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Compelling Films Capture Sports Stories from Beyond the Scoreboard

Canadian Sport Film Festival Led by FKRM Assistant Prof. Kicks Off January 29

January 21, 2016 — 

How far would you go to chase your dreams?

Fuahea Sumi, the first and only luger from the Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga, (yes, a luger from a tropical island nation) legally changed his name to that of a German undergarment company called Bruno Banani to gain much-needed endorsement money to compete and properly train. Conversely, the company created a new and disputed way of circumnavigating the IOC’s strict Olympic advertising regulations.

That story is told in Being Bruno Banani, just one many intriguing submissions into the Canadian Sport Film Festival in Winnipeg January 29 and 30.

Dr. Russell Field is a FKRM assistant professor interested in the socio-cultural study of sport and physical activity

Dr. Russell Field is a FKRM assistant professor interested in the socio-cultural study of sport and physical activity

Dr. Russell Field, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, is the Canadian Sport Film Festival’s executive director. Now in its fourth year, the festival gives viewers a chance to watch stories about sports that go beyond the scoreboard.

“One of things that make film festivals really unique is being able to see a film and interact with characters they wouldn’t get to see by going to their local cinema regularly,” says Field. “One of the things that we layer on top of that is seeing sport in new ways.”

“This festival is not the highlights someone would have seen on TV. This is about the human stories behind sport.”

This year’s program includes the popular free screening of family-friendly short films on the “snowscreen” at the Great- West Life Snow Lounge at The Forks at 5 p.m. and repeated at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 29. The Manitoba premieres of two feature films (Winning Girl, a film about a Hawaiian teenage female judo and wrestling phenomenon pursuing world championship ambitions in both sports, and Being Bruno Banani) will be presented at Centre culturel franco-manitobain on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Other film’s of note include:

  • The League, directed by Jenna Neepin, a First Nations Independent filmmaker from Winnipeg, tells the origins and success of the Winnipeg Aboriginal Mixed Curling League and its annual bonspiel.
  • Kickstart … Meet the men and women who battle their own circumstances and the perceptions of others when they represent Canada at the 2014 Homeless World Cup in Santiago, Chile.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. Visit sportfilmfestival.ca/csff-winnipeg to purchase tickets and for more information on films, times, and venues.

 

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