Three-day festival jam-packed with entertainment

Page 8

Although finances have pared the 2nd Annual Dreamspeakers Festival to a short three days, lovers of the arts need not despair - there's a good week's worth of entertainment lined up.

The three-day festival, which celebrates Aboriginal culture, art and film from around the globe, will flaunt a bevy of international Aboriginal musicians, songwriters, poets, storytellers and traditional cultural performers. A traditional food fair will also be featured at Churchill Square Aug. 26-28.

In between feasting on Indian tacos and buffalo stew, art lovers can wander through the carnival-like atmosphere and admire the wares of Aboriginal artisans from across Canada who will offer their works at the square and at the Westin Hotel. Non-stop entertainment will be featured at the square daily from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and again from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Festival-goers can revel in the multi-talented magic of performers, featuring Seaulteaux singer/songwriter Dale Auger; the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School Young Drummers; Dene writer Molly Chisaakay and storyteller Richard Harvey Yellowbird to name but a few.

A watered-down version of the popular film symposium is also featured this year. Festival President Greg Coyes said the symposium's demotion to novice status was at the request of last year's participants.

"They thought it was too advanced and not aimed at the beginner," he said. "We are respecting the delegates' wishes."

The symposium, to be held at the Westin Hotel, includes seven workshops:

- Film: A Means of Social change,

- So You Want To Produce

- Writing Your Dreams,

- Directing Your Dreams,

- Funding Your Dreams,

- International Co-Productions;

- Casting Your Dreams.

Workshop facilitators include well-known authors and playwrights Drew Hayden Taylor, David Seals and Christine Welsh, as well as Audrey Thompson of Great North Productions and Michael Doxtater of Studio One, National Film Board of Canada.

Of the more than 100 Aboriginal films submitted to Dreamspeakers selection committee, only 10 have been chosen for screening so far, including films from across Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United States. Film curator/programmer Sharon Shirt said though the number of films submitted this year is double that of last year, she is disappointed with the scant number of international submissions. This year's films don't require rigorous top-to-bottom Aboriginal involvement, although 100-per-cent Aboriginal films are given priority, she said.

"We want to select and then exhibit films made Aboriginal producers, but we have gone with Aboriginal films with non-Aboriginal producers."

Along with the premiere screenings of Medicine River well known Edmonton producer Arvi Liimatainen, and Once A Pawn A Time, directed Greg Coyes, the lineup includes Act of War, which chronicles the history of Hawaiian people; Blackfoot Skies: The Tipi Stars, an animated film of two Blackfoot legends, Haircuts Hurt centres on racism; Hopi: songs of the Fourth World, about preserving the Hopi lifestyle; Oceans Apart, an Australian documentary about thee Native women: Our Home and Native Land, about Native rights; Salutation, a tribute to Elders; and Te Whaea - Mother of Change, about New Zealand Native learning their language and culture.

The films are scheduled to be screened in the Colin Low Theatre at Canada Place, Edmonton Art Gallery and Edmonton Public Library. Their producers will be available post-screening for questions.

Coyes said festival organizers hope the impressive lineup with help top last year's attendance of 42,000.

"We are building on the strength of last year's festival," he said. And Executive Director Loro Carmen is confident the high quality lineup will help the fledgling festival make its mark.

"We're pleased and proud to be presenting strong films on the art and culture of Aboriginals from around the world," she said.