Talking at Night. (Photo by Nicole Romanoff)
Three short films produced under the umbrella of Doc Lab Saskatchewan will be screened for free tonight (8 pm) at the Remai Modern. The shorts -directed by three local filmmakers chosen from over 30 hopefuls- were supported by the National Film Board (NFB), alongside Creative Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative.
The films are all superb and underscore the importance of having a cinematic voice representing of the province:
Talking at Night by Eric Thiessen (in attendance): The film captures the daily routine at Saskatoon’s Mobile Crisis Centre, where overextended workers must fend calls from the city’s most vulnerable. Thiessen’s fly-on-the-wall approach gives a good idea of the challenges the organization faces day in and day out. Extra points for not using the callers for emotional effect.
To Wake Up the Nakota Language (Nakón-wįcó’i’e oǧų́ǧa) by Louise Big Eagle: This short chronicles Armand McArthur’s efforts to save the Nakota language from oblivion. McArthur is a charismatic presence, and the loneliness of not having anyone to talk to transcends the screen. A beauty.
Ride by Kristin Catherwood: The most visually accomplished of the bunch, Ride follows Liam Marshall, a bareback bronc rider from Big Muddy Valley. It doesn’t have the social resonance of the other two, but the all-access pass to a little known activity makes it interesting.
The shorts will also be shown in Big Beaver, at the Community Hall next Monday 26th, with Kristin Catherwood and Liam Marshall in attendance.
