Originally published by Amanda, September 2010 at http://oceanisland.wordpress.com
Did you know they filmed Little Women in Victoria? Or the X-Men movies? Or that awesome 80′s Mel Gibson movie Bird on a Wire?
Victoria has a long tradition of filmmaking, but they also hold some of the best film festivals. The “festival season” kicks off just as the weather starts to get cold and people head inside. Good timing, no?
The first event of the season (or the last of the year, depending how you look at things) is the Antimatter Film Festival. From their website:
Dedicated to the exhibition and nurturing of film and video as art, Antimatter has grown into the premier showcase of experimental cinema in the west. Encompassing screenings, installations, performances and media hybrids, Antimatter provides a noncompetitive festival setting in Victoria, British Columbia, free from commercial and industry agendas.
And then in February, there’s the Victoria Film Festival:
The Victoria Film Festival is the largest showcase of independent films on Vancouver Island and is gathering steam heading into its 16th season. Going to the movies has always been a simple pleasure providing a venue for escape, adventure and thoughtful reflection about the world around us. Our innovative program of Canadian and International documentaries, narrative and short films are guaranteed to entertain and impart a sense of wonder about the world like no other experience.
Each year the Victoria Film Festival brings in some special guest filmmakers like Atom Egoyan and John Waters. The festival throws some amazing parties too!
If you’re itching for quality films but don’t want to wait for a festival, you have some options:
Movie Monday at Eric Martin Pavilion
Movie Monday is a weekly program of film screenings (on Monday evenings), by donation, at a 100 seat auditorium in Victoria’s psychiatric hospital, the Eric Martin Pavilion. We show an eclectic range of titles, from Hollywood to indie with an accent on recovery stories of all kinds, especially mental illness and addiction.
A good range of movies from around the world every Monday at 6:30 pm!
1900 Fort Street (map) 250-595-3542
The Roxy Theatre
This place is built into an old airplane hanger, and is a total local favourite. 3 movies for $5. Damn. Even cheaper on Tuesdays ($2.50) Double Damn! Showings are at 7:15pm, 9:15pm and I guess 11:15pm, but I’m not sure about that last one.
2657 Quadra Street (map) 250-382-3370
UVic Cinecenta
Cinecenta shows a selection of alternative, foreign and critically acclaimed films.
The theatre is in the Student Union Building at UVic and they offer special prices for students and membership cards.
Parking is free in the evenings and all day weekends, or you can take the 14 University, 26 Crosstown, 11 Uplands or 4 Mt.Tolmie buses.
The University of Victoria Student Union Building (map) 250-721-8365
Schedule, etc. at www.cinecenta.com
