The next film of the Williams Lake Film Club will be screened Tuesday, Nov. 6 at the Gibraltar Room.
As Remembrance Day is coming up we chose a film to confront us with this subject, however, not about the one and only “Big War” which is always remembered, but one of the countless small wars happening around the world even now when we should know better.
Innocent Voices is set in El Salvador in the 1980s.
“When the war started, dad left for the United States,” Chava, the 11-year-old narrator tells us at the beginning of the film.
“Mom said now I was the man of the house.”
Eleven is a dangerous age, because when he turns 12 he will be drafted into the government army.
In many ways Chava is still a child, he wants to play with his buddies, and life seems to be pretty exciting. He does not really understand the political implications, he understands his friends and his family.
And he watches their reactions.
He tries to help and comfort his frightened mother, he admires his rebel uncle because he is like a hero to him, he fears the government because he fears being taken into the army. He reacts to life around him and his actions are often inspiring in his naïve trust in life, he is funny and brave, and most of all, he is totally believable in his role.
Chava survived the war. He has actually written the screenplay for this film and was on the set during filming every day to assure the accuracy of the film.
Maybe this is one of the reasons that you as the viewer feel very much involved in the life of the family and their village.
In 2005 Innocent Voices received the Crystal Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
This award is given by a jury of seven young people age 14 and up and is sponsored by the Kinderhilfswerk, the society to help children and youths around the world.
Great news, the equipment at the Gibraltar Room has been fixed. We now have surroun
d sound and a great picture again. I am really looking forward to next Tuesday with the new equipment.
Old fashioned German Advent Calendars will be available at the door again, $2 each. I get them from a secret source in Edmonton. These calendars are over 20 years old, really something special for your children and grandchildren.
The film starts at 7 p.m., back doors open 6:30 p.m. Admission is $9 regular, $8 members, and $6 senior citizens (65+) and students, TRU and high school.