International Festival of Independent Cinema of Buenos Aires to feature retrospective on Canadian director Gary Burns
Montreal, April 4, 2011 – Telefilm Canada is pleased to announce that award-winning Calgary film writer and director Gary Burns will be featured in a retrospective at the upcoming International Festival of Independent Cinema of Buenos Aires (BAFICI). The Festival, which runs from April 6 to 17, is showcasing Burns’ six features (The Suburbanators, Kitchen Party, waydowntown, A Problem with Fear, Radiant City), including the world premiere of his latest film, The Future is Now!
“Canada’s industry has long been producing directors who spark great interest in the international festival circuit due to their commitment to exploring new creative territory,” said Carolle Brabant, Telefilm’s Executive Director. “Congratulations to Gary Burns who returns to the International Festival of Independent Cinema of Buenos Aires with a full retrospective. And thank you to the BAFICI for continually celebrating our filmmakers.”
Director Gary Burns added: “It’s a real honour and I look forward to reaching a South American audience. It’s my first full retrospective at an international festival, so it’s a big event for me. My films are linked thematically as they all attempt to address the complexities of our urban/suburban condition. Seeing them all screened over 10 days highlights, for myself at least, will illustrate this through line in my work. It will be interesting to see if the themes resonate with audiences in Buenos Aires.”
Created in 1999, the influential BAFICI triggered the creation of similar film festivals in countries like Chile (SanFic), Ecuador (Cero Latitud) and Mexico (FICUNAM). Canadian directors whose works have been exhibited at the Festival include: Reg Harkema, Mike Hoolboom, Denis Côté, Yung Chang, Rafaël Ouellet and Peter Mettler. The winner of the top prize for the 2007 edition was the US/Canada/South Korea production In Between Days, directed by So Yong Kim.
This is the second international retrospective on Gary Burns. Previously, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival invited Burns to screen Kitchen Party, waydowntown and Problem with Fear in 2005, as part of its Forum of Independents.
Gary Burns’ works have been very well received at Canadian film festivals. His first feature film, The Suburbanators, debuted at the 1995 Toronto International Film Festival, where it placed in the Top 10 Canadian films and was also invited to the Sundance Film Festival in 1996. At the 1997 Vancouver International Film Festival, he was awarded Best Emerging Director for Kitchen Party. His film waydowntown was given the Best Canadian Feature prize at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival. And his 2006 film, Radiant City, co-directed with Jim Brown, garnered the Special Jury Prize at the Vancouver International Film Festival.
Telefilm Canada has provided financial support to all of Gary Burns’ features with the exception of Radiant City.
About Telefilm Canada
Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency dedicated to developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual industry. Telefilm provides financial support to the private sector to create distinctively Canadian productions that appeal to domestic and international audiences. Telefilm also administers the Canada Media Fund’s programs. Visit www.telefilm.ca.
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