Canadian Labour International Film Festival (CLiFF)

IMAGINE A WORLD where thousands of films are made about workers and the conditions under which they live, work, fight, and succeed in their daily lives!

In 2009, Toronto will see the first-ever Canadian Labour International Film Festival (CLiFF). This will also mark the first ever labour-oriented film festival in Canada.

The world of labour has found it increasingly difficult to communicate its message as fewer and fewer people have greater control over the means of communication — the media.

It is more important than ever that working people be able to tell their own stories in their own words and in their own images.

With the wide availability of digital still and video cameras, camera-phones, and other tools, activists can now make their stories — but still find it difficult to exhibit their narratives.

CLiFF will be that venue, the first of many throughout Canada, we hope, and around the world.

Not only do we want to show films, we want to encourage MAKING films to show at this and other festivals.

We want to partner with any and all organizations friendly to those who do work, those who represent workers, and those who advocate on the behalf of workers. We also want to work with those whose mission it is to tell the stories of workers.

We also plan to create partnerships with organizations that teach the arts of film-making. Visit our website to see things as they develop and (please) send us ideas.

Contact:

Website: http://www.labourfilms.ca/

Grand Opening / National Launch

Sunday, 22 November, 2009 Sheraton Downtown Toronto 123 Queen Street West , Toronto, Ontario

4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. - FREE

You can also watch the ceremonies live on the web from http://rabble.ca/rabbletv

Toronto Film List

• November 23, 2009 - November 28, 2009:
• http://labourfilms.ca/toronto/

Venue

The Bloor Cinema will play host to the inaugural season of CLiFF.

“The Bloor”, as it is affectionately known, is centrally located near the corner of Bloor and Bathurst streets in Toronto (506 Bloor St. West Toronto, ON M5S 1Y3).

The dates for the Toronto location are 23 – 28 November, 2009, with the Grand Opening on 22 November at the Sheraton Downtown Toronto, Grand Ballroom.

ALL FILMS ARE FREE at the Bloor Cinema - First come, first served Tickets available at the Bloor Cinema box office about 30 minutes before each showing.

Monday – 6:30 p.m.

Six Weeks of Solidarity Director: Victor Dobchuk • Canada, 10 min, 1995 A look at the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, 75 years later.

Hold the Line Director: Min Sook Lee • Canada, 16 min, 2009 A restrained story-telling of the 2009 CUPE strike in Windsor, Ontario. Excellent shots of Windsor backed by a moody soundtrack, this film tells the story of the Windsor CUPE strike from the workers’ point of view.

Northland Director: Edie Steiner • Canada, 16 min, 2007 A touching look back at the director’s father, Albert Steiner, and his life as a miner. Detailing his death, caused by working in the mine and the reality of getting compensation from mining companies at that time.

Tanaka-san will not do Calisthenics Director: Maree Delofski • Australia, 75 min, 2008 Filmed in Japan, this film follows Tanaka-san who was let go from his job at Oki Electric Manufacturing Company 25 years ago when he refused to conform to militaristic working expectations. Tanaka-san sings in front of his old office each day.

Tuesday – 6:30 p.m.

You, Me & the SPP: Trading Democracy for Corporate Rule Director: Paul Manly • Canada, 91 min, 2009 What do secrecy, police provocateurs, an assault on democracy and infringements on citizens’ rights have in common? The Security and Prosperity Partnership.

Wednesday – 6:30 p.m.

School Zone Director: Jamie Way • Canada, 6.5 min, 2008 Humourous video that explores the benefits and protection the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation has gained for members through advocacy and collective bargaining.

Bus Driver Director: Dominique Basi • Canada, 12 min, 2009 Follows Karnel Basi, a public transit bus driver in South Vancouver, along his regular route through the downtown east side to the heart of the city and back again. Along the way he picks up a variety of passengers, struggles to stay on schedule and keep his bus safe.

Los Mexicanos: The Struggle for Justice of Patricia Perez Director: Charles Latour • Canada, 43 min, 2007 Every year, some 4000 migrant foreign workers coming mostly from Mexico, labour in Quebec farms to plant and pick our vegetables. In the summer of 2006, Patricia Perez, a pro-union militant speaking for the UFCW, launches a major drive to organize the workers in several farms south of Montreal.

Painting Red Square Director: Max Fraser • Canada, 5 min, 2009 7000 kilometres from Moscow, there’s another Red Square. Witness the struggle of the labour-left in Whitehorse, Yukon to find a friendly watering hole where they can share a glass with their comrades and debate which shade of red is best.

24 Days in Brooks Director: Dana Inkster • Canada, 42 min, 2007 Centered on the 24-day Lakeside Packers strike, this film is a nuanced portrait of people working together for change. They are people like Peter Jany Khwai, who escaped war in Sudan and Edil Hassan, a devout Muslim born in Somalia.

Thursday – 6:30 p.m.

Seeds of Peace Director: Andre Kloer & Maaike Broos • Israel, 50 min, 2009 Jawdat Talousy worked in a Jewish Settlement located on the West Bank. He was fired because he established a labour committee in order to get equal labour rights as Israeli co-workers.

