International Film Festival opening soon
With the Oscar celebrations complete for this year, southern Albertans can now turn their attention to a number of different films — many of them focusing on fact, not fiction.
The Lethbridge International Film Festival opens March 19, with “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.” It’s former U.S. vice-president Al Gore’s alarming follow-up to “An Inconvenient Truth,” 12 years later.
More than 65 million people have been forced from their homes in recent years, and in the March 20 feature, “Human Flow,” Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei shares some of their stories.
Very timely, “Secret State of North Korea” offers film footage and stories told by defectors who’ve made it to South Korea despite the tight grip maintained by dictator Kim Jong-un, as the March 21 presentation.
Several panel members will lead discussion after the March 22 film, “Food Evolution.” It’s designed to show “how easily fear and misinformation can overwhelm objective, evidence-based analysis.”
Locally produced by Lethbridge photographer and filmmaker Rick Andrews, “Wildlife of the Oldman River Valley” will offer the March 23 audience new insights into a natural area many people visit but few actually explore. It includes underwater footage as well as glimpses into animal life after dark.
Wrapping up this year’s festival on March 24, “The Land Beneath Our Feet” includes “lost” footage from the 1920s to outline how residents of Liberia lost control of their country to forces of globalization.
The no-charge festival, open to all, is presented in partnership with the Lethbridge Public Library. Nightly screenings are set for 7 p.m. downtown in the Theatre Gallery, except for a 2 p.m. matinee presentation on the Saturday. *** More films, you ask? The university’s New Media group is offering “Seven Years Bad Luck” in the Theatre Gallery on March 14, 6 p.m. Then on March 16, the library’s regular Friday-night feature will be “Lost in Paris,” at 7 p.m., no charge.
Over at the Crossings Branch, this month’s free screenings at Friends Place will be “Whip It” on March 13, “Window Horses” on March 20 and “Lady Bird” on March 27. They’ll also start at 7 p.m. *** Time for some music: Walks through the countryside are believed to have inspired Beethoven when he wrote his sixth symphony, “The Pastorale.” It’s one of the featured works when the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra
welcomes the LCI Singers and the Ventus Women’s Choir on March 19. The choirs will help present “Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary” by Karl Jenkins. Concert time at Southminster United Church will be 7:30 p.m., with tickets available online at lethbridgesymphony.org
* * * The Lethbridge and District Music and Speech Arts Festival, opening its twoweek run on March 12, will showcase some of the region’s most talented young people during an evening of musical theatre selections on March 17, 2:30 p.m at Southminster. It will be followed by a “Stars of the Festival” concert there on March 24, also at 2:30 p.m. with tickets
available at the door. *** Also on this month’s menu, the U of L
Singers will present a March 24 concert, 7:30 p.m. at Southminster. The same evening, the Lethbridge Community
Band's Silver ensemble will offer “Folk Music and Fantasy,” at 7 p.m. in College Drive Community Church.
The U of L Jazz Ensemble will be up next on March 28 at 7:30 p.m. in University Theatre. * * * At the Geomatic Attic meanwhile,
Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands will take to the stage on March 23, and then
Tim and the Toad the next day. Check the geomaticattic.ca website for tickets and news of further events. * * * What else is up? Musical theatre students at Catholic Central High are staging this year’s production “Big Fish” in the Eggshell performing arts space at the school's east campus, on 19 St. S. After opening last night, it’s scheduled to continue tonight and Sunday afternoon, then evenings Monday through Friday, with tickets available from the school office.
Matinee performances are offered at 1:30 p.m. today, Sunday and next Saturday. Curtain time next Monday to Friday is 7:30 p.m. * * * Railway fans of all ages are invited to the Southern Alberta Model Railroad Club’s annual spring open house, showing the public some of the results of their efforts over the winter.
Trains will be running — both HO and N scale — on March 17 and 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Their extensive layouts, currently being expanded, will be on view at the clubhouse in Gyro Park at 15 St. and 10A Ave. S. Admission is free. *** So for our last-minute reminders: Today at the Galt Museum, 1 p.m., members of Metis Local 2003 will offer a family-friendly demonstration of finger weaving to create a Metis sash.
On Tuesday, free Music at Noon concerts at the University of Lethbridge continue with Alan Klaus on trumpet, accompanied by pianist Colleen Klassen. On March 20, horn player Douglas Umana will be joined by pianist Akiko Tominaga. The music begins at 12:15 noon in Recital Hall.