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2023 World Community Film Festival opens Feb. 3 - here are the programmer picks

Book your tickets for the 32nd ‘hybrid’ version of the World Community Film Festival.
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¡Viva Maestro! follows conductor Gustavo Dudamel as he responds to daunting obstacles in his native Venezuela with powerful music-making that celebrates the power of art.

Book your tickets for the 32nd ‘hybrid’ version of the World Community Film Festival.

Opening night is an in-person event, while the online festival of 16 other inspiring international documentaries can be viewed in any order from Feb. 4-12.

The jury unanimously selected the award-winning film RIVER as the feature film for opening night, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sid Williams Theatre. This breathtaking cinematic and musical odyssey explores the relationship between people and rivers. Music is by the Australian Chamber Orchestra and others with narration by Willem Dafoe. RIVER will be preceded by Before They Fall about the value of old-growth forests. Opening night films are not part of the online program.

Veteran programmer Gordon Darby highly recommends Voices Across the Water about two master canoe builders, Alaskan Tlingit Wayne Price and Yukon Francophone Halin de Repentigny. The film explores the craft, the cultural knowledge, life lessons learned and questions about who will continue to build these traditional dugout and birch bark canoes. Darby also suggests checking out The Boys Who Said No, which looks at the protests and actions of people who refused to serve in the Vietnam War.

“This important film looks back with fresh eyes to try to glean more lessons learned,” said Darby.

Diane Cartwright picked award-winner Eternal Spring.

“The skilled animation is combined seamlessly with camera footage, and gives a sense of hyperrealism and tension in the story of general persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, and in particular the tracking down of those behind the takeover of the TV broadcast to counteract anti-Falun Gong propaganda.

Framing Agnes was tremendous; the way the director combines transgender history, re-enactments and personal testimonies is engrossing and informative.”

¡Viva Maestro! follows conductor Gustavo Dudamel as he responds to daunting obstacles in his native Venezuela with powerful music-making that celebrates the power of art.

“It’s great to see this new film about the talented conductor, Dudamel, who was featured in our opening night film, Tocar Y Luchar in 2007,” said Janet Fairbanks. “Once again, music uplifts us in challenging times.”

Fairbanks and Cartwright also recommend two films set in World War II: The Art of Silence about famed mime Marcel Marceau’s work in the French resistance as he saved countless children, and Nelly and Nadine, the compelling story of two women who met and fell in love in a concentration camp and continued their relationship after the war ended.

Tickets for opening night at the Sid are $17 per person, or $12 for those with limited income.

An online festival pass is $45 per person, $65 per household or $25/limited income.

A single online film is $10 per person, $16 per household or $8/limited income.

For descriptions, film trailers and links to purchase tickets, visit www.worldcommunity.ca

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Still from Eternal Spring, the story of general persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China and in particular the tracking down of those behind the takeover of the TV broadcast to counteract anti-Falun Gong propaganda.