“Wow, in four years Sue Kenney walked 2000 km, wrote 2 books, produced 2 films, and wrote a feature screenplay that got optioned by CIRRUS. I’m lucky if I can make it to the corner store to buy my lottery ticket.” Karen Kennedy, SJIWFF publicist and media gal.

Rachel Peters, who animated the opening logo clips for the festival, on getting stopped at the US border because she didn’t have strong enough ties to Canada.

“They let me go when I started to cry. I guess criminals don’t cry.”

Megan Durnford (iridescent film) does the math on balancing life, family and work,

“One day is nothing. So 5 days? That’s 5 times nothing. So it’s still nothing.”

“They wanted us all to reformat the resumes so that they all matched so it would look like we were all on the same team. ” Baptiste Neis, producer and president of the Nickel Film Festival, on the joys of grant writing.

“It’s all wine and roses. I love it because it’s a big event and has good energy.” Dave Hopley, film festival supporter, sponsor and owner of Living Planet T Shirts and Johnny Ruth’s.

“I want bell bottom snowpants.” Michael

“Do the snowball.” Kelly Davis, Exec. Dir of SJIWFF.

Oh, and thanks for talking loud when I am near.

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Tags: St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, St. John’s, Kelly Davis, Megan Durnford, Rachel Peters, Living Planet, JohnnyRuth, Kelly Davis, Dave Hopley, Baptiste Neis, Nickel Film Festival, Karen Kennedy

Carol Whiteman in the forum moderator’s chair.

One of the best things about the St. John’s International Film Festival is not only getting to meet other filmmakers, and people with the same interests and passions, but learning from them. The Reel Talk forum was exceptional, and the filmmakers shared honestly, candidly and best of all, with much good humour.

Here are some more links and resources. Quick, now everyone apply for Women in The Director’s Chair.

And links to the filmmaker’s sites.

One of the much anticipated events during the film festival is a party thrown by local successful film production company, Pope Productions (Rare Birds plus lot’s more.) We hunted down producer and party planner Baptiste Neis who divulged that this year’s theme is “the little black dress.

We wonder how Ed Tanasychuk – Technical Director of the festival – will top his jaw-dropping and unrecognizable transformation of 2 years ago when he cut off his long locks and shaved his beard of 15 years off to come as a 1940′s style gangster.

Hmmm.

No pressure, Ed.

NB. Aw, crap. I just realized that I am doing a workshop Sat. morning at 10 am – and the party only starts at 11pm the Friday before. How unlucky is that?

I guess it could be worse, Annette Clarke (Hannah’s Story) has a 7:30 am interview with the CBC that Saturday. I feel her pain.

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Tags: St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, St. John’s, Ed Tanasychuk

Montreal filmmakers Catherine Mullins (Being Innu, Sat. 10:30 at the Majestic) and Megan Durnford (Just A Lawn, Thursday 12pm The Majestic.) Oops, a bit late for Megan’s film, but you can catch it at the next screening in PARIS!!! at the Environmental film festival coming up in November. Way to go!

“They make you feel so welcome here. I feel like I’m at home,” said fellow SJIWFFER Megan Durnford, of the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival Staff.

Well, she said something like that…it was late and we were at a party.

And it’s true. From the moment we delegates, filmmakers and speakers set foot off the airplane, we are taken care of by either the staff themselves or the great volunteers. Driver’s shuffle us back and forth, coffee and snacks are served in the Masonic Temple where the forums are, staff greet you with big smiles, and make sure all your needs are met.

I am sure one of them right now is planning a trip for me to go see one of those elusive Tuckamore trees.

Homey goes right down to the decor.  Here are the family photos.

So, a big thanks from all of us.

I’d also like to extend Megan’s compliment to the whole province. I have found no matter where you go in Newfoundland, it feels like home. In fact it feels more like home here, than at home.

By the way – Megan and I are old friends from way, way back. We met 20 years ago in Brussels at an Irish play reading night and have been friends ever since. True story. We are pretty stoked to be here with our films at this grand festival.

Neither Megan or I are Irish – she’s from Montreal, me from Toronto  – but we both liked traveling and learning, and hence we found ourselves living in the land of beer and chocolate.

One thing we both liked doing was taking daytrips to villages, like Ypres for the Annual witch Burning Festival,  where we would taste the local specialty and drink the local brews.

I’m trying to get Megan to come out for cod tongues, but she’s a bit resistant. How should I sweeten the pot?

Oops – gotta go to the NIFCO party and get all jealous about how wonderfully supportive Jean Smith and the gang are  to filmmakers here on the rock.

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Tags: St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, St. John’s, Catherine Mullins, Being Innu, Megan Durnford, Just A Lawn, NIFCO, film  coop

Now how are we supposed to choose what to see and do during the festival? Did you see the schedule? There is so much going on, and everything looks great. The problem is things are doubled-up; the learning forums are going on at the same time as some of the film screening.

Nooooooo!!!

I hate missing out. Hate, hate hate it.

Which reminds me of the plot of a short film called Eastern Shore that will be screened at the festival.

In Eastern Shore, the main character, Kat, has to make a difficult choice too. She has to choose between her passion for surfing – and love.

Here’s what director Eve Madden has to say about her film:

You can love someone, and want to be with them, but if that means you have to give up too much of yourself, or something that you truly love – in Kat’s case surfing and the ocean – then I think that sacrifice has the potential to change you and not always for the best. You become a different person, maybe less of what you were. When Kat moves to the city, she is restless and unhappy, and ultimately, not the same girl Jake fell in love with. How can she be loving in the relationship when she is unhappy? And conversely, how can Jake be happy going back to a life he no longer wants?

I don’t know Eve. How? How?

I gotta check this film out because I love that the lead character is a surfer – and that’s just way more exciting to me than a cheerleader, or shopper. Way to go.

Eastern Shore plays Saturday October 20th, 3-4 pm at The Majestic.

Which, by the way, we all can see without having to choose, as no forums are planned at the time.

Coinkydink?

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Tags: Eve Madden, Eastern Shore, St. John’s International Women’s Film Fest, Newfoundland, women directors