No Boundaries film club starting next week
By Contributor
It’s baaack…….
On Friday Feb 27 at 7:00 the No Boundaries Film Club will be opening the 10th annual Grand Forks showing of the Traveling World Community Film Festival in the Grand Forks Secondary School auditorium. The TWCFF is B.C.’s longest running social issues film festival, started in the Comox Valley by the World Community Development Education Society in 1990.
Our openers are Reaching Blue: Finding Hope Beneath the Surface, a beautifully filmed 22 minute journey in which an oyster farmer, writer, and ocean scientist share their thoughts on the challenges faced by a coastal life style; and All the Time in the World: Disconnecting to Reconnect, a tale of a family of five (kids aged 4, 8, and 10) that unplugs……really unplugs as in no electricity (t.v., phone, i-net) or running water for 9 months in the Yukon, including during the depths of the northern winter. This delightfully Swiss Family Robinsonish (with a non-tropical twist) flick won Audience Favourite at both the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Victoria Film Festival.
Here’s why I like the documentary format: It lends a deeper perspective to the news bits that imbed themselves in our collective consciousness. It helps to take the illusionary edge off the sometimes distorted partial truths dispensed by media, the result often being fear and a sense of uncertainty. We all ( save for the severely delusional) want the best for ourselves, our kids and, in short, a better cleaner world, sans conflict. Beneath the cultural veneers we share core values and challenges. Something else the doc does is expose the morally deficient that manage to dodge the nightly news. The doc also allows us to peer into the lives of just plain remarkable, uplifting people, be they artists, farmers, social activists, fishers, mechanics, visionaries, scientists, illuminated spiritual leaders, or any combination thereof. The documentary film also reminds us of just what an incredible world we live in, what an intriguing species we are and that we are not beneath facing challenge. It is a valuable asset on our way forward. At the end of the weekend I will feel inspired.
As in years past the Boundary Peace Initiative will be providing absolutely delicious fare for the event, culminating in the raffling of the remaining borscht (should there be any left). The meals and snacks are served in the multi-purpose room, close to the auditorium and offer, during lunches, evening meals and the longer breaks, an opportunity to socialize and maybe discuss the merits of previously viewed films or the potentials of upcoming ones.
The festival will close with Alive Inside, a joyous homage to and cinematic exploration of music’s capacity to reawaken our souls and uncover the deepest parts of our humanity. Social worker Dan Cohen uses music to combat memory loss and restore a deep sense of self to those suffering from it. Some of you may recognize the pattern. No Boundaries has traditionally polished off the weekend with an uplifting, usually, musical film. Some habits are just too hard to break, especially when they inspire a smile, outright grin and/or a tear of joy. This film won the Audience Award at Sundance.
A cursory glance at the admissions will show you they are the same smokin’ deals they were in 2006: $20 for a festival pass, $10 for low income; and $5/session (morning, afternoon, evening), $3 for low income. GFSS students are free. Passes available at the door only.
The programme for the film festival can be viewed at noboundariesfilmclub.weebly.com or at a variety of establishments around Grand Forks, Kocomos, Jogas and the Wooden Spoon to name just a few.
