4TheRcrd Mag.

4TheRcrd wanted to let you know about a splendid new film festival called the Terminal Cinema: Underground Film in Vancouver.   It will be screening varying films on April 1st at the Pacific Cinematheque.  This is going to be the first of a planned annual event to showcase independent films made in B.C.  4TheRcrd is going to have a member of our staff attend the show and we have had access to the filmmakers for an interview and, suffice to say, we’ve managed to whip up an interview at a preview for this screening to entice you to head out and check it out.  Some of the questions we asked the producers are as follows:

What are their struggles or, rather, what political/technical/social junctures are they seeking to overcome right now.

Well, first let’s agree on what “Independent Film” really means. The term has a maverick cache associated with it, and studios like Fox and Mirimax have sought to cash in on it with their own so-called ‘independent’ divisions of production. But for Terminal Cinema, “independent film” has a different meaning.

Here in Vancouver, film production falls into three categories: union, non-union and independent. Union shoots are studio financed features and television series. This is what most people think of when they think of Vancouver’s film industry – big stars and big budgets. Non-union films are very similar, just with budgets and stars that aren’t quite so big. While they have some claim to being ‘independent’ because they are companies that have originated outside Hollywood, their model of production is the same and so is their bottom line – the buck.

Vancouver’s true independent films are the ones that have been created completely outside this system. Whether by film students with digital handy-cams, or aspiring auters with industry connections, the films are classified as independent because they were made by the filmmakers themselves, with their own money and a good share of blood, sweat, and tears. While these films have stories and style as good as their studio equivalents, finding an audience for them without big-time distribution and sales deals can be challenging. And that is where Terminal Cinema comes in.

What relationship do you have with the VFS?

Some of the participating filmmakers are alumni of the school.

What relationships have formed b/w yourselves and the international (experimental) film community: notably Central American, German, East European, Asian, among others?

While Terminal Cinema is strictly focused on showcasing local talent, several films were shot in other provinces and we are featuring a documentary shot in Africa.

What bottom-up demand did you find in Vancouver prior to forming your festival?

The irony is that most major ‘local’ film festivals are mandated to seek an ‘international’ selection of films. The Terminal Cinema screening has built a showcase dedicated solely to local filmmakers and their efforts.

Who has drummed up the support for your project and where do you need to go from here?

Terminal Cinema has been organized exclusively by the filmmakers involved, from the renting of the venue to promotion of the event. From this point, the only place to go is up.

How can “everyman” support your cause?

Come to the Pacific Cinematheque, at 8:00pm April 1st for the show.

What influence has Main St. or any other local communities yielded to your (collective) work(s)?

The majority of our participants reside in ‘notorious’ East Van, and some of the films received co-operation from local businesses during location filming.

Is there anything else you’d like me to ask you?

- What types of films can people expect to see at ‘Terminal Cinema’?

Our criteria for selection was that the films be created by someone local, and be self-funded. If it was made outside the system, we were interested! This has allowed for the inclusion of comedy, horror, documentary and experimental short films.

- Who are some of the filmmakers involved in the event?

The list of filmmakers involved is as diverse as the films themselves. Terminal Cinema includes completely self-taught filmmakers, industry professionals applying their skills to their own projects, film students, animators, and anyone else who had a story to tell and told it well.

- How can people learn more/become involved with Terminal Cinema?

Visit us online at www.terminalcinema.com to get all the details the upcoming screening, complete with program and previews. Or email us at terminalcinema [at] gmail.com. In addition to putting on this event, we are always developing new projects for production, and anyone interested in getting involved is welcome.

Are there any questions above you’d like to rephrase?

Strictly speaking, Terminal Cinema is not a ‘festival,’ due to some fine print classification reasons. So, in any questions that you publish, please refer to it as an ‘event, a ‘screening,’ ‘the best show on earth,’ etc.

Any last remarks?

While your idea of a ticket giveaway is great, we’ve already beat you to it, because we’re giving all our tickets away! Admission to the Terminal Cinema show is free, so it’s first come first served on April 1st! See you at the Cinematheque at 8:00pm!

IMAGE CREDIT: here.