Movie buffs have something to look forward to this later this month as The HUB Film Club celebrates the second year of the three day Cowichan Valley Documentary Film Festival featuring a blend of both short and feature films from March 28 to 30.
"There are so many amazing documentaries being made in Canada and around the world, it is wonderful to curate a selection to show each year, certainly not easy choosing though," said Melanie Watson, who runs The HUB Film Club.
Last year's festival raised $2,000 after expenses and the hope is to equal or exceed that amount for this year's festival, which will once again double as a community building event and fundraiser. Throughout the festival concession will include a selection of fresh baking from the Friday HUB Cafe, chef-made soups, hot-buttered organic popcorn, treats, hot and cold beverages, as well as both vegan and gluten free options.
Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. on March 28, with An Unfinished Journey starting at 5 p.m. Directed by Aeyliya Husain, it follows four Afghan women leaders forced to flee their country after the Taliban takeover in 2021. From a distance these four female leaders — past parliamentarians, ministers and journalists — watch the Taliban strip women and girls of the right to be educated, to work and to participate in society. No longer in positions of influence, they are forced to reinvent themselves to continue the fight for a free and just Afghanistan.
"We are partnering with the Cowichan Intercultural Society and two Afghan women who have recently come to Canada and now live in the Cowichan Valley thanks to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees program will speak about their experiences as refugees from the Taliban regime in Afghanistan as a way for film-goers to see the local connection to the first film of the festival," said Watson.
The Friday fun continues with Amanda Strong's short film Inkwo For When the Starving Return. It takes place two lifetimes from now as our world hangs in the balance and follows Dove, a young, enigmatic, gender-shifting warrior who discovers both the gifts and burdens of their Inkwo (medicine) to defend against an army of hungry, ferocious monsters who become stronger with each soul they devour. Winner of 'Best Short' at the 2025 Victoria Film Festival.
Ending the evening is Dianne Whelan's 500 Days in the Wild, which follows award winning director and cinematographer Whelan in her epic six year, 24,000 km journey of discovery across Canada, including hiking, biking, paddling, snowshoeing and skiing.
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On Saturday, March 29 start off your Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in a super way with Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui. Reeve rose to stardom when he landed the role of Superman in the 1970s. This powerful documentary shines a light on his story and that life changing moment when he was left paralyzed in 1995 as a result of a serious horse-riding accident. Through the support of love of his family and friends Reeve became a dedicated advocate for disability rights.
The Colour of Ink, directed by Brian D Johnson at 1 p.m., should draw art lovers as it uncovers the medium’s mystery and power through the eyes of Jason Logan, a visionary Toronto inkmaker as he works with ingredients foraged in the wild making ink from just about anything.
Die-hards will want to dig in for the 96-minute feature Six Inches of Soil at 3:30 p.m., about British farmers standing up against the industrial food system and transforming the way they produce food.
The premiere of local filmmaker's Michelle Tremblay's 30-minute Sea to Land about the first Vancouver Island Community Supported Fishery, how it counteracts climate change and works within the ecosystem at 5:30 p.m.has sold out. Tremblay and her crew will be in attendance for a Q & A session following the film.
At 7 p.m. end the evening on a bittersweet note with Sugarcane directed by Emily Kassie and Julian Brave NoiseCat. Kassie, a journalist and filmmaker, partners with her longtime friend NoiseCat, to direct a film documenting the Williams Lake First Nation investigation of former residential school St. Joseph’s Mission, never imagining how close this story was to his own family. This film was nominated for the 2025 Oscars and is the winner of multiple awards, including the Sundance Grand Jury Directing Prize. The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line provides 24-hour support to former residential school survivors and their families toll-free at 1-866-925-4419.
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Weekend warriors can enjoy the final day of the festival in the comforts of their own home with 'Streaming Sunday' where Michael Selditch's Happy Clothes can be found online between 7 a.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Happy Clothes enters the colourful world of Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated Patricia Field, the savvy retailer and costume designer behind Sex and the City, Emily in Paris, Ugly Betty, and The Devil Wears Prada, showing how a queer, first-generation Greek-American defied the odds to become a fashion icon.
All single tickets are $8, Friday pass is $15, and the Saturday pass is $20, or commit to the whole festival for $30. All tickets can be purchased through eventbrite.ca, and will also be sold at the door unless the film is sold out.
For the full schedule, synopsis and trailers visit https://www.cowichanstation.org/the-hub-film-club
"I am always very thankful that many volunteers and sponsors come together to make this happen," said Watson. "I love the curating of the films and the anticipation of people coming to the HUB and watching films together. That is the lovely thing about going to a cinema, theatre, or to see live music or storytelling, it is for a moment a collective experience in a world that often seems to encourage us to experience things alone. I hope that people who come may understand something new, or remember something, or be inspired to make art of their own, or just simply enjoy some popcorn and a movie on the big screen."
