Back by popular demand, National Canadian Film Day (“NCFD 2018”) is taking place on April 18th with a spotlight on Female Filmmakers. More than 700 screenings are confirmed to take place in theatres, educational institutions and libraries across the country, and as far away as Iceland, Egypt, Tanzania and Japan.
National Canadian Film Day 2018
This year, REEL CANADA has curated a 40-film “sampler” of films led by women, but as always, our screening partners are encouraged to explore the full diversity and wealth that Canadian films have to offer.
“NCFD 2018 is defined by the overwhelming appetite Canadians have to see themselves and their stories represented on screen,” said Sharon Corder, Artistic Director, REEL CANADA. “And this is the perfect year to shine a spotlight on the work of female filmmakers. On April 18th, we’ll have the world’s largest audience watching films by Canadian women – ever!”
This year, a number of enhanced screenings are taking place in BC including:
- Vancouver International Film Festival presents 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould (guest TBD), and Double Happiness w/ director Mina Shum in attendance
- Cinematheque Vancouver presents Loyalties with director Anne Wheeler in attendance, and Werewolf with director Ashley McKenzie via Skype
- Powell River Digital Film School Presents Window Horses with director Ann Marie Fleming in attendance
- CineVic Presents Into the Forest with director Patricia Rozema via Skype
Women Filmmakers
Two of Canada’s most accomplished masters of cinema, Deepa Mehta and Alanis Obomsawin, will come together in a once-in-a-lifetime live event at which the women will discuss their storied careers and their considerable impact on the Canadian film landscape.
Signature screenings across the country will include participation from leading female filmmakers, including Mina Shum, Patricia Rozema, Léa Pool, Anne Wheeler, Lynne Stopkewich, Ann Marie Fleming, Sharon Lewis, Doreen Manuel, Mary Young Leckie, Ashley McKenzie, Liane Balaban, Cara Gee and Ingrid Veninger, as well as some of their celebrated male colleagues, including Don McKellar, Elan Mastai, Paul Sarossy and many others.
How to Participate
Attend Public Screenings: Events are happening in places such as cinemas, libraries, legion halls, community centres, military bases and many other locations.
Attend one of the major events in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and St John’s.
Encore+, the Canadian Media Fund’s free YouTube channel makes many memorable Canadian movies of all genres available for fans of any age. A curated NCFD playlist will be available for anyone who wants an easy way to participate from home.
Major broadcasters including CBC, APTN, Bell Media, Blue Ant Media, CORUS, CHCH, DHX Media, Hollywood Suite, OUTtv and Superchannel will air Canadian films on TV and streaming platforms throughout the day.
High school students in over 150 schools across the country will engage in RCtv, an innovative livestream event featuring an interactive Q&A with Canadian stars and filmmakers.
And there will be dozens of private events from elementary schools to retirement homes.
Follow National Canadian Film Day on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for highlights and updates leading up to the event, and on the big day itself. Participate in the conversation by using #CanFilmDay.
Pink and white petals are forming a pillowy canopy above the city and the 12th annual Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival presents a series of events to so you can savour the season.
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Events
April 3, 2018 Vancouver Sings One Song
Vancouver Sings One Song will host 400 singers at Christ Church Cathedral directed by Kathryn Nicholson led by the choir Sound Eclectic, to learn the new Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival song, “Cherry Blossoms For You and Me”. The song was inspired by the Festival Haiku Invitational poem written by Oz Hershfield of Vancouver:
blossoms bursting
each tree is a choir
singing to the sun
April 5, 2018 Cherry Jam Downtown Concert
Spectacular multi-cultural performances, including a traditional Chinese Lion Dance, a Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble collaboration with Chinese er-hu (Chinese violin) paired with tap dance, Tetsu Taiko and shamisen(a traditional three-stringed Japanese instrument) collaboration with Alcvin Ramos, and readings of the 2017 Haiku Invitational winning poems.
April 14 & 15, 2018 Sakura Days Japan Fair
Experience Japan with hands-on workshops and try your hand at calligraphy, origami and other Japanese arts and crafts demonstrations at VanDusen Botanical Garden.
April 14, 2018 The Big Picnic
Bring your picnic mat, or purchase one of the Festival’s interconnecting Petal Mats, prepare a picnic basket, and get ready to have lots of fun and meet new friends. Family-friendly activities planned include face-painting, walking meditation, life-size jenga and connect four and performances by local artists. YYoga is also offering a free 45-minute yoga class.
April 14, 2018 Spring Lights Illumination
Hfour will be illuminating Queen Elizabeth Park with vibrant projections and a new walkthrough experience. As in previous years, the illumination will be set up for unobstructed views ideal for photography! Heather Laura Gray and her dancers will be returning with their spring interpretive dances.
April 22, 2018 Sakura Nights Gala Fundraiser
Sakura Night celebrates Vancouver’s top local restaurants through an exquisite evening of Asian-fusion flavours with wine pairings. Guests will also be able to taste the wonderful health-enhancing Gabaron tea, provided courtesy of Finlandia Healthcare. Renowned mixologist Jay Jones, who oversees Vij’s and Vij’s Rangolis bar team, will add his talents to Sakura Night by creating a distinctly new cherry blossom cocktail experience to greet gala-goers.
Check out the lineup of free talks and walks and use the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival’s Neighbourhood Maps where you can find 2,689 locations of where the city’s 54 cultivars bloom.
Follow the festival on Facebook and Twitter for more info and share your pics online with the tags #TELUSPureFibre and #vancherryblossomfest.
Motown Meltdown is celebrating 15 years of classic soul music! Enjoy a fabulous night of entertainment by some of Canada’s amazing vocalists while benefiting Seva Canada, whose mission is to restore sight and prevent blindness in developing countries.
