DETAILS

Prairie Tales 10
Plaza Theatre
Sunday, June 7 - Sunday, June 7

More in: Film

In the decade since graduating from high school, I’ve worked a series of soul-destroying jobs, developed a taste for recreational drugs and cultivated an impressive comb-over. The folks at Edmonton’s Metro Cinema have used the same span of time in a much more productive manner.

Prairie Tales 10, which will be screening June 7 at the Plaza Theatre, marks the 10th year that the Edmonton-based cinematheque has curated a collection of short films and video works by Alberta media artists. Funded by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society, Prairie Tales tours extensively throughout Alberta and across Canada, showcasing the innovation and range of Alberta’s independent media art scene. Contributors benefit greatly from the exposure.

“There are not a lot of distribution sources for short films in Canada,” explains Prairie Tales tour co-ordinator Ian Leung. “Certainly for Albertan filmmakers, it’s a great way for their films to get out. Outside of film co-ops and galleries and getting your friends together to buy out a local cinema, there is often not a way to get short films in front of people.”

Calgary-based new media artist and Quickdraw Animation programmer Keith Murray agrees. “This is one of the best things for Albertan filmmakers,” he says. “If you get your film accepted into Prairie Tales, it will screen not only all over Alberta, but tour across Canada, and have screenings at other cinematheques across the globe. So it’s a really exciting way to get your work out there and be a part of filmmaking in the Albertan regional context.”

As the curators strive to put together a vibrant and diverse program that reflects the region, they sit through a ton of submissions each year. That’s because their guidelines are pretty wide-ranging: submitted works must have been completed in the last 18 months, have a running time of 15 minutes or less, and come from artists whose primary residence is Alberta. Beyond that, there are no limits. From documentaries to experimental animation to more conventional narratives, if a short film is interesting and entertaining, Prairie Tales wants to see it.

“Generally, the quality of films is such that we don’t have to do too much deliberating at the end of the day about what should or should not get in,” says Leung. “The whole problem of selecting a program is made easier by the fact that a strong film will hold your attention against other strong films that surround it.”

This year’s slate is understandably a mixed bag. Contributions from Calgarians include Chris Melnychuk’s hand drawn cel animation Zap Girl Makes Toast, Carol Beecher and Kevin D.A. Kurytnik’s intergalactic take on Hinterland Who’s Who, James Reckseidler’s Super 8 epic Ice Climber’s Waltz, and Corey Lee’s award-winning What You’re Ready For, many of which have benefitted from the support of local media centres like Quickdraw Animation Society, Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF) and EmMedia.

Some of the more impressive films include John Osborne’s Lite-Brites-gone-wild animation Evolution, Trevor Anderson’s hilarious and touching Dinx!, and Caitlin Thompson’s bizarrely endearing Prairie Nautical. If you polled a Prairie Tales audience, though, each member would have their own list of highlights and lowlights. It’s like a 90-minute film fest.

“I’ve always loved the ideas of film festivals,” says Leung. “This isn’t technically a festival, but I suppose it’s like a film festival. It’s an evening of films celebrating the short form of filmmaking. And there are a lot of great short films being made here that deserve to be seen by people and filmmakers that deserve to be known and appreciated for what they do.”

So, go see the show. Enjoy the shorts. Enjoy their brevity.

“One of the great things about seeing a package of short films is that there’s absolutely something for everyone,” says Murray. “The filmmakers are as diverse as the techniques. It’s great for people with a short attention span. You know that there will be something coming up that is going to be for you. One of the greatest things about this program is the diversity of work.”