May / Jun 2011 Cinematheque PROGRAM

New World Documentaries | Stories in Our Skies: Canadian Aviation History on Film

CANADIAN & INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILMS Cont’d on pg. 7

THE YEAR DOLLY PARTON WAS MY MOM DIR. TARA JOHNS | 2011 | CANADA | 95 MIN Starring Gil Bellows, Macha Grenon, Julia Stone ›› FRI JUN 10 & SAT JUN 11 – 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM ›› SUN JUN 12 – 7:00 PM ›› WED JUN 15 & THU JUN 16 – 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM Director Tara Johns has created a poignant, affectionate story of a young girl who is convinced that Dolly Parton is her real mother and journeys off to meet her. It’s 1976 and Elizabeth is just your average suburban 11 year old praying for adolescence to arrive when she discovers her whole life has been a lie. With only her imagination to guide her, Elizabeth runs away in search of her true identity. Her adoptive mother Marion is then forced to break out of the carefully constructed “truth” she’s been clinging to and go after her daughter. This leads to a cathartic cross-country trek by a mother searching for a daughter who’s searching for a mother – both of them really searching for themselves…. The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom is a poignant, sometimes funny, very female, coming of age story that explores the tension between creating identity and finding it within. Shot in Quebec and the wide open spaces of the Manitoba prairies, The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom features songs by Martha Wainwright and The Wailin’ Jennys.

“Nostalgic, innocent, funny, touching...” - Montreal Gazette

$8 general $6 Film Group & $1 of each admission goes toward Members Pay Only $6.00 our capital improvements, aimed Cinematheque Admission $7 students Buy a membership! See page 8 for at making your experience at the & seniors Members more information... Cinematheque even more satisfying.

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40045468 Infoline: 204-925-3457 Return to : Winnipeg Film Group 304-100 Arthur Street 100 Arthur Street, In The Exchange Winnipeg, MB R3B 1H3 www.winnipegcinematheque.com PHIL OCHS: THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE New World Documentaries

ORGASM INC. UNSPEAKABLE PHIL OCHS: THERE BUT DIR. JOHN PASKIEVICH | 2009 | CANADA | 89 MIN DIR. LIZ CANNER | 2010 | USA | 78 MIN ›› FRI MAY 13 TO SUN MAY 15 – 7:00 PM FOR FORTUNE ›› SUN MAY 1 – 7:00 PM DIR. KENNETH BOWSER | 2011 | USA | 98 MIN ›› SUN MAY 15 – 2:00 PM ›› WED MAY 4 & THU MAY 5 – 7:00 PM ›› FRI MAY 20 TO SUN MAY 22 – 7:00 PM ›› THU MAY 19 – 7:00 PM ›› FRI MAY 6 & SAT MAY 7 – 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM ›› WED MAY 25 – 7:00 PM ›› SUN MAY 8 – 7:00 PM Academy Award winner The King’s Speech has ›› WED MAY 11 & THU MAY 12 – 7:00 PM brought the subject of stuttering out into the open. Phil Ochs: There but for Fortune is a new documentary Winnipeg filmmaker John Paskievich’s documentary about Phil Ochs, a forgotten folk singing legend In this shocking and hilarious documentary, filmmaker Unspeakable explores in humourous and fascinating from the United States and a friendly rival of Bob Liz Canner takes a job editing erotic videos for a drug detail the nature, history and treatment of stuttering Dylan. Wielding only a battered guitar, a clear voice trial for a pharmaceutical company. Her employer is with rare footage of the real King George VI giving and some razor sharp songs, he tirelessly fought for developing what they hope will be the first Viagra a speech. King George VI as well as Winston peace and justice throughout his short life. Featuring drug for women to win FDA approval to treat a Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, and James Earl Jones rare archival concert footage and interviews with new disease: Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD). Liz were all afflicted with the disorder-yet it remains a Billy Bragg, Pete Seeger, Tom Hayden, Christopher gains permission to film the company for her own medical enigma. Paskievich’s story and the stories Hitchens and Joan Baez, the film is also an exciting documentary. Initially, she plans to create a movie of others in the film are poignant, funny, angry and illumination of the political movement of the about science and pleasure but she soon begins to courageous, providing eloquent testimony to what U.S. in the 1960s. His life ended tragically when suspect that her employer, along with a cadre of it means to live imprisoned in what the poet W.H. he committed suicide in 1976 at the age of 35. other medical companies, might be trying to take Auden called “the tower of stutter”. Unspeakable advantage of women (and potentially endanger their “An ESSENTIAL PORTRAIT of an artist who ought to be is a call for liberation, not from stuttering, but health) in pursuit of billion dollar profits.Orgasm far better known. Filmmaker Kenneth Bowser does an from the ignorance and stigma that surround it. Inc. is a powerful look inside the medical industry admirable job of conveying why Ochs’ music continues to mean so much to his fans. A MUST SEE.” and the marketing campaigns that are literally and * The Friday, May 13 screening will include a panel –Entertainment Weekly figuratively reshaping our everyday lives around health, discussion with filmmaker John Paskievich, a illness, desire – and that ultimate moment: orgasm. speech therapist and the parent of a child who The screening of Phil Ochs: stutters. They will all discuss their personal There but for Fortune is “Both poignant and hilarious, Orgasm Inc. will leave you generously sponsored by hot and bothered.”–Time Magazine experiences of stuttering as well as various scenes from The King’s Speech. Mayworks: A Festival of “A must-see for women of all ages, for their partners, Labour and the Arts and for their physicians.”–About.com Documentaries

