THE 9 LIVES OF BARBARA DANE

Sat. March 1 at 10:00 am in room N209

If you don’t yet know Barbara Dane, you’re in for a joyful ride. Universally respected by fellow luminaries in folk, jazz & blues, she has been at the intersection of great music and leftist politics for decades. Garnering an impressive FBI file along the way, Dane is still touring at 90 with her talented multi-generational musical family. Featuring interviews with Bonnie Raitt and Jane Fonda, this exuberant retrospective of a trailblazing maverick, independent record producer, lovable troubadour and unrepentant troublemaker is an entertaining, optimistic and heartening tribute to aging without ever letting go of a steadfast commitment to political resistance.

Film Website

THE AMERICAS: A NEW HISTORY OF THE FIRST PEOPLES

Sun. March 2 at 4:15 pm in room S212

New archaeological discoveries are upending our understanding of when people first arrived in this hemisphere, rewriting the story of global human migration. Archaeologists such as Ciprian Ardlean of Mexico’s Autonomous University of Zacatecas are finding fresh evidence of human settlements in the Americas 30,000 years ago – approximately twice as far back as previously believed – challenging Western scholarship and sending shockwaves through academia. Cree-Métis professor Paulette Steves of Ontario’s Algoma University maintains that the new data are consistent with the oral histories of Indigenous peoples, who – accompanied by some panoramic cinematography – retrace the footsteps of their ancestors in this provocative documentary.

Film Website

ARI’S THEME

Sat. March 1 at 10:00 am in room N205

Sun. March 2 at 10:00 am in room N205

Co-presented by Gulf Islands Families Together Society (GIFTS).

Filmmaker in attendance: Jeff Lee Petry.

Diagnosed in childhood with a degenerative condition which shortens his life expectancy, talented 34-year-old Victoria composer Ari Kinarthy is committed to make the most of his remaining time. Composing music in his head and painstakingly transcribing it to a computer with his limited mobility, Ari works with other musicians to create the score for his life story in honour of his devoted parents. What emerges is a deeply emotional collaborative musical project, unfolding with exceptional grace. The Opening Night Gala at this year’s Vancouver International Film Festival, this life-affirming film will make you reconsider what it means to be disabled.

Film Website

BRIBE, INC.

Sat. March 1 at 12:30 pm in room N205

Sun. March 2 at 12:30 pm in room N205

Filmmaker in attendance: Peter Klein.

From award-winning local filmmaker Peter Klein comes a mesmerizing, globe-trotting exposé of the byzantine web of corruption that underlies the global oil industry. In the shadows of international commerce, a corrupt family runs the Monaco-based company Unaoil, providing “industrial solutions” to the global energy sector with total impunity, until an anonymous whistleblower divulges their crimes, revealing the biggest bribery scandal in modern history. Australian investigative journalist Nick McKenzie, British prosecutor Tom Martin and Canadian anti-corruption lawyer Alexandra Wrage join forces in an international manhunt. The evidence is overwhelming, but – as the plot twists and turns – will justice finally prevail?

Film Website

THE CLICK TRAP: THE DARK SIDE OF DIGITAL ADVERTISING

Sun. March 2 at 12:30 pm in room S206

In English & French with English subtitles.

Have you ever noticed an ad for a specific product appears in your social media feed just as you start thinking or talking about it? Social media is free because you are the product. Highly engineered algorithms harvest data to automatically match products with potential customers. But when does digital marketing become digital mind-control? Online ads monetize disinformation and hate speech, and incentivize divisiveness and political extremism, resulting in real-world violence. Is global democracy the collateral damage of unregulated online capitalism? Investigative journalists and online activists uncover the boundless reach of Big Tech companies in this disquieting and meticulously-crafted report.

Film Website

DANGEROUSLY CLOSE (Gefährlich nah – Wenn Bären töten)

Sat. March 1 at 2:30 pm in room S212

In Italian & German with English subtitles.

Boasting spectacular scenery, this even-handed and thought-provoking examination of the controversial reintroduction of brown bears to the Italian Alps gives voice to forest rangers, animal rights activists and anti-bear campaigners. Most of the concerns expressed seem reasonable, although they’re often at odds with one another. The disturbing parallels to similar polarizing debates over immigration are striking. While rural alpine communities initially support the rewilding project, fear and anger soon prevail after a series of attacks on livestock and humans in a country where bear spray is illegal. As the dispute escalates, thorny questions arise. Can humans and bears truly co-exist?

