Petrinations, nations, photo by Marc Hébert Elena Feder, curator of the project, after a recent screening at VIFF. “Many Canadians con- tinue to see Latin America and Latino culture through 1960s lenses,... where all things Latino are per- ceived, paradoxically, as the source of exotic pleasures and brutality, abundance and lack, and all things Anglo as the culmination of desire itself through - material consumption." “18 Sinflux# Magazine October 4999 AND Ploeg tions Cultural germination converges on ECIAD by Marc Hébert For the past few weeks I have been spending my Sunday nights in the darkened projection room of the Pacific Cinémathéque being pollinated by ideas filtered through the imaginary borders of the Americas. The recently formed Americas on the Verge for the Advancement of Arts and Culture has organized an extensive series of film and video screenings at this classic downtown cinema. Under the banner of Nations, Pollinations and Dislocations, these screenings are meshed with exhibitions and installations throughout Vancouver, culminating in a three-day international sympo- sium held at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. Elena Feder, professor at Simon Fraser University and member of the National Identities and Socio-Political Changes in Latin America, a research group based at SFU, curated this project with the intent of bringing Canadians up to date with the perspectives arising out of and about Latin America. In her curatorial statement she notes how "many Canadians continue to see Latin America and Latino culture through 1960s lenses, ... where all things Latino are per- ceived, paradoxically, as the source of exotic pleasures and brutality, abundance and lack, and all things Anglo as the culmination of desire itself through material consumption." Having immigrated to Canada in the late seventies herself, Feder wanted personally (as well as professionally) to see what Canada means to immigrants, and how the experi- ence of exile, diaspora, and integration has been recorded on film. Feder obtained her doctorate degree in film studies at Stanford University and is extensively versed in the semiotics of the image - in particular, film in the Americas. Through this project she has developed her role as an educator far beyond the classroom. Every Sunday, a particular issue is engaged in a double bill comprising shorts and/or full-length features sounding different perspectives. Feder notes that various points of view from many sources will more successfully approach the facts than the monolith of the dominant Media. There are also many films by non-Latino Canadians which respond in their own way to the phenomenon of co- habitating cultures. These films have not been widely distrib- uted, and many were made underground, rendering their © authors susceptible to the consequences of speaking against the regimes in control of such countries as Argentina, Cuba, Chile, Colombia, etc... Vancouver East Cinema ber 10 According to the web page hosted by National Identities and Socio-Political Changes in Latin America, the International Symposium will bring together film. and video makers, scholars, critics, programmers and cultural and community workers to address issues such as "the effects of exile and assimilation on the creative process; the status of Latina film and video makers in Canada; co-productions at the inter-provincial level with Latin America; the analysis of national integration metaphors such as ‘multiculturalism’, the 'melting pot', and the 'salad bowl' as well as strategies to counteract racism, sexism, and related 'isms' inevitably implied in the application of these metaphors." Other scenes to explore such themes are the venues hosting exhibitions and installations around Vancouver. These include: eAn exhibition of photography curated by Jorge Aguilar at Havana Gallery from September 30 to October 31 eA multimedia installation by Sinara Rozo and Jorge Lozano at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design from October 28 to November 7 eAn evening of Experimental Shorts selected by Enrique Ortiga at the Video In Studios October .29 eA new media installation by Konstantinos Mavromichalis at the Western Front October 30 at 8:00 pm. The twelve-week film and video retrospective began in mid-August, has coordinated several screenings with the Vancouver International Film Festival, and will run through to November 14. This project brings together two genera- tions of artists to initiate dialogue in preparation for the sym- posium, October 29-31 at the Emily Carr Institute. The screenings wil undoubtedly present refreshing perspectives to discuss at the symposium. Keep an eye on NISPCLA website at http://www.sfu.ca/~nispcla/americasontheverge, or call Americas on the Verge at 868-7123 (fax 731-9037). You can also email Elena Feder at efeder@sfu.ca. For full descrip- tions of films and videos, consult the Pacific Cin¢émathéque's bi-monthly schedule of films, or call their 24-hour info line at 688-FILM. Enjoy! : 00pm Fotrinati ons, nations, Elena Feder, curator of the