The Nickel Independent Film Festival Retrospective, '11 Years, 11 Films, 11 Bucks', was hosted by the multi-faceted Ruth Lawrence and Roger Maunder. Maunder as curator and founder of NIFF since 2001, he took on the task of choosing the 11 films to showcase this event. NIFF features art by people for the love of storytelling. It was quite the task with hundreds of films to chose from. As the evenings host, Maunder also starred in Colleen Power's film 'Ugly Telling Lies' the hilarious tale of a spouse fed up with her man being out all night long and finding a way to keep track of him, and Colleen with an email inbox full of product requests!
Lois Brown's Sweet Pickle staring Ruth Lawrence was certainly that! With it's light hearted humorous story of a girl from the Bay who heads in to Bidgood's Store to shop for produce, after all, the little bit that she gets for herself is the 'special treat at the bottom of the jar' a piece of cauliflower.
Yes!Yes!Yes! By Jordan Canning featured the now ultra happening Newfoundland band, Hey Rosetta! A story of an older gentleman's life that reminds us of just how quickly time can pass by and that if we don't work to change things, the pattern will repeat itself. A video that is no more relevant at any other time than now when we are at an all time high of economic hardships throughout the entire world.
'Colic' by Noel Harris brings us the tale of a couple of parents dealing with a baby with colic. Was that a `'sigh' if so, you've been there too! In Harris words ' 'Colic', at it's essence it is about love, staged upon a lighthearted snippet of family life.' It starts as a typical story of how the dad deals with him night in and night out, and ends in the neatest twist that will leave you giggling.
The viewing on the big screen of 'Evelyn The Evil Dead Girl', probably one of my favorite short films of all time, produced by our own Brad Peyton, who comes from Gander. Meeting up with some friends in the arts, and viewing a couple of faves on the big screen. Such as 'Evelyn: The Cutest Evil Dead Girl', a film I first saw on tv back in the early 2000's and until tonight didn't even realize was a product of a Newfoundlander! His most recent project includes the teen sensation, Vanessa Hudgsens, Dwayne Johnson and Sir Michael Caine.
'Even Now' by Liz 'Solo' Pickard, is a classic for Lizband fans, such as myself, and gave us a look back nearly 10 years ago at a song she still kills on stage, but these days as a member of the Black Bags!
It was almost like a game to try to name as many cameo's as you could through the evening, we caught, Allan Hawco, Jody Richardson and Geraldine Hollett in film. As was the LSPU theatre, with guests for the evening including newly elected MP Ryan Cleary, and the multi-talented Andy Jones and Robert (Bob) Joy.
Aptly, proceeding the evenings event, I caught up with Robert 'Bob' Joy of CSI:NY, who is back home in St. John's, for a run of the Edward Riche production 'Hail'. He'd enjoyed the evening and the variety of films that were presented in his 'favorite city in the world '(St John's).
Maunder was pleased with the turnout and was anticipating that he selected a broad enough range to satisfy all genres, which he did. The evening served as a wonderful ramp up to the Nickel Film Festival which starts on June 21, for more information, you can hit up the link at the bottom. I will post as many shorts on here for you guys to take a gander at.
Serendipity is..... seeing your favorite short film on the big screen when you least expect it!
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