Vancouver and Beyond

Whistler ready for the world in 2010

Whistler, B.C. – With the Olympic flame extinguished in Beijing, the eyes of the world will now turn to Vancouver and Whistler as the Host Mountain Resort of the 2010 Winter Games, less than 18 months away.

And though it’s already known as one of the world’s top winter and summer resorts, Whistler – where more than half of the 2010 Winter Games medals will be won and awarded – is ready to give the thousands of visitors, athletes and officials an unforgettable shared experience, says Barrett Fisher, Tourism Whistler’s President & CEO.

“The energy and excitement surrounding the 2010 Games has been building in Whistler for years, but it took a noticeable jump during the Beijing Olympics, because we know we’re next,” says Fisher. “All the hard work and effort put in by the Whistler community: The Resort Municipality of Whistler, Whistler Blackcomb, VANOC staff in Whistler, hotels, restaurants and other tourism operators, have put us in the position to walk onto the world stage confident that people who come here before and during the Games will have a memorable experience, immersed in the spirit and the pulse of the 2010 Winter Games in a beautiful mountain winter setting.”

Whistler’s three competition venues are complete: Whistler Creekside for alpine skiing events, the Whistler Sliding Centre for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, and Whistler Olympic Park, for Nordic and cross-country skiing, biathlon, and ski jumping. Whistler Village’s pedestrian stroll, already lined with restaurants, cafes and pubs, will be dotted with six Live Sites, where thousands of people will gather each day and evening to watch Games events on large outdoor screens, and to take in free entertainment including bands, performing artists, and theatre. Medal presentations will be held at Celebration Plaza each evening. Most of the Paralympic Games events a month later are also held in Whistler.

“We know that people want to attend the events, but people also have a tremendous desire to be with each other and to celebrate with people from around the world. If people are in Whistler Village during the Games, they’ll be in the centre of the action as Whistler adds its own energy, spirit and history to the Olympic legend,” says Arlene Schieven, Tourism Whistler’s Vice President of Marketing. “And remember that throughout the Games period, more than 90 per cent of Whistler Blackcomb will remain open for skiing and snowboarding. Only a small part of the mountain will be affected by the events. As well, outside of the weeks leading up to and during the 2010 Winter Games, the 2009/ 2010 season will be business as usual.”

For those who don’t want to wait until February 2010, there are many ways to get a taste of Whistler before the Games. Tours of the Whistler Sliding Centre (whistlerslidingcentre.com) go until August 31 this year, and will continue next summer. Self-guided tours of Whistler Olympic Park (whistlerolympicpark.com) go until September 1 this year, and continue next summer. Both tours provide a close-up and hands-on experience of what those events look like. Skiers and snowboarders can experience the Dave Murray Downhill at Whistler Creekside, where the alpine skiing events will be held.

Another reason to visit Whistler before the Games is the new PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, opening in December 2008, which will stretch from the top of Whistler Mountain to the top of Blackcomb Mountain and travel a distance of 4.4 kilometres (2.73 miles) in just 11 minutes. The PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola will be the longest, highest gondola of its type in the world and will let skiers and snowboarders easily move around to access the best weather and conditions on any given day at Whistler Blackcomb. It will run in summer too, giving visitors breathtaking alpine views.
Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre – opened 2008
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre – where mountains, rivers and people meet – embodies the spirit of partnership between two First Nations and their shared values of preserving and sharing our traditional cultures.

The Centre is the first of its kind in Canada, showcasing two distinct cultures: the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation. The Centre is a spectacular building located on traditional territory, nestled in a pristine forest and mountain setting. This magnificent venue, designed in the form of a Squamish Longhouse and Lil’wat Istken (underground pit dwelling), houses a Great Hall, museum, theatre, the Squamish Lil’wat giftshop and café.

Whether viewing canoes of different styles from both Nations, discovering how cedar is harvested, learning Salish wool weaving or cedar weaving from accomplished artisans, watching a cultural performance, or viewing a series of films on the cultures, a visit to the Centre is designed to be an enriching and transformative experience.

Squamish and Lil’wat hosts will welcome guests as they approach on a walkway graced with pictograph-adorned boulders and enter through magnificent hand-carved cedar welcome figure doors. Once inside, massive spindle whorls, suspended canoes, intricate weavings and thundering drumming – with a spectacular backdrop of mountains seen through unobstructed glass – provide a truly dramatic setting. Future plans include a traditional Squamish Longhouse, the Lil’wat Istken (earthen dwelling with fire pit), outdoor barbeque facility and ethno-botanical gardens. The culturally rich program options and authentic arts add a new dimension to the Whistler experience.
Nita Lake Lodge – opened 2008
Perched on the shore of lovely Nita Lake, offering gorgeous views of surrounding mountains, lake and forest, the luxurious Nita Lake Lodge is steps away from Whistler Creekside, site of the alpine events of 2010 Winter Games. The 77-suite lodge features deluxe studio, one, two and three-bedroom suites. Exclusive private residences offer guests the intimacy of a high-end private chalet and the amenities of a luxury hotel. The lodge boasts a full-service spa, wellness centre and lakeside restaurant. The Lodge includes 4,000 square feet of meeting space, two function rooms and state-of-the-art technology for meetings and business functions.