Film Website

THE DAY ICELAND STOOD STILL (Dagurinn sem Ísland stöðvaðist)

Sun. March 2 at 2:30 pm in room N209

Co-presented by The Circle Education Society.

In English & Icelandic with English subtitles.

When 90% of the women of Iceland walked off their jobs and out of their homes one memorable morning in 1975, they brought the island to a standstill and fast-tracked Iceland to become the most gender-equitable country on the planet. Commemorating the strike’s 50^th anniversary and told by the strikers themselves, this thoroughly enjoyable look back at a transformative act of civil disobedience is simultaneously inspiring and laugh-out-loud funny, featuring playful animation and a rousing theme song by Björk. Named Best Documentary at the recent Victoria Film Festival and Germany’s Lübeck Nordic Film Days and received an Audience Award at California’s Mill Valley Film Festival.

Film Website

DEMOCRACY NOIR

Sat. March 1 at 12:30 pm in room S208

In English & Hungarian with English subtitles.

Three courageous women – an investigative journalist, an opposition politician and an activist nurse – resist autocracy as Viktor Orbán brazenly dismantles Hungary’s democratic institutions. From blatant corruption and censorship to restricting the rights of women and minorities, Orbán’s Fidesz regime is chipping away at Hungary’s social fabric. Drawing startling parallels to the rise of Christian Nationalism in the US – particularly when the annual CPAC conference is held in Budapest and Republicans can’t stop praising Orbán – this riveting cautionary tale (from the Oscar-nominated director of The Whistleblower of My Lai, which we screened in 2019) sounds the alarm about rising right-wing authoritarianism.

Film Website

DRAW FOR CHANGE: DEMOCRACY UNDER SIEGE (USA)

Sun. March 2 at 12:30 pm in room S208

This timely and indispensable entry in the Draw for Change series profiling female political cartoonists follows Pulitzer Prize-winner Ann Telnaes, who recently quit the Washington Post for censoring one of her cartoons critiquing billionaires such as Post owner Jeff Bezos. Using sharp wit, insightful commentary and hard-hitting illustrations, Telnaes warns against the rise of autocracy, focusing on the violence and mayhem of the January 6 insurrection. Along with other top political commentators, Telnaes lays bare the complicated history of the world’s most influential political system, providing a clear and concise overview of America’s alarming shift to the right under Trump.

Film Website

DRAW FOR CHANGE: DRAWING A LINE (India)

Sat. March 1 at 10:00 am in room S206

In English & Hindi with English subtitles.

The outspoken creator of the online comic strip Sanitary Panels – known for her trenchant socio-political commentary – Rachita Taneja has garnered an enormous following of progressive young people in India and beyond. Bizarrely charged with “contempt of court” for daring to criticize Modi’s Hindu Nationalist party, she continues to post her deceptively simple cartoons, refusing to be silenced by an autocratic regime. This ebullient entry in the Draw for Change series profiling female political cartoonists cannot be shown in India, and has been released internationally with the filmmaker using a pseudonym and with her identity disguised on-screen for her own protection.

Film Website

DRAW FOR CHANGE: WE ARE FIRE (Mexico)

Sat. March 1 at 10:00 am in room S206

In English & Spanish with English subtitles.

A talented artist resists the increasingly dangerous reality for women in Mexico in this empowering entry in the Draw for Change series profiling female political cartoonists. Join young queer artist Mar Maremoto on the streets of Mexico City as she amplifies her colourful art via social media, breaking the silence on homophobia, gendered violence and femicide in a country where 11 women are murdered daily. The statistics are horrifying, the art is revolutionary and the protests are incendiary in this revitalizing call to action, as Mexicans take to the streets in the face of appalling levels of violence against women.

Film Website

EVICTED CITY (Ma cité évincée)

Sat. March 1 at 4:15 pm in room N209

Sun. March 2 at 4:15 pm in room N207

Co-presented by Housing NOW.

In English & French with English subtitles.

The face of homelessness is visibly changing as Montreal – until recently one of North America’s last remaining affordable cities – experiences an unprecedented housing crisis. This engaging, multilayered documentary depicts the results of unbridled real estate speculation: from riot police removing tent cities from public parks; to housing advocates lobbying politicians to turn hotels into emergency pandemic shelters; to residents of a neglected apartment tower stubbornly resisting “renovictions” by taking the owners to court. This compendium of intimate vignettes of the human impact of the global housing crisis won the inaugural Jean-Marc Vallée Audience Award at the Quebec City Film Festival.

