World artists present eco inspired Beast Weekend
Partnering with inspiring artists from around the world, Art For Change presents The Beast Weekend July 22 to 24 at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. Awardwinning eco-films combine with wearable art competitions to present a multi-venue exhibit and event extravaganza.
Featuring the stories of peoples passionate about the environment, The Beast International Environmental Film Festival showcases screenings for Kelowna audiences July 23 and 24. Partnering with Melbourne-based Environmental Film Festival Australia (EFFA), The Beast features full-length documentaries and shorts from Down Under.
“I think people are overwhelmed by the challenges we face with the environment and dealing with post-consumer waste”, says Hanna Karin, creative director for Atutu Canada, a Kelowna-based nonprofit social enterprise. “The Beast Weekend highlights how innovative people are mobilizing, coming up with great solutions for reducing our carbon footprint and turning our trash into treasure. It’s not all doom and gloom. Positive change is happening all over the world.”
The filmfest showcases three of Okanagan adventure filmmaker Dave Mai’s productions: Stokanagan, shot in the climbing regions of the Okanagan; Higher Perspective, which gives an inside view on the life of an adventure photographer; and Osoyoos 2021, about creating a community mural.
Saturday’s matinee includes a screening of Wild Things, a documentary four years in the making.
“Exploring a year of environmental activism in Australia, this timely documentary inspiringly shows a new generation determined to bring about change at a moment of- great crisis,” said Gail Kovatseff, head of programming and Industry Adelaide Film Festival. “It gives hope for the cause of change as it records the successes of the previous generation in stopping environmental destruction.”
Sunday afternoon features Ma’ohi Nui, au coeur de l’ocean mon pays. Part-documentary, part-visual poetry, the fulllength film offers a dreamlike exploration of the impacts of colonization and three decades of nuclear testing on the Indigineous Ma’ohi people in Tahiti.
Beauty WAD (Wearable Art and Design), an upcycle wearable art design and performance competition, opens and closes the the Beast Weekend. Shows begin at 6 p.m. both Friday and Sunday nights.
With costumes made from discarded materials, the event shines the light on renewing. According to the World Economic Forum, 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year. Fashion production makes up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions, and pollutes rivers, streams and oceans.
Beauty WAD designer contestants include Leslie Leong (milk jug gown), Sen Sen (potato chip bag gown) and Hla Hla Yee (chip bag dress) Marty J. Ritchie (screened fabric ensemble), A Sustainable Rave collective (rubber feather weave costume) and Ryan Ann (upcycled lace wedding gown). Performer contestants include the Femme Fatale Dance family.
Along with contestants, award-winning drag queen Miss Freida Whales, will headline. Audience participation event is welcome to creative people of all genders, all nations and all ages.
Saturday evening ends with an energetic Zydeco music concert featuring singer/songwriter TeenaRee Gowdy the Vancouver-based Nuvo Zydeco band led by Randall Schultz.
TeenaRee Gowdy was reintroduced to her Zydeco roots while attending a family funeral in Atlanta. Born in Louisiana, and raised in California before settling in Canada, the singer/songwriter says the uplighting music “made me realize how much I needed to find out more about my lost family history and the Canadian connections to Louisiana.”
Concert tickets are $22.23 at atutu.ca.