:00am Fernwood

Maidentrip
Jillian Schlesinger, USA, 2013, 82 mins

14-year-old
Laura
Dekker
embarks on an unforgettable
two-year voyage in pursuit of
her dream to be the youngest
person ever to sail around the
world alone. In the wake of
a year-long battle with Dutch
authorities that sparked a media
whirlwind, Laura now finds
herself far from land, family and
unwanted attention, exploring
the world in search of freedom, adventure, and her own burgeoning
identity. Maidentrip documents her brave, defiant journey at sea
with her own self-shot video alongside vrit footage from stops
along the way -including the Galapagos Islands, French Polynesia,
Australia, and South Africa.
With Short Films By Ehren McPhee
Saturday March 7 2:30pm Tuam

Microtopia

Miners Shot Down

Jesper Wachtmeister, Sweden, 2013,

52 mins.

Rehad Desai, South Africa, 2014, 86 mins.

Small really is beautiful in this

perfectly-formed look at scaling
down how and where we live.
Designers and architects from
around the world ask themselves
how much space and how many
possessions do we really need?
Portable tiny homes on wheels,
tents hanging from trees, islands
built from garbage - all design
concepts which challenge us to think what a home actually means.
The sense of freedom achieved when were not surrounded by
stuff is palpable. As the worlds resources continue to dwindle,
Microtopia presents solutions to living with fewer environmental
consequences, and small spaces that you will lust after.
With Hives For Humanity
Saturday March 7 2:30pm Fernwood
Sunday March 8 10:00am Vesuvius

Thirty-four people died one

hot August day in 2012 when
South African police fired live
ammunition on platinum mine
workers on strike for better
conditions. That moment, South
Africas first post-apartheid
massacre, stunned the still
young democracy. Miners Shot
Down begins with that terrible
day and then goes backwards
through the preceding days of protest and forward into the official
investigation. Rehad Desais finely made film draws us not only into
empathic connection with the grief and rage of the survivors but
into an entire nation shocked by lies, cover-ups and a brutality they
thought had been left behind.
English, Zulu with English subtitles
Saturday March 7 2:30pm Bruce

No Fire Zone: The Killing

Fields of Sri Lanka

On The Trail Of The Far

Fur Country

Callum Macrae, UK, 2013, 93 mins.

Kevin Nikkel, Canada, 2014, 80 mins.

Some films are too important

not to show. Those with the
courage to view this graphic
investigation of the final months
of the civil war in Sri Lanka will
be rewarded as I was with a
clear, fascinating, unbiased and
detailed presentation of history,
events and causes. Survivors
tell their stories, and in several
cases share raw footage captured during the crisis, which include
horrifying fighting, death, rape, torture and execution. Several
investigations have confirmed the accuracy of the information in
this award-winning film, though the Sri Lankan government has
denounced and banned it; we can bear witness to the truth.
Sunday March 8 2:30pm Bruce

An amazing journey to the

far north retraces an earlier
expedition made by two
cameramen in 1919. That epic
exploration filmed the fur trade
for the Hudsons Bay Company,
but the resulting movie soon
disappeared from public view
until recently rediscovered in
British archives. A new trek is
undertaken: to retrace the route of that initial endeavour and show
the old footage to the people now living in the places where it was
filmed. The almost hundred year old footage of scenes of a lost
world bringsforth emotions, surprises, and moving links to the past.
Saturday March 7 12:30pm Maxwell
Sunday March 8 2:30pm Fernwood

The Overnighters

Preempting Dissent

Jesse Moss, USA, 2013, 100 mins

Greg Elmer, Canada, 2014, 42 mins

When fracking opens up oil work

in North Dakota the small town
of Williston is overwhelmed
with desperate job-seekers with
nowhere to live. Filmmaker
Jesse Moss goes to document
this social challenge. He is
intrigued by pastor Jay Reinke,
who with the reluctant support
of his parishioners has opened
the church as a shelter. But this
seemingly simple benevolent action soon becomes fraught with
complexity. Operating on a shoestring, Moss sleeps at the church
with the men he is filming so intimately, and he is on hand when
things take a strange and totally unexpected turn. An award-winning
film; this reviewers favourite.
Saturday March 7 10:00am Maxwell
Sunday March 8 4:15pm Vesuvius

