News

Available Light Film Festival 2019: Passes Now On-Sale!

November 27, 2018

The Yukon Film Society is thrilled to announce that five and ten film passes are now on sale for the 17th annual Available Light Film Festival running February 2 – 10, 2019. The 2019 festival will feature a strong lineup of northern, Canadian, international, Indigenous and female-driven cinema. The festival is gearing up to present 60 plus screenings, live performances and media art exhibitions alongside ALFF Industry a 5-day conference of film and digital media industry sessions. Highlights from the festival include the Canadian premiere of the Yukon-produced documentary, How To Bee, by Whitehorse director Naomi Mark. The film was a funding recipient of the prestigious Telefilm Talent To Watch Program; having been nominated by the Yukon Film Society in 2017, beating out dozens of projects from across Canada. In the documentary, Naomi Mark embarks on a journey to connect with her father through beekeeping after her dad – long time Yukoner Don Mark - is diagnosed with a degenerative lung disease. The festival will feature the award-winning Canadian film, Edge of the Knife, which is the first film entirely in Haida, a language spoken by less than 20 people. The film is an epic drama set in 1800s Haida Gwaii about a man who retreats deep into the forest and becomes ‘wild’. The film nabbed Best British Columbia and Best Canadian Film Awards at the Vancouver International Film Festival in October. ALFF 2019 will also feature veteran Canadian filmmaker Patricia Rozema’s film, Mouthpiece, based on the popular play of the same name presented to much acclaim in Whitehorse in 2016. We’re excited to announce that Rozema, the director of I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing and Into the Forest, will be a featured guest at the festival along with her film. The Yukon Film Society is also pleased to announce the screening of This Mountain Life, a BC documentary about a mother and daughter team who spend six months traversing the treacherous Coast mountains from Squamish to Skagway. Other films we’re excited to present include the Cannes Palme D’Or winning Japanese film, Shoplifters directed by Hirokazu Koreeda (After the Storm, Like Father, Like Son), Cannes FF Best Director winner, Pawel Pawlikowski’s stunning black and white film, Cold War; an impossible love story in impossible times and the Swedish documentary Maj Doris, about the renowned 74-year-old Sami artist who lives alone in the forest with her reindeer herd and her artwork. Five and ten film passes are available through the YFS Square store, the Yukon Film Society office until Friday December 22 at 212 Lambert St (facing 3rd Ave), yukontickets.com and the Yukon Arts Centre box office. Discounted early bird prices in effect until Friday December 28: $100 for 10-film pass and $55 for 5-film pass. The ALFF 2019 schedule will be published on Friday December 28. Individual tickets will be on sale Friday January 4, 2019. The 17th annual Available Light Film Festival will take place from February 2 to 10, 2019 in Whitehorse, Yukon. The 2019 presenting sponsors are Yukon Energy and the Best Western Gold Rush Inn. For further information please contact Festival Director, Andrew Connors – alff@yukonfilmsociety.com or by phone: 867-393-3456.