The first ever Brackendale Art Gallery film festival is already showing promise with the choice of unique filmmaker, Josh Sage.
Three filmmakers will present movies Saturday (Feb. 26) from 8 to 11 p.m. two of which will depict subjects near and dear to many Squamish residents: eagles and bikes. The third filmmaker, Sage, brings an international flavour with his two presentations Yawa and 4REAL.
Sage began his filmmaking career with a short environmental documentary that was picked up by MTV and broadcast internationally for Earth Day. His first feature, Yawa, is a window into the Amazon rainforest showing the world of the Yawanawa people. Sage allowed the Yawanawa immense input into the shooting and editing of the film, and what results is an ultra-real documentation of these people rituals, ceremonies, artistic expressions and spiritual manifestations.
"Being there, it was a whole different experience from my reality," said Sage. "It's a fun and inspiring film."
His second documentary 4REAL shows a view of Africa never seen in western media, said Sage.
"It's not wilderness or children dying with flies on their faces."
The film follows K'naan 13 years after escaping the Somalian during war and settling in Toronto where he became a hip hop artist. Sage documents K'naan's return to Africa where he has chosen to shoot his first music video. Sage's hands-off filming style allows the subject matter to develop naturally as he follows K'naan's new friend Salim Mohammed on a tour of Kiberia, the largest slum in East Africa, where they're shown joy, dignity, life and love in a place usually reserved for sorrow and pity.
The show begins at 8 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 26). Admission is by donation.