Film Website

EYES OF THE SOUL (Cristina García Rodero – La mirada oculta)

Sat. March 1 at 2:30 pm in room S206

Co-presented by Salt Spring Arts.

In Spanish with English subtitles.

What brings us together as human beings? How do we sanctify life, love, beauty and death? Fiercely independent, self-taught Spanish photographer Cristina García Rodero spent 15 years documenting the intriguing and outlandish traditions of her country’s Christian and pagan festivals. Now this indomitable septuagenarian with a keen eye and a humanist philosophy continues to photograph elaborate religious rites and occasionally frightening occult rituals around the world, despite a degenerative loss of sight. This celebration of the vividness of life is a tribute not only to a singular artist, but also to the diverse souls captured in her magnificent portraits.

Film Website

FARMING TURNS

Sat. March 1 at 2:30 pm in room N207

Sun. March 2 at 12:30 pm in the Dance Studio

Film subjects in attendance: Chris Rubens & Jesse Johnston-Hill.

Living the dream, professional skier Chris Rubens relentlessly criss-crossed the globe for years, until a 2016 expedition to Greenland brought the reality of climate change into sharp focus. Confronting how his oversized carbon footprint didn’t align with his values, he risked his career as an athlete to become an organic farmer. With his partner Jesse Johnston-Hill – originally from Salt Spring – Chris founded an organic farm in Revelstoke, in a quest to foster a more sustainable lifestyle. Featuring dazzling cinematography and thrilling action footage, this short film will leave you pondering what you’re willing to give up to save the planet.

Film Website

FROM GROUND ZERO

Sat. March 1 at 10:00 am in room S212

In Arabic with English subtitles.

Palestine’s official Oscar selection, this remarkable collection of 22 short films created by internally displaced Palestinians – most of them non-professional filmmakers – depicts their daily struggle to survive with dignity under apocalyptic conditions. The results are surprisingly innovative and life-affirming, employing a variety of storytelling styles and narrative forms – including both documentary and drama – some using stop-motion animation and marionettes created from salvaged materials. Essential viewing for anyone looking to better understand the situation on the ground in the besieged Gaza Strip, this compelling anthology chronicles the unwavering aspirations, vibrant artistry and creative resilience of people surviving an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Film Website

THE GOOD VIRUS

Sat. March 1 at 2:30 pm in room N205

Sun. March 2 at 2:30 pm in room N205

 Filmmaker in attendance: Roswitha Dransfeld.

Film to be preceded by a pre-recorded welcome from Dr. Steffanie Strathdee, author of The Perfect Predator.

Drug-resistant superbugs kill millions of people each year, fuelled by the overuse of antibiotics. The global medical community is now turning to bacteria’s ancient enemy, microscopic bacteriophages, which possess the ability to target and kill specific bacteria. From combating antimicrobial-resistant infections in cystic fibrosis patients to preventing food-borne illnesses in livestock, phages offer a versatile and effective alternative to antibiotics. Filmed in the US, Canada, Kenya and Uganda, this intriguing, character-driven story of the collaborative efforts of leading scientists tackling one of the most pressing health issues of our time offers the possibility of a revolution in global healthcare.

Film Website

HAPPY CLOTHES: A FILM ABOUT PATRICIA FIELD

Sun. March 2 at 12:30 pm in room N209

Carrie Bradshaw’s tutu. Miranda Priestly’s hair. Ugly Betty’s glasses. Even if you haven’t heard of Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated costume designer Patricia Field, you’re no doubt familiar with her iconic work on such cultural touchstones as Sex in the City, The Devil Wears Prada, and Ugly Betty. This lively look back at the legendary octogenarian lesbian’s indelible career – featuring interviews with a bevy of celebrities – venerates a consummate professional at the top of her game, while referencing decades of queer life in New York City, including Field’s early patronage of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose meteoric careers were launched from her trend-setting retail store.

Film Website

THE HEARING (L’Audience)

Sat. March 1 at 12:30 pm in room S206

In English & French with English subtitles.

