If readers have ever wished to see the world through the eyes of a teenager again, Powell River Film Festival will give them that opportunity February 16 through 19.
The Five-Minute Film Contest receives entries by 15- to 19-year-olds from all over BC. Youth make short videos or animation without professional help, and the efforts can be incredibly creative. This year’s jury panel consists of independent documentary filmmaker Moira Simpson, educator and veteran producer George Johnson, and Justin Rain, a professionally trained actor and public speaker of Plains Cree descent.
Jurors had the tough job of selecting the 2012 contest winners: Abasia by Michaela Hughes; Dear Chris by Lilinh Du; The Masked Man by Colin Fehr; Mattie by Zach Nelson; No Sense of Doubt by Androu el Masry and Sepehr Mahbob; Paper Beats Rock by Cari Chan; Powell in a Day by Ben Perrault; Reach Out by Brittany Geister; Reflections by Sam Massooleh; Return to Nature by Jonathan Kang; and Toronto Connections by Sara Lynn Bruhns. Film festival organizers and judges send their congratulations to all the youth crews who entered the competition.
Prizes this year include free tuition to Gulf Islands Film and Television School and Powell River Digital Film School, cash from Sunshine Coast Tourism, and prize packages from Powell River Diversity Initiative, The Music Room, Young Screen Actors’ Academy, National Film Board, Simon Fraser University, Praxis Centre for Screenwriting, Knowledge Network and Reel Youth Film Festival.
The results can been seen starting at 4:45 pm on Saturday, February 18 at Evergreen Theatre. Admission is by donation. The best of the best will be shown Saturday evening with the feature comedy Cloudburst. A catered reception starts at 7 pm, followed by films at 8 pm; tickets are $15, or $12 for students and seniors.
Contest winners are invited to the Adventures in Film Camp, presented by Rotary Club of Powell River and the festival. The camp takes place at Brooks Secondary School, Patricia Theatre and Powell River Recreation Complex. Participants might also be seen shooting about town on February 17 with production mentors.
During the camp, contest winners join local students enrolled in Powell River Digital Film School, and youth sponsored by Rotary clubs as far away as Terrace, BC, and Drumheller, Alberta. Many participants have never been to a film festival before, nor travelled to the West Coast, and their enthusiasm is contagious. During the three days of the film camp, students will attend seminars by guest filmmakers, billet with local families, and troubleshoot their way through the production of one-minute video or animation projects.
Admission to the screening of the camp productions is by donation, at 1 pm Sunday, February 19 at Patricia Theatre. That’s also everyone’s chance to view selections from the 24-Hour Film Contest: films up to three minutes long made over a weekend that tested locals’ determination and endurance. Audience members can try spotting the prop and are encouraged to vote with hands, feet and voice for the coveted Audience Choice Award.
Tickets and passes are on sale now at Breakwater Books and Coffee, Armitage Mens Wear and online. For more information, interested readers can visit the festival's website or call the festival office’s new number at 604.485.6056.
