The Vancouver International Film Festival starts tomorrow. The array of choices is daunting, and unlike the Fringe, I don’t have a bunch of insider suggestions. I do have one, however. Jana, my friend in film, writes to recommend Scared Sacred. I wasn’t able to find a trailer, but it sounds pretty cool:
Velcrow Ripper takes us on a visually stunning tour of some of the planet’s “Ground Zeros” and searches for hope in such unlikely places as Bhopal, post-9/11 New York, Israel and Palestine. Over the course of his five-year odyssey, he unearths unforgettable stories of survival, resilience and recovery. In the jungles of Cambodia, Aki Ra, a child soldier forced to lay landmines by the Khmer Rouge, continues the task of decommissioning these mines using only a simple stick to find them.
In truth, I’m reticent to attend any film directed by someone named ‘Velcrow Ripper’. Still, I may be able to put aside that bias. The film has a (very 1998) website and Velcrow (should that be Mr. Ripper?) made a brief, sad attempt at a weblog. Incidentally, does anybody have any suggestions for the VIFF?
DarrenBarefoot.com 
I’d go see (and probably will go see) “Travellers and Magicians.” It’s a Bhutanese film, directed by the same filmmaker who did “The Cup”, which was a great movie.
Baghdad blogger.
A few others caught my eye but I don’t have the magazine on me.
A Hole in My Heart by Lukas Moodysson (who also did the excellent “Show Me Love” and the interesting “Together”) is supposed to be good, though it’s billed as being “shocking and unsettling” (although I’m a bit jaded about these things when it comes to movies, so I’m not too concerned).
Nobody Knows doesn’t sound promising at first, but after seeing director Kore-eda Hirokazu’s “After Life” a few years ago at the VIFF, I’m prepared to go see anything he does. That film has stuck with me over the years.
I’m also planning on seeing Michael Haeneke’s Time of the Wolf. I’ve enjoyed enough of his films in the past that I make an effort to go see his new ones. Though his material is usually quite dark and disturbing…not enjoyable in a conventional sense.
Whats your problem with Velcrow Ripper Darren?
Karl: Well, if ‘Velcrow Ripper’ is his given name, then he has my sympathies. If, as I suspect, it’s a name he’s applied to himself, then I find it deeply goofy and tremendously pretentious.
Let me help you out. I looked him up.
Velcrow’s real name is steve ripper and he’s from Gibsons Landing. He could be a sensitive guy
you know.
Anyway enjoy the show. Post your experiences
http://www.expectingrain.com/dok/who/r/rippersteven.html
I found ScaredSacred to be cinematically touching. Velcrow Ripper has a real eye…and his narration was very personal without being trite. The content of the film is very thought-provoking and I LOVED the soundtrack.
I think it is a very brave look at suffering and feel the message of hope comes at a time in which the world can recieve it.
And regarding the name Velcrow Ripper…we don’t know the story now do we? I think it’s cool and given the obvious heart this guy has it is not a pretentious statement.
I found ScaredSacred to be cinematically touching. Velcrow Ripper has a real eye…and his narration was very personal without being trite. The content of the film is very thought-provoking and I LOVED the soundtrack.
I think it is a very brave look at suffering and feel the message of hope comes at a time in which the world can recieve it.
And regarding the name Velcrow Ripper…we don’t know the story now do we? I think it’s cool and given the obvious heart this guy has it is not a pretentious statement.
If you stayed for the Q+A you’d have learnt that the website was created in 1995 at The Banff Institute…one of the first artist driven websites. It is a self perpetuating documentary that can be added to and wandered through at whim. I find it insightful and enjoyable.