Tags: 2010, olympics, vancouver, whistler, winter games

The Vancouver International Film Festival presents films from all over the world in our Cinema of our Time series, with particularly strong showings from the US, Germany, Mexico, and Italy this year.

3 WOMEN – Manijeh Hekmat (Iran) North American Premiere

Three generations of Iranian women–a recalcitrant daughter chafing at the boundaries of contemporary middle-class society, her mother who came of age during the Islamic revolution, and her grandmother, steeped in traditional ways–serve as the focus of Manijeh Hekmat’s powerful realist drama. “A compelling sociological portrait.”- Variety

AMONG THE CLOUDS – Rouhollah Hejazi (Iran)

On the Iraq/Iran border, a teenage porter falls for an older girl with a mysterious past. The pain of young love is given its due attention in Rouhollah Hejazi’s lyrically filmed drama. Winner of Best Iranian feature debut at the recent Fajr Film Festival.

BALLAST – Lance Hammer, guest (USA) Canadian Premiere

“A rock-ribbed sense of committed, personal cinema and a core belief in people being able to pull themselves out of misery supports [this] extraordinary debut by Lance Hammer… Following a Mississippi Delta family… the film runs a course from wrenching death to possible uplift that seems real every second.” – Variety . Winner, best director, Sundance 08.

BIRDSONG – Albert Serra, guest (Spain)

Albert Serra ( Honor de cavalleria VIFF 06) returns with this gorgeously shot re-telling of the Three Kings biblical odyssey. Serra’s penchant for stunning vistas and his profound love of, and respect for, the awesome aspects of the natural world are paramount as he follows his three wise men over mountains and through deserts on their journey to Jesus. Note: we will also be presenting Waiting for Sancho – Mark Peranson’s documentary about the making of Birdsong – at this year’s VIFF.

BURN THE BRIDGES – Francisco Franco (Mexico) Canadian Premiere

A crumbling mansion, a little bit of incestuous lust, and a few homoerotic interludes combine to dark effect in director Francisco Franco’s debut drama. While caring for their dying mother, a brother and sister discover their mutual attraction for each other. “Remarkably pungent… one of the… superior dramas in recent Mexican filmmaking.”- Variety

BURNED HEARTS – Ahmed El Maanouni, guest (Morocco) North American Premiere

Moroccan cinema comes of age in this beautifully realized drama from director Ahmed El-Maanouni. A young architect returns to his childhood home, only to be catapulted back into difficult memories of his days as a virtual slave to his ironsmith uncle. “A carefully textured reflection on the conflicts in contemporary Moroccan society.”- Variety

EL CAMINO – Ishtar Yasin (Costa Rica)

Ishtar Yasin’s evocative debut feature easily spans the bridge between other-worldly loveliness and tragic fatalism. When a brother and sister set out on a journey from Nicaragua to Granada to search for their long-absent mother, they discover a world of beauty and suffering.

CAPTAIN ABU RAED – Amin Matalqa (Jordan / USA) Canadian Premiere

The handsome winner of the Audience Award in the World Cinema competition at Sundance, this first-ever independent film from Jordan makes fantastic use of the city of Amman as a backdrop for a winning tale about a wise old airport janitor mistaken for a jet-setting pilot by the kids in his neighbourhood…

CHOUGA – Darezhan Omirbaev (Kazakhstan / France) North American Premiere

Kazakhstan’s leading filmmaker Darezhan Omirbaev ( The Road ) returns with this adaptation of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, set in the new capital Astana and the southern city Almaty. Chouga, a well-off married woman with a child, throws everything away to follow an ill-advised passion for another man…

CLOUD 9 – Andreas Dresen (Germany)

Andreas Dresen ( Summer in Berlin ) returns with this crowd-pleaser, a hit at Cannes, about a woman in her mid-60s, happily married for 30 years, who falls for the attentions of a 76-year-old. Rarely has a film so honestly – and poignantly – shown that love and sex are not solely the purview of the young.

CORRECTION – Thanos Anastopoulos (Greece) Canadian Premiere

One of the best Greek films of the past year features a homeless man, newly released from prison, who wanders the streets of multi-ethnic Athens on a journey that may or may not have sinister implications. Along the way, director Thanos Anastopoulos poses questions about identity, xenophobia and the nature of violence in contemporary Greek society.

