The 2019 Fabulous Festival of Fringe Film is set to open on Thursday, July 18 at the Garafraxa Cafe in Durham with the opening reception set to get underway at 7 p.m.
This year's festival is being held across the region, from rec centres to Pow Wow grounds, hockey arenas to small town cafes and even a farm, with an aim to make each location as accessible as possible. Organizers encourage would-be attendees to get in touch with questions or concerns.
Following the opening celebration in Durham, the Hanover Drive-In will premiere Saugeen Takes on Film at 9:30 p.m., a Saugeen First Nation community filmmaking project with films by Sharon Isaac and Kelsey Diamond, Tiffany Kewageshig and Cassidy Ritchie; and Natalka Pucan. These three poignant short films link personal experiences with traditional storytelling.
The Saugeen community films are followed by Flow, Julie René de Cotret’s (Hillsburgh, Ontario) program addressing the health of the water, acknowledging the Saugeen River and tributaries flowing throughout the territory as well as the impact of three dams in Durham.
Other highlights in Durham include screenings at the Garafraxa Café plus a feature length film, the Grizzlies at Glencolton Farm on Friday, July 19.
Saturday, July 20 is an all-day event at the Durham Arena beginning at 2:30 p.m., with exciting performances in addition to screenings. The West Grey Library, Durham Branch, partners with the Festival to present Biidaabaan: First light. This interactive VR installation by Lisa Jackson is viewable on a first come, first served basis.
The final event in Durham is a screening by young local disability activist, Joschi Shea. The mature content of his program touches on the experience of loneliness, love and sex from a disability perspective. Love & Disability will take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 20 at the Durham Arena.
The following Saturday, July 27, the Fabulous Festival of Fringe Films is in Saugeen First Nation’s James Mason Culture and Recreation Centre. Tune-In, a Saugeen youth film and installation project; and Biidaabaan: First Light run throughout the day.
A community feast at 5 p.m. is followed by family program of Saugeen Takes on Film and animated shorts. The Festival will then proudly present Tasha Hubbard’s award-winning film, nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up. This NFB feature film is about the trial around the shooting of Colten Boushie woven through a personal story of the film director, and a “vision of a future where Indigenous children can live safely on their homelands.”
See: Local nîpawistamâsowin-We Will Stand Up screening announced
All of the programs feature a question and answer period with the programmers and/or filmmakers and performers. There are plenty of opportunities to talk to filmmakers, whether you are interested in making films yourself or wish to present any of these films in other community spaces.
For more information about the Fabulous Festival of Fringe Film, visit fabfilmfest.ca.
nîpawistamâsowin-We Will Stand Up is playing at the James Mason Culture and Recreation Centre on Saturday, July 27.
Fabulous Festival of Fringe Film schedule page 1. Click for larger image.
Fabulous Festival of Fringe Film schedule page 2. Click for larger image.