A visceral rebuke that takes

grassroots
material
from
worldwide sources to expose
the creation and spread of new
strategies to sabotage forms of
mass protest at major events
worldwide - the so-called
Miami-Model
of
protest
policing. From 1999s WTO
protests in Seattle all the way
through the Occupy movements,
the film charts the political, social, and economic roots of the
police crackdown on collective free speech before it can be heard.
As various authorities use spatial tactics, so-called less-lethal
weapons, and surveillance to shut down mass protest, the hope lies
in dissenting social movements beginning to adapt as well.
With Activism 2.0: The Black Fish
Saturday March 7 4:15pm Tuam

The Price We Pay

The Pristine Coast

Harold Crooks, Canada, 2014, 92 mins.

Scott Renyard, Canada, 2014, 110 mins.

Corporate tax-dodging may

have been in the news in recent
years, but for how long has it
been going on? Harold Crooks
takes a thorough look at this
ethically bankrupt practice,
from its history in the City of
London in the 1960s to its
rise to prominence during the
Thatcher/Reagan years. How are
well-known multi-nationals able
to keep their profits in off-shore accounts, denying governments
access to trillions in tax revenue? Tax justice campaigners, journalists
and former finance industry insiders walk us through a staggering
tale about the sordid face of modern capitalism.
English, French with English subtitles
Director Harold Crooks in attendance
Saturday March 7 10:00am Erskine

Private Violence
Cynthia Hill, USA, 2014, 81 mins.

Recent events in Canada have

again prompted the question
of why women stay in violent
relationships. Why dont they
report? This powerful and
harrowing film from USA tells
stories that reveal violence
behind closed doors and the
challenges women face in
seeking womens safety and
justice. We meet Kit Gruelle, a
formerly abused woman and now an advocate at a womens shelter,
and Deanna Walters who fled violence that almost claimed her
life. As Deanna transforms from victim to survivor, the audience is
forced to ask some hard questions about private violence and public
tolerance.
Sunday March 8 12:30pm Maxwell

Something is rotten in British

Columbias marine ecosystem.
With declining wild fish
populations since the late 70s,
the open-net fish-farm industry
began to grow salmon locally to
offset growing pressure on wild
stocks. When marine biologist
Alexandra Morton spoke out
about diseases from fish farms
killing wild salmon, filmmaker
Scott Renyard dove in and found further destructive farm links to
several fish species on Canadas west coast - with global implications.
The Pristine Coast examines how government inaction has allowed
questionable industries to thrive in order to solve other concerns,
and may inadvertently spell the end of wild salmon fishing.
Director Scott Renyard in attendance
Saturday March 7 10:00am Vesuvius

Regarding
Susan Sontag
Nancy D. Kates, USA, 2014, 100 mins.

An intimate and nuanced

evocation of the life of one
of the most influential and
provocative thinkers of the
20th century. Passionate and
gracefully outspoken throughout
her career, Susan Sontag became
one of the most important
literary, political and feminist
icons of her generation. Her life
is revisited through her own words, read by Patricia Clarkson, as well
as archival interviews and first-hand accounts. From book love to gay
love; from her early marriage to her last lover; a fascinating look at
a towering cultural critic and writer whose works on photography,
war, illness, and terrorism continue to resonate.
Sunday March 8 10:00am Maxwell

The Secret Trial 5

Amar Wala, Canada, 2014, 84 mins.

Worried about Canadas current

push to dramatically rewrite
security legislation without
any civil rights protection? This
grassroots, crowd-funded film is
a disturbing narrative that takes
us into the devastated lives of
five men detained under security
certificates. They have spent a
combined 30 years in prison not
knowing what crimes they are
supposed to have committed and without formal accusation. Their
decade long fight for rights and recognition makes it clear that the
use of these certificates must be changed. A must-see for anyone
concerned about the erosion of civil liberties in the name of war on
terror.
Saturday March 7 4:15pm Vesuvius

Slums:
Cities Of Tomorrow
Jean-Nicolas Orhon, Canada, 2013,
81 mins.

A revealing journey through

slums in India, France, Morocco,
New Jersey and Quebec, this
film charts the resilience of
individuals and a communitys
ability to adapt to an often
inhospitable world. A billion
people on our planet live in
shantytowns, slums or squats
and through the micro-view of their stories comes a unique
overview of this worlds macro political and economic issues. It
makes the surprising case for slums, and the creativity, inspiration
and perseverance of individuals who take possession, erect and
bring a city to life in their image. Can slums be considered a viable
future option? You may be surprised.
French, English, Arabic, Hindi, with English subtitles
Saturday March 7 4:15pm Fernwood

The Starfish Throwers

Jesse Roesler, USA, 2014, 82 mins.

