Various venues in Gimli // July 23-27

Big Names // Richard Linklater’s 12-years in the making Boyhood is our pick.

Local talent // Three local film programs on Friday.

Cost // $10 a film/$75 for a pass

Regular street parking rules apply

gimlifilm.com

 

Established in 2001, the Gimli Film Festival is returning for another year and is set to screen over 100 features, documentaries and shorts from Manitoba and across the globe.

For the first time the festival is being programmed by Aaron Zeghers, a 27-year-old local filmmaker who is also involved with Open City Cinema and has helped put together the Winnipeg Underground Film Festival.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity, I think Gimli is such an amazing location for a festival and there’s such potential for it to be one of the best festivals in Canada,” Zeghers says.

Like in previous years a 35-foot outdoor screen will be set up near Lake Winnipeg on the beach and showing such popular Hollywood movies as Dirty Dancing later at night for free.

There’s also a definite focus on local content with over 30 made in Manitoba films making the cut.

“We’re just trying to offer a lot of variety for everyone. One new thing we’re doing this year is we’re screening films that have been animated by kids, almost all of them by kids that live in Manitoba which should be really fun. Some of them seem to be quite inspiring and talented filmmakers already,” Zeghers says.

“With the programming I really tried to get some of the best contemporary current work, especially in terms of documentaries. There’s a ton of brand new 2014 documentaries that have never been played in Manitoba before.”

One of Zeghers’ top picks is The Overnighters, a doc directed by Jesse Moss (Speedo) which is about the thousands of unemployed men who have descended upon North Dakota hoping to secure a well-paying job in the oil industry, but realizing there is little work to be found when they actually arrive.

“Of all the films I previewed from Hot Docs Festival this was my favourite. It’s just so amazingly revealing, rarely do I see a film so personal and so revealing about society in general and also a single person,” he says.

He also recommends Out of Mind, Out of Sight. From director John Kastner (Rage Against the Darkness), the film takes a look inside the Brockville Mental Health Centre and follows four patients that have committed violent acts (one of which actually killed his own mother and was found not criminally responsible).

“The hardest thing is just the sheer amount of time it takes to preview all the films and put together the whole program and find the best of the best to show,” Zeghers notes.

“The easiest was finding great films to show because there really is a lot of them out there. Hopefully everyone will come out and find something they love because there really is something for everyone.”

Zeghers also says that a newer addition to the program is a Movie, Music and a Meal event, which will take place on the Thursday night.

“Basically you get a meal, you watch a movie and then there’s a jam session with a bunch of musicians after that."

Part of the series: 2014 Summer Festival Guide

Published in Volume 68, Number 28 of The Uniter (July 2, 2014)