DAYS IN BETWEEN – Lola Randl (Germany) North American Premiere

Playing out like a Last Tango in Deutschland , Lola Randl’s mysterious debut gives us a successful scientist, Agnes, who, after being press-ganged by her sister into looking after an apartment, finds herself spending more and more time there. One day, she wakes up and finds a strange man, Bruno, lying beside her…

DELTA – Kornel Mundruczo (Hungary)

Set against the stunning backdrop of an isolated stretch of the Danube river delta, a brother and sister try to build a life together, in the face of community intolerance. Over four years in the making, Kornel Mundruczo’s ( Pleasant Days , VIFF 02) dark, deeply affecting drama won Best Film at Hungarian Film Days.

IL DIVO – Paulo Sorrentino (Italy)

Director Paolo Sorrentino’s portrait of seven-time Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti (a brilliant performance by Toni Servillo) is packed with wicked wit, brilliant cinematography and drama galore. Andreotti dominated Italian politics until undone by scandal and the predations of the Mafia. Winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes 2008.

DRIFTER – Sebastian Heidinger (Germany) North American Premiere

Taking the notorious Christiane F. as an obvious precursor, Sebastian Heidinger’s dramatic documentary follows the lives of three young Germans caught up in drug, addiction, prostitution and petty crime in and around Berlin’s notorious Zoo Station. Harrowing and heartfelt, the film shows just how little things have changed in 30 years.

DUNYA & DESIE – Dana Nechushtan (Netherlands)

Dana Nechushtan touches on issues of family and fitting in as Moroccan Dunya and Dutch Desie – both 18 – negotiate parental expectations and what it means to straddle two worlds. The Netherlands selection for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. “This cross-cultural road movie positively sings with upbeat energy and humor, nailing its target audience with a well-crafted story of friendship and understanding.” – Variety

EAT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY – Michelange Quay (Haiti / France)

“Set in his native Haiti, director/screenwriter Michaelange Quay’s sophomore feature is a poetic, taboo-shattering meditation on the flow of power between black and white centering on a pale woman’s [Sylvie Testud] bizarre relationship with numerous dark-skinned children.” – The New York Times

EDEN – Declan Recks (Ireland) Canadian Premiere

Eugene O’Brien’s play forms the basis for Declan Recks’ unravelling of a marriage in decline. Breda and Billy are approaching their 10th anniversary, but they don’t have much to celebrate. Entropy has taken its toll, and the couple’s painful realization of this fact is tragedy writ small. Eileen Walsh copped the best actress award at Tribeca 2008.

ERIK NIETZSCHE: THE EARLY YEARS – Jacob Thuesen (Denmark / Sweden)

What made Lars von Trier into the oft-loathed, increasingly vilified evil genius he is currently perceived to be? In a phrase: film school. Jacob Thuesen’s wickedly funny film (co-written with von Trier), is packed with filthy jokes, razor sharp satire, and more than a few famous faces.

THE ETERNITY MAN – Julien Temple (Australia) North American Premiere

When the word ‘eternity’ (written in white chalk and in beautifully flowing copperplate script) began showing up on buildings, sidewalks and bridges in Sydney, Australia, the mystery of its origins enthralled the entire city. Sisyphusean obsession, divine mystery, and the power of a single word combine to mesmeric effect in director Julian Temple ( Absolute Beginners ) stunning film.

FIRAAQ – Handita Das (India)

This dramatic, deeply engaged fiction feature by Nandita Das depicts the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat riots in India. Focusing on four linked Hindi and Muslim families, this furiously compassionate look at communal violence locates sparks of hope amidst its spiritual and physical victims.

FOUR NIGHTS WITH ANNA – Jerzy Skolimowski (Poland / France)

Jerzy Skolimowski makes a return to the big screen with this voyeuristic tale of obsessive love. A hospital worker spies on the younger Anna, a woman he may, or may not have, raped many years before. “Directed with absolute assurance from the get-go… marbled with moments of black comedy… has the feel and control almost of a story from Kieslowski’s Decalogue…” – Variety

THE GIRL BY THE LAKE – Andrea Molaioli (Italy) Canadian Premiere

A beautiful girl found dead and naked by the side of a lake sets off the serpentine twists in director Andrea Molaioli’s debut thriller. Multiple suspects, a hardened detective (the extraordinary Toni Servillo from Il Divo ) with troubles of his own and a remote and austerely gorgeous setting add up to a riveting tale of corruption, murder and the gulf between parents and their children.

GOMORRAH – Matteo Garrone (Italy)

Matteo Garrone’s ( First Love , VIFF 05) brutal indictment of the Camorra Mafia stunned audiences at the recent Cannes Film Festival with its cinematic power. Based on writer Roberto Saviano’s best-selling exposé that dared to name names (Saviano is currently under police protection and had to be snuck into the film’s screening). Winner of the Grand Prix, Cannes 2008.

