Still under construction.. thank you

 Reel Femme ’06 Programme -

Friday April 28, 2006 – 7:00 pm – Opening Gala - (Stanley A. Milner Branch – Edmonton Public Library, #7 Sir Winston Churchill Square) 1. You Wash My Skin With Sunshine -Kathleen Mullen, CFMDC ( 6 Mins.) 2005 With few childhood memories of her mother’s affection, Mullen mines old home movies for evidence. When she doesn’t find exactly what she’s looking for, she sets out to create a new family movie of her own, starring her surprisingly willing mother. A reflection on memory, loss, reconciliation and love. 2. Can You Love me? -Sarah Kolasky & Adam Garnet Jones, CFMCD ( 9:30 mins.) 2005 A young woman solicits love through street posters. Take a chance and see what comes up. 3. Vic Van Trip -Kendra Lane Sherick , Edmonton (5 Mins.) 2006 An experimental piece. A woman takes a trip to Vancouver after an emotional loss and uses sights and sounds to unravel her feelings and explore her future. 4. This Bleeding Place -Susan Cormier, Vancouver, B.C. ( 5:35 mins.) 2003 As a young woman recalls repainting the apartment where she and her abusive former partner used to live her words are significantly out of sync with the present Siruation. Shaken and disorientated by flashbacks, she is unsure of where to draw the line between present experience and past memory. 5.Telephone Shabnam Sukhdev, Edmonton (30 mins) 1994 (Hindi, no-subtitles : Translated live by artist in attendance) Shabnam Sukhdev wrote and directed this drama adapted from Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ “I only came to use the phone”. A woman named Uma is returning to her husband Amol after a long absence. When her vehicle breaks down on the way, she requests a ride in a truck to the closest phone booth. The truck drops her off in a strange place where she tries to make her phone call, only to learn that she’ll have to wait for some time. Before long she realizes that she is in an asylum and that she too has been mistaken to be one of the inmates. Her attempts at escape prove futile, and her constant need to call her husband is diagnosed as her obsession and malady.

Friday April 28, 2006 – 8:30 pm – May Week Feature (Stanley A. Milner Branch – Edmonton Public Library, #7 Sir Winston Churchill Square) 1. Sparkling Igloo Brigitte Lebrasseur, Quebec, (7 mins.) 2005 Emily Novalinga is one of the rare Inuit women from northern Quebec ( Nunavik) to write and publish poetry. This film presents her poem ‘Sparkling Igloo” where, gently and poetically, she denounces abuses made to women. Pictures of the tundra and an original sound track accompany her poem as she reads it in Inuktitut. 2. El Contrato Min Sook Lee & Karen King-Chigbo (50 mins) NFB Distribution , 2003 “El Contrato” follows Teodoro Bello Martinez, a poverty-stricken father of four living in Central Mexico, and several of his countrymen as they make an annual migration to southern Ontario . For eight months of the year the town’s population absorbs 4000 migrant labourers who pick tomatoes for conditions and wages no local will accept. Under a well meaning government program that allows growers to monitor themselves, the opportunity to exploit workers is as ripe as the fruit they pick. Grievances are deflected by a long line of others “back home” who are willing to take their place. 3. Eat This! Shelaine Sparrow, Edmonton (15 mins) 2005 Two univerSiry students challenge their professor to consumer concepts with a surprise interactive food art installation as a more creative response to their final assignment than a research paper. The resulting four-course socially jarring dinner earns these humorous young women a lot of stress and an ‘A’ in their Sociology of Art Course. 4. Dream Future Visions – Canada Council sponsored initiative, Edmonton (5 mins ) 2005 The iHuman Youth Society, The Boyle Street Education Center and Inner City High School each selected young artists aged 16 -21 to participate in this program. It was designed to reach youth artists in inner city communities, and provide them with the tools and skills to create new video work through a five week intensive workshop. “Dream” is a sample of this workshop that poignantly expresses growing up in Edmonton ’s inner city.

Saturday April 29, 2006 – 1:00 pm – Free Interactive Playtime for Kids (Stanley A. Milner Branch – Edmonton Public Library, #7 Sir Winston Churchill Square) · Live Musician - Come on down for some entertainment... · Storyteller - Sir down for a little story .. · Face Painting - Our artist will do up your little one’s face very special... · Film - A film donated by the National Film Board...

