It’s the greatest week of the year for those Edmontonians who are cinematically inclined. From September 26 to October 4, The Edmonton International Film Festival is taking place at Landmark Cinemas 9 in City Centre. There is exceptional programming all week as well as opportunities to meet the directors, writers and actors behind the films.

The “Our Own Backlot” series showcases Canadian-made short films, and NextGen had the chance to catch up with some Albertan filmmakers who are featured.

Adam Bentley, Director of “Teenage Dance”
@adambentley_fpu

What inspired you to make “Teenage Dance”?

I was inspired to make Teenage Dance by a friend in Ottawa who was going through a similar situation as the protagonist at the time. In addition, I wanted to perfect my use of the twist ending.

What has your experience been like as an Edmontonian filmmaker?

I really enjoy filming in Edmonton because most artists are happy to support each other and film making costs are lower here than in other major Canadian cities.

What kind of advice would you give to artists based in Alberta?

I would recommend that Alberta artists join and become active with their local artist-run centre. This is where they can meet other artists, use deeply discounted resources to make art, and find an audience for their work.

Be sure to check out the rest of the “Our Own Backlot” series this Saturday, October 4th. As always, tweet @EdmNextGen with your impressions of the film festival or leave them in the comments below.

Edmonton’s NextGen is excited to introduce you to the presenters for Pecha Kucha Night 20 (PKN 20):

• Evelyn Delgado – Why Edmonton Needs Children’s Museums
• Mohamed Ali – Homeless But Not Hopeless
• Evan Lockwood – My 40 Things: Never Missing An Opportunity
• Laurier Mandin – Ice Buckets and License Plates
• Lauren Sergy – More Fearsome Than Death
• Deepa Maisuria – Am I Ready?
• Ryan Wayne – Walking is Good for the Soul
• Mark Farr & Marc Biollo – Workplace Mindshifts
• Chris Chang-Yen Phillips – From Charity to Justice
• Ryan Stephens & Monica Roberts – Re-envision the City as a Museum

If you haven’t already, buy your tickets here!

Date: Thursday, October 2, 2014
Time: Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m. Presentations begin at 7:30 p.m.
Location: Royal Alberta Museum
Cost: $17 or $15 with student I.D. + taxes.

DJ for the night is Miyuru Fernando who will be spinning beats when you first arrive at PKN and during the intermission.

PKN 20 is sponsored by: City of Edmonton, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Graphos, Stantec and Klein Dytham. Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria also returns for PKN 20 with gift cards for all ticket holders. Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #yegpkn.

What is Pecha Kucha?
Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase for “the sound of chit chat”, Pecha Kucha Night was devised by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture in February 2003 as a venue for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas and discuss their work in public. It rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes and 40 seconds. Why this format you ask? It keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

For more information, visit pechakucha.org

Attendees of the City Market Downtown and other passersby were treated to a unique sight for Edmonton this past Saturday. A Project Runway-style fashion competition took place in conjunction with the Downtown Edmonton Community League’s CornFest, held in Beaver Hills House Park. 

Four teams were challenged to create unique garments out of leftover corn husks, a sustainable and often overlooked material, which was a natural byproduct of the event’s resoundingly popular corn on the cob.

Karen Lee, founder of Green Spectacle Creations and the creator of the CornFest Fashion show, wanted to bring attention to sustainability in creative endeavors and to showcase the artistic talent that is present in Edmonton’s community. Remarking on the  project she states, ”I am not a fashion designer, by any means, but I live to create moments of happiness and beauty in the community through my works of art. The CornFest Fashion Competition was a fun and unique way to engage with the community. As corny as it sounds, I hope to inspire others to see beauty and potential in things that are often overlooked.”

CornFest is an annual event hosted by DECL to engage the Downtown community and it also marks the start of their yearly membership drive. To learn more about Edmonton’s Community Leagues and unique events going on in your neighborhood, you can visit www.efcl.org 

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Edmonton’s NextGen is excited to present Pecha Kucha Night 20 (PKN 20):

Date: Thursday, October 2, 2014

Time: Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m. Presentations begin at 7:30 p.m.

Location: Royal Alberta Museum

Cost: $17 or $15 with student I.D. + taxes.

Buy Tickets: Purchase your digital tickets online

PKN 20 features presentations on local ideas, projects and musings in the 20 slides at 20 seconds per slide format made popular by worldwide by Klein Dytham Architecture. More than 200 presentations have been given at Edmonton PKNs to date on wide-ranging topics, from donairs to lighting up Edmonton’s bridges and everything in between. The presenter line-up for PKN 19 will be announced shortly.

Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria also returns for PKN 20 with gift cards for all ticket holders.

Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #yegpkn.

PKN 20 is sponsored by: City of Edmonton, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Graphos, Stantec and Klein Dytham.

What is Pecha Kucha?
Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase for “the sound of chit chat”, Pecha Kucha Night was devised by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture in February 2003 as a venue for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas and discuss their work in public. It rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes and 40 seconds. Why this format you ask? It keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

For more information, visit pechakucha.org

About Edmonton’s NextGen
Formed in 2006, Edmonton’s NextGen is an initiative of the City of Edmonton that is focused on creating a city that attracts and gives a voice to the next generation in the life and growth of Edmonton’s communities. NextGen is a hub for connecting people, places, community and ideas. Through events, leadership opportunities and professional development, NextGen fosters young leaders and supports initiatives of interest to the next generation.