project, after a recent screening at VIFF. “Many Canadians con- tinue to see Latin America and Latino culture through 1960s lenses,... where all things Latino are per- ceived, paradoxically, as the source of exotic pleasures and brutality, abundance and lack, and all things Anglo as the culmination of desire itself through material consumption." "18 SinflixsMaGazine“Oetcber1999 AND Dislocg tongs Cultural germination converges on ECIAD by Mare Hébert For the past few weeks I have been spending my ‘Sunday nights in the darkened projection room ofthe Pacific ‘Cinémathéque being pollinated by ideas filtered through the imaginary borders of the Americas. The recently formed Americas on the Vrge for the Advancement of Ars and Culture thas organized an extensive series of film and video screenings at this classic downtown cinema. Under the banner of Nations, Polinations and Didocations, these screenings are meshed with exhibitions and installations throughout ‘Vancouver, culminating in a three-day international sympo- sium held at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. lena Feder, professor at Simon Fraser University and member of the National Identities and Socio-Political anges in Latin America, a research group based at SFU, curated this project with the intent of bringing Canadians up, to date with the perspectives arising out of and about Latin ‘America, In her curatorial statement she notes how “many Canadians continue to see Latin America and Latino culture through 1960s lense, .. where all things Latino are per- ceived, paradoxically as the source of exotic pleasures and brutality, abundance and lack, and all things Anglo as the culmination of desire itself through material consumption.” Having immigrated to Canada in the late seventies herself, Feder wanted personaly (as well as professionally) 0 see what Canada means to immigrants, and how the experi= ence of exile, diaspora and integration has been recorded on. film. Feder obtained her doctorate degree in film studies at Stanford University and is extensively versed in the semiotics of the image - in particular, film in the Americas. Through this project she has developed her role as an educator far beyond the classroom. Every Sunday, a particular issue is engaged in a double bill comprising shorts and/or full-length features sounding different perspectives. Feder notes that various pints of view from many sources will more successfully approach the facts than the monolith of the dominant ‘Media. There are also many films by non-Latino Canadians Which respond in their own way to the phenomenon of co- babitating cultures, These films have not been widely distib- tuted, and many were made underground, rendering their authors susceptible to the consequences of speaking against the regimes in contol of such countries as Argentina, Cuba, Chile, Colombia, ete “The 1999 Vancouver International Film Festival Presents THE SOUTHERN CROSS Vancouver East Cinema Sunday, October 10, 7:00pm Regular Screening “COMP Seata ald Only Until shovtsne io Refunds or Exchanges According to the web page hosted by National dentties and Socio-Poitial Changes in Latin America, the International Symposium will bring together film and video makers, scholars, critics, programmers and cultural and community workers to address issues such as "the effects of exile and assimilation on the creative process; the status of Latina film and video makers in Canada; co-productions at the inter-provincal level with Latin America; the analysis of national integration metaphors such as ‘multiculturalism’, the ‘melting pot, and the ‘salad boul’ as well as strategies t0 ‘counteract racism, sexism, and related ‘isms’ inevitably ‘implied in the application ofthese metaphors.” Other scenes to explore such themes are the venues hosting exhibitions ‘and installations around Vancouver. ‘These include An exhibition of photography curated by Jorge ‘Aguilar at Havana Gallery from September 30 10 ‘October 31 *A. multimedia installation by Sinara Rozo and Jorge Lozano at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design from October 28 to November 7 “An evening of Experimental Shorts selected by Enrique Ortga atthe Video In Studios October 29 *A new media instalation by Konstantinos ‘Mavromichalis atthe Western Front October 30 at 8:00 pm, ‘The twelve-week film and video retrospective began in mid-August, has coordinated several sereenings with the Vancouver International Film Festival, and will run through to November 14. This project brings together two gener tions of artists to initiate dialogue in preparation forthe sym- pposium, October 29-31 at the Emily Carr Institute. The screenings wil undoubtedly present refeshing perspectives to discuss atthe symposium. Keep an eye on NISPCLA website at hhup:/www:sfu.ca/-nispelalamericasontheverge, or call ‘Americas on the Verge at 868-7123 (ax 731-9037), You can ‘also email Elena Feder at efeder@sfu.ca. For full dscrip- tions of films and videos, consult the Pacific Cinémathéque's bi-monthly schedule of films, or call their 24-hour info line at 688-FILM. Enjoy!