Saturday April 29, 2006 – 7:00 pm – A Taste of the East – Indie Shorts ( Stanley A. Milner Branch - Edmonton -Public Library, #7 Sir Winston Churchill Square )1. Marriage and Chocolate S hreela Chakrabartty, Alberta (10:00 mins) 2004 Just starting out in her newly married life, an Indian woman discovers her western husband doesn't celebrate Diwali, From nostalgia to fantasy, she finds herself in the company of Shiva of the chocolate mountains who helps her see the big picture. 2. Viva Bengali Smita Acharyya & Patricia Harris Seeley, Alberta (45 mins) 2004 This documentary tells the story of a young Bengali Calgarian woman who is faced with serious challenges when she decides to marry a French-Canadian man from Lac La Biche. She juggles conflicting notions of contemporary relationships versus traditional rites of ceremony, amidst somber recollections of her own parents’ unsuccessful arranged marriage. In the end, she and her fiancée decided to celebrate via the best of both worlds, first with a hilarious Vegas wedding, then with a full-fledged Hindu Ceremony. They say love can conquer all, but will it be enough to carry this couple between nuptial extremes? 3. Stranger in my Own Skin Shabnam Sukhdev, Edmonton ( 30 mins) 2005 An Egyptian poetess who immigrated to Canada in 1998 recounts her feelings and experiences about being an immigrant. She objectively observes videos taken in Egypt before she came to Canada and reviSirs her identify; She realizes that she is not a misfit in her new found society but was also unable to fit in her own country of origin.* This film has been nominated for an AMPIA award for Best Documentary.

Saturday April 29, 2006 – 9:00 pm – Queer Celebration : sponsored by Womonspace (Stanley A. Milner Branch – Edmonton Public Library, #7 Sir Winston Churchill Square) 1. I ♥Lesbians Tamrin Hildebrandt, Calgary (3 mins) 2006 Everyone’s favorite buxom blonde takes us through a journey of discovery, repression, depression and finally acceptance. Not your typical coming out story! 2. Lynn & Harriett Linda Fitzpatrick, NFL, (15:36 mins) 2004 Lynn likes long walks on the rocky shore: Harriet enjoys Froot Loops, and rolling around in mud. The two are fast friends. What will happen when the uncompromising carnivore buys the adorable porker – for her meat? 3. Aren’t You Lucky to Have Brought Your Own Chair Marg Scott, B.C. (16 mins ) 1999 After experiencing homophobia from straight service providers, “Queer Gimp Girl” seeks out other disabled queers and asks about their experiences of disabled awareness and access in the queer communities. 4. One Dyke Wore White Michelle Wong, Calgary (48 mins ) 2004 Michelle Wong’s latest film is an intimate, real-life documentary. Part home movie, part lesbian road trip, it follows the brides-to-be Morag ( a.k.a. “Femmus Sarcasticus”) and Kam (a.k.a. “ Butchitus Notsomuchatis”) on a road trip to B.C. Along for the ride are flower girl Christine and ring bearer Kate. After grabbing the marriage license, the crew heads towards Vancouver , then to Seattle for their honeymoon. The road junkies spend much of their time talking about, preparing for, and celebrating their wedding. Hitch a ride with the girls for a journey of human rights!

Sunday April 30, 2006 – 1:00 pm – Short Films by Local Artists (Metro Cinema – Main Floor Citadel Theater, 9828-101a Ave) 1. Miracle Kelly O’Brien, CFMDC, (7 mins ) 2004 The risks and complications of postponing pregnancy are the starting point for this 36-year-old’s anxious journey down the long road to reproduction. In seven jam-packed minutes our intrepid filmmaker falls in love, struggles with fertility, gets pregnant, worries about miscarriage, takes a holiday, tries to be a good pregnant person and inevitably goes into labour. Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster ride in the lo-fi, heartfelt, high stakes tale of the miracle of life. 2. Hand Sum Ea Colmers, Edmonton ( 8:30 mins ) 2005 Miro moves through life without much conviction until a magical incident prompts an escape from her daily routine. Miro climbs onto a cloud, listens to the birds and contemplates life. Shot as stunning shadow projection, the rich imagery in Hand Sum is driven by a compelling rhythm. A truly unique gem. 3. I’ll Believe Sandi Somers , Calgary ( 3:10 mins ) 2005 A mercury-poisoned factory worker prays to God for faith, forgiveness, and vengeance on her enemies. Adapted from the stageplay “Pochsy’s Lips” by Karen Hines. ( Artist in attendance) 4. Through the Eyes of Artists Yvonne Dubourdieu , Edmonton (46 mins ) 2004 A film shot locally that offers a rare and magical glimpse into the world of a group of artists with developmental disabilities. Over the course of a year the films follow the feisty collective as they struggle to overcome personal conflict and doubt to create art that delivers a powerful social message. But who will listen? Living on the margins of society, often patronized and dismissed, they are convinced that their voices will not be heard. 5. What Lies Beneath The Shirt Colette Slevinsky , Edmonton (3 mins ) 2006 In:Camera Workshop production. Follow one women’s ordeal with breast augmentation.

