WIFTV 25th ANNIVERSARY RETROSPECTIVE
Women in Film & Television Vancouver (WIFTV) has been working with and for female filmmakers for a quarter of a century now, and as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, the hard-working organization presents a retrospective of films by BC women directors.
The retrospective was curated by Super Channel’s Maureen Levitt, and includes films (documentaries and shorts) in which a female main character struggles against the status-quo, and demonstrates strength and determination.
Films include Katrin Bowen’s Almost Forgot My Bones (2004), about an African-Canadian woman who goes in search of her roots when transplanted into a new city; A Round Peg (1997) by Michelle Bjornson, an award-winning film about Canadian feminist educator Margaret Fulton; Sharon McGowan’s 2006 piece The Oldest Basketball Team in the World, about the Retreads, a team of Canadian women ages 65 to 75; and Paula Cole and Sylvi MacCormac’s Patience and Absurdity (2012), in which – to quote the official film description – a “spunky Irish immigrant, new to Alzheimer’s, joins forces with her daughter, who is living with MS, to make a cup of tea.”
The retrospective runs Jan. 17-18 at SFU Woodward’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. Tickets and schedule at WomenInFilm.ca.
SIX EPISODE REPRIEVE FOR CONTINUUM
It’s been a tough few months for the cast, crew, and fans of locally shot Continuum as they’ve awaited word from Showcase regarding the time travel procedural’s fate.
Showcase has announced that Continuum – about a cop (portrayed by Criminal Minds star Rachel Nichols) and a group of terrorists from 2077 who travel back in time to present-day Vancouver – will return for a fourth and final season comprised of six episodes.
“There’s lucky, and then there’s ‘you get to write the ending of your 4 season [sic] TV series’ lucky,” series creator Simon Barry tweeted on Dec. 8. Continuum’s season four broadcast dates will be announced in early 2015.
VANCOUVER ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL
Between the weather and the post-holiday blahs, January can be a dismal time for many Vancouverites, so it’s nice to have the Vancouver Italian Film Festival on the calendar.
The fest – which shines a spotlight on the cinema of Italy, natch – returns for its second year with a packed schedule of comedy, drama, documentary, and art film classics.
Films include Marriage Italian Style (1964), Divorce Italian Style (1961), The Mafia Only Kills in Summer (2013), Songs of Napoli (2013), The Fifth Wheel (2013), L’Eclisse (1962), Men of the Cloth (2014), Federico Fellini’s 1963 masterpiece 8 ½, and Barolo Boys (2014) – the latter of which includes a wine tasting.
Another highlight: A photo exhibition devoted to Italian screen legend Sophia Loren. The Vancouver Italian Film Festival runs Jan. 9-15 at Vancity Theatre. Details and schedule at VIFF.org.
BAD CITY
One of the hits of the 2014 Whistler Film Festival is now available online. Bad City – directed by Carl Bessai and co-starring its two scribes, Dustin Milligan (90210) and Aaron Brooks – presents itself as an authentic piece of “canuxploitation,” a faux genre that utilized all of the tropes of blaxploitation films but with a distinctly Canadian flavour.
It’s a lot of fun to watch – and was clearly a lot of fun to make – and now, mere weeks after the world premiere, the Bessai and company have released Bad City online for all to enjoy. Find it at BadCityMovie.com.