2 | Cinematheque May/June 2011 THE PEOPLE VS. GEORGE LUCAS

Cologne International Residency Screening & Artist Talk DISH: WOMEN, WAITRESSING THE PEOPLE VS. GEORGE LUCAS ›› Fri May 27 – 9:15 PM DIR. ALEXANDRE O. PHILLIPE | FRANCE, USA | 2010 | 93 MIN AND THE ART OF SERVICE * Free Admission DIR. MAYA GALLUS | 2010 | CANADA | 70 MIN ›› FRI JUN 17 & SAT JUN 18 – 9:00 PM ›› WED JUN 22 & THU JUNE 23 – 9:00 PM ›› WED JUN 1 TO FRI JUNE 3 – 7:00 PM In 2010, the Winnipeg Film Group sent ›› SAT JUN 4 – 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM ›› FRI JUN 24 & SAT JUN 25 – 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM ›› SUN JUN 5 – 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM ›› SUN JUN 26 – 7:00 PM three filmmakers to Cologne, Germany ›› WED JUN 8 & THU JUN 9 – 7:00 PM ›› WED JUN 29 & THU JUN 30 – 7:00 PM for a two-week residency at our sister Former waitress and Gemini award-winning director The passion that the original Star Wars trilogy inspires organization, the Kölner Filmhaus. Maya Gallus dines out and dishes the dirt with in its fans is unparalleled; but when it comes to George In May 2011, three filmmakers from waitresses, restaurant owners and maitre d’s about Lucas himself, many have found their ardor has cooled the demands of working as a waitress. From the into a complicated love-hate relationship. This hilarious, Cologne will be completing hustle of a busy truck stop to the discreet hush heartfelt documentary delves deep into Lucas’s cultural a residency at the WFG, working of a Parisian house of fine dining, Dish features legacy, asking all the tough questions. Has Lucas to develop projects and connecting touching and hilarious stories from waitresses betrayed his masterwork? Should he just have left the who have worked everywhere from Ontario original trilogy alone? Is The Phantom Menace so bad with the local film community. Join truckstops to Maid Cafes in Tokyo and Hooters style it should carry a health warning? Utilizing interviews us for an evening with Teresa taken from over 600 hours of footage includes restaurants in North America. “You’ll never look Hayer, Svetlana Postnova and Wilda at a waitress the same way again.”–Will Brownridge interviews with Chris Gore (founder of Film Threat) and critic Roger Ebert. Peppered with extraordinary Wahnwitz as they share some of * The Friday, June 3 screening will be Star Wars and Indiana Jones recreations lovingly their work of films and discuss accompanied by an Independent Producers Panel immortalized in song, needlepoint, Lego, claymation, Discussion on the creative tools necessary for puppets and paper-mâché, above all this film asks the filmmaking in Winnipeg and Cologne. making quality independent films, featuring question: who truly owns that galaxy far, far away - the panelists Kyle Bornais (Farpoint Films), Brendon man who created it, or the fans who worship it? Sawatzky (Inferno Pictures) and Liz Jarvis (Buffalo Gal Pictures), and Dish’s producer Justine Pimlott (Red Queen Productions).

