Up For Some Shorts?

I'm a pretty big movie fan when I'm not watching hockey. A few friends refer to my movie collection as "Little Blockbuster", and I will certainly stop and drop what I'm doing if a great movie is on television. I also happen to a fan of short films if they are interesting and/or funny. I've linked a number of great films from the Canadian Film Board about hockey in articles over the years as they have been discovered, and I've posted a number of YouTube clips when they are of interest as well. In saying this, if you're around the Winnipeg area tonight and want to catch some free short films about hockey, there's a place you can do so!

The Canadian Sport Film Festival is taking place tonight and tomorrow at venues around Winnipeg, and there are a few great films about hockey featured during the two days of the Festival. If you're interested in seeing five of these films, head down to the Forks tonight for 7PM where these short films will be screened for the affordable price of FREE! The only thing that it costs you is a little time, but if you're interested in seeing some great short films, it's not a "cost" at all.

Now you might be thinking along the lines of "How good are these films, Teebz?" I respect that thought process, so I want to post the trailers and some info about each of the films. Honestly, they captured my interest, so I'm probably going to end up at the Forks tonight to watch some hockey on film. Here are your five feature shorts that will be playing tonight.

Champion City: The 1896 Winnipeg Victorias
Directed by Andrew Wall
Produced in 2012 in Canada
25 minutes in length

"In 1896, the Winnipeg Victorias hockey club challenged the Montreal Victorias for a relatively obscure trophy and changed Canada’s game forever. Told through dramatic reenactments and interviews with historian Dr. Morris Mott (Brandon University) and Hockey Hall of Fame VP and Curator Phil Pritchard, Champion City retells the story of Winnipeg’s Stanley Cup champion."

Hockeyheart
Directed by Kim Faires
Produced in 2011 in Canada
9 minutes in length

"Kim Faires retraces her own personal path from a childhood dream of playing ice hockey to its everyday reality in this heartfelt story about making your passion work in the real world – and discovering along the way that sometimes the real thing is better than you imagined."

The other three films don't have trailers posted on YouTube so I can't embed them, but here is a brief description with a still from the film for each of these films.

The Contest
Directed by Naoko Kumagi
Produced in Canada in 2007
14 minutes in length

"It’s 1975 and Yuko, a 25-year-old Japanese immigrant, is trapped in an empty, stilted marriage; she can’t speak the language well; and she lives much of her day in isolation. Her stagnant life is shaken up when a group of boys playing street hockey present her with the hockey card of Montreal Canadiens’ star winger, Guy Lafleur. Yuko learns of a contest at a local store – whose manager worships Lafleur – where the winner gets to meet the hockey star. Determined to win the contest, Yuko gets a job at the store and begins a journey to find her way to Lafleur, and ultimately, herself."

Guy and Me
Directed by Lenny Epstein
Produced in Canada in 2012
9 minutes in length

"Guy Lafleur is a hockey god. Tully is a regular guy with a dream – to play hockey against Guy. Join Tully as he travels to a small community arena in Eganville, Ontario, where he tries to talk his way into a game against the Montreal Canadiens' old timers, including his childhood hero, 'The Flower' himself."

Night Work: A Sawchuk Poem
Directed by Justin Simms
Produced in Canada in 2008
9 minutes in length

"A fanciful look at one man’s brush with fame, recalling a goal scored on East Kildonan’s Terry Sawchuk. Based on the poetry of Randall Maggs."

Seems pretty interesting, right? The one film that I missed out on last Thursday was one I would have loved to see. Of course, Thursday night is reserved for The Hockey Show, so it's not like I was just sitting around, but I would have loved the opportunity to see this film.

Lace Bite
Directed by Sharron Bates and Carmen Klotz
Produced in Canada in 2012
68 minutes in length

"To raise funds and awareness for cystic fibrosis, 40 women, over 10 days, attempt to break the world record for the longest ever ice hockey game. As the game and brutal schedule take a toll on bodies and minds, the players are held up by the same cystic fibrosis community they inspire."

Personally, these are some incredible film topics, and I'm excited to see the shorts being presented tonight. Honestly, I wish I would have been able to see Lace Bite as well, but I'll have to wait until it reaches TV or Netflix or Hulu. All in all, these shorts look great, and I hope you'll be able to join me down at the Forks tonight as the Canadian Sport Film Festival reaches new heights!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!