The Victoria Film Festival is reaching out to the Saanich Peninsula and for the first time, residents of Sidney will be treated to an eclectic line up of films — without having to drive into Victoria.
“We’re very excited about the opportunity to screen these films in Sidney,” said Fulya Ozkul, the Communications Director for the Film Festival. “It’s a way for people to not only see the films, but to support their local community in the process.”
The bulk of the unrated films (primarily for adult audiences) will be screened at the Star Cinema at 9842 Third Street between Feb. 7 and 14. The single exception to the showings at that venue will happen on B.C.’s Family Day, Feb. 9, when a special family friendly film will be featured at the Charlie White Theatre, located in the Mary Winspear Centre.
“We thought that it was appropriate on Family Day to offer a film that was appropriate for the whole family,” said Ozkyl. “It’s also a way for us to expose the younger audience to the film festival concept. It’s never too early to get excited about film.”
The cost for the individual features is $10 (plus tax) with an additional one time ‘membership’ fee of $2. Alternatively, Sidney film buffs can take advantage of a complete film package for $99. That allows access to all 13 Sidney screenings.
“February on the Island can be such a grey month and this is a great opportunity for people to come out of hibernation and see some spectacular films,” said Ozkul. “We’ve selected the very best of the Festival to be screened in Sidney. It’s a great opportunity.”
So ... without further ado ... these are the films.
National Gallery
Saturday, Feb. 7 - 3 p.m.
Director: Frederick Wiseman
If you love wandering galleries around the world you will be enthralled by this film, based in London’s National Gallery.
Boy Choir
Saturday, Feb. 7 - 7 p.m.
Director: Francois Girard
After his single mother is killed in a car crash, 11-year-old Stet is uprooted from his small Texas home to an East Coast musical boarding school. He finds himself in a conflict with the Choirmaster (Dustin Hoffman), who hears potential in Stet’s voice.
Final Recipe
Sunday, Feb. 8 - 3 p.m.
Director: Gina Kim
Veteran Michelle Yech and newcomer Henry Lau create fresh characters in a film where its not just the food but the people behind it that combine to make for a memorable experience. Final Recipe follows a young man, Mark (Henry Lau), with a talent for cooking who, despite his ability, is facing a grandfather who insists that he take on a more stable profession.
The Fifty Year Argument
Sunday, Feb. 8 - 7 p.m.
Director: Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi
At a time when western culture is questioning the importance of the considered word, along comes this documentary co-directed by Martin Scorcese and David Tedeschi in which the dynamic history of the New York Review of Books is profiled in a surprising and provocative way.
Granny Power
Monday, Feb. 9 - 7 p.m.
Director: Magnus Isaacsson
“Well behaved women rarely make history.” That’s the theme behind this stunning documentary about a unique activist movement — the Raging Grannies.
Samba and Jazz
Tuesday, Feb. 10 - 7 p.m.
Director: Jefferson Mello
A warm musical to heat up February’s chilly weather. This musical documentary compares the samba of Rio to the Jazz of New Orleans. An examination of the roots of the genres draws associations between the music and the cities where they were born.
Phoenix
Wednesday, Feb. 11 - 7 p.m.
Director: Christian Petzold
Nelly Lenz is a badly disfigured concentration camp survivor who has been brought back to Berlin by the Jewish Agency for reconstructive facial surgery. Once her face heals, her main focus is to find her husband, Johnny, who believes her to be dead.
Seventy-One Years
Thursday, Feb. 12 - 7 p.m.
Director: Nick Versteeg
In October of 2013, three forestry engineers outside Port Renfrew stumbled upon the wreckage of a 1940s war-time aircraft and sparked an investigation of a mystery with a wing span of 71 years. On a routine navigational exercise out of what is now the Victoria airport, an Anto Anson L7056 aircraft went missing and was presumed lost at sea along with crew. This is an investigation of what really happened.
All the Time in the World
Friday, Feb. 13 - 7 p.m.
Director: Suzanne Crocker
This documentary film is for every Canadian who has ever been curious about going north. It’s an intimate story about a family that goes off the grid and perfectly illustrates how disconnecting from technology can reconnect us with our true priorities in life.
Song of the Sea
Saturday, Feb. 14 - 3 p.m.
Director: Tomm Moore
A dazzling animated adventure for the whole family from the Academy-nominated director of The Secret of Kells, the story is based upon the Celtic myth of the selkie and concerns Ben and Saoirse, who live in a lighthouse with their widowed father.
Clouds of Sils Maria
Saturday, Feb. 14 - 7 p.m.
Director: Olivier Assayas
A rich study of actors’ insecurity is central in this tantalizing psychological drama as mature actress Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) engages with her personal assistant Valentine (Kristen Stewart) on everything from men troubles to career decisions.
Special Family Day Feature
The Boy and The World
Monday, Feb. 9 - 3 p.m. at the Charlie White Theatre
Director: Ale’ Abreu
This was the hit film of the Annecy animated film festival. This is a story for all ages. Its star is Cuca, a simple and small country boy. One day, a train takes away his father to the city and Cuca must bring him back home. But when Cuca finds a world at war with itself, it’s an explosion of colour to tease and delight the senses. Can he survive it at all?
— Tim Collins/News staff