3 | Cinematheque May/June 2011 Skydive

STORIES IN OUR SKIES: CANADIAN AVIATION HISTORY ON FILM

›› THU MAY 26 – SUN MAY 29 Curated by Kevin Nikkel *Special Full Series Pass: $50 / $35 members – available for advance purchase through our online store at www.winnipegcinematheque.com. In 2006, it was announced that the Winnipeg International Airport would be renamed after James Armstrong Richardson, a modern canonization of a pioneer of the early days of flight on the prairies. To mark the occasion this year, a new terminal will be unveiled. What better time to look closer at the history of our skies. As events of the last decade remind us, pilots rise to mythical status as they face moments of crisis and are commemorated for achievements. It is not hard to celebrate with wonder these pilots of the past, regardless of their back-stories—or the discriminating circumstances that existed during their days of triumph. But even the heroes and stories we treasure are worth examining carefully.

What kind of aviation heroes do we make? What kind of heroes are they really? What untold stories are there of heroes of the air and those who remain on the ground? These heroes emerge from the clouds to face a crisis, to face an enemy, and then to face the media. The facts, the stories and the legends eventually become mixed in our memories as they fade into history. This program is a search for our iconic aviators and inventors, ground crews, and rescuers; the stories our skies would tell were they to speak. – Kevin Nikkel We gratefully acknowledge the Richardson Foundation for their support of this program. We also acknowledge the assistance of the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, the Archives of Manitoba and the National Film Board.

CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS THE KID WHO COULDN’T MISS dir. Michael Curtiz | 1942 | Usa | 114 min DIR. PAUL COWAN | 1982 | CANADA | 79 MIN Starring James Cagney, Brenda Marshall, George Tobias Introduced by Aviation Historian Wayne Ralph Introduced by Aviation Historian Bill Zuk ›› FRI MAY 27 – 7:00 PM ›› THU MAY 26 – 7:00 PM Paul Cowan’s controversial film The Kid Who From the director of Casablanca, James Cagney Couldn’t Miss revisits the famed World War I pilot stars as an aggressive bush pilot who competes Billy Bishop and speculates if he was as good as his for business on the lakes of Northern Canada, reputation would suggest. The film tracks the rise of and for the heart of the heroine played by Brenda a brash kid from Owen Sound, Ontario to Canada’s Marshall. After muscling his way into the northern most decorated flying ace of the War. Cowan’s use skies, Cagney and his competitors try and take of ‘docu-drama’ and his questioning of the record their unconventional flying techniques to the of the iconic Bishop continues to ruffle feathers. Is PLAYS WITH: RCAF to fight in World War II. The film is the first this a case of a hero flying too high and too close to SKYDIVE (dir. Heidi Phillips, 2001, Canada, 5 min) Hollywood feature film shot entirely in Canada. the sun, or a filmmaker taking too many liberties? A metaphoric reflection on risk and the faith that it demands, using found archival footage of jumpers Followed by a discussion led by the Manitoba who contemplate whether God will be their parachute. chapter of the Canadian Aviation Historical Artfully scored and edited, the film brings viewers into a Society. place of self sacrifice and move towards the unknown. Followed by a discussion with Aviation Historian Wayne Ralph.

4 | Cinematheque May/June 2011 The defender

BETWEEN HOME AND THE FRONT STRANGE WINGS: ›› SAT MAY 28 – 2:00 PM AVIATION FILMS FROM THE NFB DOUBLE HERITAGE (dir. Richard Gilbert, 1959, Canada, 30 min) ›› SAT MAY 28 – 7:00 PM This is the story of the barnstormers and bush pilots who explored Canada’s vast THE DEFENDER (dir. Stephen Low, 1988, Canada, 54 min) hinterland, and of the heroes of World War II who flew the Bolingbrokes and the Ansons, the Mosquitoes and the Hurricanes. The great unmapped territories of the The appealing story about Bob Diemert of Carman, Manitoba, and his dream of Canadian North and the impetus of war are reviewed in this film. building the world’s next great fighter plane. His worldwide reputation as a genius at restoring “warbirds” enables him to finance his dream. The Defender is a lively, FLIGHT 6 (dir. Sydney Newman, 1944, Canada, 10 min) sometimes wild and funny, tale about a remarkable, modern-day folk hero. Every night, Trans-Canada Airlines Flight 6 crosses Canada from Vancouver to Montréal with its load of blue and yellow air mail bags, playing an important role in Canadian life and business. With interesting footage of a civilian use Lancaster not equipped for war.

