• N A T I o N A L c I N E M A •

Vancouver's National Week

• The dignitaries: Canada Council's George Armstrong, Hon. Homegrown Campbell, Hon. Pat Carney, and city alderman Bruce Yorke and flaring egos

• Popcorn power: 's Sandy Wilson and organizer Pat Campbell

modern film facility. "I am confident," ises: Cineworks Independent Film­ Smiling triumphantly, Sandy Wilson by George C. KoBer said' Marcel Masse that Friday, March makers' Society, Canadian Filmmakers sat smack in the centre of the podium, 21 , in his inaugurating remarks, "that Distribution West, and the Pacific her stylishly unkempt blonde hair fram ­ the new Pacific Cine Centre, combining Cinematheque. Sandy Wilson flew back ing her glowing, girlish face. But it was he beaming commUni.cations Minis­ production, distribution, and exhibition from with her Genie .awards a woman with experience who domi­ ter, flanked by Cabinet colleague facilities, will encourage many new for My American Cousin to star in the nated the proceedings - after all, she's TVancouver Centre MP Pat Carney filmmakers." A week later, veteran ex­ first seminar on the program, featuring finally made it. Best screenplay, best di­ and project organizer Peg Campbell, perimentalist AI Rzutis was "encour­ directors and producers. joining her on rection, best actor and actress, best cut the ribbon to open the impressive, aged" to spray paint a red, avant garde the panel were moderator Wayne Ster· editing, and best picture! Not many slogan on the screening room's virgin­ loff, fresh from Canada Post, now the Canadian filmmakers can boast of such white wall. Western coordinator for Telefilm a list of awards. Kicking off the activities of the new Canada; Victoria-raised director Atom Among other fascinating facts, we $1.8 million Centre was National Film Egoyan (Next of Kin), Winnipeg film­ learned that she had once directed a Week, a festival of and Cana­ maker John Paizs (Crime Wave), and 16mm short called Garbage, edited George C Koller, Cinema Canada's dian films, jointly sponsored by the Paul Pope, president of the Newfound­ news at BClV for a while, and made founding editor, lives in Vancouver. three organizations that share the premo land Film Coop. He's Not The Walking Kind about her

c c: e o Q) Q; E til E U til U Vl C/) ~ U ~ U o ~ -0 .r; -a.~~~~;peririI ": ' : experimental film's AI Razutis, right, with the Professor, ~----~~~~~--~~------~ ~ • "Avant-garde spits in the face of institutions": AI Razutis creating

