World film festival to run this weekend
By Contributor
With 19 films in 72 hours, the fifth annual Traveling World Community Film Festival starts this Friday in Grand Forks. The opening film is Praying the Devil Back to Hell, the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country. The documentary festival, sponsored by the No Boundaries Documentary Film Club runs Feb. 26, 27,& 28 starting 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
It is always challenging assembling a format to fit the time frame with such a large array of great films. With help from those who submitted their preferences, the club’s task was made significantly easier. Another challenge they had was presenting the films in such a way that does not leave the film-goer emotionally exhausted. “Our intent is to blend the films so that there is a timely mix of uplifting stories to balance tales of seemingly endless confrontation and adversity, not all stories end like Avatar,” said one of the organizers Larry Hudema. “It would be wise for patrons to consider pacing themselves, hence the sage advice of going over the programme prior to the event.”
One intent of this festival is to provoke thought, and, hopefully, discussion. Another intent is to inspire empowerment. The thread that is woven into this magnificent tapestry of humanity flows through us all. Indeed, there are tales of indigenous people having to confront the marauding ethic of oil and mining companies as in Justicia Now and Under Rich Earth, but there are also stories of courage and community as depicted in Pray the Devil Back to Hell. There are stories about overcoming adversity such as Body and Soul: Diana and Kathy, there is even a tale that will give us cause to navel gaze, H2Oil, films of hope and determination, Good Food, and Bogata: Building a Sustainable City and journeys of inspiration, Where Water Meets the Sky. Hopefully the weekend’s offerings will provide a multi-course nutritional treat that will provoke thought and help promote a sense of Community.
In honour of their fifth anniversary, the festival organizers are inviting previous festival-goers to bring one friend who has never attended and that friend will be admitted at half-price.
The films will be shown at the Grand Forks Secondary School auditorium and tickets will only be available at the door. Admission is as follows: festival pass, $20; $10 for students and low income; per session ie. morning, afternoon or evening, $5 and $3.
The programme is available for viewing at whatsupingrandforks.com. Just activate the festival 2010 button. They will also be available at various places around town, two of which will be Joga’s and Kokomo’s