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY – Mike Leigh (UK)

Director Mike Leigh ( Vera Drake ) turns the tables on his audience with a film that more than lives up to its title. Lead Sally Hawkins copped the Best Actress prize at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival. “Leigh challenges our assumptions about realism, pessimism and irony…” – The Guardian

HEAVEN’S HEART – Simon Staho (Sweden) North American Premiere

Two bourgeois Swedish couples find that a dinner party discussion about adultery has serious repercussions upon their apparent wedded bliss in Simon Staho’s drama. A blend of raw emotion, fearless performances, and stylized cinematography it plays like an update of Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes from a Marriage laced with Harold Pinter’s Betrayal .

HELEN – Christine Molloy, Joe Lawlor (UK / Ireland) North American Premiere

A deftly controlled and visually auspicious drama, Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor’s debut zeros in on lonely 17-year-old Helen (newcomer Annie Townsend) who volunteers to stand in for a missing girl in a police re-enactment. Lacking an identity of her own, she throws herself into the role with eerie consequences.

THE HOLLOW – Marina Razbezhkina (Russia) North American Premiere

Filmed in the remote Tver region of Russia, Marina Razbezhkina’s hallucinatory drama was inspired by Sergey Esenin’s semi-autobiographical novella. This pantheistic tale contains a world of allusions, not the least of which is the age-old division between male and female, and a deeply Russian masochism.

HUNGER – Steve McQueen (UK)

The story of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands is recreated with uncompromising integrity by Turner Prize-winning artist turned filmmaker Steve McQueen. “Hunger is raw, powerful filmmaking and an urgent reminder of this uniquely ugly, tragic and dysfunctional period in British and Irish history.” – The Guardian . Winner, Camera d’Or, Cannes 2008.

I AM GOOD – Jan Hrebejk (Czech Republic) International Premiere

Director Jan Hrebejk’s new film is something of a departure from his previous work. In the early 90s, a motley collection of friends take on an organized crime ring when one of their pals is suckered in a card game. A light-hearted comedy that combines action, intrigue and a loving tip of the hat to the Newman/Redford classic The Sting .

IN YOUR ABSENCE – Iván Noel (Spain) World Premiere

Debuting director Iván Noel fashions a beautiful coming-of-age tale with a decided twist, set in the gorgeous rolling hills and verdant fields of Andalusia in southern Spain. Haunted by the death of his father, young Pablo takes an interest in a passing stranger, in town while his car is being repaired, with unpredictable and tragic results.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN – Tomas Alfredson (Sweden)

When 12-year-old Oskar is befriended by the preternaturally pale and possessed girl next door, blood and snow begin to mix in his Stockholm neighbourhood. Director Tomas Alfredson ( Four Shades of Brown , VIFF 04) does the seemingly impossible by reinventing the hoariest of horror genres – the vampire film – with sly wit and surprising sweetness.

LINEWATCH – Kevin Bray (USA) International Premiere

Cuba Gooding, Jr. stars as Michael Dixon, a man trying to reinvent his life and escape his violent past in Kevin Bray’s taut drama. Before he became a member of the linewatch (a group of lawmen who patrol the border between Mexico and the US) Dixon was a ruthless gang member – and his past is catching up to him.

LIVERPOOL – Lisandro Alonso (Argentina)

Director Lisandro Alonso ( Los muertos ) returns with this story of a man drawn home to the family he abandoned years earlier. “On every level, from the expressive capacity of natural image and sound to the emotional content of the characters onscreen, [the film] marks personal artistic progress and an impressive standard for others to match.”- Variety

LOINS OF PUNJAB PRESENTS – Manish Acharya (India / USA) Canadian Premiere

There is more oddity, camp, colour, and off-pitch warbling in Manish Acharya’s vibrant film than in the last seven seasons of “American Idol.” Set in New Jersey, it follows a pack of unlikely songsters who do battle in order to win the “Desi” American Idol competition, sponsored by a pork company (hence the loins).

THE LOST COAST – Gabriel Fleming (USA) International Premiere

When three high school friends (Mark, Lily and Jasper) visit California’s Lost Coast, all reservations, sexual and otherwise, are abandoned in the lush beauty of their surroundings. Years later, the trio reunites for an eventful and ecstasy-heightened nocturnal reverie in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.

MAGNUS – Kadri Kõusaar, guest (Estonia / UK) Canadian Premiere

After a near death by overdose, young Magnus is taken in hand by his absent father for some “paternal care” – despite the fact that his stocky dad, while unwaveringly upbeat, is an unrepentant whoremonger and drug abuser… “Gently drifting between drollery and moodiness… Magnus is a profound emotional experience…. [An] astounding debut from 26-year-old writer-director Kadri Kõusaar…”- Variety

MOCK UP ON MU – Craig Baldwin (USA) Canadian Premiere

In 2019, L. Ron Hubbard has conquered and renamed the moon (Mu). Meanwhile on earth, Marjorie Cameron and Jack Parsons fight the power. With a combination of found footage, real-life heroes and weirdoes, and various other stuff, subversive shit-disturber Craig Baldwin ( Spectres of the Spectrum , VIFF 99) has fashioned a “collage-narrative” that defies categorization.

