Tag Archives: Victoria Film Festival

01.07.15
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One Bloke’s Quick Guide to the Victoria Film Festival 2015

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Today marks the launch of Victoria Film Festival’s release of their 2015 program guide, and in what’s offered will be more documentaries than anyone can watch in a day, much less a weekend. That’s the first thing people scanning the guide from beginning to end will note. And starting this year (and most likely continuing) are screenings in Sidney, BC. People living north of Victoria (heading to BC Ferries) have a venue to see a specially selected list of movies playing at Star Cinema without having to travel too far from home.

The show runs February 6-15th, and this hungry film buff is looking forward to this year’s gala event — the movie Boychoir starring Dustin Hoffman as choirmaster who finds talent in a boy suffering from family loss. The reception that’ll follow afterwards will sport a 40’s theme with plenty of big band sounds to kick off the night. With the talents of Rita Hayworth, Veronica Lake, Cary Grant and Claude Rains blazing on background monitors, a few fans of comedy may well ask, “Well, Who’s on First?” Abbott and Costello is suspiciously missing. This event will be held at the Promis Building.

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10.01.14
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A Ghūl’s All Hallows Eve Guide to Frights & Entertainment in Victoria & the Gulf Islands

22271_1331667404240_2567935_nThe Dead of October is here. As a paranormal and archaeology enthusiast, there’s plenty for me to do at this time of year. But trick o’ treaters and lovers of horror films can find plenty of chills, thrills and frights to choose from. When a certain craving hits, thankfully this time of year is not always about the private parties or candy. Instead, it’s about what can transpire when Hunter’s Moon arrives.

The list of activities is nicely varied and there’s plenty to choose from for the young and old to partake in. Yes, even some nerdish delights can be found in this update, but who wants to be stuck indoors? The excitement is all in what can be found outdoors or in the fringe! But for residents of the Gulf Islands, just how they want to get the inner ghoul on means deciding in what is more interesting to attend. Presented here is a guide for what’s coming up:

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Oct 5, at 2:30pm – 5:00pm
Meets at Centennial Square – Victoria

Put on your best corpse, and somber on down a route to encourage the best that the plague will do upon the masses! This zombie walk will feature a few local makeup talents to help make your costume all the more gross. More information can be found on their Facebook page as to what the route will be.

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02.17.14
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[Victoria Film Festival ’14] Trading an Oyster in for a Film


614 Humboldt St. 
Victoria, BC 
(250) 385-4512

No Victoria Film Festival party can be complete without a trip to the Oyster Bar or Spinnakers. Both have been long time supporters of this show, and sometimes they are the venues for one of the many parties going on, past and present. The brew pub even caters and the hors d’oeuvres I get to try out are always exceptional, but sometimes it’s just the deserts, namely their ice cream in the springtime, that I’m really after. No matter what the treat, these little bites always knock it right out of the park.

And that should be the size raw oysters should be sampled in. The Victoria Film Festival’s Gala Event often serves these tasty treats, but I had to wonder where they came from. I’m assuming the Oyster Bar, and a visit here was definitely on the must hit list.

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02.13.14
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[Victoria Film Festival ’14] Looking for Hidden Messages in Slow Food Story

When I have often talked about how really good food must taste, like the flavour from the land it comes from, going to see Slow Food Story at the Victoria Film Festival ’14 was a must. I did not know much about what this movie is. Other than the hints from the plot summary in the guide, I purposely did not want to know more than I should before sitting at the balcony.

What I watched was part documentary and part TedX presentation. It felt like I was back in college, sitting in at a Art History class. This movie looks more at the life and times of Carlin Petrini, the founder of the Slow Food Movement, than be a celebration of food. The latter is there, in the form of moving pictures of the food expos and parties that can happen, but there needs to be more to this film than to get political.

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02.09.14
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[Victoria Film Festival ’14] Getting Into the Mystic with In the Magic of the Green Mountains

Some viewers may well be whistling to John Denver’s Country Roads after watching In the Magic of the Green Mountains. This blissful documentary looks at the life of Jeff and Melanie Carpenter, who undertake a monumental task to start up an organic farm to grow mostly herbs in the hills of Vermont, located in the northeastern United States.

But the toe-tapping bluegrass music is not the only rhythm to be found in this film. Instead, it’s about the perseverance made by two individuals looking to make a difference for everyone who benefits from the plants they grow. From the businesses who source from them to their own emotional well being, this movie is ultimately about man versus Nature — the human one and the elemental one. This movie is like a cheerleader for the 100-mile diet, and although food is not necessarily part of this movie’s presentation, it’s the herbs and how it can be used to heal the soul that makes this movie charming.

Most of the flora being grown have medicinal value, and in most of what’s being grown are being made into teas. Some are medicinal and others are simply used to drink to offer serendipity.

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02.04.14
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The Victoria Film Festival offers more than just Foodie Delights!

Victoria Film Festival
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Runs from Feb 7 – 16

Various Venues

Half of the Two Hungry Blokes is definitely getting excited for the Victoria Film Festival not only for the foodie treats before going to a show, but for the smorgasbord of films offered. This year marks their 20th anniversary, and the celebrations are going to be deep in 60’s nostalgia. Tickets are almost gone for their gala event this coming Friday, but when all the really good films that I want to see are playing on that one night, I had to forgo buying a ticket to this event.

Depending on how well Chinese New Year treats me for lucky money, I may take on a Sips n’ Cinema event instead. This year features Slow Food Story, ¡ATRACO! and Putzel as part of the theme. Fortunately, for those folks just interested in the film Slow Food Story can be seen by itself. I plan on going to see this film along with In the Magic of the Green Mountains.

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