Films revealed

With seven different countries represented at this year’s annual Northwest Film Fest, there are at least two films with a distinct Thunder Bay appeal, said the North of Superior Film Association president.

The documentary Steam of Life speaks to the city’s large Finn population as it shows a series of interviews with Finn men in what NOSFA president Mary Mascarin calls the “revered place of all Finlanders – the sauna.”

“It sort of points out the disconnect between the outward stereotype of the reserved Finlander and these gentlemen who open up about their lives,” he said. “Some of their stories are heartwarming. Some of them are heartbreaking. Some of them are quite humourous.”

Music from the Big House, also a documentary, follows blues musician Rita Chiarelli as she puts on a concert in the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Chiarelli is known to many Thunder Bay residents from the city’s popular Blues Fest and also her work with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra.
 
“She has a big following in town and we’d like to think that a lot of blues fans might be interested in seeing this film,” Mascarin said.

Also on this year’s lineup are Oscar-winning documentary Inside Job and Oscar-nominated films Blue Valentine, Rabbit Hole, Another Year and the animated The Illusionist.

Sofia Coppola’s latest Somewhere, Stephen Frear’s Tamara Drewe and the two sequels to Sweden’s popular Girl with the Dragon Tattoo are also on the schedule along with Buried, featuring Ryan Reynolds’ critically acclaimed performance as a man buried alive.

“It’s always a challenge for us to get that mix of films,” said Mascarin. “We like to try for a blend of drama, comedy and also documentaries and try to acknowledge space for films that just will not make it on the big screen in Thunder Bay; we definitely have that with a number of films here.”

The festival will be held at SilverCity for the second year on two successive Sundays (March 27 and April 3). There will also be a double-header prelude on March 24 featuring Barney’s Version and Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work.

Memberships, six packs of tickets and festival gold passes will be sold at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium starting March 18. Single film tickets will be sold at the theatre on the day of the screenings.

For the festival schedule, ticket info and pricing visit www.nosfa.ca.