A REEL FUN TIME FOR KIDS
The Reel Fun Film Festival is designed to make film buffs out of Calgary kids, although organizer Cathy McKee stresses that it’s a family festival and not just for children. The Feb. 27 to March 5 event will feature 18 films from 16 countries, among other
EDUCATION WEEK, FEB. 27 TO MARCH 3.
Close to 6,000 pre-registered students from kindergarten to Grade 12 will be attending Landmark Cinema screenings free of charge from Monday to March 3, checking out a variety of international films. This year, that includes everything from Calgary filmmaker David Schultz’s whimsical Considering Love and Other Magic, to the Thai comingof-age drama Buffalo Riders, to the Spanish-language Un Caballo Llamado Elefente, to the Belgian-French Second World War drama Fanny’s Journey, to the goofy German adventure Help I Shrunk My Teacher. The films, chosen by a panel of teachers, are often Canadian premières and most haven’t been screened in Calgary before.
“Every single film we screen has some sort of curriculum tie,” says McKee. “It’s a great way to have discussion after they leave, to have a followup activity about what they learned from watching this movie.”
FRANCOPHONE NIGHT, THURSDAY MARCH 2, 7 P. M. AT LA CITÉ DES ROCHEUSES THEATRE, 4800 RICHARD RD. SW.
Calgary has a sizable francophone population and plenty of French immersion students, so the public part of the festival will kick off Thursday night with a screening of a Swiss film in French. Little Mountain Boy is set in the Alps about a boy who attempts to rescue his family’s prized goat.
“Think Heidi but with a boy,” says McKee. “It’s just gorgeous.”
FRIDAY NIGHT SPECIAL, FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 7 P. M., AT LA CITÉ DES ROCHEUSES THEATRE, 4800 RICHARD RD. SW.
There will be two main events on Friday. First is the screening of 16 locally made short films. The fledgling filmmakers, most of whom are high-school age, will showcase their cinematic gems before the screening of Molly Moon and the Incredible Book of Hypnotism, a U.K. comedyadventure about an orphan who finds a magic book but must keep one step ahead of a nefarious stranger.
“Having a platform for these young filmmakers in Calgary to show their films is really important,” McKee says. “You can show it on YouTube or any social media platform, but I still think it’s really important that the public gets to see what we’re doing here. And it’s huge. These young filmmakers are brilliant.”
REELY FUN FAMILY INTERACTIVE DAY, SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 10 A. M. TO 4 P. M., AT LA CITÉ DES ROCHEUSES THEATRE, 4800 RICHARD RD. SW.
Always a favourite, this day is designed to let families discover movie magic with hands-on booths and workshops. Special effects, movie makeup, editing and sound, puppeteering and sound effects are among the areas covered. While they are trying out their talents, families can also watch a roster of international short films that will be screening during the day.
SILENT FILM SUNDAY WITH ONE- MAN- BAND CHRIS MARIC, SUNDAY, MARCH 5, AT LA CITÉ DES ROCHEUSES THEATRE, 4800 RICHARD RD. SW.
Calgary musician Chris Maric has built something that he ominously calls The Machine, an elaborate contraption made up of cobbled together instruments. This year, Maric will providing a live score for Buster Keaton’s 1924 silent comedy Sherlock Jr., about a young projectionist who dreams of being a detective.
“He gets us to boo and hiss and participate just like you had to in the old-fashioned matinees of the past,” McKee says. “He invites people to come up and try their hand at writing the score and try the instruments.”
The Reel Fun Film Festival runs from Monday to March 5. Visit reelfunfilmfest.com