A gripping, tender and fully humanistic account of a Congolese family fleeing political persecution and seeking asylum in Canada via South America, after trekking 20,000 km through a dozen countries with two small children and a third on the way. Three years after settling in Montreal, having established stable housing and employment and having found community through their local church, Peggy and Simon finally have their day in court – which drags on for months in the midst of the pandemic, with no help from their disinterested lawyer – in this eye-opening, enraging insight into the chilling indifference of Canada’s refugee asylum system.

Film Website

THE HOME TEAM

Sat. March 1 at 2:30 pm in room N207

Sun. March 2 at 12:30 pm in the Dance Studio

Filmmaker in attendance: Suzanne Crocker.

Finding belonging and community in unexpected places, new immigrants from big cities and hot climates create new lives for themselves in tiny, subarctic Dawson City, Yukon, typically trading their professional careers for entry-level service jobs and often waiting years to be reunited with their children and families. When they introduce some of their own cultural traditions to the town – including the advent of the world’s most northern cricket team! – the lives of newcomers and locals alike are enriched in this candid, uplifting and heartwarming short film about fitting in, finding connections, and the magic that can happen when worlds collide.

Film Website

ICE MAIDEN

Sun. March 2 at 10:00 am in the Dance Studio

 Co-presented by the Salt Spring Island Sailing Club.

Join fearless Australian sailor Lisa Blair on the ride of a lifetime as she undertakes an epic journey to become the first woman to sail solo around Antarctica – nonstop and unassisted – in record-breaking time, while drawing attention to climate change and environmental hazards facing our oceans. When perilous weather causes catastrophe, Lisa demonstrates impressive resourcefulness and uncompromising determination to complete the circumnavigation in the most dangerous waters on the planet. Featuring famed fellow adventurers Jessica Watson, Dick Smith and Anne Lise Guy, this stirring tale of perseverance includes a surprising amount of footage captured by Lisa herself, augmented by dramatic re-creations.

Film Website

JANIS IAN: BREAKING SILENCE

Sun. March 2 at 10:00 am in room N209

As an adolescent, Janis Ian wrote and recorded Society’s Child, a 1965 hit song about interracial romance. The resulting controversy provoked death threats and launched her Grammy-winning career. A decade later she returned to the charts with an even bigger hit, the groundbreaking song At Seventeen, after jamming with Jimi Hendrix in Greenwich Village and partying with Janis Joplin. Overcoming a host of obstacles – including misogyny, homophobia, embezzlement and life-threatening illness – this resilient and phenomenally talented singer/songwriter has found love and produced an indelible catalogue of searingly honest songs that continues to earn her an ardent following and critical acclaim.

Film Website

KYIV THEATER: AN ISLAND OF HOPE

Sat. March 1 at 2:30 pm in room N209

Sun. March 2 at 2:30 pm in room N207

In English, French & Ukrainian with English subtitles.

In an audacious act of solidarity with Ukrainians, acclaimed octogenarian director Ariane Mnouchkine – the notoriously blunt doyenne of the Parisian theatre world – travels to Kyiv with a troupe of French performers to conduct an improv workshop with 100 Ukrainian actors, many of them displaced by the war. Emphasizing human connection and the vital importance of keeping art alive in the midst of war, their unscripted performances celebrate the best of humanity in the worst of circumstances.

Film Website

LOST IN THE SHUFFLE

Sat. March 1 at 10:00 am in room N207

Sun. March 2 at 10:00 am in room N207

Filmmaker in attendance: Jon Ornoy.

On a trip to France, charismatic world champion magician Shawn Farquhar of New Westminster becomes obsessed with the familiar images of royalty on playing cards. Of particular interest is the King of Hearts, also known as the “Suicide King” due to the sword embedded in his skull. Suspecting a more sinister story – that an actual medieval French monarch was assassinated by his own wife – Shawn recruits an international roster of top sleight-of-hand magicians to investigate his theory. Will the greatest illusion of all prove to be that a 500-year-old unsolved murder has been hiding under our noses all this time?

Film Website

MEN OF WAR

Sun. March 2 at 10:00 am in room S206

The pitch for this outrageous tragicomedy could have been “Rambo meets Fyre Fest.” Charming but intensely troubled former Canadian soldier Jordan Goudreau – a veteran of the US Special Forces with PTSD – recounts how a ragtag group of mercenaries attempted to overthrow the Venezuelan government in 2020. Intended to replace Nicolás Maduro with Juan Guaidó, this disastrous plan was later dubbed the “Bay of Piglets” – as American politicians washed their hands of the operation they covertly financed. This enthralling misadventure raises troubling questions about how the military programs soldiers for violence and leaves them struggling to successfully re-adapt to civilian life.

