Cash Crunch Threatens Global Visions Film Festival

Vue Weekly reports on the 25th anniversary of the Global Visions Film Festival and how the lack of once-available federal grants have provided planning difficulties for this year's festival:

“We need $25 000,” explains Laskiwsky, the producer of Global Visions, although he notes with a wry laugh that the number may drop slightly, mostly because “we’re all working for nothing at this point.”

Despite dire and alarmist reports in the local media (a recent Edmonton Journal story on the festival sported the headline “the canary is dead”), Laskiwsky can confirm that the festival will not be cancelled outright because of budgetary shortfalls.

“We’re moving ahead—we had a board meeting last night and we still feel that we have to put this on somehow,” he reiterates, explaining that a number of circumstances have led to the festival’s current woes.

“There are several factors influencing our finances,” Laskiwsky explains. “One is growing pains: two years ago we had a 60 per cent increase in attendance so we had to develop a larger infrastructure and we need bigger venues, so it costs more to produce the festival.

“Another factor is that this year the Canada Council decided not to fund us,” he continues. “For the last three years they’ve given us $20, 000 [per year], and for the two years before that it was a little less.”

Laskiwsky comments on corporate sponsorship of the festival as well:

“Documentary films, in general, are controversial, and films that deal with social or environmental issues are even more controversial, so we don’t really attract huge corporate sponsors, so we are looking at local small businesses and people who care about their community,” he says, adding that he still remains optimistic that the financial challenges faced by the festival will be overcome.

You can read the rest of the article at this link.

Garage Sale Fundraiser:

LOCATION/TIME:
September 21 - 23
10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Garage Sale Fundraiser
8217 - 151 Street (Lynnwood Area)
Edmonton, Alberta

CONTACT:
http://www.globalvisionsfestival.com/

Global Visions Festival
#202, 10138 81 Ave
Edmonton, AB, Canada
T6E 1X1
780-414-1052
info@globalvisionsfestival.com