Time to get reading the Kite Runner.
The Whistler Film Festival Society presents the most stellar lineup of independent films ever with the Reel Alternative Winter Film Series running from Jan. 16 to April 9 at Village 8 Cinemas.
“The lineup offers film goers a variety of genres and subject matter, and provides Whistler the opportunity to see some of this year’s crop of award-winning films,” said Bill Evans, programming director.
Reel Alternatives will present seven films including five features and two documentaries over the winter every second Wednesday night. There will be two evening screenings of each film in the series starting at 7 p.m.
Features for the series include master director Sidney Lumet’s Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead on Jan. 16. Ben Affleck’s directorial debut Gone Baby Gone on Jan. 30. Continental, A film Without Guns on March 12, which won the Whistler Film Festival’s 2007 Borsos Award. The Kite Runner, which follows an Afghan refugee who returns to his Taliban-controlled homeland to rescue a young boy, on March 26. The Band’s Visit, which follows an Egyptian police band that finds themselves stranded in Israel, is showing on April 9.
Documentaries for the series include Darfur Now on Feb. 13. The documentary is a compelling call to action on the ongoing genocide. Up The Yangtze on Feb. 27 is a dramatic feature documentary on life inside modern China.
Reel Alternative memberships are available for $5, providing members with a $2 discount on each screening.
Regular $8.50 tickets are available in advance and on show day at Village 8 Cinemas.
For more information, visit whistlerfilmfestival.com.
Deep Winter competition for amateurs
Amateur photographers are invited to submit images as part of the new amateur Deep Winter photo competition.
Photos must be taken on Whistler or Blackcomb Mountains during the 2007-08 winter season starting opening day and closing April 20, in time for the World Ski and Snowboard Festival.
Photos will be judged in six categories including Best of Show, Best Landscape, Best Action, Best Abstract, Best Lifestyle and Arc’teryx Gear.
Each entrant may submit a maximum of three images, which should be in a jpg format at a maximum of 500 kb in size.
To enter, send your name, contact information and three images to contest@deepwinterphoto.com .
Great prizes can be won including an Arc’teryx jacket and two tickets to the 2009 Deep Winter Photo Challenge.
Winning photos will also be published in an issue of Whistler-Blackcomb Magazine.
Parade volunteers needed
The Whistler Arts Council in partnership with Higher Ground Retreats and Events are looking for volunteers for The Great Whistler Parade, which will take place every year leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
More than 40 volunteers are needed to cover everything from performance to costumes and prop building.
Free workshops will be hosted to get volunteers inspired and informed, including classes in rhythm, costume design, choreography, lantern making, and flag and banner making. Some workshops will also be targeted to elementary and high school students.
To get involved, contact info@whistlerartscouncil.com or Christian@retreatsandevents.com .
Film premier of Lines raises funds for local victims
Last fall more than just their home burnt down in Squamish. For residents Brad Mcgregor, Jacqueline Lawler and Jason Buckles, the fire burned up personal businesses as well as belongings.
Friend and artist Vanessa Stark is trying to help the three entrepreneurs who lost all of their photo and print equipment in their home office in the fire by hosting an evening of film and entertainment on Friday, Jan. 18 at MY Millennium Place.
The evening will begin with a silent auction at 6 p.m. with lots of great things to bid on including local art and photography, a CFR snowmobile rack, snowboards and riding equipment, yoga and spa certificates and more.
The highlight of the evening will be at 7:30 p.m. with the Whistler premier of Lines, a big mountain snowboard documentary produced by Qunita Films and Absinthe Films. Riders to look out for include Jeremy Jones, Nicolas Muller, Shawn Farmer, Kurt Wastell, Tom Burt, Roman De Marchi and Johan Olofsson. To check out the trailer, visit linesthefilm.com.
The movie will be followed by an after-party at the Garibaldi Lift Company (GLC) with music from DJ Andali and DJ Richy Rich.
Advance $10 tickets are available by contacting MY Millennium Place at 604-935-8410. Tickets will be $15 at the door.
