Charlotte Street Arts Centre partners with imagineNATIVE Film Festival

The Charlotte Street Arts Centre is thrilled to announce a new partnership with the imagineNATIVE Film Festival. This groundbreaking festival based in Toronto showcases, promotes, and celebrates emerging and established Canadian and international Indigenous filmmakers and media artists.

Festival staff recently toured the Atlantic Canada to build partnerships that would help increase submissions to the festival from Aboriginal people in the region. The Charlotte Street Arts Centre is excited to be a part of this important initiative in collaboration with imagineNATIVE and Oromocto First Nation (OFN).

In May 2013, OFN elementary and middle school students will take part in a tour of the Charlotte Street Art Centre, learn about the history of the building and participate in two exciting ArtReach classes. Students will also watch a series of short films by Aboriginal filmmakers previously featured at the imagineNATIVE Film Festival.

The film screenings are a co-presentation between The Charlotte Street Arts Centre and the imagineNATIVE Film Festival, who have graciously covered the cost of screening fees. Students will have the opportunity to see world class films made by Aboriginal people from across Canada and internationally, as well as be introduced to film as a medium for expression of their own voices.

The imagineNATIVE Film Festival will help the Charlotte Street Arts Centre connect more meaningfully with our First Nations partners, including St. Mary’s, Kingclear and Oromocto First Nations. The partnership will stimulate and support the development of filmmaking as a viable option for Indigenous artistic expression in the Atlantic Region.

OFN elementary students will watch three short films including: The Visit, directed by Lisa Jackson, which tells of an encounter between extraterrestrials and a Cree family; Being Brown, directed by Ziibi Cameron, a heartfelt story about his cultural life as a powwow dancer; and, How the People Got Fire, directed by Chris Auchter, a stunning animated work that brings to life the metaphor and magic of the story of 12 year-old Tish’s grandmother.

OFN middle school students will watch Fighting Chance, directed by Edmonton-based Cree artist Alexandra Lazarowich, which is an animation featuring 13 year-old Joey Lightning as he follows in the dangerous footsteps of his older brother. Also, Luumajuuq directed by Iqualuit-based Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, an animation that draws on Inuit legend to recreate a haunting tale about a boy twisted by bitterness and seeking revenge against his cruel mother.

For more information about the imagiNATIVE Film Festival or to learn more about the filmmakers and films featured, please visit www.imaginenative.org.