June 1986 - Cinema Canada /25 • N A T I o N A L c I N E M A • wheelchair-bound brother. As for My expertly captured by Kelly Duncan's clever I am" feel about them. Memora­ included Patricia Gruben's first feature, American Cousin, a Toronto inter­ cinematography, even in black and ble were the excrutiatingly painful 1 on Low Visibility, and Jack Darcus' most viewer asked her, "You spent years de­ white. Malcolm LOWry: The Forest 22, by Bob Brown and Cleo Mittlestadt, recent feature, Overnight. The former veloping this project - was it more dif­ Path recounted how the famous author six minutes of ear-splitting soundtrack stars Larry Lillo as Mr. Bones, an appar­ ficult as a woman or as a Canadianl " lived, worked, and drank in a shack on and bondage imagery; The Ideal Artist ent amnesiac found wandering in the "What the hell do you answer to a ques­ the beach at Dollarton, actually finish­ by Peter Gress, depicting a messy art­ dead of winter by the side of the road in tion like that?" replied Sandy. ing Under the Volcano in B.C. ist's loft, complete with naked artist, ar­ Manning Park. The film captures the To a question from the audience as to In addition to the Vancouver film­ tistic paraphernalia, and a more than painstakingly slow process of bringing why like Phil Borsos (The makers honored with retrospective clever soundtrack; in Sex Without this mute, half-brute back to reality in a Grey Fox) are so anxious to heed Hol­ showings (Sandy Wilson, David Rim­ Glasses McLaren discovers rear projec­ research hospital, and the attempts of lywood's call once they've made it, the mer, Philip Borsos, Al Razutis, Larry tion, flying in his dreams, and how to the staff to teach him how to communi­ panelists had a range of responses. Kent, Zale and Laara Dalen, Philip Keat­ eliminate the technical imperfections cate. Through the aid of a female psy­ Egoyan said that at this stage of his life ley, and Peter Bryant), the week fea­ plaguing the other Funnel films. chiC and other clues it becomes appar­ he's comfortable making films here. "I tured screenings of shorts from film Having its public premiere at Na­ ent that he was the victim of a plane don't have a dream of going to Hol­ coops across the country. A sampling tional Film Week '86, Spirit of the Kata crash. Ominous connections occur to lywood," Paizs explained. "I imagine it's turned up Ranch: The Alan Wood was directed by Sharon McGowan, and the attentive viewer that make one a tacky place ... When I peak, people will Ranch Project by Steven DeNure and co-produced by the Pacific Studio and realize that he was not so much a victim remember me a couple of months Christopher Lowry from Cineworks, the Montreal Women's StudiO of the Na­ as the perpetrator of some unspeakably longer, than if I peaked in the States." Vancouver. This half-hour film docu­ tional Film Board. It focuses on women horrible violence. (Against a woman, Wilson summed it up: "I wouldn't mind ments the work of British-born, local practicing karate, and the lyrically naturally ... ) going down to L.A. for a little fun and a artist Wood, whose brightly painted forceful images confirm the fact that the Jack Darcus is a Vancouver painter lot of money, but not if I lose my voice." fences, barns, corrals, and teepees trans­ martial arts are no longer an exclusive who started making 16mm cinematic For a Canadian director in Tinseltown, formed the Rocky Mountain Ranch in male domain. Jacques et novembre by statements in the late '60s. Proxy cultural laryngitis is a distinct possibil­ Alberta into a very large work of art. Jean Beaudry and Franr;ois Bouvier Hawks, his second feature, was made ity. DeNure and Lowry go beyond standard had its first B.C. showing opening night for $16,000 in 1971 and critic John Noon screenings featured a historical documentation, however. Their cine­ to the invitation-only crowd. Michael Hofsess called it "one of the ten best look at early Vancouver and B.C. films, matic effort, through the use of ingeni­ Dorland in Cinema Canada called it "a Canadian features ever made." Over­ including a 1920's offering entitled ous time-lapse photography, editing old profound, life-asserting affirmation of night, his fifth feature, was shot last Canada's Pacific Gateway. 's cowboy film footage in a humorous artistic and cinematic integrity... a year in Toronto for considerably more 1956 documentary Skidrow was his di­ way, and an evident sensitivity to the in­ triumph." Return to Departure, pro­ money, and had its Western premiere rectorial debut. Two CBC films made terplay of light and shadow, becomes an duced and directed by Kirk Tougas, just before the closing party at the 25 years ago stood out for their excel­ art work in itself. starts off in extreme close-up docu­ Pacific Cine Centre. It is a hilarious lence. Totem, produced by Gene- Law­ Unfortunately, some of the films from menting the creation of a realist work of spoof of the pretentions of filmmaking rence, chronicled the monumental Toronto's The Funnel, an exhibition art. The innovative soundtrack is actu­ in general, and the foibles of "erotic" creations in wood of the Haidas, and the space and production collective, were ally a sound portrait of the unseen artist. cinema in particular. Victor Ertmanus efforts to save them from the ravages of self-consciously striving to be "art." The Eventually, the camera pulls back, and plays Scott, a middle-class innocent try­ weather and time. The haunting totem selections presented by founding both the painting and the artist are re­ ing to make it as an actor. In his agent's images and the photographic retelling member Ross McLaren were technically vealed. "Watching the pigment dry" is office he encounters Gale Garnett as of how the Haidas flourished after their amateurish for the most part, some of part of the subtitle of this 83-minute Del, a veteran of 10 skin quickies made first contacts with the white man - only them shot in Super 8, and, what was film. for the logging camps. She gives "good to get wiped out by small pox - were more annoying, many had a "look how The B.C. Retrospectives section also fake," De! tells Scott, meaning she can

