katrinaolson.ca - KO Review of the $100 Film Festival 2014

Posted on Monday, March 10, 2014 at 04:00 PM

$100 Film Festival 2014 Calgary

by Katrina Olson-Mottahed

"Mark Mills performs at the $100 Film Festival Calgary Globe theatre"

This past week-end, was the 22nd annual Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers $100 Film Festival. To those who are not familiar with this film festival, it started as a festival with 8 short super 8 films. The cost of four rolls of super 8 film in 1992 was $100, hence the name the $100 Film Festival. Fast forward 22 years later and the festival dropped the budgetary limit allowing 16 mm film, which shifts the focus from low budget to quality small-format films. The festival is now an international celebration of creative story telling on celluloid.

What is the best part of the $100 Film Festival? It is always unpredictable in the best way possible. The festival runs on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from 7-9pm (this year was at the Globe theatre) and your visual senses get completely overwhelmed in the best way possible.

The Saturday night of the festival this past week-end opened with an energetically charged live performance by Mark Mills. If you have not seen Mark play live, you are missing out! He sang three of his songs, and one was a FILM/MUSIC EXPLOSION! Mark performed his music accompanying a film by Cameron MacGowan.

The programming of this years festival opposed to past years of the $100 Film Festival seemed more fluid in the transition of one film to another. The films that stuck out the most in Saturdays programming for me was Meet Me (Directed by Daniel Lupo, USA 2013) Where movement through dancing contrasted statues and architectural stillness. It was accompanied by piano and featured two women playing an emotional game of hide and seek through dance and written notes. It was poetic and nostalgic or parts of the film Frances Ha (Directed by Noah Baumbach, USA 2012).

"Meet Me film Daniel Lupo $100 Film Festival Calgary"

The film MSG (Directed by Joe Kelly, Canada 2013) was sensorially very interesting to watch as the cameraless film uses a technique created by the director himself of printing ink directly on film. The base drum infused musical track by Jay Crocker completed the experience. This is the kind of film that works so well in the $100 Film Festival.

"MSG film by Joe Kelly $100 Film Festival Calgary"

Another film in the festival that ended the Saturday screening but was both narrative and humorous was Will the Real Dave Barber Please Stand Up (Directed by Dave Barber, Canada 2013). A story about Dave Barber being invited to receive the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal at the Legislative Building in Winnipeg, Manitoba but when he arrives and rehearses his acceptance of the award realizes it was meant for another Dave Barber who was receiving it based on his role on Climate Change, something completely different from the line of work Director Dave Barber the film maker does.

"Will the real Dave Barber please stand up $100 film festival Calgary"

The awards ceremony following the screening was held at the Wine-OHs, a unique style cellar where you enter through the alley door behind Fashion Central, go past the kitchen and down the stairs into a hidden gem of a venue reminiscent of clubs in New York or Chicago. Live music by DJ Ryan Scott provided a great vibe while the food was a culinary delight (very impressive amuse bouche like mini risotto balls in red sauce with fresh basil, adorable skewers with caprese salad to-go). The trophies to honour the creativity of the talented filmmakers of the $100 Film Festival were by Bee Kingdom, a glass-based studio collective of members from the Alberta College of Art + Design glass program who originally created a studio in their backyard in the northwest of Calgary. It is always nice to win, but even better when you receive a trophy that is a work of art from Bee Kingdom, so congratulations to this years winners: Josh Weissbach (Jury’s Choice), Cam MacGowan (Audience Choice), Don Best (Best of Alberta), Naren Wilks (Best Super 8) & Andrew Kim (Best 16mm). Also a huge Congratulations to the team who puts on the $100 Film Festival from CSIF, this was the best year yet.

"Bee Kingdom’s prized awards"

"Nicola Waugh, $100 Film Festival Director"