British Columbia CLiFF

The Canadian Labour International Film Festival (CLiFF) is back for 2010.

We’ve heard your feedback and for 2010, we’re creating greater flexibility for the screenings across Canada: The month of November will be CLiFF month. You can choose any day(s) in November to host a CLiFF Screening.

I (Lorene Oikawa) will continue as the Coordinator for the screenings in BC. If you want to confirm your interest as a host venue or have any questions, please contact me at bc@labourfilms.ca or 604.291.9611

The film submission deadline has been extended to the end of July, but the date is earlier this year to allow our Film Selection Committee to do their good work and allow for more time for the Location Coordinators to review and select the films for their screenings.

Stay tuned. More information will be posted on this blog.

I am in Copenhagen for COP15 the UN Climate Change Conference. With the demonstrations and all the activity happening, video is a great medium for catching the action.

And as the CLiFF BC Coordinator, I am practising what I preach.

I’m also capturing some private moments such as when I do the daily commute from my hotel in Sweden to Copenhagen in Denmark.

The conference is wrapping up tomorrow and the thousands of delegates who have travelled to this conference and endured bitter cold temperatures while waiting outside for hours have only one thought on our minds: We want a fair, just, equitable agreement now!

Thanks to all the enthusiastic participants who organized, volunteered, and attended CLiFF in seven locations around BC.

It was a fabulous inaugural film festival for workers and about workers and workers’ issues.  I was so proud to be a part of this first ever labour film festival for Canada. As the CLiFF BC Coordinator I am already thinking of the next CLiFF in BC and I have heard from a few of the leads in BC and they too are already thinking of ideas for an even better CLiFF.

So stay tuned for CLiFF BC, the sequel.

Enjoy a few photos from CLiFF BC 2009.

Snacks including popcorn in special CLiFF bags.

One of the CLiFF BC theatres:

Tom Kozar Education Centre at BCGEU HQ in Burnaby

Some of the CLiFF audience enjoying films and popcorn!

Are you ready for some great labour films? We are ready with CLiFF (Canadian Labour International Film Festival) screenings in Burnaby, Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Cowichan, Courtenay, and Prince George.

Be a part of this historic occasion – the first ever labour film festival for Canada.

Here’s a quick overview of the films at each of the locations. Hope to see you at one of the locations – and enjoy!

Burnaby – Sunday, November 29 – 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

BCGEU 4911 Canada Way, Burnaby

Six Weeks to Solidarity; Tanaka-San Will Not Do Calisthenics

More info:  http://labourfilms.ca/burnaby

or e-mail Lorene  burnaby@labourfilms.ca

Vancouver – Saturday, November 28 – 10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Maritime Labour Centre 1880 Triumph Street Vancouver

Poor No More; Bus Driver; 6 Weeks of Solidarity; El Contrato; A Time to Rise; From the Edge of the Blade; 6 Floors to Hell

More info:  http://www.vdlc.ca

or e-mail office@vdlc.ca

Victoria – Saturday, November 28 – 1 p.m.

Camas Books 2590 Quadra Street, Victoria

24 Days in Brooks

Victoria – Saturday, November 28 – starting at 2 p.m.

BCGEU 2994 Douglas Street, Victoria

Six Weeks of Solidarity; Workers in Peril, Union in Action; Tanaka-san will not do Calisthenics; The Invisible Force: Women Workers in Pakistan; Wal-mart Nation; If a Body Meet a Body; Who Killed Chea Vichea?;Vinegar in the Valley; Live music with Vancouver Solidarity Notes Choir and local musicians; Seeds of Peace; The Philosopher Kings

Victoria – Sunday, November 29 – starting from 2 p.m.

BCGEU 2994 Douglas Street, Victoria

Hold the Line; Poor No More; Herstory – Jeritan; Witness to the Harvest Pilgrims; Painting Red Square; Bus Driver; Second Chance – Union Made; Justice for All?; Northland: Long Journey; School Zone; Northland;Los Mexicanos; From the Edge of the Blade

More info:  BCGEU website  http://www.bcgeu.ca/node/6494

or e-mail Randy vicc@telus.net  or Gayle  gayleis@shaw.ca

Nanaimo – Saturday, November 28 – 1-5:30 p.m.

Building 356, Vancouver Island University

Poor No More; Los Mexicanos; The Philosopher Kings

More info: http://labourfilms.ca/nanaimo

or e-mail Joey  nanaimo@labourfilms.ca

Cowichan – Sunday, November 29 – 1 – 9 p.m.

