Archive for the ‘Nightmare on Cambie Street’ Category

viff 2007 completed – “Nightmare on Cambie Street”

November 4th, 2007

The home town festival has been over now for a couple of weeks and it feels like I am just now coming out of the dark. It was a wild and wonderful time, saturated with movies, friends and new acquaintances. Quite a few interviews with “Nightmare” – guess it’s a bit of a raw nerve here in town, as it should be. DVDs are on sale at Black Dog on Cambie now in case you want your own souvenir copy. Check out the press link at the top right of this page for articles in the Sun and Courier – also some great moments with Rick Cluff on CBC’s Early Edition, Global News, Breakfast Television, Shaw’s Express, Nik and Val on CFUN, Co-op Radio and more. Wonderful opportunities to talk about the film and Cambie situation.  For details on interviews, Google “Nightmare on Cambie Street”.

Thanks to all of you who came out and supported the film on a busy Thanksgiving weekend.

The Vancouver Sun “Nightmare on Cambie Street”

October 6th, 2007

A short look at construction on Cambie

Dan Haves, Special to the Vancouver Sun

Published: Saturday, October 06, 2007

If anything deserves to be immortalized on film, it is the Canada Line construction on Cambie Street.

Ana Valine will make her third consecutive appearance at the festival this year with her short film Nightmare on Cambie Street.  The film, which was shot in one day, looks at the destruction and loss that has come at the hands of the Cambie Corridor construction.

Valine’s previous two entries at the festival have brought her recognition in the form of two Leo Award nominations; the award celebrates the best in British Columbian television and film production. Her work has also been screened overseas at festivals in Russia and Spain.  All of this from a woman who made her first independent project just three years ago.

“I feel very lucky,” she says.  “Especially since I’m still really exploring the craft.”

Valine, who got her start in the craft by changing garbages and parking cars as a production assistant, says persistence was key to getting her foot in the door.

“I pestered the crew with questions the whole time with ‘what’s this, what’s that, what does this do?'” she says.

After venturing out on her own and filming her first short – alice and bastard – she also got a chance to attend her first festival as a contributor in 2005.  She didn’t stop there.

“I challenged myself to do a short every year and hope that it gets accepted (into the festival) so I can get that magic pass that lets me sit in the dark and watch movies for two weeks.”

Valine says that Vancouver provides a lot of support and she attributes much of that to her success.

“This is the community where I started learning and continue to learn everyday,” she says.  “This familiarity and trust goes a long way in terms of being able to translate a vision.”

Her family is another source of encouragement.

“I keep telling my parents that their friends are going to stop coming over because every time they have visitors they insist on showing (my films).”

Her latest film, which will be screened at the festival on Oct. 6 and 7, speaks directly to Vancouverites as it delves deep into to the Cambie Corridor debate. The film, with a title borrowed from the horror genre, paints a grim fate of Cambie Street business owners.

“I kind of started with a tongue in cheek approach, I mean ‘no one’s dying here,’ let’s get a sense of humour about this,'” Valine says. “But as I worked on it, did some more research, and learned more about it, I realized, ‘You know what, people are dying here'”.

The director, who still keeps in contact with some of the Cambie Street business owners, was disturbed by the desolate shop windows.

“The day I filmed there were 35 businesses closed, and now there are 40,” she says. “I couldn’t be glib about it anymore, because I was really affected by it.

“It’s about bringing awareness to (the situation) now,” she says of the project’s new focus. “By the time the Olympics happen, everything will be underground again and there will be a subway to the airport and everyone will be happy.”

The Cambie Street project is certainly not Valine’s last as she hopes to make films for many years to come.  “I’m working at something I love to do,” she says.  “It’s long, hard hours, but it’s a hell of a good time.”

Nightmare on Cambie screens on Oct. 6 at 9:30 p.m. and Oct 7 at 4 p.m. at the Pacific Cinematheque.

Vancouver Courier “Nightmare on Cambie Street”

October 3rd, 2007

‘Darkumentary’ captures Cambie construction horror

Sandra Thomas, Vancouver Courier

Published: Wednesday, October 03, 2007

When local filmmaker Ana Valine first decided to make a documentary about the ongoing construction on Cambie Street, she initially thought she’d take a humourous look at the issue.

“I thought, ‘No one’s dying down there, I’ll do it as a spoof,'” Valine says. “But once I started asking questions, I realized this is serious stuff, so my film ended up being a lot more serious and dark than I planned.”

That’s not to say Nightmare on Cambie Street doesn’t have its funny moments, particularly scenes shot with an unidentified foul-mouthed angry man whose rant gives Canadian comedian Rick Mercer a run for his money. As well, Valine successfully gives her 15-minute “darkumentary,” which premiers this week at the Vancouver International Film Festival, the look and feel of a B-movie horror by using Psycho-style music and creepy close ups.