WINGS PARADE (dir. Cranfield Cook, 1942, Canada, 20 min) The film shows the various types of fighter and bomber aircraft and the stages of training through which Royal Canadian Air Force pilots and air crews have to pass before obtaining their wings.

BLAKE (dir. Bill Mason, 1969, Canada, 20 min) This short film focuses on his friend and fellow filmmaker, Blake James. In his never- ending quest for freedom, Blake pilots his own plane. This film is Mason’s view of his friend as a “hobo of the skies”, but it is also an adventure that beckons the viewer to come along for the ride.

THE BALGONIE BIRDMAN (dir. Brian Duchscherer, 1991, Canada, 9 min) A small prairie town has few secrets but in Balgonie, Saskatchewan, Bill Gibson had one. Each night, when most folks were home asleep, Bill was busy in his workshop. You see, Bill had a dream. He was building a flying machine. This charming puppet AS CLOSE AS BROTHERS (dir. Jeffrey Riddell, 2010, Canada, 19 min) animation film tells his story. A retelling of the fate of Winnipegger Andrew Mynarski, gunner on a Lancaster Followed by a Q&A with Bob Diemert: pilot, inventor and expert in airplane bomber in World War II. On his crew’s 13th mission, their plane was attacked over restoration and the subject of the 1988 documentary filmThe Defender. France, demanding the crew bail out. Mynarski’s act of bravery came in his attempt to save the tail gunner on the plane. Mynarski would not survive the ordeal, but was Stories in our skies continues on page 6... posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

5 | Cinematheque May/June 2011 BUSH PILOT

RIVETS AND WINGS OUR NORTHERN SKIES ›› SUN MAY 29 – 2:00 PM ›› SUN MAY 29 – 7:00 PM Introduced by director Bob Lower WINGS ON HER SHOULDER (dir. Jane Marsh, 1943, Canada, 10 min) This short archival film documents the Woman’s Division of the Royal Canadian Air HISTORY IN OUR SKIES (Archival Excerpts, 1930, Canada, 5 min) Force of 1943. 9,000 strong, an able corps trained for service at home and overseas. Silent archival footage from the Manitoba Provincial and the Hudson’s Bay Company Their aim is to prepare themselves for an important role in the flying field after the war, Archives includes excerpts from a number of early archival films documenting the when Canada’s civil air power will prove an essential factor in the air communications integral role of aircraft on the prairies and outposts across the north. of peacetime civilization. BUSH PILOT: REFLECTIONS ON A CANADIAN MYTH (dirs. Norma Bailey & Bob Lower, 1980, Canada, 23 min) For some bush pilots, flying is like playing solo violin at Carnegie Hall. For others, it’s like driving a taxi. The film shows how bush pilots are slowly being replaced. In northern towns built by bulldozers and jet aircraft, the emphasis is not on adapting to the north, but on remaking it in the image of the south.

ROSIES OF THE NORTH (dir. Kelly Saxberg, 1999, Canada, 47 min) They raised children, baked cakes... and built world-class fighter planes. 60 years ago, thousands of women from Thunder Bay and the Prairies donned trousers, packed lunch pails and took up rivet guns to participate in the greatest industrial war effort NORTHLANDER (dir. Myles & Riel Langlois, 2008, Canada, 53 min) in Canadian history. Like many other factories across the country from 1939 to 1945, On May 10, 1955, a DC-4 crash landed on the ice floes of the Hudson Bay near the shop floor at Fort William’s Canadian Car and Foundry was transformed from an Churchill, Manitoba. The plane was abandoned by the airline; but a small group all male workforce to one with forty percent female workers. of local Inuit men believed that the aircraft could be salvaged. For the first time, Northlander tells their amazing story through interviews, photographs and recently discovered 8mm footage of how the rescue operation was undertaken.

