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Canadian filmmakers are competing for a one million dollar budget and distribution at Cineplex Theatres. It’s a competition. Votes have been cast and teams have been ousted, and only the Top 10 remain. That’s the CineCoup Film Accelerator production model. Incroyable, non?
Out of the Top 10 remaining teams, six are from Vancouver, eclipsing everyone else in the country. The shocking thing, however, is that even though Vancouver is representing in terms of talented filmmaking, the fan support appears limited. And the stakes are high: the top fan– that is, the fan who uses social media to promote their favourite Top 10 contenders– gets to go to the Top 5 event at the Banff World Media Festival. They get an advisory seat on the final selection jury. They, in other words, get the power to help award one team a cool million.
Where do you think the most active CineCoup fans hail from? The answer is not Vancouver. On the leader board at this time, Monday night, the top three fans are from Toronto, Edmonton and Regina. Which is not to say that they aren’t helping to support the awesomeness of the Vancouver contenders– Grade Nine, The Mill and the Mountain, Scam, Alien Abduction, The Fall and Bad–but seriously: where are the Vancouver fans? The Top Ten Leader Board is a wasteland.
It’s not too late! Voting for the Top 5 begins May 30th and ends June 2nd. Together, Vancouver fans can make a difference in this competition. All you have to do is sign up and watch the trailers (there are only ten left! Easy peasy! Plus, they are super entertaining) and you can earn enough votes to help keep Vancouver films in the Top 5.
These teams have worked extremely hard. Last month, prior to the Top 10 reveal, Sad Mag interviewed the incredible Sean Horlor, who is one third of the trio behind The Mill and the Mountain. “We’ve still got a long way to go!” says Horlor, “So far, CineCoup has given us a space to be shiny and showcase our knowledge as filmmakers and entrepreneurs. Now it’s time for us to find the financing and connections to get our films made.”
Jay Rathore
Jay Rathore, of Grade Nine, recalls “Honestly…I don’t think I really grasped the weight of what I was getting myself into when I first signed up. I knew I was in for a lot of work, but the reality of grinding out the weekly mission video’s, with very little money, and while juggling my regular life, is brutal. Especially considering I’m the kind of person who only really operates at full throttle when it comes to creating content.”
Nevertheless, Rathore says, “as tough as this process was, and continues to be, it has been such an empowering experience. The pressure of the extremely small production time for the weekly missions has forced our team to be resourceful and decisive. Relying on our wits, creativity and production savvy we continue to produce content we are proud of. We have tested our selves on so many levels, in a way that we would have never done if it wasn’t for this accelerator. As Cinecoup winds down I find myself feeling physically exhausted, but mentally and creatively, more charged than I have ever been in my life. What ever happens with Cinecoup, I know now, more than ever, that I will make movies.”
For the love of Chinatown, come to the Night Market!
“Now that the weather is warming up, it’s hard not to get excited about the night market and to see everything we’ve been working on become a reality,” said Tannis Ling, managing director of behind the new vision for the Night Market.“The buzz has grown quickly and the response from everyone has been extremely positive. People are looking forward to the changes but also their returning favourites so there is literally something for everyone.”
To kick off the new program, ping pong enthusiasts–novice and expert alike–are invited down to take part in the inaugural Chinatown Night Market Ping Pong Club. Some highlights to catch in the weeks following include Rain City Chronicles; Hip Hop Karaoke; The Chinatown Mahjong Social; Night Vision: Projection Photo Show including works by Fred Herzog; a Dumpling Festival; Weekend Leisure Karaoke; Chinatown Outdoor Cinema; Sonic Boom! The Street Fighter II Tournament.
There’s so much to see and do (and eat!) including some of the best outdoor entertainment and shopping in the city as well as a weekly on-site food truck gathering organized by the Vancouver Street Food Society and will include favourites like Vij’s Railway, Roaming Dragon, Le Tigre, Tacofino, and Mogu.
“This summer is unlike any other in the history of the Chinatown Night Market,” said program director, Ken Tsui. “The team and I are proud to be collaborating with organizations in the neighborhood–places like The Vancouver Public Library, The Carnegie Community Center, Girls Rock Camp, Vancouver Moving Theater and Project Limelight–in creating culturally unique entertainment on the market stage.”
On April 21, Sad Mag writers Jessica Russell and Farah Tozy went on assignment for Vancouver’s Eco-Fashion Week with the intent of discovering how fashion—that most of ephemeral and wasteful of pursuits—justifies its involvement in the eco-friendly scene. How do luxury and consumerism co-exist with frugality and restraint? Over the following days, Jess and Farah discovered quite a lot that is new (most of it vintage!) in fashion and the green movement. Part 2 of 3. {Read their first dispatch here.}
After an unbelievable runway show, Jess and Farah caught up with Vancouver eco-designer Kim Cathers. Cathers is a designer and vintage shop owner, a finalist on Project Runway and, excitingly, an advocate for environmentally friendly fashion. In the showrooms, Cathers chatted about her Fall/Winter collection, kdon, which is her second 68 pound challenge sponsored by Value Village. The 68lb challenge partnered up with Value Village to push Cathers to take risks beyond her comfort zone and make thirty pieces for a collection out of second-hand clothing.