On either side of the world,

three individuals find a way to
spread food and love to hungry,
lonely people. The joy of
giving and the joy of sharing is a
universal thing you can practice
with anybody, says Narayanan
Krishnan. According to Katie
Stagliano, You never know what
can grow from just one thing. You
could be inspiring hundreds with
just one action. If you feel, like Allan Law, that The most important
thing in my life has always been to bring happiness to others, watch
this beautiful film and you too may be moved to become a starfish
thrower.
Sunday March 8 4:15pm Fernwood

Short Films
By Ehren McPhee
Ehren McPhee, Canada, 2014, 6 mins.

Salt Spring Island cinematographer

Ehren
McPhee
captures high-speed derringdo with two short films shot
in the BC wilderness. Salt
Spring Slasher 2014 gives us a
front row seat at the islands
annual longboard competition,
beautifully
capturing
the
skill required to navigate the
downhill twists and turns of Juniper Place. In Intense Cycles: Tracing
Dirt, McPhee films two mountainbikers, whizzing through the lush
forests of Squamish. With an expert eye for action and ear for a great
soundtrack, McPhee demonstrates an impressive talent at the very
start of his career.
With Maidentrip
Saturday March 7 2:30pm Tuam

Soft Vengeance
Abby Ginzberg, South Africa, 2014,
84 mins

Weve all heard of Nelson

Mandela, but have you heard of
Albie Sachs? This film honours
the South African activist, writer,
artist and lawyer who worked
against
apartheid,
helped
write the new constitution,
and became one of the first
constitutional judges to ensure
that the ideals of the laws were
upheld in practice. None of this came easily: Sachs underwent torture,
imprisonment and exile. He narrowly escaped death from a car bomb.
But when fellow freedom fighters promised vengeance, he urged
instead soft vengeance: the achievement of freedom, equality and
justice for all, protected by law and celebrated through art.
Saturday March 7 2:30pm Maxwell
Sunday March 8 2:30pm Maxwell

This Aint
No Mouse Music!
Chris Simon & Maureen Gosling, USA,
2013, 92 mins

If you like your music bland,

removed from its roots,
and commercialized, dont
come here! Chris Strachwitz
passionately dedicated his life
and his label, Arhoolie Records,
to recording the most authentic
roots music he could find all
over America. Searching out the
true blues, Cajun, hillbilly country, Tex-Mex and New Orleans R&B
performers in bars, churches, prisons and farms, he built a legacy
of glorious sound that jumps out and grabs us. It is music as downto-earth as the mud on your gumboots, and as sublime as a Salt
Spring sunset. And Strachwitzs own eccentricities make the story as
interesting as the sounds.
Saturday March 7 10:00am Fernwood
Sunday March 8 12:30pm Bruce

Time To Play

Trick Or Treaty?

Kim Hunter, Canada, 2014, 45 mins.

Alanis Obomsawin, Canada, 2014,

84 mins.

You dont have to be a teacher

or a parent to appreciate this
film about a Waldorf-influenced
school on Salt Spring. For
almost the whole film we watch
children play, and their delightful
blossoming
illustrates the
philosophy provided in voiceover
by teacher Kim Hunter and other
experts. Children under 7 need
time to explore their bodies and
their world before entering formal academia. They are encouraged
to join in chores, to grow food and create meals, to unhurriedly make
beautiful crafts, and to spend long hours outside to be in harmony
with the natural world, themselves, and each other.
Director Kim Hunter in attendance
Sunday March 8 2:30pm Vesuvius

Treaty 9, created in 1905, is

often used to justify government
positions on aboriginal land
claims. From a Euro-Canadian
viewpoint, the First Nations
gave away their sovereignty
when they agreed to that
treaty. Skilled documentarian
Alanis Obomsawin investigates
events surrounding the treaty
from a First Nations viewpoint, showing how ignorant assumptions
and basic miscommunications have multiplied and burgeoned
into conflict over the years. We are able to join in as First Nations
people seek understanding of their own history and explore ways of
protesting, obtaining justice and creating meaningful dialogue with
the government. A powerful, well-crafted and very Canadian film.
Saturday March 7 4:15pm Bruce

Who Is Dayani Cristal?