26/Cinema Canada - June 1986 • N A T I o N A L c I N E M A • simulate a loud and dramatic orgasm. ers hurried around giving the au­ give a definition for it, even though she cannot be explained ... Cinema must be Scott gets called in to the inner ditorium a media, circus atmosphere. has been accused of practicing it. She freed from its obsession with meaning sanctum, where Alan Scarfe as an expat­ Programmer Maria Insell then gave a cited Bruce Elder's call for a new and words." To illustrate, he showed a riate Czech director is holding his own historical perspective of the term "avant cinema, definitely not narrative, based new video film, As Seen On TV, 14 mi­ in an argument with his crass Canadian garde" (originally a military term, first on a respect for the absolute, for holy nutes of pleasing images depicting smil­ producer about art versus expediency. used in relation to art by Rousseau dur­ values, for the call of the divine, but dis­ ing beauty queens, disturbing images of With the first few minutes of the film, ing the Enlightenment) and attempted missed his argument as "relentless a peep show, and the repeated image of Scott is ordered to drop his pants and to define it as art that is "relevant to so­ romanticism." Touching on psycho­ a man masturbating. Except for the much of the humor for the rest of Over­ ciety," "works that are ahead of their analYSis and semiotics in film criticism, dreaded black line that often shows up night is below the belt. But it's done in time," filled with "new and original Gruben asserted: "I'm not a theoretical when you film the TV screen, the work such an ingenious way, that nothing of­ ideas." filmmaker. " was satisfying. fensive or explicit is ever seen, the vital "Traditionally, the idea of the avant "Male artists are somewhat displaced Two "distinguished guests" from To­ parts masked by props or camera ang­ garde had denoted rebellion," con­ by new narrative and its association ronto, Joyce Wieland and Ross Mcla­ les. In an interesting twist, the veteran tinued Insell. "The purpose of this dis­ with feminism," admitted the director ren, decided to offer a joint presenta­ pornmakers become the enlightened cussion is to feel the pulse of the avant of Low Visibility at the conclusion of tion of their views in an unorthodox saviors of humankind, while the hesit­ garde in Canada." her remarks. manner. With a bouquet of pink tulips ant Scott is guilt-ridden for even think­ Internationally reowned artist and Respected Vancouver filmmaker on the table and the cameras whirring ing of walking out. A big-time American filmmaker Michael Snow stepped up to David Rimmer talked on "The Repres­ to capture the "event," Ross and Joyce producer bullies his way onto the set the lectern, continuing the military sion of the Erotic in Experimental traded quips about National Film Week and dangles the golden carrot in front of analogy about the avant garde being "a Cinema or Safe Sex for the Literary ("You get so many more people when the greedy Czech's eyes. Leaving the group which goes ahead of the rest of Minded." He quoted Marcel Masse, "But you speak than when you show your "dirty little movie" to the rest, the di­ the army," hoping that other artists and of course in cinema the word must al­ films ... "), funding structures like the rector runs after the American opportu­ the public will follow "into enemy ter­ ways come first," and firmly disagreed. Canada Council ("They work on the bi­ nity. "\X'e might be dirty and little," says ritOl)'." But he negated the idea of the "For me cinema begins ,",'ith the image," nary system - you're either a one or a the understudy to the producer, "but avant garde as a homogenous group. "I affirmed Rimmer, and ,vent on to de· zero ... "), or the David Rimmer film just we're Canadian." The audience dissol­ question whether I or we are leading in scribe a major problem with contempo­ shown ("Embarrassing images of ved in laughter and cheers. any way ... a group move is inapplicable rary works in film and video - having to women ..."). Wieland, an accomplished But the true climax of National Film to my film practice. Compared to the sit through long stretches of textual in­ experimental filmmaker and visual, art­ Week was not a movie about making mass audience for TV and industry formation, with absolutely no imagina­ ist, had made a conventional narrati\'e pornography, nor Peg Campbell's films, the audience for the avant garde tion in the visuals. fe ature, The Far Shore, abollt artist sophisticated short It's A Party, nor the in film is practically non-existent. The "Illustrated lectures masquerading as Tom Thomson. She introduced the Fu n­ closing festivity, held at Carlos 'n Bud's. criticism probably reaches more people film,'- continued Rimmer, who lectures nel's McLaren as "an escape from the It occurred during a seminar entitled than our actual work. .. I don't claim to at Emily Carr, "fear of the naked image, patriarchy," a term by which she means "Avant Garde Film Practices: Six Views," be avant garde ... I see some strong indi­ of the erotic power of the visual. It is a e\'erything that's wrong w ith a male­ which took place very appropriately on viduals... a situation more anarchical puritanical denial of the image, an at­ dominated Ronald Reagan world. Good Friday afternoon. Five than hierarchical." tempt to sanitize the image, it goes Their attempt at humor was just self­ quartz lights were aimed at the podium, SPU film professor Patricia Gruben along with writing about film, to repress conscious cleverness. Nevertheless, it three small motion-picture cameras explored the relationship between nar­ what's really happening. Cinema gives helped balance the heavy emphasis on were poised to record the action, and rative films and the avant garde, discov­ me visual pleasure - lots of filmmakers intellectual exploration that, except for the hundred people in attendance were ering something called "the new narra­ can't see, it's in their heads, not in their Rimmer, plagued this panel. "Freudian made to wait 17 minutes while organiz- tive" in the process. She was unable to eyes. The beauty of the image is that it psychological, semiological analysis was

