by Gillian Crowley –
What better way to spend a blustery Friday afternoon than watching a thought-provoking film at the Sidney/North Saanich Library? This fall the library is screening award-winning films from the National Film Board on the last Friday of each month, from 1 to 3 p.m. All films are around an hour long and admission is free.
“I’m really excited to have this opportunity to screen NFB films that are relevant to our region and to Canadians as a whole,” says Virginia MacLeod, who is in charge of Adult Customer Services at the library in Sidney, which is part of the Vancouver Island Regional Library system.
The first of the new monthly series took place September 30. The film Finding Farley (2009) documented a young couple’s canoe trip across Canada to follow the geography suggested in several of Farley Mowat’s books. The kicker? They accomplished this epic 5,000-kilometre trip with their two-year-old son and dog in tow.
For the upcoming screenings, MacLeod hopes to invite a few surprise guests who could introduce the films or lead informal discussions following the screenings. The October 28th documentary is Everything Will Be (2013) by award-winning Sundance director Julia Kwan. The film captures a culturally diverse neighbourhood – Vancouver’s aging Chinatown – in the midst of a transformation that plays out in many ethnic communities across North America. The oldest and newest community members offer their perspectives on the shifting landscape, reflecting on change, memory and legacy.
“I think this one will be of special interest to our residents as it shows the tensions that development and change bring to a community,” says MacLeod.
The films for November and December will be equally powerful and engaging. On November 25, Trick or Treaty? (2014) by filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin profiles Indigenous leaders in their quest for justice. By tracing the history of their ancestors since the signing of Treaty No. 9 in 1905, these leaders aim to raise awareness about issues vital to First Nations in Canada. The film is the first by an Indigenous filmmaker to be screened in the prestigious Masters program at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.
Jack Hodgins’ Island (1981) on December 30 is a blend of humour and serious contemplation of Vancouver Island from the perspective of 35 years ago. West Coast author Jack Hodgins talks about his world and his work. Using passages from his short stories and novels, the film enters the world of logging camps and saloons, of people and events on the Island. Those with long memories may recognize the narrator’s voice as belonging to actor Robert Clothier, best known for his role as “Relic” in the long-running TV series The Beachcombers.
MacLeod hopes the Friday Film series will bring out people who perhaps haven’t stepped into a library for many years.