›› MON MAY 16 – WED MAY 18 Núna (now) is a multi-disciplinary cultural convergence dedicated to bringing the best in Icelandic art, music, film and dance to Manitoba. For more info, visit www.nunanow.com

6 | Cinematheque May/June 2011 BILLY Canadian & International DIR. WINSTON MOXAM | 2010 | CANADA | 85 MIN Starring Ernesto Griffith, Sarah Constible, Bob Huculak, Harry Nelkin, Frank Adamson, Gord Tanner, Susan Kelso, Feature Films Ardith Boxall, Jon Ted Wynne ›› FRI JUN 17 TO SUN JUN 19 – 7:00 PM ›› WED JUN 22 & THU JUN 23 – 7:00 PM Introduced by Ernesto Griffith A young journalist arrives at a retirement home to interview Billy, a 94 year old black man. Billy tells him the story of his eventful life, dating back to his early recollections of a time when he left the United States to move to Swan River, Manitoba. He recalls his struggle as a homesteader, the racism he endured, his love of a woman, and his gift of photography. Billy is the story of one man’s search for acceptance. The film is based on true events. * Winner of the 2010 Manitoba Human Rights Commitment Award * Best Narrative Feature at the 2011 Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival We are saddened beyond words of the passing of one of Winnipeg’s most unique filmmaking voices, our friend and colleague Winston Washington Moxam. Winston acted as Cinematheque’s Projectionist from 1992-2010. We invite you to learn more about Winston, the filmmaker, through a chapter of our book, PLACE: From the Outside Looking In: The Films of Winston Washington Moxam at winnipegcinematheque.com

7 | Cinematheque May/June 2011

June May

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ADMISSION W HEN ASECONDADMISSIONIS PURCHASED. $55 $50 $25 Fortune Phil Ochs:ThereButFor Unspeakable Unspeakable Orgasm Inc. Lucas The Peoplevs.George Billy Was MyMom The Year DollyParton Dish Dish Northern Skies Stories InOurSkies: Rivets andWings Stories InOurSkies: Orgasm Inc. Bring thiscouponinandEN JOY ONECOMPLIMENTARY Expires June30/11 ProofofMembership willbenecessary. SUN SUN TENSHOWPASS FAMILY INDIVIDUAL Members! 27 20 13 6 30 23 7:00 PM 16 9 30 2 Special events excluded. MON MON Festival Nuna (now)   $125 $15 REDUCED 28 21 14 7 31 24 7:00 PM 17 10 31 3 UNLIMITEDANNUAL TUE TUE Festival Nuna (now) (Students/Seniors/Artists) 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 29 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 22 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 15 7:00 PM 8 1 7:00 PM 25 7:00 PM 18 11 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 1 4 Orgasm Inc. Lucas The Peoplevs.George Lucas The Peoplevs.George Billy Was MyMom The Year DollyParton Was MyMom The Year DollyParton Dish Fortune Phil Ochs:ThereButFor Nuna (now)Festival Orgasm Inc. Dish WED WED

16 7:00 PM 9 2 7:00 PM 26 7:00 PM 19 7:00 PM 12 7:00 PM 30 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 23 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 2 7:00 PM 5 Dish Captains oftheClouds Stories InOurSkies: Unspeakable Orgasm Inc. Lucas The Peoplevs.George Lucas The Peoplevs.George Billy Was MyMom The Year DollyParton Was MyMom The Year DollyParton Dish Orgasm Inc. THU THU 17 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 10 3 9:15 PM 7:00 PM 27 7:00 PM 20 7:00 PM 13 1 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 24 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 3 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 6 Was MyMom The Year DollyParton Was MyMom The Year DollyParton Screening &ArtistTalk Cologne Int’lResidency Kid WhoCouldn’t Miss Stories InOurSkies:The Fortune Phil Ochs:ThereButFor Unspeakable Lucas The Peoplevs.George Lucas The Peoplevs.George Lucas The Peoplevs.George Billy Dish withpaneldiscussion Orgasm Inc. Orgasm Inc. FRI FRI 4 2 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 25 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 18 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 11 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 4 7:00 PM 2:00 PM 28 7:00 PM 21 7:00 PM 14 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 7

Between HomeandtheFront Stories InOurSkies: Lucas The Peoplevs.George Lucas The Peoplevs.George Lucas The Peoplevs.George Billy Was MyMom The Year DollyParton Was MyMom The Year DollyParton Dish Dish Wings Stories InOurSkies:Strange Fortune Phil Ochs:ThereButFor Unspeakable Orgasm Inc. Orgasm Inc. SAT SAT