HIFF Newsletter • May 14, 2019
OPENING NIGHT FILMS
UNE COLONIE (A COLONY)
by Genviève Dulude-De Celles
June 12 • 7 pm • Neptune Scotiabank Stage Theatre
HIFF can hardly wait to kick off our 13th annual festival with Une Colonie, the fiction feature debut from Geneviève Dulude-De Celles, one of Canada's most exciting new filmmakers.
Une Colonie follows the story of twelve-year-old Mylia, who upon entering her first year of high school begins to find her own path as she shrugs off her adoring little sister for the chance to attend her first party. As she navigates family tension, the lack of adolescent consent, the realities of colonization and the notion of conforming, Mylia befriends a boy living on the neighbouring Odanak reserve who helps her see the beauty in colouring outside the lines. The film has already gained serious acclaim on the festival circuit, earning the Silver Bear for Best Film at the Berlin International Film Festival, as well as Best Motion Picture and Best Performance for all three young leading actors at this year's Canadian Screen Awards.
Tickets are available here.
"A convincing young cast breathes life into an anxious age."
— Deborah Young, The Hollywood Reporter
"(Une Colonie) showcases an emotional sensitivity and cultural specificity that gives it a strong individual identity."
— Nikki Baughan, Screen Daily
Following the screening, director Geneviève Dulude-De Celles will join us for an audience Q&A live in the Neptune Scotiabank Stage Theatre.
Check out the trailer here:
LA CASA LOBO (THE WOLF HOUSE)
by Joaquín Cociña & Cristóbal León
June 12 • 9 pm • Neptune Scotiabank Stage Theatre
Closing out opening night, HIFF is proud to present La Casa Lobo, a dark and daring feature that pushes the boundaries of stop-motion storytelling.
Once upon a time, somewhere in southern Chile, Maria escapes from a cult. With a wolf in hot pursuit she takes refuge in a house in the woods occupied by two little pigs—but don’t mistake La Casa Lobo for your typical fairytale.
The animation is constantly being constructed, deconstructed and then reconstructed as the nightmarish story unfolds. Paper mâché characters crumple and morph into unsettling images while charcoal and painted rooms in the house shift, transform, contract and expand into disturbing scenarios. This ingenious display of artistry makes La Casa Lobo a mesmerizing and captivating feast.
Tickets are available here.
"A creative tour de force whose endlessly fascinating visuals are deliberately seductive and repellent in equal measure."
—Jonathan Holland, The Hollywood Reporter
"The Wolf House succeeds on every level: as an innovative stop-motion animation film; as a disturbing horror film; as a commentary on Chilean history; and as a meditation on the rationalizations for and trauma of childhood abuse."
—Eve Tushnet, America Magazine
La Casa Lobo co-director Joaquín Cociña will join us for a hosted Q&A after the screening.
Check out the trailer here:
ATLANTIC AUTEURS SPOTLIGHT
Where are you from originally?
Dartmouth, NS.
What was the inspiration for the film you’re presenting at HIFF?
Having goals and feeling like a ghoul made me want to make this movie about friendship. This inspiration has been living soulfully during the films two-plus year creation process and has become more true throughout the never-ending edit of this film.
What films or filmmakers inspired you to make your own?
I like movies where the characters actually do things (anything!), have emotions and the camera has the audience's back... Lord of the Rings is my bread and butter in terms of the perfect type of movie I want to make (lots of characters—it's hilarious and 9 hours long). Filmmakers who genuinely care about the medium they are operating in, along with caring about the people who will actually watch your movie (if you're lucky!), are the ones I like.
You can have any superpower of your choosing. What would it be?
Being able to eat at any restaurant for free.
Where are you from originally?
Yarmouth, NS.
What was the inspiration for the film you’re presenting at HIFF?
Mansplaining.
What filmmakers inspired you to make your own?
Gillian Robespierre, Miranda July, Jill Soloway, Neil Breen.
What’s your most memorable theatre-going experience and why?
Screening my first film! I exclusively make comedies and I was so nervous that I cried when it got its first laugh.
HIFF's Atlantic Auteurs shorts program — Friday, June 14 at 9 pm
These films will screen along with nine other works made by established and up-and-coming filmmakers from across the region. Learn more about the full program here.
View our 2019 trailer below to get a sneak peek at this year's selections:
SPONSOR SHOUT-OUT
HIFF wouldn't be possible without the generous support of community sponsors like Salvatore's Pizzaiolo Trattoria, purveyors of ridiculously good pizza in Halifax's North End for over 23 years. Thanks for all that you do!
About HIFF
Now in its 13th year, HIFF provides a unique venue for filmmakers and media artists to share their work in a forum dedicated to the celebration of independent cinema. Since its inception, HIFF has showcased the Atlantic region's most innovative works alongside the films of acclaimed visiting artists. As a filmmaker's festival, HIFF brings the directors of the works we show to Halifax in order to create opportunities for them to connect directly with audiences and local artists through hosted Q+A's, artist talks and workshops. HIFF also presents a number of professional development initiatives, designed to assist local filmmakers with improving their skills and getting their films programmed at festivals around the world.
HIFF is made possible with support from AFCOOP, the province of Nova Scotia, Canadian Heritage, Arts Nova Scotia, the City of Halifax, The Coast and Telefilm Canada.
ABOUT AFCOOP: Established in 1974 the Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative (AFCOOP) is a non-profit, community organization dedicated to supporting the production and presentation of independent film and moving image-based work in a collaborative, learning environment.
AFCOOP operates with generous support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Province of Nova Scotia and the City of Halifax.