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June J 986 - Cinema Canada/27 • N A T I o N A L c I N E M A • created by men," concluded Wieland, dynamism. As the Puccini opera Centre does have graffiti. We're a differ­ women filmmakers. The Avant Garde and should be rejected by "women, reached a crescendo, the goa teed, em kind of institution," replied a panel might only have had two women who are creating the next stage of tousled-haired dummy experienced Razutis-defender, also from the audi­ on it, but the editing and documentary evolution." "libidinal frustration ," and, to Razutis' ence. seminars were dominated by women, Petulant, stubborn Al Razutis thun­ negative response, delivered the best During the ensuing question and an­ and the panels during the week were dered up to the podium: "Could we kill line of the day: "Come now, if you deny swer session, film theory and institu­ moderated by women. (When I applied the house lights?" He explained that it you only confirm it and you know it." tions were discussed some more, then for the coordinator pOSition of National while he talked on an "unpopular topic Laying down his wooden "guest," moderator Maria Insell turned to Joyce Film Week, I was interviewed by three (by today's estimation) - theory," a pro­ Razutis berated his "somnambulist audi­ Wieland: women, and they selected another jector in the back would be running a ence," and continued with what "Joyce, I'm imerested in how you woman, Margaret Aasen, to fill the posi­ film called Splice, straight into a bleach sounded like a manifesto: "The avant wem from experimental to narrative. tion.) To be gender specific about it, as bath, where the emulsion would burn garde is not interested in ingratiating it­ You were influenced by Shirley Al Razutis would say, the matriarchy is off and only the splices remain. "A mat­ self to curators, or audiences, or institu­ Clarke ... " alive and well at the Pacific Cine erial fact is that the avant garde cannot tions. It does not kiss the hand of "No, no, no. If you don't know my Centre. . be repeated;" he gave this analogy as the psychoanalysis. I don't think it panders personal history ... but thank you for ask­ Militant feminist SPU professor Kaja reason for the destruction of his film. to Expo's multi-channel installations. ing me a question... I've been sitting Silverman shared my enthusiasm for Na­ Sniffling and huffing into the micro­ The feminist avant garde kicks here and you're the first one to ask me tional Film Week: "It was very well-or­ phone, Razutis emphasized that the new psychoanalysis back to Hollywood in a question .. . The Far Shore was my de­ ganized, a lot of interesting films and Cine Centre is accountable to the Avant the '40s where it belongs." At this point, sire to communicate on a different level people were brought in." A male uni­ Garde, but neglected to mention Razutis picked up a can of red spray to a bigger public ... Thank you again for versity student to his girlfriend: "I think whether the reverse was also true. paint and wrote "Avant garde" in large asking ... " (sarcastically). I'll join the avant garde, they seem like The Simon Fraser professor and letters underneath the screen. "Spits in Then, getting angry, Wieland cont­ a fun bunch of people." An exasperated legendary film personality pulled out a the face of institutional arts," he con­ inued: woman in jeans, after the spray painting, ventriloquist's dummy he called "the tinued to scrawl, as the audience gasped "I've spent 35 years as an artist. My and flaring egos, and after the projector Professor," put on a tape of Puccini at such unchallenged vandalism. "Deny, name was used with the Canada Coun­ in the booth caught fire, asked: "Are the music and dialogue, and proceeded to define, but you can't stop it," wrote the cil to get funding for this. Yet when I bars open today?" discuss with his alter ego the finer man, who a short while ago asserted show my films there are only 10 people Despite low attendance at some sc­ points of film theory. The Lithuanian­ that the avant garde does not repeat it­ in the audience ... " reenings ( caused by funding bodies' American-Canadian Razutis, with his self. His actions, however, were very re­ Insell: ... "Well, I'm sorry, I can't take axing the publicity budget at the last brusque mannerisms and penchant for miniscent of 196R responSibility ... " minute), despite juvenile outbursts on psycho-drama, looked like a big kid "If you choose to protest institutions, Wieland: "Someone must take re­ some panels, despite the poor quality of playing with a doll - the avant garde why this one, why not SPU where you sponsibility for this kind of shit... aware some of the fIlms, National Film Week filmmaker as stand-up comedian. "Did teach?" asked Peg Campbell, on behalf of having more women on this thing, was a great way to kick off the fabulous you mention my books and love of of the Pacific Cine Centre, "I've reSig­ and being considerate of women ... " new fIlm facility on Howe Street, just cinema?" asked the dummy, who spoke ned," was Razutis' terse comment. In all fairness to the organizers, Na­ north of Davie. "People still don't know in a snobbish voiced, almost continuous (He actually gave a year's notice, but it tional Film Week was considerate of that we're here," complained Cari monologue, hardly letting Razutis get a still got him off the hook.) "Why don't women. There were two special screen­ Green of Canadian Filmmakers Distri­ word in. "The Professor" spouted non­ you spray paint the Art Gallery?" came ings on Myth and Reality in Women's bution West. Perhaps someone should sense "in the Reichian sense," about a question from the audience. "SPU is an Cinema, one on Women in West Coast spray paint "Pacific Cine Centre" in bodies of symbology, visual gestalt, institution that has no graffiti, Emily Experimental Cinema, and six other huge letters on the blank wall facing salutory "imago," and effective Carr has no graffiti, the Pacific Cine programs were devoted to the works of Davie and the parking lot. •

28/Cinema Canada - June 1986