Film Website

MICHEL GONDRY, DO IT YOURSELF!

Sat. March 1 at 4:15 pm in room S212

In English & French with English subtitles.

French filmmaking genius Michel Gondry re-invented music videos and challenged Hollywood with his playfully distinctive handmade visual style. His radiantly creative career receives overdue acclaim in this magical film about the magic of filmmaking, featuring Björk’s quirky music videos, The Matrix’s “bullet time” effect, and the Oscar-winning Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Refusing to see a small budget as an obstacle to self-expression, Gondry’s exhilarating do-it-yourself aesthetic is on full display in this stimulating and delightfully entertaining retrospective, as he shares his ethos of “creating without caring what others think, learning while doing and taking pleasure while doing it.”

Film Website

N OF 1

Sun. March 2 at 12:30 pm in room S212

A brilliant Canadian electronics repairman with no medical credentials, a pioneering Israeli immunologist and a renowned British transplant surgeon walk into a hospital in India. What sounds like the start of a bad joke is actually a bold collaboration to save the life of a young American woman dying from an extremely rare and particularly lethal form of liver cancer. The experimental procedure concocted by this unconventional trio pushes the boundaries of accepted therapeutic practice, with tantalizingly hopeful implications for similarly untreatable cancers. Spanning five countries, this engrossing medical drama is an emotional rollercoaster with more than one unforeseen outcome.

Film Website

NEVER LOOK AWAY

Sat. March 1 at 4:15 pm in room S208

Sun. March 2 at 4:15 pm in the Dance Studio

Photojournalist Margaret Moth was an adrenaline junkie from New Zealand who blazed a trail as a fearless war-zone camerawoman in a dangerous, male-dominated profession, working for CNN in its early years. Recovering from a horrifying injury in Sarajevo, she returns to the field determined to continue shining a light on the civilian victims of war. Proving that you don’t have to be a saint to be on the side of the angels, this spellbinding chronicle of a complicated woman – featuring Christiane Amanpour and directed by Lucy Lawless of Xena fame – was named Best Documentary at the Calgary Underground Film Festival.

Film Website

A NEW KIND OF WILDERNESS (Ukjent Landskap)

Sat. March 1 at 2:30 pm in the Dance Studio

Sun. March 2 at 2:30 pm in room S206

In English & Norwegian with English subtitles.

Shunning the modern world, talented Norwegian photographer Maria Payne and her British husband Nik eke out an idyllic, self-sufficient existence on an isolated forest farm with their four homeschooled children. When tragedy strikes, the family is suddenly uprooted and forced to return to the city, where they face the unfamiliar wilderness of modernity. A gorgeous ode to the risks and rewards of unconventional living, this lyrical and achingly intimate story about life’s simple pleasures and difficult choices employs the enchanting narrative techniques of a top-quality drama without ever feeling contrived. Awarded the prestigious World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.

Film Website

PLASTIC PEOPLE

Sat. March 1 at 4:15 pm in room N207

Sun. March 2 at 2:30 pm in room S212

Our addiction to plastic is more than just an environmental issue – it’s also an urgent health crisis. Almost every bit of plastic ever made is ground down into microscopic particles that drift in the air, float in the water and mix into the soil. Scientists are now finding microplastics in our organs and even in the placentas of new mothers. What is the impact on our health and what can be done about it? This startling call to action urges us to seriously rethink our relationship to plastic. There are already hundreds of plastic-free communities. Could Salt Spring be next?

Film Website

PORCELAIN WAR

Sat. March 1 at 12:30 pm in the Dance Studio

In English, Russian & Ukrainian with English subtitles.

Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine has forced the country’s artists to become soldiers. Arming themselves with guns, drones and home-made bombs, a defiant group of artists forms a civilian defence force and stand their ground, stubbornly continuing to produce art in the midst of war. Featuring exquisite ceramic art, stunning cinematography and a terrific soundtrack, this astonishing dispatch from the heart of the war zone extols the strength and tenacity of the human spirit, as ordinary people go to extraordinary lengths to defend their culture and their country. This unforgettable, Oscar-nominated film won the US Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.

