2023/24 Best of the Fests
SWAN SONG
Wednesday November 15th at 7:30 pm at ArtSpring
Following a sensational 1971 debut in Swan Lake, Karen Kain was promoted to Principal Dancer of the National Ballet of Canada, achieving international fame as one of the great classical dancers of her era.
Named Best Canadian Documentary at the Calgary International Film Festival, SWAN SONG immerses viewers behind the scenes as Kain directs a legacy-defining 2022 production of Swan Lake on the eve of her retirement as Artistic Director, after a two-year pandemic delay.
With an intimate, character-driven approach, filmmakers Chelsea McMullan & Sean O’Neill closely follows Kain and a dedicated group of young ballerinas, interweaving the dramatic creation process with scenes from their personal lives, through challenging setbacks, creative conflicts and devastating injuries.
Contentious racial politics and a pointed push for equity are deftly explored, as some of the strongest emerging ballerinas are young women of colour, challenging ballet’s Eurocentric ideals of beauty, perfection and conformity.
THE ROAD TO PATAGONIA
Wednesday November 29th at 7:30 pm at ArtSpring
Join handsome and adventurous Australian Matty Hannon on what begins as an incredible solo challenge, to surf the entire West Coast of the Americas, traveling 50,000 km by motorcycle from the top of Alaska to the tip of Tierra del Fuego.
When Hannon’s audacious plans unexpectedly fall apart right here in BC, he meets the woman of his dreams, Heather Hillier, who throws caution to the wind, sells her home, buys a motorcycle of her own and follows Hannon south.
Meeting Zapatista rebels and learning from the wisdom of Amazonian shamans and Mapuche leaders, Hannon & Hillier opt to reduce their carbon footprint by continuing through South America with their surfboards on horseback.
Experience the romantic adventure of a lifetime from the comfort of your theatre seat with the International Premiere of this award-winning, uplifting and visually stunning celebration of how our love for the people we happen to meet on life’s journey can inspire and inform our love for the planet we all share.
Monday, October 2 2023 at 6:30pm
Free Film at ArtSpring!
Still Working 9 to 5
Camille Hardman & Gary Lane, USA, 2022, 96 min.
In cooperation with the Salt Spring Film Festival, this must-see film is presented by the Salt Spring Community Response Network and Island Community Services as a celebration of the United Nations International Day of Older Persons, which highlights the value older adults bring to society.
Seniors and young people attending together will receive a special gift at the door, symbolizing the United Nations’ theme of “Across Generations.”
Everyone is encouraged to wear either orange to mark Truth and Reconciliation Day (Sept. 30) or purple for International Day of Older Persons (Oct. 1).
Directed by Camille Hardman & Gary Lane, STILL WORKING 9 TO 5 was selected as the Opening Night Film of the 2023 Salt Spring Film Festival, where it was extremely well received by a record-setting audience of over 300 people.
Released in 1980 alongside Dolly Parton’s catchy theme song, “9 TO 5” became one of the highest-grossing films of the year, shattering the long-held belief that only men could headline a financially successful buddy comedy. The new documentary revisits and re-examines the original comedy to shine a light on how much – and, unfortunately, how little – has changed for women in the workplace over the past 43 years.
Featuring interviews with Dabney Coleman, Rita Moreno, Allison Janey and many others, this empowering and unapologetically feminist crowd-pleaser was named Best Domestic Feature by the jury of the American Documentary Film Festival and Film Fund and won the Audience Choice Award at the Nashville Film Festival.
The screening will be accompanied by a presentation on the value of inter-generational relationships in empowering older adults to combat ageism and abuse.
No tickets or assigned seats are involved as this is a free screening. ArtSpring will be open an hour before the event starts, so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. We look forward to seeing you there!