Motown Meltdown
Give sight to those in need, through the power of song
Where: Commodore Ballroom (868 Granville St, Vancouver)
When: Saturday, April 21, 2018 doors at 7:00pm
Tickets: Tickets: $32.75 + service charge or $45 at the door available online or by calling Ticketmaster 1-855-985-5000.
Motown Meltdown will feature the music and musicians of a powerful era, including Diana Ross, Otis Redding, Martha & the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and much more.
Anchoring the 2018 incarnation of Motown Meltdown is a 12-piece band of the most seasoned and veteran session musicians in the country.
Catch all these amazing solo performances in one room, on one night: Karen Lee Batten, Joani Bye, Leora Cashe, Candus Churchill, Oliver Conway, Olivia Steele Falconer, Warren Dean Flandez, Roy Forbes, Marie Hui, Angela Kelman, Linda Kidder, Jane Mortifee, Marcus Mosely, Dawn Pemberton, Will Sanders, Kendra Sprinkling, Catherine St. Germain, Stephanie Standerwick, David Steele, Don Stewart, David Wills, and Garfield Wilson.
Motown Meltdown is MC’d by Gene Valaitis and Hosted by David Wills (Stonebolt) and Angela Kelman. Musical Direction David Sinclair and Steve Hilliam, Produced by Kendra Sprinkling.
“Proceeds from Motown Meltdown will benefit Seva Canada’s sustainable and innovative blindness prevention and treatment programs in 13 of the poorest places in the world.
Founded by an eclectic group including guru Ram Dass, Dr. Larry Brilliant and Wavy Gravy, an American entertainer and peace activist, Seva Canada, a Vancouver based charity has been giving the power of sight to those most in need in developing countries for over 33 years. Many people are unaware that cataracts, the leading cause of avoidable blindness, can be cured in 15 minutes with a sight-restoring surgery costing just $50.” – Penny Lyons, Executive Director
Follow Seva Canada on Twitter and Facebook for more information.
Carousel Theatre for Young People presents Spirit Horse, a play about two youth who are caught between two worlds—the traditional ways of their Stoney Nation heritage and the modern ways of the city.
Angelina and Jesse’s lives are changed forever when their grandfather brings them a horse that has mysteriously appeared to him. Can this majestic animal heal a troubled single parent family? Spirit Horse – a poignant tale about family, love and courage – has a warm heart and adventurous spirit. Three actors play over sixty five characters, accompanied by a live musician, in this highly theatrical and imaginative production.
Photo by Ali Sultani (from the 2016 Roseneath Theatre production of ‘Spirit Horse’)
Spirit Horse is an adaptation by Ojibway playwright, Drew Hayden Taylor, from the Irish play Tir Na N’Og by Greg Banks, directed by Greg Banks, costume design by Robin Fisher, set & lighting design by Glenn Davidson, and music composed by Anne Lederman. The cast features Brianne Ticker, Dakota Herbert and Timothy L. Hill with on-stage musician Alex Lamoureux. A Roseneath Theatre production.
Spirit Horse
- Where: The Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island (1412 Cartwright St, Vancouver)
- When: April 21 at 2:00pm & 7:00pm; April 22 at 2:00pm; April 27 at 7:00pm; April 28 at 2:00pm & 7:00pm; April 29 at 2:00pm
- Tickets: Available online now or by calling (604) 685-6217. Adults: $35; Seniors/Students: $29; Young People (Ages 1-17 years): $18. Discounted subscription rates available when booking for two or more plays.
Spirit Horse is recommended for ages 8+ due to some challenging themes, intense moments and high-stakes scenes of action and adventure.
Win Tickets to See Spirit Horse
I have a pair of tickets to give away see Spirit Horse on Saturday, April 21 at 2:00pm at the Waterfront Theatre. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Click below to post an entry on Twitter
[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win tickets to see Spirit Horse @CarouselTheatre http://ow.ly/ZkON30jieAj” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]
Follow Carousel Theatre on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more information. I will draw one contest winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2018.
Update The winner is @janetmoo!
The GrapeJuice Wine Auction for Big Sisters will take place on Thursday, April 26, 2018 at Aston Martin Vancouver and Bentley Vancouver.
Presented by Capital Direct Income Trust and founded by McNeill Nakamoto Recruitment Group and MLA Canada, GrapeJuice is an annual wine auction fundraiser in support of Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland mentoring programs. Since its inception, GrapeJuice has raised over $700,000. Here’s why you won’t want to miss this year’s event:
GrapeJuice Wine Auction for Big Sisters
Where: Aston Martin Vancouver & Bentley Vancouver
When: Thursday, April 26, 2018 from 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Tickets: Available online now for $125.
Top 5 Reasons to Attend GrapeJuice
1. Wine Silent Auction
Bid on your favourite rare wine finds from around the world. They’re exclusive, delicious, and unique wines to add to your collection. Big Sisters BCLM also relies on your generous wine auction donations. (Here are the instructions)
2. Wine Tasting Stations
Sip on some of the best wines in the city. It’s included in the purchase of your ticket and they’re pouring all night.
3. Networking
Network with over 200 of Vancouver’s top business professionals.
4. Hors d’Oeuvres
Cocktails & Canapés is preparing a delightful selection of delicious hors d’oeuvres that complement your wine.
5. Make a Difference
According to UBC research, more than a quarter of Lower Mainland children in grade four have a low level of well-being. This leads to a lack of social, emotional, and physical health. Big Sisters is part of the solution and all proceeds support our mentoring programs.
Get your tickets here »
Big Sisters is committed to enhancing the confidence, self-esteem and well-being of female, transgender, and non-binary youth through supportive relationships with mentors.
Follow Big Sisters on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.
Miss604 is a the proud Blog Sponsor of Big Sisters BC Lower Mainland for 2018!