6 Floors to Hell Director: Jonathan Ben Efrat • Israel, 51 min, 2008 On the outskirts of Tel Aviv, in an underground world, live hundreds of Palestinian workers who sleep in this hell in order to find a day’s work in Israel and bring money home to their families in the West Bank.

Friday – 6:30 p.m.

The Willmar 8 Director: Lee Grant • Canada, 8 min, 1981 Eight female employees of the Citizens National Bank in Willmar Minnesota, USA went on strike on December 16, 1977 over charges of sex discrimination. The tellers and bookkeepers were protesting unequal pay and unequal opportunities for advancement.

Vincenzo Pietropaolo: Witness to the Harvest Pilgrims Director: UFCW Canada • Canada, 11 min, 2009 Vincenzo Pietropaolo has documented the story of Mexican migrant workers over a number of years. This is a brief look into that story.

HERstory: Jeritan Director: Cecilia Ho Wing Yin • China, 74 min, 2009 A story of Indonesian female migrant workers who left their homes to work as domestic helpers in Macao, China, a community consisting mainly of Chinese as well as a city of casinos and entertainment parlours.

Saturday – 3:30 p.m. (double block)

Invisible Force: Women Workers in Pakistan Director: Aisha Gazdar • Pakistan, 28 min, 2007 Millions of women workers in Pakistan remain unaccounted for in official figures. Even those who are in the formal workforce face problems like lower wages for the same work as men and sexual harassment.

Justice for All? Director: Kyle Russell • Canada, 9 min, 2009 An informative short on how Legal Aid fails low-income workers in BC.

Who Killed Chea Vichea? Director: Bradley Cox • U.S., 56 min, 2009 Chea Vichea served as president of Cambodia’s garment workers’ union until he was gunned down on the street in 2004. Filmed over four years, it explores motives for Vichea’s assassination and unravels a police plot that framed two men, who were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Dear John Director: Mark Lammert • Canada, 33 min, 2009 Chronicles the closure of Welland, Ontario’s oldest and leading industrial employer: John Deere Welland Works. The film explores what Welland has in store for its future, while helping those that worked at the plant tell their story.

Poor No More Director: Bert Deveaux • Canada, 45 min, 2009 In the present economic crisis, many Canadians are destitute and many others are on the brink. Against this climate, a couple of Canadians go on a road trip to Ireland and Sweden, with comedian Mary Walsh as their guide, and get a chance to see how other countries have helped people like themselves.

Just another Cog in the Machine Director: John Wood • U.K., 3 min, 2009 Using wordplay & a photocopier to promote starting a union.

Saturday 7:00 p.m. – awards night

FIAB - Festival In A Box

Hello everyone,

After months of waiting for, receiving, and reviewing films from all over the world, we released the total list of films accepted into the inaugural Canadian Labour International Film Festival. Now we are releasing the list of films accepted into the CLiFF Festival in a Box. Here are the films which will go out to many locations across Canada. Congratulations to all who were accepted.

SIX WEEKS OF SOLIDARITY 1995, Director: Victor Dobchuk, Canada, English and French subtitles, 9:21 A look at the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, 75 years later.

National Film Board short on the economic crisis

DEAR JOHN 2009. Director Mark Lammert, Canada English Chronicles the closer of Welland, Ontario’s older and leading industrial employer; John Deere Welland Works, located in Dain City. The film looks at the current recession, the forces behind the closure, and what a community struggling to stay afloat can do. Director Mark Lammert and his crew tries to explore what Welland has in store for its future, while helping those that worked at the plant tell their story.

HOLD THE LINE 2009, Director: Min Sook Lee, Canada, English, 15:47 minutes A restrained story-telling of the 2009 CUPE strike in Windsor, ON. Excellent shots of Windsor backed by a moody soundtrack, this film tells the story of a strike from the workers’ poin of view. The economy is being used as a tool to claw back workers’ rights. When workers go on strike, it becomes clear that it is a sign of the times. The message is “Hold the Line.”

INTERMISSION

PAINTING RED SQUARE 2009, Director Max Fraser, Canada, English, 5:00 minutes 7000 kilometres from Moscow, there’s another Red Square. Witness the struggle of the labour-left in Whitehorse, Yukon to find a friendly watering hole where they can share a glass with their comrades and debate which shade of red is best. Beer, popcorn and a little paint get spilled along the way.

Northland: Long Journey 2009, Director, Edie Steiner, Canada, English, 16:00 minutes Taking a quick look back at the director’s father, Albert Steiner, and his life as a miner. Detailing his death, which was caused by working in the mine, and the reality of getting compensation from mining companies at that time. A touching story.

Invisible Force: Women workers in Pakistan 2007, Director: Aisha Gazdar, Pakistan, English, 28 Minutes There are millions of women workers in Pakistan who remain unaccounted for in official figures. Even those who are in the formal workforce face problems like lower wages for the same work as men and sexual harassment. This film touches on these struggles and more.

Just another cog in the machine 2009, Director: John Wood, U.K. English, 2:45 minutes Using wordplay & a photocopier to promote starting a union. Short, innovative and effective

In solidarity

CLiFF Board of Directors 10 November, 2009