Youth film festival gets real with virtual reality
For Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth (R2R) founder Venay Felton, it seems like it was just yesterday that the festival welcomed its first audiences.
But truth be told, members of that first audience are all grown up now as this year marks the 20th anniversary of the festival.
“It isn’t until you think about all that has happened in 20 years and what it has taken to get this far that it sinks in,” said Felton.
What has happened is a lot of thoughtful and engaging programming for youth and their parents and this year is no different as the festival rolls out a wide-ranging slate of eight features and 80 short films. About 20 of those short films are created by B.C. students 18 and under.
“Our mandate is to try and have films representing the world so we look at films from every continent if we can,” said Felton. “The diversity can also be within the country. So we have films that look at things like new immigrants in the country.”
It’s about giving a voice to all kinds of people, not just the powerful ones.
A highlight from the well-rounded R2R program is the Power of Speech presentation.
Hosted by media educator Tash King, the presentation is part of the daylong Youth Media Conference. The presentation is a timely look at how digital technologies have changed how information is formed and delivered. What is the truth and how do you get your hands on it is certainly a discussion worth having right now.
The Parkland, Fla., shooting sent youth literally into the streets to protest lawmakers’ lack of will to change gun laws. Kids picked up microphones and organized marches. Their voices were heard.
These kids are inspiring others to speak up and out. So, with that in mind, the French film Speak Up is pretty much tailored for those kids thinking about adding their voice to the mix.
The documentary looks at how several young people learn to use their voices as they train to compete in a prestigious public speaking event.
“It is quite powerful as they develop their voices over the course of the film,” said Felton.
“Youth are taking a stand and expressing their voices in the public domain. It empowers kids to take a stand. They learn how to take a point of view and defend it.”
More kids cool with public speaking might mean more kids cool with politics.
On the new-at-the-festival front, this year’s R2R celebrates virtual reality. Highlighting this program is the VR experience theBlu. People who attend the festival’s opening
film — the BBC’s Earth: One Amazing Day on April 8 at 6:30 p.m. — will have the opportunity to swim in VR alongside a mighty 25-metre-long blue whale and get close to some of the other glorious creatures we share the planet with.
After the long-awaited sequel (narrated by Robert Redford) to BBC’s Earth, theatregoers have a chance, via Skype, to ask the filmmakers questions.
As well there will be other VR opportunities on hand that night and throughout the festival.
While impressive features and new technology headline the festival, you can’t forget the sturdy foundation that is the list of short films.
From climate change to first kisses to colonialism to food safety to a monster in a little girl’s closet, the R2R shorts list literally has something for everyone.
The shorts are broken up into programs and run numerous times during the festival.
One of those great shorts is Clean Your Room from Sophie Jarvis and Alicia Eisen. This sweet, funny 10-minute movie follows a stubborn girl (Lina Renna) who learns that cleaning her room helps with a monster problem.
“It was a really fun setting to make a story in and it really, I think, captures a child’s imagination and how real those stories are to us when we are children,” said the Vancouver-based Eisen about the combination live-action and stopmotion film
For Eisen and Jarvis, showing the film here in Vancouver is a great opportunity to get their work out in their community.
“It is a film proudly made in Vancouver with a Vancouver crew, so just to get to screen it in the city makes me so happy,” said Eisen. “I did the Reel 2 Real festival the year before with my other film Old Man and I had such a warm reception and everyone was so interested in the process. It is a beautiful festival and I am so grateful to be a part of it again.”
A member of Robot Chicken’s animation team, Eisen will be teaching stop-motion workshops April 9-13 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) at the Roundhouse.