KIM CATHERS and 68lbs OF CHIC BRILLIANCE // Eco-Fashion Week // P.2
Jess and Farah here! It is hard to sit still after Kim Cathers’ incredible show. We just watched as Cathers debuted one stunning look after another. Our favorite pieces included a shirt made of men’s blazers, a belted dress made entirely out of pants (the back pockets intentionally visible) and a collaged skirt made of the linings of men’s suits.
Cathers is fearless with her designs and on the runway, and her upbeat personality shone through when she danced down the runway to Disturbia. She was thrilled with how the show unfolded, especially how the balloons looked in the finale, and was eager to let us in on some of her guilty pleasures, unforgettable moments and insight on how we can ALL be more eco-friendly.
KDON, Cathers' collection for EFW 2013 and the 68lb challenge
Jess + Farah: We were surprised to discover that sixty-eight pounds is the amount of clothing each person throws away every year, do you think that a project like The 68lb Challenge will inspire others to be more eco-friendly?
Kim Cathers: I think that the stylists that showed before me [the Thrift Chic Challenge] show what you can do on your own. You can find pieces and put them together to make beautiful outfits without having any sewing skills. I think what I’m doing is showing that if you want to take it one step further…you can. A lot of the stuff I made was really simple, it may have looked really complicated but it wasn’t. I would cut one thing and put an elastic on it. A lot of it was deconstructed and made couture style. So I do the whole range of you could do that on your own or you could buy it from me. But I am hoping that by showing these kinds of styles it encourages people to see the different possibilities in what is discarded.
J+F: What was your budget for this project?
KC: Value Village allowed me this amazing privilege. I got to go during morning maintenance, which is when they take everything off the racks that has been there for three weeks, and I was able to look through the clothes and get stuff for free. The challenge was that not everything I wanted was being discarded that day. So they gave me five hundred dollars to supplement the collection. I spent most of the money on shoes and belts and some suits that I really loved that weren’t being thrown away any time soon. But for the most part it was all free. And when it gets taken off the rack it is literally going to be discarded, sent away, and never used again. So me and Myriam [founder of Eco-fashion week] have gone in the mornings at 3am to morning maintenance and it’s so fun and nobody gets to do that! It’s a huge privilege for me to be able to work with them. Value Village gave me free reign so I decided to put the challenge on myself this year to only use sweaters and men’s suits. I wanted to showcase all the things that could be made from a very small amount of material.
J+F: We loved your runway walk and we read that Disturbia is your favourite song. What is it about this song that you love so much?
KC: I will tell you a little secret. This collection was built with hundreds of hours of Disturbia on repeat. I found that my most productive time was between 12am and 5am, and I would put on my headphones and play it on repeat for five hours. And I figured out why it worked for me. It’s because I love the song and I know it off by heart and so my mind was able to not think about the music but to feel happy while it was playing and concentrate on creativity and sewing. I found that when I would try to listen to different mixes or a song came on that I didn’t know the beat would mess me up. But I just know that the song is my go-to song. So it was totally fitting that the finale song was Disturbia.
looks from kdon
J+F: How did your experience on Project Runway prepare you for this?
KC: I think that working in a time crunch with limited materials set the precedent for being able to produce something creative and that was my vision. The pressure on that show was crazy and here no one is after me every day with deadlines. But I know it’s there. And I don’t want to be the guy that shows up to the runway with no clothes or everything is shitty, so I put the pressure on myself and I was able to do that because of having that experience before.
J+F: What was the most memorable article of clothing that you found while looking through the clothing at Value Village and what is your favourite piece that you found?
KC: That is a HARD question. I’ve been shopping at Value Village since I was fifteen so I have found a whole host of things. Last season I found a beautiful peach coloured crinoline and I have a costume trunk at home full of tutus, sparkly things and masks and so I always collect things for that. So finding the crinoline for that was amazing. I am a huge thriftier, I love thrift shopping. I found these leather leggings, and these shoes both from value village. I didn’t touch them at all I didn’t do anything to them, no sewing. I found them when I was looking for the show and then I was like nope… I’m going to keep them. And all the shoes in the show were from Value Village as well, the boots, heels, everything. And everything I found was from the Value Village on Victoria and [the one on] 48th and Hastings. Last season when I did the show shoes were kind of an issue, it was a spring summer collection and I’m really fussy about shoes, so finding strappy summer shoes was tough. But this season I found all of them, it was awesome!
