Tag: Spirituality

VFFOnline: Opening the Doors to The Secret Garden (2020)

To give this movie a cinematic edge, a Harry Potter treatment was needed and this detail should be of no surprise when David Heyman is one of the producers.

Image result for the secret garden 2020 where to watchBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Streaming Online
at the Victoria Film Festival
Get your pass here to view beginning Feb 5th, 2021

Note: Available to view for residents in British Columbia. Support local! Streaming on YouTube and available to purchase on Amazon PrimeThe Secret Garden too.

The Secret Garden looks more like a secluded glen in this latest adaptation of the novel of the same name. No knowledge of Frances Hodgson Burnett‘s work is needed because this movie stays faithful to the outline. To give this movie a cinematic edge, a Harry Potter treatment was needed and this detail should be of no surprise when David Heyman is one of the producers.

Sadly, because of the pandemic, it never got a proper theatrical run. It wouldn’t have broken any box office records, but when considering the effort spent to scale up the beauty this garden represents, the investment lost is just that and hopefully its life in home video can make back the money spent.

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TheNFB at VFF2021 Part 3: The Myth & Mystery in Altötting, Germany

Andreas Hykade’s Altötting is a very personal story about his first time meeting the blessed Virgin Mary and his experiences. He speaks highly of her, as though she was a lover, but the context is far more allegorical–pertaining to her role in 20th Century history–as a lady in waiting for those seeking salvation.

Altötting (2020) - IMDbBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

National Film Board of Canada
Victoria Film Festival: Animate Me Shorts Program beginning Feb 5th, 2021

Andreas Hykade‘s Altötting is a very personal story about his first time meeting the blessed Virgin Mary and his experiences. He speaks highly of her, as though she was a lover, but the context is far more allegorical–pertaining to her role in 20th Century history–as a lady in waiting for those seeking salvation.

This minimalist animated short is very alluring in its approach of describing the power of her being. The erotic implications are minimal, and whether that was intentional by this filmmaker, it’s hard to say.

As for the experience of seeing the power of her being for the first time, the feelings may well be simliar to how Lucia Abobora, and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, described the angel who came to visit them in Fatima, Portugal and afterwards, the Virgin Mary. But this filmmaker set his piece in a small German town with an equally historical landmark built to honour this person (and be a tourist attraction). The similarity is in how the two are often visited by those in search for a miracle.

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On AH Comics Bringing Jewish Comix Anthologies 1 & 2 to Life

SCI-Jewish-Comics-Anthology-Volume-2-Cover
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By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

This week is a time for many cultures to make be merry. Whether it’s with Solstice, Hanukah or Christmas or another tradition, it really does not matter. Some may even prefer to cozy up with a good book to read instead. That’s what I normally do when the rest of the world is ready to hunker down for the holidays (and play video games). I marvelled at how well put together SCI The Jewish Comics Anthology Volume 2 is.

The writing and artwork by all the various contributors (David Mack, Ty Templeton and Michael Norwitz are just a sampling of the 26 talents recruited), make this collection a worthwhile add to any science fiction enthusiasts collection. I also had the opportunity to speak with Andy Stanleigh, the President of Alternate History Comics Inc who published this series.

I see on Amazon, the first volume encompasses various genres–from adventure to horror. Why make volume two all about science fiction?

Volume one was unique in that it was, at the time, one of the largest collections of Jewish-themed comic book works. It included original stories and republished works by some of the largest creators in the industry–Will Eisner, Art Spiegelman, Robert Crumb, and even a story originally edited by Stan Lee.

In the years since, with the resurgence of Star Trek, Star Wars and other sci-fi properties in mainstream media (and of course, in all the decades prior), “sci-fi” has become a category by itself, which contains sub-genres of romance, horror, comedy, drama, etc. Within the genre of sci-fi, many stories can be told. This was the connecting thread that we were looking for when planning Volume 2.

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Take Me Home to This Place I Belong, This Mountain Life

The Secret GardenPlays November 14, at the Capitol 6 theatres, at 7pm and 9:30pm, in Victoria, B.C. Tickets can be bought online here, For upcoming screenings nationwide, please visit MountainLifeFilm.com

Coming soon to Knowledge Network. Please check local listings. The local showing includes the NFB’s Mountain of SGaana.

  • Spoiler Alert

This Mountain Life is a beautiful documentary about staying positive. For those aspiring to climb high enough, communion with Nature can be found. Though tuning into the cosmos natural vibration is not everyone’s goal, these huge rocky ranges people find latticed around the world offer than meets the eye. At least for those folks who wonder what it’s like to live off the grid, or spend time away from the concrete jungle—whether it’s at a cabin, a monastery or a small community in the woods—this film reveals plenty.

At the same time, we are reminded Supernatural British Columbia is three-quarters mountainous terrain. Life within the Coast Mountains (sic. Cascades) is the focus. To live life with the outdoors as your backyard is not limited. Those willing to explore these alpine ranges can reveal a bounty of medicines and new discoveries, if not reconnecting with a higher force. Small towns tucked within the valleys enjoy the benefits. In the Lower Mainland, some folks can visit Whistler, BC to go skiing. I am brave enough to venture deeper to discover other treasures, if not get spirited away—lest the wildlife have other plans for me.

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