The 27th edition of the Shuswap International Film Festival plays out Friday, Feb. 19 to Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Salmar Classic Theatre.
The Shuswap Film Society presents 13 films beginning with opening-night festivities and the hilarious No Men Beyond This Point at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19.
Wear a touch of pink and enjoy this smart take on gender politics that runs again at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23.
Born to Be Blue: Ethan Hawke plays jazz legend Chet Baker in his musical comeback from drug addiction in the late ’60s. The biopic, highlights Baker’s talents but includes his human demons and flaws – 10:30 a.m. Feb. 20 and 4 p.m. Feb. 24.
The Wonders (Le Meraviglie): The film centres on a family of beekeepers living in isolation in the Tuscan countryside. The dynamic of their household is disrupted by the simultaneous arrival of a troubled teenaged boy taken in as a farmhand and a reality TV show intent on showcasing the family – 1:30 Feb. 20.
Embrace of the Serpent (El abrazo de la serpiente): This follows the encounter, apparent betrayal and life-affirming friendship between an Amazonian shaman, the last of his people, and two foreign scientists, who work together for decades searching for a rare healing plant – at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 20 and 4 p.m. Feb. 22.
Youth (La Giovinezza): Fred (Michael Caine), a retired conductor/composer, who has been going to the same Swiss alpine spa for 20 years, takes his old friend Mick. Surrounded by bodies old and young, supple and sagging, they reconsider their pasts, and yearn for the lost years of youth. The film is wistful, humorous and graceful by turns – 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 and 4 p.m. Feb. 25.
A Royal Night Out: This is a light-hearted, whimsical and fictional look at life in England on VE-Day in 1945. As peace extends across Europe, princesses Elizabeth and Margaret go out to party. This is a movie full of romp and merriment and a little romance – 10:30 a.m. Feb. 21 and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26.
Mustang: Part story of female empowerment and part critique of outdated Turkish mores, Mustang tells of the fallout when a group of sisters’ harmless horseplay on the beach with a group of boys is misinterpreted as some form of illicit behaviour – 1:30 p.m. Feb. 21 and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23.
Unbranded: This is a documentary about four young men, who ride mustangs they’ve trained themselves across 3,000 miles, following the Continental Divide from Texas to Canada. Their aim is to raise awareness of mustang adoption and preservation of open land – 3:30 p.m. Feb. 21.
The Brand New Testament (Le tout nouveau testament): This is a film in which God lives in human form as a cynical writer with a young opinionated daughter in present-day Brussels, Belgium. She concludes that her dad is doing a terrible job and hijacks his computer to write the Brand New Testament to spiritually uplift the human race. God, angry and powerless, is adamant to get his power back. The magical elements are both clown-like and absurd so be ready to drop your reserve and laugh at the absurdity –at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 and 4 p.m. Feb. 26.
Anomalisa: The film follows a day in the life of a mundane and bored man who goes on a business trip. As he interacts with the people he meets, viewers see the world through his eyes and his responses to others. When he meets an extraordinary stranger his life suddenly changes and viewers are caught up in the results. At various times both funny and sad, the themes are very thought provoking – 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22.
Court: In contrast to what Bollywood viewers have come to expect from India, this movie is about real people doing real jobs. Few films have explored Indian emotions, Indian mindset and told Indian stories with such honesty. Court is a multi-lingual, award-winning film on the “quiet violence” of the judicial system and how the state uses it to suppress political activists – 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24.
He Named Me Malala: This is the incredible true story of Malala Yousafzai, a young woman of courage and conviction, who chose to be a defender of truth and equality. From Academy Award winning director Davis Guggenheim, this movie is part documentary, part animation, and part live action, the animation serving to recreate scenes that were best not re-enacted – 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 .
Room: Winning fans in book clubs for years and now in theatres, this is a story about a mother’s love and devotion to her five-year- old son. Confined in a tiny space, they have made a deep life for themselves and overcome every obstacle they have faced. Brilliantly acted by Brie Larson and Vancouverite Jacob Tremblay, Room makes for an unforgettably harrowing and undeniably rewarding experience – at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27.
An “Audience Choice Winner” will be shown at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27. Tickets are available at Wearabouts or online at www.shuswapfilm.net.
Support the Can’s Film Festival by taking non-perishable food items to the theatre.
A Reel Lunch will be served at the Salmon Arm Art Gallery from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21.
A closing night celebration will be held prior to the closing film Room on Feb. 27.