MOMMA’S MAN – Azazel Jacobs (USA)

When fully grown Mikey faces a crisis in his marriage, he returns to his parent’s house and refuses to leave; the situation soon escalates into much more than an infantilization fantasy run amok. Azazel Jacobs’ superbly crafted feature stars his parents – legendary filmmaker Ken Jacobs and wife/mom Flo – and is shot in their amazing New York loft.

MOTHERLAND – Nello La Marca (Italy) North American Premiere

A small Sicilian town combining sea and mountain vistas is the setting for this intensely hued, almost sculpturally visual drama. Contrasting two different families (one Italian, the other North African), Nello La Marca’s superb film engages with some intractable European issues, namely poverty, illegal immigration and economic disparity.

MY MARLON AND MY BRANDO – Hüseyin Karabey (Turkey) Canadian Premiere

Based on actress-screenwriter Ayça Damgaci’s real-life adventure, Hüseyin Karabey’s elegantly edited narrative tells of Damgaci’s journey from Istanbul through Turkey and Northwest Iran to Iraq in 2003 to re-unite with the great love of her life, Kurdish actor Hama Ali Khan (also playing himself here).

THE NEW YEAR PARADE – Tom Quinn (USA) International Premiere

A bitter divorce has repercussions on a family of mummers (parade musicians). Using a mixture of real events and improvised dialogue, director Tom Quinn’s affecting story possesses the tang of truth and a hard intelligence. Winner of the Slamdance Grand Jury Prize.

O’HORTEN – Brent Hamer (Norway)

Odd Horten’s entire life has been governed by a strict train schedule. But after 40 years of driving one route, he’s more than a little lost upon his retirement. Director Bent Hamer ( Kitchen Stories ) brings a sly wit and deep abiding warmth to this story of a man remaking his life, one stop at a time.

OUR BELOVED MONTH OF AUGUST – Miguel Gomes, guest (Portugal / France) North American Premiere

In the mountains of Portugal, August is traditionally a time of celebration, full of feasting, singing, jumping off bridges and various other forms of debauchery. Director Miguel Gomes combines the deep pull of history and the complexities of family through an intimate melding of fact and fiction.

PACHAMAMA – Toshifumi Matsushita (Bolivia / Japan / USA)

A superb ethnographic drama about the Quecha people of Bolivia who have lived close to the land for centuries (the term Pachamama means Mother Earth). When a young boy undertakes a traditional journey with his father and a troop of llamas along the Ruta de la Sal (salt trail), he must confront the complexities of adult life.

PARUTHIVEERAN – Ameer (India) North American Premiere

A caste-crossed tale of doomed love that mixes song and dance with passion and tragedy. The eponymous hero and the spirited woman who loves him are caught up in the coils of honour and revenge that can only end one way. “The story climaxes in a shock sequence that devastates us as cathartically as the climax to The Wild Bunch…”- Financial Times

[REC] – Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza (Spain)

Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza are rapidly carving a name for themselves as Spain’s leading horrormeisters. Their propulsive new scarefest features a female TV presenter, a gaggle of cops and firefighters and the residents of a Barcelona apartment trying to stave off the flesh-eating victims of a virus… Smart and fast-paced, with moments of genuine shock and horror. This will be your only chance to see this on the big screen as it has been picked up for a big-budget Hollywood remake.

THE REST IS SILENCE – Nae Caranfil (Romania) Canadian Premiere

Director Nae Caranfil crafts a gorgeous belle époque homage to the birth of cinema by retelling the story behind the first ever Romanian feature film, a two-hour magnum opus made in 1912. Epic in both scope and execution. “An intelligent crowd-pleaser made with affection…”- Variety

REVANCHE – Götz Spielmann (Austria)

An “existential thriller” that eschews all hints of sentimentality, Götz Spielmann’s ( Antares ) tightly wound, brilliantly directed drama revolves around brothel handyman/driver/criminal Alex (Johannes Krisch) and his desire for revenge when a cop accidentally kills Alex’s love during a bank robbery gone awry. A cool, perfectly controlled, wonderfully photographed gem.

SHE UNFOLDS BY DAY – Rolf Belgum, guest (USA) International Premiere

When Rolf Belgum began filming his Alzheimer’s-stricken 80-year-old mother Merrilyn, his documentary went AWOL, morphing into a surreal blend of medical drama, wolves, bugs and one peculiarly charming dog. This remarkable hybrid of art and life almost requires an entirely new definition of filmmaking.

