A Quebec film that last week swept the inaugural Canadian Screen Awards (CSA) will launch the 13th annual Port Moody Canadian Film Festival this week.
Rebelle/War Witch took 10 of the 12 categories it was nominated in at the CSA including for Best Motion Picture and Achievement in Direction for telling a tale about a pregnant 14-year-old girl in sub-Saharan Africa who was kidnapped by the rebel army.
The Oscar-nominated flick is one of six movies at the film fest that were selected by the Port Moody Film Society and its artistic director, Brad Williams. He offered his shortlist to the committee after viewing about 30 movies at the Whistler Film Festival and the Vancouver International Film Festival.
"This year, there seemed to be a real lack of comedies," Williams said, adding, "We try to balance out the movies - there was one stand-out documentary that we just couldn't get in time - so, as a result, we have ended up with six dramas for our festival.
"Sometimes, that's just the way it goes."
In past years the PoMo film fest was bigger, screening more titles and holding workshops for filmmakers and actors; however, lack of government and corporate sponsorship has meant the society has had to scale down its showcase.
"We've had to be more precise," Williams said.
Williams said the festival films are tailored to the Port Moody crowd, which he describes as "intelligent." And it also doesn't shy away from foreign films; in fact, three-quarters of its monthly shows at Inlet Theatre are with English subtitles, he said.
Meanwhile, this year's fest also includes short films that will precede the features. One short, titled Sunday Morning, is directed by Capilano University student Sophy Romvari.
Other shorts are: Frost (March 14, 8 p.m.); The Paris Quintet (March 15, 7 p.m.); Sunday Morning (March 15, 9:30 p.m.); Float (March 16, 7 p.m.); OMG (March 16, 9:30 p.m.); and Says Who (March 17, 7 p.m.)
The 13th annual Port Moody Canadian Film Festival runs Thursday to Sunday and includes a gala reception on March 14 at 7 p.m. and a wrap-up party on March 17 at 9:15 p.m. Tickets at $7 per film - plus $5 for a society membership - are available at the Inlet Theatre (100 Newport Dr.) on festival nights starting at 6 p.m. Visit www.pmfilm.ca.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
