The Reel North Film Festival's monthly documentary and film nights are starting earlier this year, says Lisa Evasiuk of the Reel North Film Festival planning group.
The first documentary for this season is "Babies," which will be shown Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Thompson Public Library Basement Bijou. The film chronicles the first year of the lives of four babies from four different countries.
The first 2010-11 season film night is Oct. 23, also at 7 p.m., and is a double bill featuring the subtitled film "Moscow/Belgium" followed by "Precious."
The 8th-annual Reel North Film Festival will be taking place, as usual, the first full weekend of November, with evening screenings on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 and an afternoon screening Nov. 7.
"We have a couple of really exciting things in the works," said Evasiuk. "We have been given the opportunity to do the premiere screening of Greg Zbitnew's latest documentary 'Grand Rapids'. We are hoping Greg will be able to bring the documentary to town personally as he did several years back with his 'Muskeg Special.'"
'Grand Rapids' is a 75-minute feature documentary about the impact of the hydroelectric generating station on this Northern Manitoba community. It tells the story of how construction of the dam altered every aspect of traditional life, through memories of people who lived in Grand Rapids when the river flowed.
The festival will also include the independent film "Tumaini" by Red Deer, Alta. producer and actor Jeff Woodward.
"There is a good chance Jeff will also be available to meet and speak to viewers at this screening," said Evasiuk. "I am really looking forward to seeing this film. Jeff has told me that so far the film has been receiving very positive attention from focus group viewers and will be having its premiere screening on Sept. 17 in Red Deer."
