Eighteen films, all made by those under the age of 19, were shown at the Roberts Creek Hall last week in the annual Reel Youth Film Festival - a joint presentation from the festival and Black Cat Cinema.
It was not well attended this year, which is too bad because it offered huge insight into what kids are thinking about.
One of the films was by Chatelech students on the issue of privacy: How Well Do You Know Me? (See story in next week's issue.)
Other highlights included A Makeshift Reality by Kathryn McClure of Ireland, a creative paper animation, and the clever Mime Crime by a Toronto student in which two mime artists rob a convenience store with imaginary weapons. A Vancouver presentation called Cody left me wanting to know more. It was an interview with a First Nations youth whose aunt had disappeared in the Downtown Eastside. This had a profound affect on his life and future.
In another film, three Irani immigrants described their struggles integrating in America. From concerns about climate change to a fun film about a teenager who badly wants to catch a fly ball, these films were better than average.
At the end the audience voted for their favourites. Top favourite film was Mime Crime, second place was Sneaker Heads, an urban tale of a pair of sneakers that go missing, and third place was Spence Makes Sense, about a kid who fears telling his gay family and friends that he's straight.
Altered
Altered is playing at the Gibsons Legion this Saturday from 8 p.m. to midnight. If you've been to May Day in Pender Harbour or The Crossroads Grill for Rods 'n' Hogs, then you've heard the band Altered with their wide mix of classic rock that keeps you on the dance floor all night. Charlie Rose is on the boingy boingy drums, Rick Good on bass and Ken McBride, guitar. There is no cover charge. Everyone is welcome.
Hospital hoedown
The Sunshine Dragons Abreast present a Hospital Hoedown fundraiser on Saturday starting at the Seniors' Centre in Sechelt at 6 p.m. with a live band and dinner buffet to follow. Western wear is welcomed. The band is the Salt Lick Orchestra: Joe Stanton, Sully Antonyk, John Rule and Mark Crissinger. The Cornpones will also be there to entertain. Tickets for $30 are available at Hallmark Cards and the Sechelt Visitors' Centre. All proceeds go to St. Mary's Hospital Expansion.
Meet the author
Bluewaters Books in Madeira Park is featuring a reading from Coast author Rosella Leslie (The Goat Lady's Daughter) with her new novel Drift Child, a drama set on stormy Hecate Strait on Saturday, 1 to 3 p.m.
Concert
Vocalist Katherine Pen-fold & Friends will appear in a house concert hosted by Paul Hood on Saturday at 8 p.m. This jazz and blues vocalist performs with Dan Richter and Boyd Norman. Reserve your ticket for $15 by e-mail [email protected] or phone 604-886-0805 for directions. Space is limited.
Outreach
The Afiara String Quartet is a young, brilliant, all-Canadian quartet that won a top prize winner at last year's prestigious Banff International String Quartet Competition. Recently, 25 students from the Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra and the West Vancouver Youth Band String Ensemble joined together for an amazing string workshop under the direction of Kathleen Hovey and Edette Gagné. The workshop was part of the Coast Recital Society's Artists in the Community outreach program. Follow-ing the workshop, the Afiara String Quartet performed at the Raven's Cry Theatre in the CRS concert series and the students were invited to attend the pre-concert talk and concert. The quartet was a great inspiration.
Gospel jam
If you enjoy listening to and singing gospel music, come this Sunday at 7 p.m. to Gibsons United Church. Kelly Smit conducts a community gospel choir accompanied by a jazz trio of Ken Dalgleish on piano, Boyd Norman on bass and Tim Enns on percussion. Admission is by donation.
Varney show
The Sunshine Coast Arts Council presents Vivid Distractions, an exhibition of work by Brett Varney. Varney moved to the Sunshine Coast in January 2007. He was attracted to the luscious beauty of the Coast, which feeds his imagination and expression. He uses hand-cut gold leaf, as well as oil pastels, to make his work energetic and brilliantly reflective. Varney's solo exhibition will embody the title of the show, vivid oil pastels with bright, saturated colours. A reception opens the exhibition on Wednesday, March 2, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Doris Crowston Gallery at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt. The show runs to March 26.
Movie night
Next Friday, March 4 at 7 p.m. at Gibsons United Church, the Green Team is presenting H2Oil. Shannon Walsh's documentary on Canada's tar sands traces the wavering balance between the urgent need to protect and preserve fresh water resources and the mad clamouring to fill the global demand for oil. Admission is by donation.
No show
Actor Marilyn Browning phoned to say regretfully that there will be no dinner theatre production at Pebbles Restaurant this spring from Peninsula Players, as previously anticipated. The fall dinner theatre production, A Bed Full of Foreigners, was performed recently in Gibsons. The group hopes to return to the stage next fall for this popular production. If interested in becoming part of Peninsula Players, contact Marilyn at [email protected].
Correction
Because of editing errors in the production of last week's arts section, the following mistakes were made: The gathering of the Shishalh Nation weavers at the tems swiya Museum takes place this Saturday, Feb. 26 and Sunday, Feb. 27, not on Friday as indicated. Contact Jessica at 604-885-6012 or e-mail: [email protected] for more.
The article regarding the Sweet Cascadia event at the Roberts Creek Hall on Feb. 27 was not written by Jan DeGrass, but was submitted by the organizers.
Let me know about your arts event, but keep it brief via email [email protected] or phone 604-886-4692 before 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
