In an age of “fake news” the 2018 DOXA Documentary Film Festival celebrates those filmmakers who take the time to research and document real life and get to the bottom of the story without a script or teleprompter. The DOXA 2018 program screens radical and transformative ideas through music, art, and the power of people working together to create and share solutions.
The 93 films in the festival this year, including 9 world premiers and 13 Canadian premiers, cover activism, politics, disability rights, women’s rights, family life, music and so much more to keep you stimulated and intrigued.
With municipal elections just around the corner, DOXA opens the Festival with the world premiere of Teresa Alfeld’s The Rankin File: Legacy of a Radical. Vancouver lawyer, city councilor, housing activist, and legendary firebrand Harry Rankin left a long shadow in the city, but some of his most passionate battles are still being fought. Another rebel closes out the Festival, with Kusama – Infinity, a celebration of fearless spirit and passionate determination. Yayoi Kasuma battled her way to the top of the art world. But her struggle took a highly personal toll.
Double Spotlight features Press Play and Quietude respectively explore the revolutionary power of music, and the subtle strength of silence and close observation. Guest Curated Programs grapple with some of the most challenging issues from the rise of the rightwing (Embedded with Extremists curated by Geoff Dembicki) to environmental crises facing Tibetan China (From Our Eyes curated by Yi Cui). 2018 DOXA also welcomes the fourth edition of French French, featuring a special program dedicated to the work of legendary cineaste Alain Cavalier.
Cornerstone programs Justice Forum and Rated Y for Youth are back for 2018, with a remarkable collection of work that tackles the most intractable issues of the day (climate change, censorship, Indigenous language revitalization, reproductive rights and technologies) with intelligence, thought, and a fierce dedication to the art of documentary cinema. With an expanded Industry Day, artist talks, panel discussions, and parties, there is something for everyone in the 2018 DOXA Festival – lovers, fighters, and organizers.
DOXA Documentary Film Festival runs May 3 –13, 2018. Tickets are available online at doxafestival.ca.