Festival of Moving Media

It’s the tenth consecutive year of Guelph’s Festival of Moving Media—you can just say “FoMM” if you’re in a rush, or wanna sound hep—and this year they’re presenting the exhibition Hidden Histories: Guelph Cinema, where you might spot some familiar faces.

Says The Festival, “The show outlines the timeline of our cinematic past with the rise and fall of cinemas and technologies, the characters involved, and the great films shown. We are very pleased to include in the exhibit a five minute interview between Peter Henderson and Doug Minett discussing the history of the Bookshelf Cinema, from its opening film, to the controversies, mix ups and successes. The exhibit runs from November 2-22 at Ed Video (40 Baker Street) with an opening reception this Saturday, Nov. 2 from 2:30-4:00PM. The opening will follow the 2pm walking tour of Guelph's Cinematic Past by David J. Knight, beginning at 34 Carden Street.”

As a sneak peek to those precious, special few who have Internet, we’re happy to share with you this clip (courtesy of Bookshelf charity case, Dawn Matheson) of Peter Henderson and Doug Minett sipping wine down memory lane at our 40^th Anniversary this summer:

For your convenience, here're the full listings of this year's Festival.  If you have any other questions ("Does my dog have to pay?" "What's a movie?") please contact Festival Coordinator Carolyn Meili: info@festivalofmovingmedia.ca

BENDING STEEL                7PM / ANAF / Nov. 8 / $10

An intimate documentary exploring the lost art of the oldetime strongman, and one man’s struggle to overcome limitations of body and mind; an inspirational quest to find one’s place in the world. + Local strongman & World Champion Ryan “6 Pack” Lapadat will speak after the film.

CARBON RUSH                         7PM UofG ALEX 100 / Nov. 8 / PWYC

Travel across four continents to meet the people most impacted by the emerging “green-gold” multi-billion dollar carbon trading industry. “What happens when we manipulate markets to solve the climate crisis? Who stands to gain and who stands to suffer?” + Director Amy Miller in attendance

DEAD OR LIVE (Mort ou Vif)        4PM Ed Video / Nov. 9 / PWYC

Morticians skillfully blend science, art and social work. But as far as jobs go, it’s woefully misunderstood. Dead or Alive is a lively and entertaining look at a diverse group working in the funeral industry. Seldom has staring at death been so enjoyable and enlightening.

FUREVER                    7PM Ed Video / Nov. 9 / $10

Explore the bonds that form between humans and their pets, the dimensions of grief people experience when they lose a pet, and the lengths to which they'll go to preserve more than a memory.

GOOGLE AND THE WORLD BRAIN    1PM Bookshelf Cinema / Nov. 9 / $10

In keeping with HG Wells 1937 prediction of a “World Brain” containing all the world’s knowledge, Google has started the most ambitious project ever conceived on the Internet: to scan every book in the world. Google says they are building a library for mankind, but some say they also have other intentions. + Post film discussion with Bookshelf’s Doug Minett.

HUE: A MATTER OF COLOUR         4PM Ed Video / Nov. 10 / PWYC

Renowned director and cinematographer Vic Sarin, takes us on a personal investigation into the history and often tragic effects of colourism—the phenomenon whereby people within the same ethnic group discriminate against one another based on differences in skin tone. Hue leads viewers on a surprising journey to the heart of an insidious social issue that is anything but black and white.

LAST CHANCE                  1PM Ed Video / Nov. 9 / PWYC

Last Chance tells the stories of 5 asylum seekers who flee their native countries to escape homophobic violence. They face hurdles integrating into Canada, fear deportation and anxiously await a decision that will change their lives forever.

MAIDENTRIP                 7PM GYMC / Nov. 10 / $10

At just 14 years old, Laura Dekker sets out on a two-year voyage to become the youngest person ever to sail around the world alone. Maidentrip is a stirring and emotional testimony to the power of dreams, an inspiring example of how far determination, imagination and belief can take someone. The brave and witty Dekker serves as a reminder that life is a journey that must be engaged completely to be fully appreciated."

MY PRAIRIE HOME   

Two screenings:   

7:30PM UofG, MacKinnon 116 / Nov. 9 / $10 / Presented by CFRU

7PM Silence / Nov. 9 / $10

With a voice as big as the prairie sky, transgender musician and author Rae Spoon has a story like no other. This documentary-musical takes us on a playful, meditative and at times melancholic journey through Rae Spoon’s queer and musical coming of age, set against majestic images of the Canadian Prairies’ infinite expanses.

OIL SANDS KARAOKE           9:30PM ANAF / Nov. 8 / $10

Five oil patch workers vie to win a karaoke contest in one of the most controversial places on the planet - Northern Alberta's infamous Oil Sands. A documentary unlike any other, Oil Sands Karaoke will make us laugh, sing along, and perhaps re-examine our biases. + Followed by Karaoke contest with Jenny Omnichord

RENT A FAMILY             9:30PM Ed Video / Nov. 9 / PWYC

Ryuichi runs the "I Want To Cheer You Up" company. He rents out people: family members, friends, colleagues or others, to help other people hide their secrets and make their life look better or just ...perfectly normal. Ryuchi is most happy and thriving when he is at work impersonating someone else. His own family has no knowledge of his work and he therefore lives a double life himself. Will Ryuchi succeed in maintaining his secret or find the courage to expose his secret double life to his family?

