Picture This…Film Festival Winners Announced!

CALGARY, AB (October 16, 2002)

With more than 70 films submitted to this year's festival, our esteemed jurors have decided the winners.

Media are invited to attend the jury deliberations for the "Best of the Festival" award: Thursday October 17, 2002 at Fort Calgary, starting at 9:00 am. To make arrangements to talk to the jury, or to review any of these award-winning films, please call Vern Reynolds-Braun at (403) 512-9612

This year's winning films come from as far away as Australia and Finland and as close to home as being made right here in Canada.

Best documentary under 10 min.-film on disability: "Back Talk" (Australia)
Best documentary under 10 min.-by a filmmaker with a disability: "A Longer Journey" (USA)
Best documentary 10-30 min.-film on disability: "The Alien Who Lived in the Sheds" (UK)
Best documentary 10-30 min.-by a filmmaker with a disability: "The Alien Who Lived in the Sheds"
Best documentary over 30 min.-film on disability: "Born Freak" (UK)
Best documentary over 30 min.-by a filmmaker with a disability: "The Real Helen Keller" (UK)
Best animation 10-30 min-film on disability 10 - 30 minutes: "John Callahan's QUADS" (Canada/Australia)
Best animation 10-30 min.-by a filmmaker with a disability: "This River Winding" (UK)
Best drama/performance under 10 min.-film on disability: "The Wrong Flowers" (UK)
Best drama/performance under 10 min.-film by a filmmaker with a disability: "My Darling" (Finland)
Best drama/performance 10-30 min.-film on disability: "Dream Lover" (USA)
Best drama/performance 10-30 min.-by a filmmaker with a disability: "Here" (USA)
Best educational 10-30 min.-film on disability : "Kidability Two" (USA)

Picture This…Film Festival: October 17, 18 and 19, from 10 am to 10 pm at Fort Calgary.

To access a list of all the winning films and honorable mentions in each category as well as a complete description of each film, visit our web site at: www.picturethisfestival.org

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It Is Time For The Jury To Reach A Verdict!

CALGARY, AB (September 6, 2002)

With it's second annual film festival dates fast approaching on October 17 - 19, 2002, Picutre this... Film Festival announces that 75 films from as far away as Australia, and as close as Calgary will be sent to the jury for judging.

Calgary is home to this unique film festival that features films by film and video makers who have a disability, and films that explore disability culture.

Films include dramas, performance, documentaries, animation and educational offerings. For example:

Forbidden Wedding
... The story of a man who is forbidden to get married by the Catholic Church in Brazil because he is sexually impotent. Hedir Antonio de Brito, a paraplegic from the age of 15, wants simply to marry Mara... An intimate account of their personal story, an exploration of disability rights, sexuality and faith.

Three Lives - A Journey Out of Darkness
...How does a person rebuild their life after they've lost their independence?... In Iraq, Mazin Aribi becomes disabled as a result of Polio... The story of how he regains that independence in Canada.

Here
... A performance poetry video by Cheryl Marie Wade. Raw, powerful and evocative.

The Jury, whose members include producers, filmmakers, screen writers, actors/actresses, parents and persons with disabilities will be making their final decisions during two judging weekends on Sept. 7 & 8 and Sept. 14 & 15.

"With so many films, from world class productions to home grown grass roots offerings, there's something for everyone", says festival director Vern Reynolds-Braun. "All of the films are available for viewing in our private viewing area during the festival, and the award winners and other programs will be presented on our large screen throughout the festival."

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Disability Film Festival attracts over 70 international films!

CALGARY, AB (August 8, 2002)

With it's second annual film festival dates fast approaching on October 17 - 19, 2002, Picture this…Film Festival announces that 76 films from as far away as Australia, and as close as Calgary will be sent to the jury for judging.

Calgary is home to this unique film festival that features films by film and video makers who have a disability, and films that explore disability culture.

Films include dramas, performance, documentaries, animation and educational offerings.

For example:

Augmentative Communication from the USA.
Magdalen from Ireland
Speak Out 2001 from Canada

Mike Jorgensen, film night committee member and publicity committee, says "We're promoting the film festival by holding film presentations every month. Our next one is Tuesday, October 1/02 at 1:00 pm at Fort Calgary. The films selected will be posted on our website at picturethisfestival.org"

"With so many films, from world class productions to home grown grass roots offerings, there's something for everyone", says festival director Vern Reynolds-Braun. "All of the films are available for viewing in our private viewing area during the festival, and the award winners and other programs will be presented on our large screen throughout the festival."

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Picture this…Film Festival announces Film Night on Family Life

CALGARY, AB (June 17, 2002)

Picture This…a Film Festival that celebrates disability culture is proud to announce its second of three "themed" film discussion nights as a prelude to our second annual film festival in October. These events provide the opportunity to view films chosen by our selection committee from last year's festival entries and partake in moderated discussions.

The theme for this film/discussion evening will be "All In The Family". The films are:

Driving With Richard …"The story of a remarkable friendship between two women, Deirdre Croft and Carley Pukallus. Deirdre and Carley have provided support for each other for over six years as they cope with the trauma, hardship and enormous challenge of caring for their handicapped children."…
The Creative Arts Play Group …"This documentary advocates a creative, arts based approach to special education that is effective and fun. It creates cognitive growth for children and parents alike."…
Kids Just Want To Have Fun …"Features children with Cerebral Palsy, neuromuscular conditions, Spina Bifida, amputations, cleft lip and palate, and burn scars. It shows them enjoying all types of activities and sports, such as kayaking, swimming, bull riding and skiing. The children talk openly about their lives and their differences."…

Our first theme night was a huge success with a large turnout and lively discussion. We hope to make this second event even better!

