Discussions

Interesting to read that two Manitoba-made movies... one called "Amreeka" and another called "Cattle Call" are two of 118 films worldwide selected to compete in the prestigious Sundance Film Festival starting later this week.  
 
Manitoba, let alone Canada, doesn't exactly have a reputation for regularly producing internationally acclaimed films so it's great to see some from our province make it onto a stage this big! I'll admit to not following the independant film scene very closely... can others share info on any previous Manitoba Sundance connections?  
 
Here's a Globe and Mail story on Canadian content at this year's festival:  
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090113.SUNDANCE13/TPStory/Entertainment  
 
For anyone that's curious, here's a synopsis of Amreeka from Winnipeg-based Buffalo Gal Pictures' website:  
An ever-optimistic Palestinian single mom (Nisreen Faour as "Muna") and her teenage son (Melkar Muallem as "Fadi") leave their homeland for the heartland intent on starting a new life, despite the fallout from America's war on Iraq. A lighthearted drama full of humor, Amreeka is an intimate portrait of one Palestinian family's sense of displacement, nostalgia for a home that exists but in their collective memory and struggle for a sense of belonging in a country that gives all newcomers a run for their money.  
http://www.buffalogalpictures.mb.ca/production/film_production/amreeka/  
 
And here's what I was able to dig up on Cattle Call:  
Auctioneers and animation collide in this explosive introduction to the Winnipeg stockyards. Created by members of l’Atelier national du Manitoba, this short film uses inventive animation techniques to showcase their distinctive blend of hyperbole and documentary.