Ten days. Ninety-four films. Sixty screenings. Fifteen industry events. Two concerts. Available Light Film Festival has returned for its twenty-third year.
The annual film festival run by the Yukon Film Society is happening from Feb. 7 to 16, with events out of the Yukon Theatre and Yukon Arts Centre.
There are a range of films being shown, from bigger, Oscar-nominated movies like The Apprentice, to off-the-radar ones like Curl Power, Alberta Number One and Inedia, said Andrew Connors, the festival director and Yukon Film Society’s artistic director.
There is a number of world premieres taking place at the festival this year, which Connors said he’s excited about.
“It's one of the things that we really wrestle with as a more regional festival, like a medium sized festival,” he said. He said the festival has lost premieres previously as filmmakers were pressured by distributors or producers to open at a larger, more well-known festival.
“It is really great that the festival is recognized as a place that filmmakers now want to premiere their smaller films,” Connors said.
Among the world premieres include home-grown Yukon films Northlore and Saturday.
The film festival will also be drawing industry and guest speakers northwards.
Filmmakers Don McKellar, known for works such as The Sympathizer (2024), The Grand Seduction (2013) and Last Night (1998), will be in attendance, said Sebastien Lapres, associate programmer for ALFF.
Among the other filmmakers attending are Dennis Allen (CBQM), Omar Majeed (Disco's Revenge) **and Matthew Rankin (Universal Language, Canada’s submission to the category of best international feature film for this year’s Oscars).
Disco’s Revenge has over 100 pop songs within it, said Connors, and listening to Majeed speak can help filmmakers learn how to elevate their own works, especially documentaries.
Also present will be Toronto-based musician Jay Douglas, the subject of documentary Play It Loud, which explores the voyage of Caribbean music to Canada.
“Firecracker” broadcaster and artist Sook-Yin Lee will be part of the ALFF Talk circuit, said Connors.
“It's really important for people to be inspired and know that these things are all possible and that there's support for them as as a filmmaking voice,” said Connors.
There will also be a collection of industry spotlights, he said.
“There's lots of opportunities to meet with some with decision-makers and public funders,” Connors said. Representatives from TELUS Fund, APTN, and film distributors like Vinegar Syndrome and Game Theory Films will be in attendance, Connors said, expressing the hope that Yukon filmmakers are able to network during the festival.
The ALFF Accelerator also starts two weeks ahead of the festival’s start date: the program will mentor up-and-coming Yukon filmmakers and help them foster skills to create longer-form films.
Since its inception, ALFF has grown in an organic way, said Connors.
“There's always been ambition to it, always pushing the envelope a bit,” he said. He added that the Yukon Film Society taking over the Yukon Theatre in recent years has expanded their capabilities during the festival.
It also coincides with the 40th anniversary of the film society and the 70th anniversary of the theatre, which took place in November, said Lapres.
Connors said he hopes the festival provides a place of refuge.
“We could be sort of creating this sort of space where people can hopefully feel safe and can still have respectful dialogue, respectful conversation about the world,” he said.
“The festival is primarily for the community,” said Connors. He said it is rewarding that filmmakers recognize that intention of the festival.
“Yeah, it's exciting to get your film selected for the Toronto International Film Festival. But you know, if you're an independent filmmaker, even if you are in selection, you're still kind of lost,” said Connors. “Whereas, if you come to Whitehorse for Available Light, you're only one of 30 filmmakers, not one of 3,000 and so there's camaraderie.”
Contact Talar Stockton at talar.stockton@yukon-news.com