"Understanding and love for each other really starts at home, and these films relating to family are a great way for everyone to learn more about the disability experience." - Dodie Spittal - Southern Alberta Post Polio Support Society and Picture this…Film Festival volunteer.

"It's informative and entertaining to watch these films. The panel that opens up the discussion after each film is real bonus to our film nights.." - Michael Jorgensen - Picture This…Film Festival Volunteer

This theme night will take place on Monday, June 17, 2002 from 7 to 9 PM at the Fort Calgary Barracks located at 750 - 9 Ave. SE. Admission is free and so is the popcorn!

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Film Festival screening features films on Sex

CALGARY, AB. (May 9, 2002)

Picture This…a Film Festival that celebrates disability culture is proud to announce the first of three "themed" film discussion nights as a prelude to it's second annual film festival in October. These events provide the opportunity to view selected films from last year's festival and partake in moderated discussions.

The theme for the first film & discussion evening will be "Sexuality & Disability". The films being screened are:

Forbidden Pleasures …"A powerful exploration of the sensitive issue of sexual surrogates for disabled people, this film focuses on the sexual desires and experiences of three people whose disabilities are such that they are unable to obtain sexual relief on their own."…
Peak Practice: Walls of Jericho …"18-year-old Jessica, who has Downs Syndrome, moves into a home for people with special needs. Here, for the first time, she finds a boyfriend with whom she starts a sexual relationship. Her doctor prescribes contraception, but her mother feels that Jessica shouldn't be having sex at all."…
Body Talk …"A groundbreaking poetry performance by Cheryl Marie Wade"…"Powerful and unflinching, this evocative exploration of identity takes you on a journey from tantalizing first kiss to a life of passionate intimacy with a disabled partner."…

"I think it's fun and enlightening to get together and watch some great videos that tell stories about our lives." - Dodie Spittal - Southern Alberta Post Polio Support Society.

This first theme night will take place on Thursday May 27, 2002 from 7 to 9 PM at the Fort Calgary Barracks located at 750 - 9 Ave. SE

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Disability Film Festival Features Visuals for the Blind

CALGARY, AB (October 3, 2001)

A number of film industry firsts will emerge this month at the first-ever Canadian film festival celebrating disability culture.

Picture this ...Festival at Calgary October 19 - 21 includes a gala awards event Saturday, October 20.

Festival Director Vern Reynolds-Braun says the festival has received 116 entries from around the world, including an American production, Body Talk, from filmmaker Cheryl Marie Wade. The film celebrates life's erotic possibilities as experienced by a person with a disability.

At the Saturday night gala Reynolds?Braun will announce the launch of a production fund to encourage film making in this genre.

Another gala feature will be the exhibition of a described version of the short film, Dissonance, by Vancouver producer Mitchell Kezin. This film is the story of a blind jazz musician's search for love using telephone personals. (Winner NSI-National Screen Institute-Drama Prize - Telefilm Canada.) Co-writer of Dissonance, Timothy Taylor, has just been nominated for a Giller Prize for his novel Stanley Park.

Kezin said he was awestruck after seeing the described version for the first time: "I think it made my film better."

Both Kezin and his Gemini-nominated star Tim Bissett will be participating in a group discussion about the film after the showing. They will be joined by Bob Trimbee of AudioVision Canada, which produced the described version.

AVC is a division of The National Broadcast Reading Service Inc., a national media charity and a proponent of accessible media. Another NBRS division produces VoicePrint, a national round-the-clock audio news-and-information service whose primary audience comprises 3.2 million print-restricted Canadians.

AVC has spent more than six years advocating the inclusion of described programming during prime time on conventional television. In August, the CRTC, Canada's broadcast regulator, ruled this should be done and, in renewing the network licences of CTV, Global and French-language TVA, ordered that an increasing amount of prime-time Canadian programming must be described.

The almost 700,000 Canadians who are blind or low vision are among the immediate beneficiaries of the decision.

The CRTC ruling placed Canada in the driver's seat with regard to giving blind and low?vision viewers improved access to mainstream TV. PBS in the U.S. has been broadcasting described programming for several years, but not until April 2002 will the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. equivalent to the CRTC, require the top four American networks and program distributors to include described content in their prime time schedules.

VoicePrint's Calgary bureau chief, Lynne Rach, says viewing a described program is truly an amazing experience.

"AVC description is written, voiced and interwoven so beautifully that it enhances rather than distracts from a sighted person's enjoyment," says Rach.

And she noted that a BCE Inc. grant has made it possible for AVC to reduce the rate it charges for producing a described version of a cinematographic works.

"For the first time in their lives, blind and low-vision Canadians will be able to enjoy a film or TV experience with family or friends without having to interrupt all the time to find out what's happening on the screen," says Rach.

She noted that other Canadian broadcasters have been involved heretofore with description on a voluntary basis. Alliance Atlantis-owned Showcase has been experimenting with description since 1998. CBC also has broadcast described versions of several mini series, including Anne of Green Gables III and The Arrow.

A described version of the film Drive from Great Britain also will be shown during the Picture this ...Festival.

Tickets to the Saturday night event are $20. For tickets, call 717-5613. Other film festival showings are rush seat, pay-as-you-wish events, with a $2 to $10 range. Fort Calgary is wheelchair accessible.

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