Film Website

SEARCHING FOR AMANI

Sat. March 1 at 2:30 pm in room S208

Sun. March 2 at 4:15 pm in room N209

Aspiring journalist Simon Ali investigates the murder of his park ranger father in Kenya’s beautiful Laikipia wildlife reserve, exploring the deadly battle over dwindling resources between farmers – mostly colonists of Italian descent – and nomadic cattle herders, whose traditional way of life is imperiled by drought. Simon’s transformation from grief-stricken child to resolute young man leads him to unravel a complex web of regional conflict, lingering shadows of imperialism and the disastrous impacts of climate change. This handsome, heartfelt film won Best New Documentary Director at Tribeca and was named Best Documentary at Britain’s Raindance Film Festival and Berlin’s Dokumentale Festival.

Film Website

SEND KELP!

Sat. March 1 at 12:30 pm in room N209

The thing about grief is that it can inspire action. Rather than despair over climate change, self-confessed “seaweed nerd” Frances Ward decides to do something about it: she starts a kelp farm, one of the first of its kind in BC. To coax a kelp crop from the ocean, she’ll need help from scientists, Indigenous experts and entrepreneurs who understand the challenges – and the astounding potential – of this miraculous organism. Join Frances on a refreshingly buoyant odyssey that takes her from the Prairies to the Pacific in this solutions-based story of eco-hope and food sustainability, featuring breathtaking underwater cinematography.

Film Website

THE STAND

Sat. March 1 at 10:00 am in the Dance Studio

Sun. March 2 at 12:30 pm in room N207

In English & Haida with English subtitles.

Filmmaker & film subject in attendance: Christopher Auchter & David Suzuki.

Forty years ago, a courageous group of Indigenous people blockaded a muddy logging road on Tllga Kun Gwaayaay (Lyell Island), demanding that the government cooperate with the Haida Nation to protect the forest and the future, resulting in a protracted stand-off between loggers, the Haida and the RCMP. Drawing on over 100 hours of archival footage, this captivating and surprisingly timely NFB film revisits that pivotal moment, revealing how much – and how little – has changed since the 1980s. Featuring whimsical animation, Svend Robinson on the frontlines, and David Suzuki holding his own against notoriously belligerent BCTV talk-show host Jack Webster.

Film Website

STARRING JERRY AS HIMSELF

Sun. March 2 at 2:30 pm in room S208

Co-presented by BC Community Response Networks.

In English & Mandarin with English subtitles.

When law-abiding Taiwanese immigrant Jerry Hsu announces his imminent arrest as a Chinese spy in an international money laundering scheme, his adult sons begin documenting his ordeal, only to discover that not everything is as it seems – it’s actually much weirder. A genre-busting thriller revealing the complexity of scams targeting the elderly – and how immigrants are at particular risk – this unusual hybrid documentary/drama brilliantly blurs reality, as Jerry’s family portrays themselves to recreate the fantastical events. This cautionary tale about the American dream becoming a nightmare has won multiple awards at festivals around the world, including Best Documentary at Slamdance.

Film Website

STORY & PICTURES BY

Sat. March 1 at 12:30 pm in room N207

Sun. March 2 at 2:30 pm in the Dance Studio

Co-presented by the Salt Spring Island Public Library.

In English & Spanish with English subtitles.

Once upon a time… the publishing world was a simpler place. This delightful celebration of children’s picture books revisits such beloved classics as Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Where the Wild Things Are. As school libraries become the latest battleground, however, a new Golden Age of children’s publishing is pushing back against “anti-woke” book bans, lead by bestselling authors and illustrators intent on diversifying the industry, so that kids from all backgrounds might see themselves reflected in their colourful pages. As this cheerfully animated dispatch from the frontlines of the culture war makes clear: representation matters. The End.

Film Website

SUGARCANE

Sun. March 2 at 10:00 am in room S212

Evidence of unmarked graves discovered at former Indian residential schools such as St. Joseph’s Mission in Williams Lake sparked a national outcry and ignited a long-suppressed reckoning on nearby Sugarcane Reserve. Set amidst a groundbreaking investigation, this searing indictment of Canada’s brutal colonial heritage puts a human face on an inhuman story, illuminating the profound challenges facing Indigenous communities as they struggle to break cycles of intergenerational trauma – and the beauty of finding the strength to survive. Named Best Documentary by multiple review boards and festivals around the world, this staggeringly powerful film has also been nominated for the Oscars.

