We couldn鈥檛 help notice how many filmmakers from North America and places as far afield as Iceland and China who flew in for this year鈥檚 Victoria Film Festival found themselves having flashbacks.
For Michael Clark, being repeatedly photographed prompted memories of shooting When Elephants Were Young with director Patricia Sims.
鈥淚 was sure I was going to die,鈥� recalled the documentary鈥檚 cinematographer, editor and music supervisor who traded in his jungle jackets and baggy shorts for sharper duds.
Clark was recalling his horrific experience in the summer of 2014 when the vehicle transporting the duo to a wildlife sanctuary in Thailand was struck and he plummeted 200 metres off a cliff.
It was what he saw after managing to climb back up the muddy cliff to the highway where Sims, who was ejected, was 鈥渋n a lot of pain, screaming like an animal鈥� that blew him away.
鈥淚 get up to the top and I think somebody鈥檚 going to help me over this thing and no one does because they鈥檙e all standing there taking selfies of the white guy,鈥� he said.
Director Nick Simon was disappointed he couldn鈥檛 join The Girl in the Photographs producer Thomas Mahoney here for Friday鈥檚 premiere of executive producer Wes Craven鈥檚 final horror film.
The affable filmmaker shared a flashback by phone from the Florida Everglades, where he鈥檚 directing a secret project.
鈥淭here were crews also shooting [William Brent Bell鈥檚 horror film] The Boy, and Dean [Cundey] found them,鈥� Simon recalled.
He said he was amazed that two legendary horror cinematographers 鈥� Cundey (Halloween) and Daniel Pearl (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) 鈥� happened to be filming in Victoria at the same time.
鈥淒ean said, 鈥業鈥檓 going to go over to Danny鈥檚 set and see if I can pick up some of his crew,鈥� 鈥� recalled Simon with a laugh. 鈥淚鈥檓 going, 鈥榃here am I? What world am I living in?鈥� 鈥�
Connor Gaston was flanked by cast and crew from The Devout including five-year-old star Olivia Martin, looking like a little princess in her long red gown, at his film鈥檚 sold-out premi猫re Thursday night.
While the Victoria writer-director鈥檚 local reception was as enthusiastic as the one he got at South Korea鈥檚 Busan International Film Festival, there were noticeable differences.
鈥淚 can finally say one of my films has been translated into another language,鈥� joked Gaston, whose film was subtitled when shown in Busan, with Korean inscriptions on the side of the screen.
Coincidentally, The Devout was also selected for a showing at the Available Light Film Festival in Whitehorse, as was his mentor Maureen Bradley鈥檚 festival hit Two 4 One last year.
Bradley revealed she鈥檒l be flying to Wisconsin next week for her bittersweet gender identity comedy鈥檚 premiere at the Beloit International Film Festival, or BIFF.
Quipped Bradley at CineVic鈥檚 after-party for The Devout: 鈥淎ll I know is it鈥檚 on a giant lake, and Making a Murderer [which unfolded in Manitowoc County].鈥�
Before Five Nights in Maine screened at the Odeon Thursday, Maris Curran had lots to smile about despite the sombre nature of her beautifully understated grief drama starring David Oyelowo and Dianne Wiest.
The Philadelphia-born filmmaker said she has been spending her time running and sight-seeing, and was thrilled after Variety reported during the festival that FilmRise had acquired worldwide distribution rights.
鈥淒id we mention it was beautiful here?鈥� said a post on the Facebook page for the film being released in New York and Los Angeles this summer.
The 10-day festival wraps tonight at 9 with the final bash and awards presentation at Lucky Bar.
