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Whistler Brewing Company partners with Whistler Film Festival on short film competition

Brewskis to give company more active role in the festival

Whistler Beer has been a "gold sponsor" of the Whistler Film Festival for two years now and this year, rather than simply provide sponsorship dollars, the company decided to take on a more active role in the festival, hoping to engage the public and aspiring filmmakers with their inaugural short film competition, dubbed the Brewskis.

"We were looking for ways to deepen our relationship with the film festival and do it in a way which was fun and offered young filmmakers to try out their skills and to extend themselves in a 'toe-in-the-water' way into the film festival," explained Bruce Dean, principal owner of Whistler Brewing Co.

"Young filmmakers have got to start somewhere, so what better way than to sponsor a short film competition and give them the opportunity to win a few bucks, and come experience the film festival as an industry delegate!"

Whistler Brewing worked with WFF staff to coordinate the competition - as Dean explained with a laugh, "I make beer, not movies!" - issuing a call for submissions for aspiring filmmakers in Alberta and B.C. The call was to make one- to three-minute short films that tell the audience about "A Great Beer Experience" using three mandatory props - a mask, a pair of skis and an authentic Whistler Beer.

The top 10 entries' trailers were unveiled on You Tube on Nov. 15, with the top five announced on Nov. 17. They were selected by a four-member jury that included local filmmaker Robjn Taylor, film producer Kryssta Mills, film producer/Crazy 8's producer Marc Stephenson and Whistler Brewing's Dean, who judged the submissions based on creativity, personality, quality and originality and overall impact.

The top five finalists are "A Johnny Brewski Tale" by Ryan Kenny, "Broke Beer Mountain" by Grayson Grant, "Thirst Quenching Quest" by Justin Hannewyk, "Two Minutes" by Ian Dunsmore, and "Summer Mountain Mix Up" by Fish Boulton and Kevin Hardiman. For their efforts, they received three nights accommodation in Whistler, an Industry Pass to WFF and a Whistler Brewery gift basket.

Three of those finalists are actually from Whistler, which speaks volumes about the capabilities of our local filmmakers.

"I think that the creative arts is one of the hallmark attributes of the Whistler community," Dean said. "Whistler was built with construction and real estate and those are the origins of the community, but as the community has matured, I think we're seeing a more sensitive side... I think we're seeing a different kind of culture emerge."

All of the top five films will be screened at WFF's Closing Gala on Sunday, Dec. 5, where the winner will be announced and presented with a $5,000 cash prize and the Best of The Brewskis title for 2010.

To check out the top five films, visit www.whistlerbeer.com and click the "Brewskis" tab at the top of the page.

 

Legacy funds flow for Spirit Festivals

Whistler will receive $20,000 in funding from the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad and the provincial government's $60-million 2010 Sport and Arts Legacy fund, established to help celebrate the pride and spirit shown by British Columbians during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

"Our Sea to Sky region was the centre of all the excitement during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and this will give us another opportunity to relive that great time in our history," West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Joan McIntyre said in a recent release. "We will also use this time to celebrate our region's arts and culture and the featured role that they played in the 2010 experience."

A total of five Sea to Sky communities will share nearly $70,000 in funding for these B.C. Spirit Festivals, which will be held in February. Bowen Island Arts Council will receive $9,170, Mount Currie's L'il'Wat7ul Culture Centre and the Pemberton Arts Council will each get $10,000, while the West Vancouver Community Arts Council and Whistler Arts Council each receive $20,000.

The funds will be used to bring together artists, cultural organizations, creative industries and citizens to celebrate the spirit of British Columbia through visual arts exhibitions, public museum programs, publications, media arts, dance, music and theatre productions.

The Assembly of B.C. Arts Councils helped adjudicate applications from regional and Aboriginal arts organizations across the province, and will administer the B.C. Spirit Festivals program.

"The assembly is delighted that so many of our members have been successful in their applications for funding," Whistler's Joan Richoz, assembly board president, said in a release. "The B.C. government's investment will benefit arts and cultural organizations across the province."

 

Cultural centre reopens

The Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre will be reopening its doors on Thursday, Nov. 25 th after being closed for the last two weeks for renovations.

The feature exhibit for the winter season is The Squamish Community: Our People and Places, a stunning collection of archival photography, organized by the Squamish Nation Education Department and guided by Squamish elders in collaboration with the North Vancouver Museum and Archives.  This project is the first collaboration between Squamish Nation elders and the North Vancouver Museums and Archives and is proudly hosted as part of a travelling exhibition at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre.

Accenting the images is a collection of Squamish carvings, textiles and other art works. The exhibition will run until March 31st.

Guests to the Cultural Centre will find a variety of new tours and hands-on activities in the Great Hall, focusing on the traditions, arts and culture of the Squamish and Lil'wat people. Guests will be able to participate in carving, drumming and cedar weaving as well as meet ambassadors from both nations and learn their stories.

A family friendly reading and play area has been added to the Indigenous Café, located in the lower level by the Istken Hall. The café has free wireless Internet and parents and guests are encouraged to use the children's books and toys within the space.

The winter hours for the centre will be Tuesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with Tuesdays Admission by Donation. The centre will return to its regular seven days a week schedule after Easter Long weekend for the summer season.