SITA SINGS THE BLUES – Nina Paley, guest (USA)

Deliciously mixing the ancient Hindu epic The Ramayana with the breakup of her own marriage, animator Nina Paley single-handedly fashions an eye-popping phantasmagoria of sound and colour. “Both heartfelt and consistently witty… the type of low-fi animated musical that puts Disney to shame.”- Filmmaker

SNOW – Aida Begic (Bosnia Herzegovina / Germany / France / Iran)

In a remote Bosnian village, wartime survivors attempt to keep the memories of their loved ones alive. But when the first snow threatens further isolation, the stage is set for a final confrontation with the outside world. Aida Begic’s feature debut captured the International Critics’ Week Grand Prix at Cannes 2008.

SON OF A LION – Benjamin Gilmour (Australia / Pakistan)

A sensitive young boy in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan wants to go to school rather than follow his fundamentalist father’s métier – the handcrafting of firearms. Benjamin Gilmour’s engaged political drama “packs [an] emotional punch.”- Variety

SONETAULA – Salvatore Mereu (Italy) Canadian Premiere

“The promise Salvatore Mereu showed in his debut Three Step Dance comes to stunning fruition with his elegiac follow-up… a seamless blend of Pasolini and Terrence Malick. Mereu weds landscape to lives played according to the seasons, creating a tone poem on a centuries-old existence mournfully but inevitably crushed by an ambivalent, encroaching modernity.”- Variety

THE SONG OF SPARROWS – Majid Majidi (Iran)

When a family man named Karim loses his job at an ostrich farm, he takes the first job he can get. But can his wife and kids convince him to return to a simpler life before the complexities of the city forever change him? “[Majid Majidi's] deeply humanistic story set among the society’s underprivileged explores how capitalism and technology corrupt man…”- Variety

SUGAR – Ryan Fleck, guest (USA)

Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s ( Half-Nelson ) new film tells the story of a 19-year-old Dominican baseball pitcher trying to break into the big leagues. “It’s a lovely turn that rides out a tricky drama all the way to a muted, wonderful finish that resists the usual sports-movie clichés.” – The New York Times

THREE MONKEYS – Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Turkey)

The title of Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s bruise-black noir is a reference to the evil that mutes, deafens and blinds. When a driver takes the fall for his boss (in return for a cash reward, of course) tragedy begins to mass on the horizon. Winner of Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.

TRICKS – Andrzej Jakimowski (Poland) Canadian Premiere

Stefek learned how to manipulate fate from his older sister, but when he tries to reconnect his estranged parents, things don’t quite work out. Stefek must risk everything in one last gamble with destiny. Director Andrzej Jakimowski brings a bittersweet, seriocomic touch to this serendipitous fable, a “realistic yet poetic gem.”- Variety

UNDER THE BOMBS – Philippe Aractingi (Lebanon) Canadian Premiere

Director Philippe Aractingi mixes real footage of the massive destruction wrought by Israel’s 33-day bombardment of Lebanon with a mother’s desperate search for her son. “Shot in part during the 2006 summer war between Hezbollah and Israel which devastated Lebanon’s infrastructure and civilian population, the docu-fiction road movie plays like a cri de coeur.” – Variety

WENDY AND LUCY – Kelly Reichardt (USA)

Kelly Reichardt ( Old Joy , VIFF 06) returns with another modest ode to the American past and present. Michelle Williams is Wendy, a young woman with her dog Lucy in tow on her way to a job in Alaska. When her ancient car breaks down, she ends up broke and stuck in a small Oregon town…

WHERE ARE THEIR STORIES? – Nicolás Pereda (Mexico / Canada)

Nicolás Pereda’s debut feature tells the story of Vincente, a young man who journeys to Mexico City to seek legal aid for his ailing grandmother. Resting lightly on this story is a vast unspoken weight of ideas, impression and images that are near Bressonian in their stillness and depth. Pereda makes an exciting new addition to Mexico’s ranks of powerful filmmakers.

A free Sneak Preview Guide containing short descriptions of most films is available at Rogers Video stores in Metro Vancouver; see the list of other locations online. The complete program, including the festival schedule, film descriptions and photos, goes online at www.viff.org on September 6. Film information also is available via the festival info line at 604-683-FILM (3456) from September 4 to October 10, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Visa cardholders may buy tickets and passes starting September 6 at www.viff.org anytime or, from noon to 7 p.m. daily, by phone at 604-685-8297 or in person at the Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour St. The comprehensive Program Catalogue goes on sale September 15, and the box office opens, noon to 7 p.m., for cash and cheque sales the same day.

The Vancouver International Film Festival acknowledges the generous support of Telefilm Canada. Major corporate partners are Rogers Communications and Visa Canada.

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For previous releases from VIFF 2008, please see http://www.viff.org/08media/releases.htm

Tags: british columbia, canada, culture, vancouver international film festival

The City of Vancouver held a special ceremony today to honour the nine distinguished citizens selected to represent Canada as torchbearers in the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Torch Relay. The tenth torchbearer, Mayor Sam Sullivan, is already in the Chinese capital.

