The 34th World Community Film Festival, a showcase of social and environmental justice documentaries, is set for one final run on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 in the Sid Williams Theatre. In addition to unanimous agreement about opening and closing night films, programmers have picked some other favourites to recommend.
Opening night will be a special event, with filmmakers Velcrow Ripper and Nova Ami in attendance to share their new film Incandescence which endeavours to transform our understanding of wildfires and how we might better coexist with this awesome phenomenon. Fire鈥檚 potential for destruction might become an equally powerful force for growth and renewal.
Five inspiring films will screen from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Themes include welcoming communities, Indigenous knowledge and food security, forestry and dance.
Jury member Mike Chouinard recommends The Home Team.
鈥淒awson City doesn鈥檛 spring to mind when it comes to cricket hotbeds. However, with an influx of newcomers from faraway countries, the small Yukon city is being transformed in unexpected ways鈥攍ike a new sport. Immigration means opportunities both for newcomers and for the people already here,鈥� said Chouinard.
Director Suzanne Crocker describes her film as 鈥淎 story about fitting in, finding connections, and the magic that happens when different worlds come together.鈥�
Long-time programmer Gordon Darby likes Inhabitants: Indigenous Perspectives on Restoring Our World.
鈥淓mbracing long-term Indigenous understandings of environmental conditions and management is not merely beneficial-it is essential,鈥� said Darby. 鈥淏lending this wisdom with modern scientific approaches enhances our overall knowledge and fosters a more sustainable future.鈥�
If you love dance, check out Diane Cartwright鈥檚 pick. Call Me Dancer takes you on an engaging, heartwarming and unpredictable journey following a young ambitious street dancer from Mumbai who happens upon a class taught by an older Israeli ballet master. Their rewarding relationship intensifies with hard work, setbacks and international opportunities.
Closing night features The 9 Lives of Barbara Dane. In the late 1950s, Dane was a rising star, performing and recording with many jazz and blues greats such as Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, and Lightnin鈥� Hopkins.
In the 1960s, Dane used her music to promote social justice, civil rights, and peace. She shared stages with Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Phil Ochs and was called a 鈥榟ero鈥� by Bob Dylan.
鈥淭his award-winning and music-filled film will please lovers of both jazz and folk music and is a fitting celebration to close our final festival,鈥� notes Janet Fairbanks.
Check out full descriptions and film trailers at
Also on the website, a limited number of tickets are available for Saturday dinner by chef James McKerricher as a fund-raiser for LUSH Valley and World Community.
Tickets for full festival passes, evening films, or Saturday daytime passes are on sale via links on the website or at the Sid Williams box office.
For more information, contact Janet at (250) 650-1885.