Cut and cover tunneling began on Cambie Street two years ago as part of the ongoing Canada Line rapid transit project. Cut and cover tunneling is done by digging huge craters in the street and building the rapid transit line in the hole, section by section. When complete, the Canada Line will connect Vancouver to Richmond and the Vancouver International Airport. The project was initially proposed to include bore tunneling along most of Cambie, so merchants were caught off guard with the change of plans. Since the tunneling began, almost 40 businesses have been forced to close or relocate because of traffic disruptions due to construction.

Valine says she purposefully didn’t research all of the politics of the controversy before she hit the street. Accompanied by two friends who volunteered as her film crew, she shot the movie guerrilla-style in one day and paid for it with her credit card. During the filming, Valine grew more and more upset as the business owners and residents she met told her of how the construction has devastated their lives.

“It’s one thing to put up with the noise and the disruption–it’s another thing to lose your business,” Valine says. “I asked the owner of the Don Don [noodle café] what he was going to do now, and he said, ‘I guess I’ll have to put on a suit and look for another job.’ It’s ridiculous.”

At one point, Valine and crew filmed inside one of the deep trenches under construction. As they emerged from the pit at 12th Avenue near city hall, coincidently, Mayor Sam Sullivan was going by. Valine asked the mayor if he’d be willing to speak on camera and he agreed. In the film Sullivan explains how short-term pain is needed for long-term gain. “It was just a matter of timing, and he was really very gracious.”

As for the possibility of a happy ending for any of the merchants on Cambie, Valine isn’t so sure.

“I guess that depends on who you ask,” she says. “It’s been absolutely devastating for 40 businesses so there will be no happy ending for them. They’re done. I also think [Cambie Street] will lose its charm and become just another generic sleek neighbourhood.”

Valine’s directorial debut, Alice and Bastard, garnered two Golden Sheaf Awards at the Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival for best director as well as two Leo nominations for emerging filmmaker. Her second short, A Love Poem, is currently touring film festivals.

Nightmare on Cambie Street screens with Chinook Wind at the Vancouver International Film Festival, Oct. 6 and 7, at Pacific Cinematheque. Go to www.viff.org for more info.

© Vancouver Courier 2007

Nightmare Update

September 14th, 2007

Update on screening times:

October 6, 9:30 pm @Pacific Cinemateque

October 7, 4:00 pm @ Pacific Cinemateque

“Nightmare on Cambie Street” is showing in a program with other Canadian short films and is second in the program. Cinemateque has a capacity of 200, so please keep in mind that other filmmakers will have their friends, families and countrymen there as well. It would be a good idea to arrive early or, better yet, get tickets ahead of time at www.viff.org.

Watch for coming articles in The Courier and more…also interviews on CBC Hot Air and CBC Early Edition.

Vancouver International Film Festival Screenings – Nightmare on Cambie Street

September 5th, 2007

Nightmare on Cambie Street tells disturbing, dark tale of life during Canada Line construction

A day in the life of a community on the brink…

Vancouver, BC – September 5, 2007 – Shot in a single day, Nightmare on Cambie Street, is a short (15 minute) darkumentary premiering at the Vancouver International Film Festival on October 6 and 7. A gritty, in the dirt short, it examines the uncomfortable reality of a tightly knit neighbourhood being torn apart due to RAV Line construction. Written, directed and produced by Vancouver’s Ana Valine, it marks her third consecutive short film at the VIFF. Shot on a shoestring budget, guerrilla style, Valine paid for it on her credit card.

The darkumentary stars disillusioned Cambie Village residents, the City Engineer, and an angry man who swears animatedly at the camera about the upheaval. There is also a cameo appearance by TV personality Zack Spencer, with a special guest appearance by Mayor, Sam Sullivan. Filmmaker, Ana Valine says she chose the topic after experiencing for herself the woes of Vancouver commuters.

“Cambie Village was once a thriving community and now it’s a ghost town. The construction is creating intense discord, so I wanted to talk to people on the street and understand what they’re going through. I was really surprised to hear just how bad things are for businesses and the people who live there. I hope the film is able to shed some light on the subject and create awareness about the situation. This is really a darkumentary about the price of progress.”

Synopsis:

Progress. Economic Growth. Expansion. These are the reasons. Who pays the price? It’s an awkward fit in a neighbourhood full of friendly Mom & Pop shops. As the construction racket begins and the City’s plans go awry, the tunnel boring work is forced above ground and the mood turns black. Attempting to hold onto the optimism that things will work out for the best, the residents and shop owners watch helplessly as their favourite neighbourhood turns into a ghost town. Deserted and depleted, Cambie Street is dark now, even in the middle of the day.

And so our city changes and expands like a petri dish experiment, not always pretty and not always graceful. Welcome to the Canada Line construction zone.

Screening dates:

Saturday October 6 & Sunday October 7, 2007

For tickets and showtimes please visit www.viff.org

For press information please contact:

Deirdre Rowland

Publicist

250-653-9387 Office

778-888-9974 Cell

[email protected]