F a S T E N Y O U R S E a T B E L T S W I L L I a M W Y L
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2016 24th season F A S T E N Y o u r S E A T B E L T S It’s Bette Davis at her best including... Four Films by W i l l i a m W y l e r 1 12th Annual Northumberland Film Sundays Weekend Film Festival Rainbow Cinemas Cobourg Northumberland Mall January 20- 22, 2017 Program details and tickets on sale early December 2016 Help us help others while enjoying TIFF films www.northumberlandfilm.ca 2 M e s s a g e from MARie DresSLer FounDATION hen a serious fire in 1989 nearly destroyed Marie Dressler’s birthplace, operating Was a restaurant at the time, the Community responded: “…we must save the herit- age home of Hollywood’s best loved actress of her day.” Marie Dressler Foundation, a not-for-profit registered charity, was created in 1990 to lead the fundraising efforts to save and restore the building. Of the many fund- raising initiatives of the day, one of the most popular was a film festival showing vintage films. Thus began the Vintage Film Festival (originally named Cobourg Film Festival). In a few short years, with the strong support of the community, Marie Dressler House was re-opened and the Foundation created a small memorabilia room dedicated to the life and achievements of Marie Dressler. Now in its 24th year, the Vintage Film Festival has evolved into an important fund-raising event for the Foundation’s charitable activities, specifically awarding bursa- ries to graduating high school students pursuing post-secondary studies in the performing or visual arts. Recently, the Foundation has also raised funds from government agencies and the community at large to create a new interactive exhibition “From Cobourg to Hollywood: The Story of Marie Dressler” in the newly opened Marie Dressler Museum. For more information, please see page 8. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Marie Dressler Foundation, and all of the many volunteers and recipients of bursaries, thank you so much for your continued patronage. And, while you are in the area, take some time to enjoy lovely Port Hope, Cobourg and Northumberland County. Rick Miller, President & Chair Marie Dressler Director Marg Baily Director Alma Draper Foundation Board Ex-officio Director & Webmaster John Draper President & Chair Rick Miller Ex-officio Director & Chair of Vintage Corporate Secretary Terry Foord Film Festival Cathie Houston Treasurer Bill Patchett Honourary Chair Delphine Patchett www.mariedressler.ca Foundation Historian & Director Barbara Garrick Box 880, Cobourg, ON Chief Financial Officer K9A 4S3 Sharron Wharram-Spry 3 This year I PLEDGE to Shop LOCAL Spend LOCAL Eat LOCAL Enjoy LOCAL and support the local businesses that support me and my community 334 Spring Street • Cobourg, ON K9A 3K4 t: 905.372.8888 • f: 905.372.9104 www.readyprint.ca Toronto silent film Festival APRIL 6 - 11, 2017 torontosilentlmfestival.com Design & Advertising www.nashnash.com 4 M e s s a g e from the Vintage Film Festival Chair ast year’s Vintage Film Festival was the best attended in our history. So when our Lcommittee was tossing around ideas for this year’s event, we wanted to be sure to build on our success with a special theme. We quickly thought of Bette Davis. After all, she was—and still is—larger than life: one of Hollywood’s biggest stars ever. And as we considered which movies to show, another name kept coming up: William Wyler, the acclaimed director with whom Davis worked on several occasions. And then the light dawned: wouldn’t it be fun to see some of their best remembered collaborations—Jeze- bel, The Letter—and then see examples of their work independent of each other? So that’s the logic behind many of our selections this year, but that’s just part of the fun as we present 13 movies sure to appeal to all you cinemaphiles. As usual, we have two silent films—one a grim social commentary, the other a laugh-filled lark—and both will be presented as silent movies should be: with live piano accompaniment. We also have some landmark films, such asGrand Hotel, Carmen Jones and Roman Holiday, each of which made history in its time. And maybe best of all, we have Alfred Hitch- cock’s Psycho. Made in 1960, it’s the newest film we’ve ever featured—believe me, it has stood the test of time and will surely jolt you out of your seat! Between movies, be sure to check our silent auction, with lots of goodies for you to bid on. In the theatre lobby, you’ll also find a desk where you can buy this year’s souvenir T-shirts and posters. And if you have a weekend pass, you should attend our Brown Bag Lunch on Sunday, where guest speaker Thom Ernst will