Reel Femme ’07 Programme -

Edge of Madness : Friday, May 4, 2007 : 19:00 hrs at : Metro Cinema, Zeidler Hall, Main Floor, Citadel Theater, Edm,AB - $5.00 admission/both Director/Writer: Anne Wheeler Executive Producers: Marie-Claude Beauchamp, Derek Mazur, Jacques Pettigrew, Charles K. Pitts. Canada , 2002, 99 minutes - “Edge of Madness” began life as the short story “A Wilderness Station” by acclaimed Canadian writer Alice Munro. It is 1853 and the action starts as a young woman stumbles into the Fort Garry trading post. Almost half-mad after wandering through the wilderness for several days, the 18-year-old Annie claims to have murdered her husband, a 20-year-old pioneer. The young man who passes for a constable in this outback hamlet must try to determine who she is and what, if any, truth resides in her story. The actual story is revealed slowly, inside her flashbacks, as he interrogates her. While locked up in the local jail and under investigation, Annie gradually unravels her story as she remembers it, trying to determine her own role in what happened. Ruth is played by Tantoo Cardinal.  www.annewheeler.com     *  Artist-in-Attendance  * Reel Femme 2007 is extremely proud to host an after-screening GALA with Anne Wheeler in-attendance.  Join us for goodies and conversation with Anne.  Free to all those attend “Suddenly Naked”. After trying a variety of careers (computer programmer, musician, actor, high school teacher) and traveling for several years, Anne Wheeler discovered the world of film-making. In 1971 she joined a collective of nine eccentric individuals determined to tell stories about Western Canada. As there was no film school in the region at the time, they agree to rotate the various roles in order to learn how to make films. Within a year they were winning awards at major festivals for their documentaries. After five years and about 20 short films, Anne left to be a freelancer, mostly making documentaries and short dramas for the National Film Board; then she entered the world of feature films. Wheeler's stories are built on gentle humour and strong characters living extraordinary lives. She excels in exploring the human spirit, relationships, a sense of place and a oneness among people. Drawing from her own wide range of experiences, she usually writes or involves herself early in the development of a project. Now established in Vancouver, she passes on this enthusiam to young and old alike. Her films have touched the hearts of her audience, earning her SIX HONORARY DOCTORATES and THE ORDER OF CANADA.  

Suddenly Naked : Friday, May 4, 2007 : 21:00 hrs at : Metro Cinema, Zeidler Hall, Main Floor, Citadel Theater, Edm,AB - $5.00 admission Director: Anne Wheeler Executive Producers: Anne Wheeler and Ralph Zimmerman, Canada , 2001, 105 minutes Meet Jackie (Wendy Crewson). She is 39, beautiful, single, and a successful novelist... for the public. Having just been publicly humiliated and suffering from writer's block, it could only get better from here. That's when she meets 20 year old Patrick - there's 19 years between them and the whole world is watching. Their love affair leads to the discovery of what really matters ...in love and in life. Six Genie 2002 nominations - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Original Song ("Let You Go" and "Your Love" - Laura Doyle), won for Best Editing - Lara Mazur. Four Leo Awards 2002 - Best Feature Length Drama, Best Direction in a Feature Length Drama, Best Picture Editing in a Feature Length Drama and Best Musical Score in a Feature Length Drama. Featured at Berlin, Toronto, Vancouver and Maui Film Festivals. Reel Femme 2007 is very excited that Tantoo Cardinal will be joining us for goodies and conversation after the screening. Free to all those who attend “Edge of Madness”  Tantoo Cardinal has achieved the kind of recognition most actors only dream of. For example, Maclean's magazine declared her Actress of the Year in 1991. In 1993 she was given the American Indian Film Festival best actress award. She also received the first Rudy Martin Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Native American in Film for her roles in Legends of the Fall, and The Education of Little Tree. Toronto Women in Film and Television honoured Tantoo with an Outstanding Achievement Award. And, for her appearance on "North of 60" she won a 1996 Gemini award for best performance by an actress in a guest role, dramatic series.  In 2006, Tantoo was honoured by the City of Edmonton by being added to their Dreamspeakers Walk of Honour during the 11th annual Dreamspeakers Film Festival. 

E.W.F.S. Fundraiser - October 19, 2007

The End of Second Class

Nancy Nicol 2006 (90:00 mins) 

The End of Second Class presents a powerful polemic on an issue of social justice and equality which remains controversial today, and vividly paints the context in which gays and lesbians sought to overcome a history of discrimination and second class status and persuade the most powerful institutions of the state and the courts to affirm their right to equal recognition of their relationships and their right to marry.

Screening at the Metro Cinema (9828-101a Avenue, Main Hall, Citadel Theatre) is on: October 19,2007

Show starts at 9:00 pm  - Admission is $10.00 for Adults & $8.00 for seniors and students.