The fourth annual Sea to Sky Film Festival, celebrating independent films, returns to the Eagle Eye Theatre in Squamish, Sept. 16 and 17. The event will feature 22 films, many of which are world premieres, as well as many producers and directors from the films as speakers. A panel of five judges will award certificates in four categories: best comedy, best drama, best documentary, and best experimental. A People’s Choice Award will also be awarded for the most popular film at the festival. Tickets are $7 and are available at IDA, Eclectic Kitchen and the Howe Sound Inn, in Squamish. Both evenings’ screenings begin at 7 p.m. Thursday’s premiere line-up is as follows: Comedy o A Son For Sensei, directed by NaRhee Ahn, NY, N.Y. – Sensei is a traditional, old-school martial arts master who believes that females can’t be good fighters. His outlook is about to change... o Dessert?, directed by Joseph H. Biananiello, Washington, D.C. – A dysfunctional family sits down to have a thing called, dinner? in a surreal world. Drama o Still Life, directed by Francis Regan, Vancouver – A haunting juxtaposition of one boy’s desire against the brutish, determined will of his culture. o Cowboy & Ballerina Mark, directed by Joseph Isham, Phoenix, AZ – A lyrical film dealing with an American icon hero figure and a European ballerina at the end of her career. o The Friendship, directed by James S. Cook, Lindenhurst, N.Y. – An exploration of the relationship between a young closeted gay man and his new friend. o Lasting Impressions, directed by Thor Andersen, Vancouver – A boy returns to his childhood home after his mother’s death and discovers her diary. From it he learns of her secret abortion in the ’50s, and the complications which put his very existence into question. Documentary o Unsung Heroes, directed by Christina Wong, North Vancouver – A film about the Chinese Canadian men and women who served in World War II, despite the fact they were not legal citizens, and who later won the right to vote and to full Canadian citizenship. o The Wrath Of The Dragon, directed by Michael C. Neitzel, Coquitlam – A chilling documentary about teenagers and heroin addiction. Experimental o Metamorphosis, directed by Chandra Rankin, Vancouver – The action of changing in form, shape, or substance. The film explores the relationship between picture, body and movement. o Walt’s Secret, directed by Patrick Lobzun, Amherst, ON – An exploration of family dysfunction through travel films. o December, directed by Dianne Ouellette, Regina, SK – A film about one woman’s journey into herself and an embrace of her life. And Friday’s Gala Line-up: Comedy o Mulligans!, directed by Miles Hood Swarthout, Malibu, CA – After too many martinis at their country club, two golf widows decide to execute the last wish of one of their deceased husbands — to bury his ashes in the sand trap next to the 16th green. Trouble follows... o Sploosh, directed by Nathan Garfinkel, Richmond – Five tourists think they have seen the infamous Canadian lake monster, Ogopogo, only to discover that he has seen them first. What transpires are moments of comedy, confusion and chaos. Drama o Confidence, directed by Casey P. Chinn, L.A., CA – A dominatrix and a small-time hood engage in a game of cat and mouse as they vie for a windfall of money. o This Way Up, directed by Nathan Garfinkel, Richmond – What happens to all those little things that you lose throughout your life? When Gorman loses one of his socks, his highly structured life falls apart, forcing him to examine his bizarre past. o Tennis Match, directed by Robert Ellmann, Czech Republic – A clash between a zombie and the Nike corporation on the Wimbledon tennis courts. Documentary o The Way Of The Sword, directed by Andrew Gravkin, Vancouver – An exploration of three different approaches to capturing the essence of the sword and what it symbolizes. o My Dad, directed by Tanaka Candie Tanaka, Vancouver – A personal memoir triggered by a father’s recent memory of his internment as a child. o Journey to the Heart of the World, directed by Peter Chrzanowski, Vancouver – The Santa Marta expedition into Columbia’s mountains, the world's highest mountain range. Experimental o A Song From Italy, directed by Fiji C. Robinson, Toronto, ON – A collage of music and film footage taken in Rome, Bologna, Florence and Sienna, featuring 17th century composer, Isabella Leonarda. o Headdress, directed by Scott Clark, Pender Island – An animated journey through which respect is realized between humankind and nature. o Instructions from the Dead, directed by Chick Snipper, Vancouver – An imaging interpretation of a poem by B.C. writer Zoe Landale about memory, loss, and endurance.
