The NB Media Co-op sat down to talk to Ty Giffin, a production assistant with Frictive Projects which runs the Pink Lobster Festival as well as other film festivals and contests. The Pink Lobster Festival runs this year from Thursday, February 14, until Saturday, February 16, with shorts at 7pm and feature films at 9pm.
NBMC: What is the Pink Lobster Festival?
It was founded back in 2017 by local filmmaker and screenwriting professor Robert Gray and supported by filmmakers Matt Rogers and Jon Dewar through their shared company called Frictive Projects. It’s a film festival where films can be submitted from far and wide and it’s just trying to bring LGTQIA2S+ themes to New Brunswick. This is the only festival of its kind in New Brunswick. This is a theme for film festivals world-wide but it’s the first here, locally. It’s also supported by the UNB Faculty of Education, the Department of English and the New Brunswick Filmmakers Co-operative.
NBMC: How are you involved?
I was hired in the summer by Frictive Projects and I help co-ordinate their different events like the 48 Hour Film Competition. I just handle the logistics as well as other things.
NBMC: What is important about having this festival in Fredericton?
It’s the only one here in New Brunswick and so it’s important for people to hear these stories. I feel like they’re often under-represented in the province. It’s a good way for people to share their stories and have their voice heard and to have that film-festival experience in the city because the only other Festival we have is Silver Wave. So, it’s very important.
NBMC: What can people attending the festival expect?
We have three days of programing lined up. On day one there’s going to be 6 short films starting at 7pm and a feature film right after. Same thing on day two, 6 shorts at 7pm and a feature at 9pm. Day three we have four shorts, each of those are documentaries and after a feature again. People can expect a wide variety: we have two different animated films this year as well as shorts from around the world. We have films from the US, the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, France, Germany and also some films from here in Fredericton. It looks like a wide variety of genres as well. We are sharing the full program on Facebook and little social media posts about each film, if people wanted to get at the films on their own.
NBMC: How can people get involved?
We are actually still looking for volunteers. If anyone is interested, on our Facebook page, there is a post about who to reach out to as far as volunteering. To go to the festival you can buy your tickets online right now actually, through our Facebook page as well as on our website at frictivepictures.com. You can also get tickets at the door. For one day it is $7 and for a pass it is $20.
NBMC: Why should people come this year?
I think that there’s a lot of really good films this year and a lot of very important stories. People will be certainly interested to see what we have to offer and to see the stories that these filmmakers have to tell.
Get tickets online here.
Shanthi Bell is a UNB Arts 3000 intern with the NB Media Co-op.
This article was written by Shanthi Bell as part of her UNB Arts 3000 internship with the NB Media Co-op.
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