Documentary homecoming
photo courtesy theageofstupid.net
Films on fire: The Age of Stupid is just one of many features at the WIFF.
Wakefield film festival makes its debut
WATCH OUT, WAKEFIELD: documentaries are taking over the town with the debut of the Wakefield International Film Festival. The festival, which runs until March 28, is giving this small town nestled in the Gatineau Hills a chance to live up to its reputation as a village of artists and artisans. The Wakefield International Film Festival is breaking out full-force into the realm of Canadian documentary film and bringing the best documentaries from around the world to Canada.
“They are films that push the boundaries of documentary filmmakers, and personally I think they are some of the best films that have been made,” said the festival’s artistic director Robert Rooney, who is also an experienced documentary filmmaker.
The festival itself began on Feb. 7 and runs until March 28, screening different films once each Sunday. Each film is original and offers different perspectives on contemporary issues. Many films employ concepts not often seen in documentary films: The Age of Stupid, for example, uses futuristic projections as it takes place in the year 2055; and Antoine, a film which follows the imaginary life of a young blind boy, makes extensive use of an alternate, fictional reality. These unconventional elements mixed in with the documentary style make the films exceptional in both visuals and content.
“They are all so different, and I think that is true about all documentaries. They are completely unique,” said Rooney. “[These are] films you wouldn’t get an opportunity to see anywhere else”.
Rooney explains that in addition to showing the feature documentary, each screening will include a showing of a shorter film created by a documentary filmmaking student at Algonquin College. An advisor for the college program, Rooney came up with the idea to take the best shorts and give them an opportunity for screening.
“I think that [it] is very important for student filmmakers to see what an audience makes of their work, so I am very pleased we were able to do that,” he explained.
“Their work really stands by itself,” he added.
There are numerous opportunities for documentary filmmakers in the Ottawa-Gatineau region to learn about the field and garner attention for their films. However, the level of difficulty in creating a documentary film is incomparable to other genres. Most documentaries start independently, and are therefore often confronted with major financial issues. But, as Rooney explains, the most challenging aspect is the spontaneity in the creation of the film.
“The biggest challenge [in creating] a feature length documentary is the time it takes. When you set out to make a documentary, you are following reality, so you have no idea how it is going to turn out,” he said. “When you make a fiction film, you have a script and have a storyline. With a documentary, you have no idea [what may happen].”
The Wakefield International Film Festival has undoubtedly inspired a local enthusiasm for documentary films. Tickets for the screening of the festival-opening film Dirty Oil sold out, forcing the organizers to put on a second screening.
“I think one of the reasons [for the popularity of documentary] is that [it is] a reaction to the quick one-liner coverage of issues in the news media. People are turning to the Internet already to find more information,” he said. “The one thing about documentaries is that they offer an opportunity to go deeper into an issue and explore it further than [they do] in the media.”
The debut of the documentary festival in the small town of Wakefield, Que. not only brings the best of international documentaries to a local stage, but also offers the community a chance to experience them in an enthusiastic environment.
The films play at 5:30 p.m. every Sunday until March 28 upstairs at Molos (745 Chemin Riverside in Wakefield, Que.) and cost $7.50 each. Visit wakefieldfilmfestival.weebly.com for more information.
The shows still go on
Upcoming films at the Wakefield International Film Festival
The Yes Men Fix the World
Feb. 28
This film follows the lives of Andy Bichldaum and Mike Bonanno, better known as the Yes Men. Posing as top executives of large corporations, these men go out of their way to inform their audience of the dangers of capitalist living. With a comic take on journalism, the film is as informative as it is entertaining.
The Age of Stupid
March 7
This film takes place in the year 2055 and follows the life of one man who spends his time looking at old footage from 2008, considering the consequences of global inaction in the face of climate change.
The Betrayal
March 14
The Phrasavaths, a Vietnamese family, move to the United States during the Vietnam War in hopes of escaping their conflict-driven life and starting anew in what they believed to be the country of their dreams. However, upon arriving, they find that there is a different type of war they must face in America. A film 23 years in the making, it follows the lives of this family and how they were betrayed twice: once by their country, and once by the people they thought would be their saviours.
Antoine
March 21
Antoine is a blind five-year-old boy of Vietnamese origin who pretends to be a private detective that runs, drives, and hosts radio shows with his favourite mini-boom microphone. The film follows both the imaginary life of Antoine, in which his skills as a detective are needed to save a woman who has disappeared, and his real experiences as he integrates into the regular school system in Montreal.
Encirclement: Neo-Liberalism Ensnares Democracy
March 28
This film revolves around the global neo-liberal movement, and features raw, uncut footage of experts discussing the issue in detail. A local production by Quebec director Richard Broillette, the film is surprisingly honest, even for a documentary.
