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To say movies can change us is a big understatement — film is easily the greatest common shared mythology of the last century plus, whether you’re coming at it from a secular perspective or not.
This riffs on the “leave different” theme of the annual Edmonton International Film Festival — which incidentally has now sent three short films towards Oscar nominations with its qualifying status, including Nazrin Choudhury’s short Red White and Blue last year.
The 10-day festival starts Thursday and runs through Oct. 5.
From the controversial Trump bio starring Sebastian Stan The Apprentice to the wrestling horror Dark Match to the poop-themed I B.S., there’s a wild range of features and short films, including fictional narratives, documentaries and animation for the fest’s 38th year, which had 2359 submissions.
Its jury and programmers pared that down to about 150 films — 35 of them features — six of these documentaries — the rest nestled in the fest’s terrific shorts programs.
About 30 per cent of these are Canadian productions, the rest international.
Alberta-linked feature productions include Sanjay Patel’s The Birds Who Fear Death, Lowell Dean’s aforementioned Dark Match and period piece Drive Back Home. The directors will be in attendance at their respective screenings for Q&As.
Longtime video director Joel Stewart’s Soul’s Road, starring country singer Dallas Smith, was also shot outside Edmonton.
Notably this year, the fest is back at Landmark Cinemas in Edmonton City Centre.
“So if you want to stay there the whole time it’s easy to do that,” says EIFF’s executive director Sydney Moule, “and watch movies from lunch hour until 9 p.m.”
There are also showings at Metro Cinema and Telus World of Science IMAX
The full schedule of films is at edmontonfilmfest.com, where you can also buy tickets, movie six-packs and festival passes.
As is traditional in these previews, Moule talks about five films she thinks are must-see, the caveat as always being you should watch as much of the full roster as you can.
“Let’s start with two Canadian films,” she says, “and their directors are attending.”
Village Keeper, directed by Karen Chapman, 83 mins.
7 p.m. Sept. 30 at Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre
“Village Keeper,” Moule notes, “takes place in Toronto and is all about an overwhelmed mother who’s navigating her grief and trying to raise her kids in a lower income area. She’s making sure that they are taken care of mentally and getting the help that they need to process the traumas that they’ve lived through.
“So it’s a beautiful drama of little moments and authentic relationships and growing up.”
Drive Back Home, directed by Micheal Clowater, 100 mins
6:30 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Oct. 1 at Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre
“This one stars Alan Cumming and is a road trip with two very different brothers after one of them gets arrested for having sex in a public park,” explains Moule.
“He and his brother must drive home from Toronto back to Newfoundland, and during that drive, they discover themselves and each other along the way.
“It’s refreshing, real and it’s got some darkness to it. But it has laughs throughout it.”
When I Grow Up, directed by Florent Tixier, 86 mins.
2 p.m. Sept. 30 and 9 p.m. Oct. 3 at Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre
“It’s the journey of a man facing an impossible challenge,” says the fest producer.
“Didier, a neurodivergent man, wants to leave the farm he’s always worked at and go to space.
“It’s heart-wrenching, it’s tender, and it’s just such a beautiful story of following your dreams no matter the diversity and challenges that face you. That one’s from France.”
Memoir of a Snail, directed by Adam Elliot, 94 mins.
6:30 p.m. Saturday at Telus World of Science IMAX
“Australia’s Adam Elliot did all these other weird animated films,” Moule happily notes, “like Mary and Max, same animated style.
“It’s a bittersweet memoir of a hoarder, and she hoards snails and guinea pigs and tries to cope with being separated from her brother. It’s a super sweet story about being different and being accepted when you are different while remaining true to yourself.”
She laughs when asked if it’s appropriate for kids. “No. It’s that darker kind of animation where they’re smoothing throughout it.”
The Outrun, directed by Nora Fingscheidt, 117 mins.
7 p.m. Oct. 1 at Metro Cinema
“This is (actor) Saoirse Ronan’s latest film,” say Moule, “which is about addiction and hope and overcoming your demons and learning to navigate life.
“She is just absolutely incredible in it, like I would be shocked if she doesn’t get an Oscar nomination. This is a UK-German co-production.”
Soul’s Road, directed by Joel Stewart, 101 mins.
2 p.m. Oct. 2 at Landmark City Centre
Circling back to Soul’s Road, Moule elaborates.
“It’s about an aging rocker named Ronan Garrett played by Dallas Smith, who was going too hard on the road and falling into drugs and alcohol.
“He comes back home to a small town and starts to band with local musicians who have worked with him in the past and maybe didn’t have the best taste, and newer musicians who have moved to their little town.”
The Sunday screening is already sold out, but you can still catch this one at 2 p.m. Oct. 2 at Landmark.
Flow, directed by Gints Zilbalodis, 85 mins.
6:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at Telus World of Science and 4 p.m. Oct. 3 at Landmark City Centre
Another that caught my eye was Flow, which you could take your kids to.
“It’s an animated film about a cat whose home is destroyed by a flood, and he like, goes on a boat that’s populated by various species.
“It’s not Noah’s ark,” Moule laughs, “but it really sounds like it from the way I’m talking.
“Anyway, this cat and all these other animals team up and figure out how to sail through these beautiful landscapes and adapt to a new world that’s not in their home.
“Really cool animation” she says, “And there’s no dialogue.”
Opening night 6:30 Thursday at Metro Cinema is Winnipeg director Johnny Ma’s The Mother and the Bear, “a really, really sweet film about a Korean immigrant who moves to Winnipeg for school in the middle of winter.
“She slips and falls on ice and falls into a coma, and her mom comes to take care of her and figure out what on earth her daughter is doing in Winnipeg, and she falls in love with the city through her daughter’s eyes.
“It’s great.”
Keeping with a family theme, closing night is Calgary-born director Caden Douglas’ Mother Father Sister Brother Frank playing 6:30 p.m. at Garneau Theatre.
“It’s a gory family drama — very violent, very funny, and twisted,’ says Moule.
Both of these festival bookends will feature a gala party at Kaffa Roastery & Studio at 10920 88 Ave.
And not to miss are the fest’s 16 shorts packages — including the 12:10 p.m. – 1 p.m. weekday Lunchbox Shorts at Landmark — running throughout the fest.
“It’s a great way to watch five to 10 stories in the time it would take to watch a feature film,” says Moule, “and our jury has excellent taste.”
Tickets and passes are all available at edmontonfilmfest.com.
@fisheyefoto
PREVIEW
Edmonton International Film Festival
When Sept. 26 – Oct. 5
Where Landmark Cinemas 9 Edmonton City Centre, Metro Cinema (8712 109 ST.) and Telus World of Science IMAX (11211 142 St.)
Admission Tickets $15; galas and LunchBox Shorts (includes food) $20; 6-Pack $75; All-Access Pass $199 — all with fees added
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