The Lake Country film committee is upping the ante for their second year of screenings at the Creekside Theatre.
As a branch of the Lake Country Arts Council, the film committee is a local non-profit group with the goal of providing quality films and entertainment value without the need to travel to Kelowna or Vernon.
Rather than screening big-budget Hollywood style films this year, the committee has gone for more of a local cinema experience at Creekside, shining a light on intellectually engaging films and documentaries.
Robert Guenette, chair of the Lake Country film committee, said he wants to make people think, but without sacrificing the entertainment value of the experience.
“I’m not trying to challenge people to the extent that I chase away the audience,” said Guenette.
“I like to bring in some comedy, some romance and some drama and some documentaries as well. Just some movies that are apo to making people think a little bit. Not just the mainstream Hollywood types of movies.”
The film committee has also taken the initiative to make the screenings more interactive with the audiences, often having skype conversations with actors or producers of the films after the show.
Last year, the committee held a chat after the film Toad People, a story of people like Steve Clegg and other families and communities across B.C. who are taking action to save the wildlife in their backyard, whether it’s toads, mountain caribou, rattlesnakes or barn owls.
“People can talk about the movie and that’s a really interesting part. We did one (skype chat) last year that was great with Toad People as well. People talked about what was going on with the environment and that sort of thing is important to what we are doing.”
The committee’s next screening is the film Road to Lemon Grove, which will feature a skype chat with a special guest following the show. The story follows a deceased Sicilian father who has one last outrageous mission in store for his son – spread his ashes in the lemon groves of Sicily, reunite two feuding families and discover the heart and soul of who he really is. This film can be viewed on Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
“The most rewarding part is the audience’s comments after the movie,” said Guenette.
“When people come out of the theatre a lot of them are saying wow, gee that was good when they may have not gone out of their way to see it originally.”
For showtimes and ticket prices, visit the Lake Country Film Committee website or the Kelowna Tickets website.
