February 17

A Thursday Evening Special Event!

Reel Youth Film Festival
VARIOUS, 2010, 80 minutes
Producers & Directors: Various

Once again Black Cat partners with Reel Youth to bring the best in youth-made films from across BC, Canada and the world!

The Reel Youth Film Festival empowers young artists to express their creativity, entertain audiences, and share their visions for a more just and sustainable world. The Festival is a model for community engagement, a celebration of youth culture, and a showcase for the richness and diversity of a new generation of film makers.

The Festival screens short films made by young people under 20, and tours in partnership with youth media organizations, high schools, community groups and other established film festivals. 

The Festival tour kicks off at the Vancouver International Film Festival and goes on to tour in partnership with Screening Partners across Canada and around the world.

The Festival showcases a wide variety of films that are submitted from youth film making organizations, school film classes, and independent youth film makers.

The procees from each screenings acts as a fundraiser for the local screening partners and audience votes decide the People’s Choice Awards.

A youth jury selects submissions based on entertainment value, technical merit (production and post production quality) and the messages they portray. Up to twenty five percent local content is chosen for each screening.

Vancouver International Film Festival

Below was the Programme for the Reel Youth Film Festival as shown at the 2010 Vancouver International Film Festival. This programme is subject to change for the Black Cat Cinema as some films listed may not be included, and local submissions will be.

Copenhagen, The Musical (Orban Wallace,  Tom Chadwick, Brighton, UK, 11:45 min.) These friends made the journey to Copenhagen to witness the UN's Climate Change Conference, convinced that they were a part of a crucial moment in history. Shot amidst the chaos of COP-15, this is the musical journey that ensued.

Down the Drain (The Big Picture Alliance, Philadelphia, USA, 6:45 min) Four girls are vying for Darrel’s affection, but what Darrel really needs is a safe hiding place.

New Clear Vision (Henry Zaballos, Bay Area Video Coalition, Oakland, USA, 2:45 min.) An experiment in found footage fusing urban and post-apocalyptic images in an exploration of glory.

A Makeshift Reality (Kathryn McClure, Portadown, Ireland, 3:05 min.) A beautiful paper animation about a fox, chalk, a ladder and a tree.

A Story of Survival (Taylor White, Bay Area Video Coalition, Oakland, USA. 3:55 min.) A plea for peace in Oakland through the confessions and memories of those who have lost loved ones to violence.

Mime Crime (Jesse Bostick, Toronto, Canada 1:08 min) Can mimes rob a convenience store? They can, if everything they mime comes true.

Spence Makes Sense (Reel Youth, Vancouver, Canada 5:00 min.) Spence is sure that everyone but him is "normal," but, despite this, he can’t hide who he really is anymore.

Sneaker Heads (The Big Picture Alliance, Philadelphia, USA, 7:25 min.) Jordan has been saving his new shoes to wear for his girlfriend, but it seems his shoes have a date of their own.

Cody (Reel Youth, Vancouver, Canada 3:30 min.) A young native Canadian talks about his Auntie Janet, who disappeared in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.

Weathered (Johnathan Boyd, Holywood, Northern Ireland, 3:24 min) "To this place, I have come to rest." A rugged Irishman returns to the ocean.

Masquerade (Blake Ponto, Cassandra Wipf, Vancouver, Canada 8:58 min.) Struggling in their relationship a man and wife go their separate ways in hope of finding a little piece of, well, we’ll call it happiness.

Fear (Michael Grant, Canmore, Canada 1:26 min.) Michael explores the concept of fear...

Sacrificial Ignorance (Reel Youth, Wells, Canada 3:20 min.) If only we had changed when we still had the chance...

Minimalist (AJ Lutsky, Vancouver, Canada 2:46 min.) The other day my teacher called me a minimalist... this is my response.

Consciousness (Callum Henderson, Newcastle, Northern Ireland, 7:00 min.) The last and lasting memories of Alexandra Morgan.

Borderless Sky (Sahar Shakeri, Reel Grrls, Seattle, USA, 2:30 min.) Three Iranian immigrants describe their struggles in America.

Noticed (Reel Youth, CampOut, Vancouver, Canada, 1 min,) Word-play helps to unbarb this claymation.

How to Set a House on Fire (Henry Zaballos, Bay Area Video Coalition, Oakland, CA USA. 2:54 min, 2009) Adapted from a short story by Stace Budzko, this film tells the story of a man who breaks from his family and his past in one incendiary act.

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