The theme of the Beijing Paralympic Torch Relay is “Transcendence, Integration and Equality” and the total length of the route is 13,181 km. The lighting ceremony of the torch relay was held at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven earlier today and a total of 850 torchbearers will take part in the nine-day event.

Among the Canadian torchbearers, Andrea Holmes, Bruce Gilmour, Shirley Olafsson and Duncan Campbell were chosen by a five-member community panel to represent the City of Vancouver. A total of 68 applicants or nominees were nominated based on their Olympic or Paralympic Games performances, their contributions to the cause of the Games, or their abilities to inspire and motivate fellow citizens.

At today’s ceremony, Deputy Mayor Raymond Louie received a Paralympic torch, specially flown in from Beijing to officially mark Canada’s participation in the event, from Consul General Yang Qiang of the People’s Republic of China.

The Canadian torchbearers will fly to Beijing next week and participate in the relay which will be in 11 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

Vancouver was originally selected as one of three international cities to host the first-ever International Paralympic Torch Relay. In June of this year, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 29th Games of the Olympiad (BOCOG) announced that the relay route had been modified and the international leg of the event was cancelled. BOCOG subsequently announced that 10 Canadians would participate in the Beijing torch relay, along with 10 torchbearers from London, England and 10 from Sochi, Russia.

The City of Vancouver, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) partnered to select the 10 Canadian Torch Bearers. Four were selected by the City of Vancouver, two by Whistler, and four by the CPC, which included Mayor Sullivan among its selected torchbearers.

 

Biographies of Vancouver Torchbearers
Andrea Holmes

Andrea Holmes is a below-the-knee amputee who has turned her physical limitation into a powerful strength. She has been competing for Canada for 6 years, and represented our country at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Olympic Summer Games and at the Commonwealth Games, where she won a bronze medal in long jump. In 2006, Andrea made a transition from track and field to Alpine Skiing, and now trains daily in preparation for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. In addition to being an amazing athlete, she is also a role model and inspiration to many through her public speaking as an RBC ambassador. Andrea motivates young and old to overcome any disabilities. Her goals are to ensure everyone in Canada knows about Parasport, and to ensure that no one with a disability misses out on the opportunity to experience the thrill of sports.

Bruce Gilmour

Bruce Gilmour represented BC at the Canadian National Summer Games as a middle and long distance runner. He was selected to the standing national track team for the New York 1984 Paralympic Summer Games, and serves as the first VP of the Canadian Blind Sports Association. Bruce is also an active member of the BC Blind Sport and Recreation Association (BCBSRA). Bruce lost his eyesight from an accident in his early 20s. His love of recreation and leisure activities led to a Bachelor Degree in Forestry and Geography and a successful career in the forestry industry. Bruce is very active in community service and sits on the 2010 Legacies Now Disability Advisory Committee to support inclusion and sustainability in the 2010 Winter Games.

Duncan Campbell

A Winnipeg native, Duncan Campbell is affectionately known as the “Quadfather” of Wheelchair Rugby (aka Murderball). Quad Rugby, which he invented in the late 1970s, is an action-packed, must-see sport that has raised the profile of wheelchair athletics throughout the world. Duncan was a recreation therapist at G. F. Strong Rehab Centre for approximately 16 years, and colleagues from his tenure there are especially proud of his contribution to the world of sport. In 2006, Duncan was honoured by the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association (CWSA) in the “Builder Category” for his role in the creation and evolution of the sport. He is a member of the Paralympic Hall of Fame, and the annual trophy awarded to the Wheelchair Rugby National Champions is now called the “Campbell Cup.” Duncan humbly acknowledges that his role as athlete, coach and advocate for Wheelchair Rugby has changed his life and the lives of countless others. Duncan currently works with the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association.

Shirley Olafsson

If Shirley Olafsson were still competing she would surely be a Paralympian. Hers is an inspirational story, as she was born with a club foot and extensive surgeries left her with one foot sized 5 1/2, the other sized 9 1/2. Nonetheless, she placed 10th in high jump at the London 1948 Summer Olympics, won the Canadian High Jump Championship in 1949, and placed 5th at the 1950 British Empire Games. In 1947, Shirley was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the Vancouver Hedlunds Basketball Team (winner of the Canadian Championship) and individually as a high jumper. Today, Shirley coaches youth track and field, basketball and curling. She plays tennis three times a week, and swims regularly. Shirley is a member of the Richmond Spirit of BC Community Committee, and helped organize the Beijing 2008 Summer Games Opening Ceremony event in Richmond.

Torchbearers Representing the Resort Municipality of Whistler
Brad Lennea

Brad Lennea has been skiing for Canada on the Para-Alpine Ski Team since 2002. Lennea has not only embraced the sport and competed at the highest level; he has become a true leader in his community. Lennea’s accomplishments go well beyond his success in the gates. Lennea is committed to raising the profile of the Paralympic Games and specifically sit-skiing. He continues to help train individuals at the grass-roots and those on the BC Disabled Ski Team.