Marc Silver, USA, 2013, 85 mins.

A man is found dead in Arizonas

Sonora Desert, the words Dayani
Cristal tattooed on his chest.
The tattoo is the only clue to
this unidentified migrant, one of
many from Mexico and Central
America who crosses the border
only to end up nameless in a
morgue. Attempts to trace his
identity bring us face to face
with forensic challenges as well
as the reality of the laws and fences designed to keep out desperate
migrants. This documentary exploration is interwoven with a
compelling recreated drama of the journey north, featuring actor
Gael Garcia Bernal.
English, Spanish with English subtitles
Saturday March 7 12:30pm Fernwood

Film Fest Staff and Board of Directors at the 2014 Festival

How are the films chosen?

A spot on the 12-person Screening Committee is probably the most hotly sought after of all the volunteer festival jobs. Whats not to like
about an evening spent watching and talking about documentary films from around the world?
This key committee is responsible for deciding what makes the cut after screening dozens and dozens of films during the fall months.
Some are films that have been shown at other festivals such as the Vancouver International Film Festival or Hot Docs. Others come highly
recommended by board members or volunteers, or have been suggested by residents and patrons of the festival.
The screening process is rigorous, loaded with heated debate, and is guided by a set of review criteria, established by the festival staff and
the board of directors, relating to both quality of production and content. Once a short list has been agreed upon, then the hard work of
mapping out the program really begins. The distributors fees - what the festival is charged for a public screening - length of the film, its
theme and whether it is being shown elsewhere all factor into the final decision making. The films judged to be of particular interest and
appeal are given two screenings.
For the 2015 festival there were 40 films selected out of 125 submissions.

FESTIVAL DONORS
BENEFACTORS

SUPPORTERS

Nancy Braithwaite

Dr Shane Barclay
Robert & Birgit Bateman
Lisa Lloyd
Susan & Daulton Paynter
Eileen Wttewaall
Julie Young

FRIENDS
Nighean Anderson
Michael Butler
Phyllis & Matthew Coleman
Rosamonde & Patrick Dupuy
Jean Elder
Peter & Mary Grove
Donna Hall & Ron Watts

Ron Hawkins
Marlyn Horsdal
Charles Kahn & Judy Norget
Wendy Kaye
Juliette Laing
Nora Layard
LeeAnn Norgard

Media Partners

Illtyd & Joanne Perkins

Lyle & Jane Petch
Bob & Jinny Rush
Mary Toynbee
and many anonymous donors

Grants
We acknowledge the financial
assistance of the Province of British
Columbia

Volunteers
It takes a community of volunteers to make this festival happen. There is so much effort involved in selecting films, writing
publicity, designing a website, creating the posters and signage, transforming the school into a six cinema multiplex,
decorating the venue, serving food, projecting films, providing technical support, welcoming festival-goers - so many tasks
and thank goodness so many volunteers from our island community to make this happen. Thank you, one and all.

Salt Spring Community Bazaar Participants

Canadian Federation of University
Women
Community Energy Group
Cusheon Lake Stewardship Committee
GISS Global Initiatives and Environment
Club
GLOSSI
Grace Islet Group
Grandmothers to Grandmothers

Island Natural Growers

Island Pathways
IWAV
Japanese Garden Society
Options for Sexual Health
Raging Grannies
Salt Spring Agricultural Society
Salt Spring Forum
Salt Spring Literacy Society

Salt Spring Therapeutic Riding

Association
Salt Spring Water Preservation Society
SOLID
SWOVA
Transition Salt Spring
Voice of Women

Presenting Sponsor
S p r i n g Is l a n d
S a lt

Is l

an

der

s S er

vi n g Is la n d e rs s i

nce

19

Gala Sponsor

Subsidized
Passes Sponsor

Filmmakers
Series Sponsor

72

Major Sponsors

Benefactors

Dr Bob McGinn
Family Dentistry

and the Centre for Arts, Ecology & Agriculture

Salt Spring Island, British Columbia

Supporters

Community Supported Agriculture Program

Join today for a share of the harvest!

Arlene Modderman AMP

Carol Malloch AMP

250.931.5336
www.foxglovefarmbc.ca | [email protected]

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