Editor:
Alright, I am mad … make this a capital mad!
And sad … sad for the audience who came to the film tonight (Gibraltar Room, April 4), full of expectations and in a great mood.
The Paddling Film Festival was to come to Williams Lake for the first time.
After only 28 minutes, and nine more films to go — most of them short … something blew up.
The screen turned grey and red and started flickering uncontrollably.
We got help … but no help.
The city is known for not keeping the equipment up, no money.
We know, we have been renting their premises for our films for about three years.
The staff there is great, but what can they do without money?
No money, oh yeah?
There is money, like about $41,000 from taxpayers to invent a new branding for Williams Lake.
“Welcome to the Republic of Life.”
A couple of days ago it was implied that I was maybe too old to understand the real meaning as they are trying to attract 29 to 30-somethings.
Today I asked an intelligent young man from Vancouver, originally from here, what he thought of the new branding.
He is in his 20s and he said: “This sounds kind of creepy.”
After a short discussion we decided that it sounds Orwellian, like the book 1984, Big Brother is watching.
Now I am asking the city, why are you killing our films?
By providing low-quality or no-quality equipment for the money we pay?
If you want to attract university-educated and upwardly mobile young couples from the Vancouver area, you should know that Vancouver is a “film city.”
They love alternative movies, make their own and have their own huge film festival.
Think about it.
The Williams Lake Film Club might just be a bit of a cultural incentive to the people you are trying to attract.
I have made an appointment with the mayor to discuss this.
It should only be about $3,000 to $4,000 to fix the equipment in the Gibraltar Room so that it is usable by the taxpaying public.
Some good news — I have phoned the World Tour distributor in Ontario.
They were very sympathetic and will let us keep the films until we have shown them!
Krista Liebe
Williams Lake Film Club
