Tag: Rwanda

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A successful premiere

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Canadian Premiere of Rwanda: Hope Rises. We had a great time, and a great turnout, almost selling out the first show. A lot of faces I didn’t recognize, which for me is one of our biggest successes. Everything went well – the excellent venue, a great pre-reception with wine, cheese and mingling, and a beautiful screen to watch the story play out on.

We had great media coverage, which helped with the turnout. Below is a video from local daily 24 Hours:

The film was also covered by the Province, Global TV, and the print version of 24 Hours which has a high readership on the daily commute.

I’ve been laying low, taking it easy over the last couple days. It was an exhausting sprint getting everything ready, but I am immensely satisfied with the result. Big thanks to Kelly, Mike, Chris and the rest of the volunteers, and to Wellspring for hosting the event. This event wouldnt’ve happened without you.

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Rwanda: Hope Rises Canadian Premiere

Rwanda: Hope Rises official poster - Vancity Premiere

Rwanda: Hope Rises is complete. It will premiere at the Vancity Theatre on November 18th. Screenings are at 7pm & 8:45pm. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door, and can be purchased online here.

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It’s Done.

hoperisesfilm.com

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… and on to Israel!

YVR-SEA-AMS-JNB; JNB-AMS-TLV; TLV-AMS-LHO; LHO-AMS-SEA-YVR.

That’s the itinerary I just booked, leaving August 22nd and returning September 29th. After Bulembu, I’ll be heading to Israel to shoot 2nd unit for a production there with Jim van Dijk. I’ll be (happily) using the Red camera again, and working with a bigger crew & budget.

And on my way home, a short stopover in Oxford.

Together with Rwanda: Hope Rises being complete before I go, and the trip to Bulembu before heading to Israel, all I have to say is:

Woot.

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In Fresno

There’s something satisfying about throwing a passport in a carry-on with a few changes of clothes and heading out the door – no gear, no cameras (well… almost. Does an LX-2 count?), and the work has been done. Now I’m just along for the ride.

A heroic all-nighter by my editor, Steve Plitt had me exiting the door with two freshly burnt copies of Rwanda: Hope Rises in my hands. I caught the gate as they were making last call, and here I am: In Fresno.

This is the first time an audience will see a completed cut of the film, the culmination of three year’s work. And it has turned out better than I imagined. Having a skilled editor see with fresh eyes has brought the story to life again for me, and I’m excited to show it to people. It still has yet to go through the spit & polish of a final mix etc. but I think the three audiences this weekend will enjoy the experience.

If you’re in the Fresno area, get in touch and I’ll let you know the details of the screenings.

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Last Day on Sanctuary

Today will be my last day on the set of Sanctuary, the new SciFi Network TV show that airs in October. It’s been fun working with the crew, helping them get up to speed with the RED camera, and seeing a Vancouver show built from the ground up.

Now it’s on to finishing touches of Rwanda: Hope Rises before our first audience screening in Fresno this coming weekend…

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In Cambridge

It’s 1:30am Ontario time… just got back from a great night of networking and awards hosted by a national non-profit foundation. Made several connections for screening Rwanda: Hope Rises here in the fall.

Now for a quick ‘nap’ and up in three hours to catch a plane…

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On The Run

Suddenly, things got busy.

  • Post continues on Rwanda: Hope Rises along with preparations for screenings in May and June
  • The Red camera business has taken off like a shot. I spent this afternoon at Anthem Visual FX testing our workflow for an upcoming SciFi network TV show
  • This morning was spent prepping for a week long shoot with the RED, including skydiving, sailing, and ice skating
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Sidenotes

Attacks in Rwanda

Attacks in Rwanda during the commemoration of the genocide… Stuff like this is a sign of how complex and ongoing the rebuilding process is, and by correlation, how difficult it is to convey the story of what’s going on there accurately and clearly. This if the first attacks I’ve heard of since starting my film. Hopefully it’s the last…

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I Saw What I Saw

Sara Groves… she’s not someone I’d heard of, but this video about Rwanda is quite beautiful. It describes well how I feel about Rwanda, and the emotion inside visiting a place like that for the first time, full of contradictions.

Higher quality version here.