SPRING & ARNAUD          7:30PM MSAC / Nov. 8 / $10

A breathtakingly tender and intelligent love story about acclaimed Canadian artists Spring Hurlbut and Arnaud Maggs (1927-2012). Together and alone, each grapples with the nature of an artist’s creativity where the drive for invention and discovery resists life’s finite reality. + Director Marcia Connolly in attendance.

TALES FROM THE ORGAN TRADE      4PM Ed Video / Nov. 10 / PWYC

Following the journey of two Canadians in need of a kidney transplant, the film explores the shadowy world of black-market organ trafficking: the brokers, rogue surgeons, impoverished people willing to sacrifice part of their bodies for a quick payday, and the desperate patients who face the choice of obeying the law or saving their lives. This is not a black and white story of exploitation, but rather, a nuanced and complex story that compels you to explore your own moral and ethical beliefs.

TINY: A STORY OF LIVING SMALL    4PM GYMC / Nov. 10 / $10

Presented by the Woolwich Arrow

From 1970 to 2010, the average size of a new house in North America has almost doubled. With changing financial and environmental climates a new generation is redefining its priorities with a focus on flexibility, financial freedom and quality of life over quantity of space. Tiny visits families that are downsizing and building houses smaller than a parking space, raising questions about sustainability, good design and how we find ‘home’.

WAVEMAKERS                9:30PM Silence / Nov. 9 / $10

Presented by the Guelph Jazz Festival as a FAB 5 project.

Wavemakers pursues the legacy of an electronic musical instrument as fragile as it is magical: the Ondes Martenot. The Martenot is indeed so sensitive, so expressive, that nearly a century after its invention, musicians, artisans and scientists are still trying to unravel its secrets. With never-before-seen archival material and an entrancing soundtrack, this film explores the origins and workings of the Martenot, and draws us inexorably into its spell.

HOW WE NAVIGATE OUR WORLD    10:30AM Public Library - Main / Nov. 9 / FREE Recommended for ages 5-12

A series of short films exploring this year’s theme 'How We Navigate Our World'. The lineup includes: 5 dollars, Rose and Violet, Christopher Changes His Name, the Fox and the Chickadee, Goal, and the Sparky Book.

WORKSHOPS:

POWER TO THE PEOPLE: VIDEO ACTIVISM             Presented by OPIRG

WORKSHOP 10AM / NOV. 9 / Ed Video / PWYC

Carbon Rush director Amy Miller will de-mystify the process of creating videos for use in environmental and social justice activism. She will explore how to design simple but effective media to reach out to new audiences and inspire them to join your fight for a better world!   

LIFTING THE LID ON THE ANIMATOR’S BRAIN: FINDING THE LIFE IN LIFE AROUND US... AND GETTING IT UP ON SCREEN

1PM GYMC / Nov. 10 / $10

With both animated and live-action film clips, plus anecdotes culled from more than two decades in the entertainment industry trenches, Stephen Barnes will share some of the thinking that goes into memorable performances. Covering everything from lip sync to pushing poses, this talk will give everyone a sense of the sort of mind space occupied by top flight actors and animators.

iPAD? uRAD!        10AM Ed Video / Nov. 10 / FREE

For ages 8-12, limited space please enroll by emailing info@festivalofmovingmedia.ca

Stephen Barnes leads a hands-on workshop using your iPad and your imagination to bring your screen to life! We will email registrants beforehand with details on the appropriate app you will need to load so that you can come prepared to create a short animated clip (or three!) that you take home. Limited number of spaces available, bring an iPad.

STEPHEN BARNES is a graduate of Sheridan College's Classical Animation program and currently an instructor at his alma mater, in both the Classical and Computer Animation departments. For over 20 years, Stephen has worked on everything from shorts and corporate videos, to video games at Lucasarts and feature films - including Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., and the Oscar-winning Geri's Game, for Pixar Animation Studios.

EXHIBITIONS AND WALKING TOUR:

HIDDEN HISTORIES: GUELPH’S CINEMATIC PAST

The Festival of Moving Media has an ongoing series entitled Hidden Histories and this year’s theme is Guelph’s cinematic past which is explored in two exhibitions and a walking tour. The first exhibition entitled ‘The Magic of Guelph’s Cinematic Past’ can be found at the Guelph Civic Museum (52 Norfolk St.). The opening reception is on October 18th 7-9pm and will run until January 5th. The exhibition opening will be proceeded the next day by a walking tour lead by historian David J. Knight, starting at 2pm in front of 34 Carden Street. A $5 donation is suggested. A second date for the walking tour will occur on November 2, 2pm at 34 Carden St., to precede the opening of the second exhibition ‘Hidden Histories: Guelph Cinema'. This exhibit opens at Ed Video (40 Baker St.), 3-5pm on Saturday, November 2nd, and runs until November 22.  All of these events lead up to the Festival of Moving Media’s 10th anniversary with the festival offering four days of unique, thought provoking documentary films from November 7-10, 2013.