THUNDER BAY – The Spotlight on Academics Film Festival kicked off its third annual event on Friday.
The festival was created by Lakehead University’s history department, with support from the faculties of social sciences and humanities, and education - with the intention of sharing knowledge through film.
Kelly Saxberg, festival organizer, said its important to celebrate films and filmmakers who share their knowledge through their medium, because of how intertwined media has become with education.
“Nowadays, half of the students here are studying everything online and also, people who are teaching are using film more and more. That's why it's so important to show high-quality, peer-reviewed films made by academics and researchers and community members. They really hit home for people,” she said.
“Because these are the stories that are really important to us and important to communities - it's a way for us to hopefully improve the situations of people and to be able to get their stories heard and recognition of the kind of challenges that people are facing.”
This is the first year the festival was able to host an in-person viewing of the chosen films.
International filmmakers have come from as far away as Belgium. Saxberg said it’s amazing to have them come all the way here to not only show off their own works, but to celebrate local projects as well.
“We’re just about to go into our local filmmaking program today, Sports from the Giant which features all of the archival film footage from Dougall Media shot way back, 50 years ago,” she said.
“And then Journey To Our Homeland, another film shot about Tommy Yellowhead and his dream of this journey back to their homelands.”
Dr. Michael Brown, from the University of South Wales, brought two of his films with him to Thunder Bay. He said this festival is a fantastic fit for his style of ethnographic filmmaking.
“It's a spotlight on academics,” he said.
“It celebrates and showcases films that have quite strong theoretical underpinnings, and the methodologies through which they're made. This often includes different types of engagement with marginalized and disadvantaged communities or subject matter.”
In addition to the films selected for a live audience, the festival will also present a total of 45 films online via www.researchtv.ca from Feb. 9 to 12. For more information and a full festival lineup please visit us at www.spotlightonacademics.ca.