offer his thoughts on women in cinema. You can be sure Bette Davis will be part of this talk. Before the lights go down, let me take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the donors, sponsors, advertisers, film festival patrons and volunteers, whose generosity, patronage and efforts have all been critical in putting this festival together. We trust this year will be an even bigger success than last. Cathie Houston, Chair Vintage Film Festival Promotion & Publicity Chris Worsnop, George Atto, Alma Draper, Ross Pigeau Committee Members Program Editor Tom Cruickshank Editor Emeritus Michael Hanlon Chair Cathie Houston Reception & Venues Lynn Hardy Correspondence Leslie Benson Silent Auction Phyllis Hendry Fund-raising Phyllis Hendry, Alma Tickets Rick Miller Draper, Cathie Houston Treasurer Sharron Wharram-Spry Film Programming Terry Foord, Chris Webmaster/Secretary John Draper Worsnop, Michael Hanlon www.vintagefilmfestival.ca 5 Brown Bag Lunch with T h o M E R n s t Sunday at noon hom Ernst knows movies. Once the host of TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies and Tstill a respected film critic and broadcaster, we are thrilled once again to present him as our lunch -time speaker this year. He’ll be on hand at the Sculthorpe Theatre (upstairs at the Capitol) on Sunday to offer his take on the power of women in Hollywood (no doubt Bette Davis will be part of the conversation) as well as lots of other observations on the golden age of cinema. Learn more about Thom at reelthomernst.com. Brown bag lunches are available this year at a cost of $8.50, which includes tax. Please order (and select the sandwich of your choice) at the reception desk in the lobby of the Capitol Theatre. The deadline for ordering is 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Space is limited! This event is for Festival (weekend) passholders only. The Capitol Theatre here isn’t a venue in Canada better suited to the Vin- Ttage Film Festival than the Capitol Theatre right here in Port Hope. Not only is it the right size, the theatre—like the movies we show—is vintage, too. Built in 1930 spe- cifically for talkies, it is, in fact, an architectural treasure and one of only a handful of “atmospheric” theatres in Canada. Just as the movies promise patrons an escape from the everyday, an atmospheric theatre is itself part of the show, an architectural fantasy as creative as anything you’ll see on screen. The Capitol adopts the theme of a “Norman castle” with medieval cues throughout, accented Archival photo circa 1930 by plenty of decorative novelties. The fun starts outside, where the marquee suggests a drawbridge, while the lobby lures you into the castle keep. Inside, garden motifs adorn the wall, while twin turrets watch over the auditorium. There’s even a twinkling twilight sky on the ceiling above. Earlier in 2016, the Capitol was designated a National Historic Site by Parks Canada. In a town known for architectural treasures, the theatre is a jewel in its crown. 6 MARIE DRESSLER B u r s a r y W i n n e r s ne of the reasons the Vintage Film Festival exists at all is to raise funds toward the OMarie Dressler Bursaries, which are awarded annually to one or more local high- school grads as they embark on further education. Among the criteria for the award are high academic standing, a record of volunteerism and a demonstrated interest in a career in the arts. Each award is worth $1,500. From all the applicants, the four 2016 winners were: • A resident of Castleton, Christian Hodge graduated from East Northumberland Secondary School. He’s a pianist, composer and playwright who has been active in any number of local theatrical productions. He has also been a tireless volunteer at the Westben theatre and deserves special accolades for being accepted at the the prestigious Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts in Toronto. • Amy Scott is off to Western University for studies in Media Production. In high school, she was a dedicated volunteer, eager to do any job if it meant she would learn something about theatre production. She performed with Northumberland Players and even directed a version of Arsenic and Old Lace when only in Grade 10. Last year, she won the Town of Cobourg Civic Award for Arts. • David Robert of Cobourg played the Cowardly Lion in a local production of The Wizard of Oz and took improv training at the Second City in Toronto. An accom- plished writer, he should do well as he strives to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Production at York University. • Carlie White from Cobourg decided to focus on film at an early age and has been active in theatre ever since.