Vimy Community Hall 3968 Gibbins Road, Duncan

From the Edge of the Blade; Wal-mart Nation; Poor No More; The Philosopher Kings; Seeds of Peace; 12,000 Men; Defying the Law

More info:  http://labourfilms.ca/cowichan

or e-mail Eden   CLIFFinCowichan@shaw.ca

Courtenay – Sunday, November 29 -  starting at 2 p.m.

Rotary Room in  the Florence Filberg Centre 411 Anderton Ave, Courtenay

Six Weeks of Solidarity; Hold the Line; Poor No More

More info:  e-mail  Brian   courtenay@labourfilms.ca

Prince George – Saturday, November 28 – 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

BCGEU 1070 – 4th Avenue, Prince George

Six Weeks of Solidarity; The Philosopher Kings; Los Mexicanos: The Struggle for Justice of Patricia Perz; Workers imperil, Union in Action; Hold the Line; 24 Days in Brooks; Bus Driver

More info:  e-mail Aaron   princegeorge@labourfilms.ca

General questions about CLiFF BC?

e-mail Lorene  bc@labourfilms.ca

In 17 days, we will launch CLiFF (Canadian Labour International Film Festivals) across Canada.

For BC, we have confirmed locations in Vancouver, Burnaby, Victoria, Cowichan, Nanaimo, Courtenay, and Prince George.

Festival in a Box (fiab) is ready to go and for a list of films check out the website at labourfilms.ca

For anyone interested in participating and/or having a location in a community in BC, please contact me asap. For more details check out my Oct 29th post, It’s not too late to join CLiFF and be a part of this historic event – the first labour film festival for Canada.

CLiFF BC Coordinator Lorene Oikawa   bc@labourfilms.ca  or 604-291-9611

Welcome to Courtenay. Courtenay is the newest CLiFF location on Vancouver Island.

Campbell River, Courtenay and District Labour Council and the World  Community Education and Development Society is hosting CLiFF in Courtenay.

For more information contact Brian Charlton. e-mail courtenay@labourfilms.ca

or check the CLiFF Courtenay blog at http://labourfilms.ca/courtenay

It’s not too late to join the growing list of CLiFF BC locations.

Holding a film festival can be as easy as festival-in-a-box. Check out my earlier posting, “Film Festival in a Box.” You slip in a dvd with pre-selected films and show the films to a group – labour colleagues and activists. You can show it at your union office or even in the comfort of your home.

The film festivals across Canada will take place on November 28 and 29. You can choose either or both days and you pick the time of the screening.

Contact me and I can tell you more about how easy it is to be a part of this landmark event – the first ever labour film festival for Canada.

Just e-mail me, Lorene Oikawa, CLiFF BC Coordinator at bc@labourfilms.ca or call 604-291-9611

Welcome Prince George!

Prince George is the newest CLiFF BC location. People think of Prince George as the “North” but actually it’s in the center of BC where the Nechako River joins the Fraser River.

If you live in the area or have any family, friends or colleagues who want to participate In CLiFF, have them get in touch with Aaron Ekman who is coordinating the festival in Prince George.  aaron.ekman@bcgeu.ca  or by phone 250-563-1116

The film festival will take place at the BCGEU Diane L. Wood Union Centre located at 1070 – 4th Avenue in Prince George.

 I’ll post an update once the screening times are confirmed.

Eden Haythornthwaite, the Coordinator for CLiFF Cowichan, has confirmed the venue:

Vimy Community Hall, 3968 Gibbins Road, Duncan, BC

CLiFF Cowichan will take place on Sunday, November 29, 2009 from 1 pm to 9 pm.

For more information, please contact Eden at 250-709-7975 or CLiFFinCowichan@shaw.ca

or check out the CLiFF Cowichan blog http://labourfilms.ca/cowichan

CLiFF is making it very easy to hold a film festival. Last week the film catalogue went out to the festival coordinators. This week, festival in a box will be ready. So you can choose the film(s) you want to show at the festival or have it done for you.

You may be wondering what is festival in a box. It’s pre-selected films on a dvd with accompanying notes on each film so basically plug and play.

One of the festival coordinators in a remote location will be using festival in a box. He is inviting some labour activists to his home and then popping the dvd in his computer.

If you’re interested in hosting a CLiFF film festival in your community in BC it’s not too late. Please contact me – Lorene Oikawa -  and I can provide more information.

I’m the BC Coordinator for CLiFF and you can reach me at 604-291-9611 or bc@labourfilms.ca

Check out the latest edition of Our Times magazine for an article on CLiFF and an interview with Frank Saptel, the founder of CLiFF, the first labour film festival for Canada.