Fans of short films have the opportunity to take in a pair of advance screenings and get the jump on viewers in both New York and Vancouver on Friday (Sept. 14) at The Banff Centre.
Kevan Funk, a Banff local who headed west to earn a bachelor’s degree in Film, Video and Integrated Media from Emily Carr University in Vancouver, will present a free screening of four works in The Club at 8 p.m.
The event will last about an hour and will feature Funk’s Leaf and Saint Pierre, special advance screenings that won’t have world premieres until October. As well, A Fine Young Man and Blood/Sweat/Tears will be shown.
Blood was Funk’s thesis work at university, while Young Man was on a long list for an Academy Award for best short film.
Funk will arrive in Banff on the heels of taking part in a Talent Lab which is part of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Talent Lab is an intensive four-day artistic development programme that provides emerging talent with an opportunity to learn from the world’s best film artists. Two of this year’s confirmed governors include producer Stephen Woolley (Great Expectations, The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire) and documentary filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal (Manufactured Landscapes, Act of God).
“I’m showing four short films that I have made over the past three years which have all screened at festivals around the world,” said Funk. “Two of the shorts actually feature leading actors who grew up in Banff, just like me, Juan Riedinger and Philip Prajoux. “The purpose of the screening is to give people a chance to see my work and to help kick off an online fundraiser, as I am trying to raise money to shoot my first feature film.”
Funk’s films have been showcased at festivals around the world, gathering numerous accolades along the way.
In 2010, A Fine Young Man, which Funk produced, directed and wrote, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and went on to win the Grand Jury Prix at the Melbourne International Film Festival, the Alberta Spirit Award at the Calgary International Film Festival and three 2011 Leo Awards (Best Short Film, Best Direction, Best Screenwriting).
Over the past three years he has split his time working on various projects in Canada and Europe, producing a wide range of material.
Last year, Funk was chosen to participate in the Melbourne International Film Festival’s Accelerator talent campus. After participating three times as a member of the Jury Of Peers at the Banff World Television Festival, in 2012 Funk took over as program coordinator of the jury.
Saint Pierre (supported by the National Film Board of Canada’s Filmmaker Assistance Program) and Leaf (an international co-production funded by the Norwegian Council for the Arts) will make premiere this fall. Saint Pierre will open at the 50th edition of the prestigious New York Film Festival, while Leaf will open a week later at the Vancouver International Film Festival.