Film Website

THE THINKING GAME

Sat. March 1 at 4:15 pm in room S206

Meet computer genius Demis Hassabi, a visionary scientist relentlessly searching to solve the enigma of Artificial General Intelligence (A.G.I). Filmed over five years, this mind-blowing documentary captures pivotal moments of Hassabi’s quest, including the revolutionary achievement of AlphaFold, a program that solved a 50-year grand challenge in biology. From his childhood as a competitive chess prodigy, to his creation of the video game Theme Park, to his co-founding of the machine-learning startup DeepMind (acquired by Google for £400 million), Hassabi has spent his life thinking about the potential – and the potential perils – of how A.G.I. might reshape our world.

Film Website

UNBOUND

Sat. March 1 at 4:15 pm in the Dance Studio

Preceded by short films by the IWAV Safety, Survival & Solidarity Youth Project.

Discrimination, body shaming, eating disorders and violence: the world of ballet is rife with such abuse. Now, a diverse group of young dancers is fighting back. Forming an accepting and inclusive ballet company, they open their doors to other survivors, reclaiming the stage with a Christmas performance of The Nutcracker with limited time to prepare. It won’t be easy. They’re brave, but fragile. In a run-down studio with a gender-fluid ballet insurgent to direct them, they fight for the chance to dance once again – with defiance, hope and joy. Winner of the Jury Award at the Central Scotland Documentary Festival.

Film Website

WAR GAME

Sat. March 1 at 12:30 pm in room S212

Presidential authority to deploy the military against American citizens on US soil is contemplated in this provocative, genre-defying film. Real-life politicians and high-level administration officials are cast in an elaborate, unscripted, six-hour role-playing exercise, facing an imagined 2025 crisis in which some of the National Guard side with armed insurrectionists. They wrestle with whether or not to invoke the Insurrection Act, which could lead to a bloodbath. Unlike anything else you’ve seen, this arresting nail-biter immerses audiences in a harrowing simulation that imagines the outbreak of a second US Civil War, and considers the dystopian dangers of unchecked Presidential power.

Film Website

WHERE OLIVE TREES WEEP

Sun. March 2 at 10:00 am in room S208

In English, Hebrew & Arabic with English subtitles.

Unapologetically pro-Palestinian, this enlightening window into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people under Israeli Occupation nonetheless avoids the propagandistic techniques found in most films about conflict in the Middle East. Features Palestinians, Israelis and Jews in the Diaspora, including Palestinian journalist Ashira Darwish, grassroots activist Ahed Tamimi, Israeli journalist Amira Hass and Dr. Gabor Maté, who conducts a trauma-healing workshop in the West Bank for tortured Palestinian women and unpacks the trauma of the Holocaust underlying the Occupation. Named Best Documentary at the Santa Barbara Indie Film Festival and Best International Director at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival.

Film Website

WILDING

Sat. March 1 at 4:15 pm in room N205

Sun. March 2 at 4:15 pm in room N205

In a grand experiment, a landscape is healed and goes on to thrive in unanticipated ways in this eye-poppingly sumptuous film about soil regeneration and ecosystem restoration, based on Isabella Tree’s bestselling book describing the creation of Knepp Wildland, England’s first major lowland rewilding project. Isabella and her husband Sir Charles Burrell battle entrenched tradition as they remove fences and return the land to its natural state, entrusting its recovery to a motley mix of animals, both tame and wild. Won a Special Prize at the Hamptons International Film Festival and the Audience Award at Santa Barbara’s Illuminate Film Festival.

Film Website

ZURAWSKI v TEXAS

Sat. March 1 at 10:00 am in room S208

Following the controversial overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, women denied medically necessary procedures sue the State of Texas for its draconian abortion restrictions. Lead plaintiff Amanda Zurawski and her tireless attorney – along with a rainbow coalition of charismatic, outspoken and mutually supportive women – spearhead a gruelling effort to regain reproductive rights, not just for themselves, but for millions of other Texans. Their devastating stories reveal the dire consequences of losing access to essential healthcare. This expertly made and marvellously humanizing documentary has won prizes at festivals around the world, including the Human Rights Award at Hamptons Doc Fest.

Film Website