Sarah Tipler

Sarah Tipler has been a tireless Whistler volunteer from her home in Squamish. Tipler is a graduate of the Leadership Sea to Sky Forum. Tipler can also be found volunteering at VANOC events and working in the race office during the Rotary GS and BC Para-Alpine Championships. Sarah recently became an Alpine Level 1 Race Official, and is planning on volunteering as a race official for many years to come.

Torchbearers Selected by the Canadian Paralympic Committee
Peter Eriksson

Peter Eriksson is the coach of Paralympic multi-medallists such as Chantal Petitclerc and Jeffrey Adams as well as up-and-coming athletes. He has been to every Paralympic Summer Games as a coach since 1984, and the athletes he has trained have won 103 medals over that time. He is the author of books on wheelchair racing and athletes with a physical disability.

Eamonn Nolan

Eamonn Nolan is public school teacher who has tirelessly supported his wife Victoria, who will be representing Canada in rowing in Beijing. He drives his wife to every practice, training camp and regatta as well as to appointments with massagers, doctors and personal trainers. He has also created a fan website for the rowing team and publicizes the team’s races and individual rowing accomplishments. He teaches all of his classes about people with disabilities and the Paralympic Movement.

Sian Blyth

Sian Blyth is the volunteer president of the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program, high performance director for the Disabled Skiers Association of BC, and program coordinator for BC Wheelchair Sports. She has moved the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program from a group of about 35 volunteers delivering 50 lessons annually to a registered non-profit organization with 120 volunteers and nine paid staff who deliver more than 1,000 lessons a year.

Mayor Sam Sullivan

Mayor Sam Sullivan was chosen for his work as a builder and leader in helping to make the perception of disability disappear and replacing it with the inclusion and equity. Sullivan broke his neck while skiing at the age of 19 and is a quadriplegic.  He is the founder of six non-profit organizations that have improved the lives of thousands of North Americans with disabilities. After being elected to Vancouver City Council in 1993, Sullivan served as a City Councillor for 12 years and was elected Mayor in November of 2005.
Members of the Vancouver Community Panel:
Maggie Ip: Retired Teacher, Educator; Former Vancouver City Councillor, Founding Chair & Vice Chair S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

David Jang: Regional Communications Manager CBC Vancouver

Rob Sleath: Vice-Chair CNIB BC-Yukon, Division Board President Access for Sight Impaired Consumers, Chair
TransLink’s Access Transit User’s Advisory Committee

Paul Tubbe: President PhoenixRising Solutions: Universal Design, Accessibility, and Business Research/Design Consultants

Kelly Smith: Paralympian, NavCan Air Traffic Controller, Sport Advocate
For more information:     
Corporate Communications
604.871.6336

Tags: beijing, british columbia, canada, olympic, paralympic, vancouver

Taking a beach vacation to Mexico is one thing – moving there involves much more planning. Find out everything you need to know about investing or retiring in Mexico. At the Retire & Winter Seminars and Exhibitions you will access all the important information you need to make an informed decision about investing and moving to Mexico. Come and hear the experts from Canada, the US and Mexico. You will learn about tax benefits for Canadians, legal matters to consider, health care issues, Mexican culture, real estate and more.

Remember, our exhibitors and speakers are there to give you the tools, resources and tips to make your investment or move to Mexico a complete success. (no time share are sold)

Dates & Venues:

Vancouver – Saturday, October 18, 2008 — Simon Fraser University, Harbour Centre
Calgary — Sunday, October 19, 2008 — Delta Bow Valley 209-4th Avenue SE, Calgary
Toronto — Saturday, October 25, 2008 — University of Toronto, 89 Chestnut Street
» REGISTER ONLINE » ENTER TO WIN A HOLIDAY FOR TWO

Program
We bring Mexico to you! We have the answers you are looking for about living, wintering and investing in Mexico. Get information about taxation; visas, immigration and real estate. Learn practical tips for a smooth transition to Mexico. Find out about Mexican culture; the people and their national heritage.

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Lifestyles in Mexico Exhibition
Free Admission – At this exclusive exhibition we feature Real Estate opportunities, Travel information and services, Spanish schools, Medical tourism and more. Learn about San Carlos, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, La Paz, Baja, Playa Del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Ajijc and Lake Chapala and other favourite destinations for snowbirds and retirees.

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Speakers
Canada2Mexico connects you to experts with up-to-the-minute detailed, information. Whether you have been at our events in the past, or this is your first time, you will get new perspectives with this year’s new speakers and experts. The Agenda will be posted on September 15th.

Tags: baby boomer, calgary, canada, canada2mexico, event, mexico, retirement, seminar, toronto, vancouver