J+F: In the words of Macklemore: can someone step into a thrift shop with $20 and find an entire outfit?
KC: You can. You can get a whole outfit for $20. If you have a certain aesthetic you are trying to achieve and you have very specific guidelines of what you want to buy maybe not. Maybe the pants you want are $15 and the jackets is $20. But you can get a cool outfit for $20 that you would like. But if you are going to be all fashionista and diva about it maybe not, you might have to spend $50. But still you’re saving money regardless.
Vancouver Notables is the ongoing interview series where “No Fun City” shows off. More like burlesque than a talent show, Vancouver Notables wants you doing what you do best, but with sequins on your nipples. Tell us who you are, what you’re doing that’s of note and why, oh why, are you rocking that boat?
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Sad Mag’s newest treasure, photographer Rommy Ghaly, is a New York born, local guy, who moved to Vancouver from Berlin. He takes photos of people on the streets, in the bars and often times when they’re unaware. He’s contributed to Scout Magazine, ION Magazine, and Discorder Magazine and hopes to create a bit more awareness of the Vancouver art and music scenes through his photography.
Rommy shot the gorgeous Cinema piece for our next issue, Mad Mad World. He also interviewed photographers Michael de Courcy and Ian Ruhter –and turned the camera on them for a change. Amidst all that, Sad Mag managed to corner Rommy and ask him about his own photographic endeavors, his entrée to the Vancouver art scene, and what it means to seek community.
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Who are you?
I’m Rommy. I was born and raised in NY, left in 1996, and have spent my time living all over North America and Europe. I work in the video game industry and pursue photography on the side.
What is your artistic background and how did you become interested in photography specifically?
I’ve never studied art nor photography. I picked up a 35mm camera (Nikon FM2) in November 2011. Since then, I’ve amassed a collection of old film cameras (I have sixteen by my last count) and have spent all my free time tackling film photography obsessively over the past year and a half. My style is documentary, capturing street candids, the Vancouver night scene, and the rapidly-changing character of the city as it grows beyond its adolescence.
photo c/o Katie StewartYou’ve recently moved to Vancity. What prompted the pilgrimage?
I’d been living in Berlin after losing my job and was recruited by a company to come work in Vancouver (my day job is in the video game industry).
How long have you been here now?
I’ve been in Vancouver since January 1st, 2011 (just over two years).
What was it like breaking into the art scene here?
I’m just getting my feet wet. I have a tough time considering myself an artist, but I’d like to think I’m actively involved in trying to capture the art community with my photography. Doing that has really helped me to meet creative people in the scene here, so it’s going well, I suppose. But it’s not easy. People have their friends and their peers. It’s a bit closed.
How did you get involved with Sad Mag and what are you contributing to the next issue?
I pursued Katie Stewart following the last issue. It was a beautiful bit of work. Sad Mag is one of Vancouver’s gems in this grassroots arts scene. It has deep connections with the artists and goes way further into try to understand and document the scene than a lot of the rags and blogs in this city that frankly don’t have a fucking clue what’s going on.
People often accuse Vancouver of being “No Fun City.” Do you agree or disagree? What for you makes Vancouver unique?
I found it tough at first. But now that I’ve made my friends and found the creative people that make this city awesome, I’ve learned to redirect my anger at City Hall and its ridiculously prohibitive policies surrounding things like alcohol, street art, noise, and condos. Vancouver’s art community is one of the most tight-knit and talented communities I’ve had the pleasure of seeing first-hand, and I’ve lived many places. In the end, that’s why the creative community sticks around and will continue to do so in the face of great adversity.
Favourite local Vancity spot?
I’m really digging the programming at The Cobalt, the beer at Alibi Room, and the “kick your feet up and get drunk” nature of Pat’s Pub and LanaLou’s, not to mention the wealth of after-parties.
Where are you as you answer these questions?
Sitting at work, listening to Röyksopp.
Last album you listened to?
Junior by Röyksopp.
What are you most excited about right now?
Figuring out the big summer plans, collaborating with friends, and determining how to help take this city from sterile small town to bustling cultural hub.
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On Saturday–THIS SATURDAY!–May 18th, Sad Mag presents a dance party with your favorites 80s, new wave and electro-pop covers. Vancouver music legends (or soon-to-be legends) will be singing their hearts out to songs by The Talking Heads, New Order, Cut/Copy, The Organ, The Knife, Humans and many more. Come check us out!
A couple of years back, at a charity show at The Cobalt to raise funds for a youth centre, Sad Mag writer Shannon Waters met a sparkly dynamo named LeRoy. Performing solo that evening, LeRoy’s energy and charisma lit up the stage. Since that night, LeRoy and the Lovebots have continued to take to stages around Vancouver, spreading sparkles and acceptance wherever they go. LeRoy answered some of Sad Mag’s questions about the Lovebots ‘ performance style, progress and their upcoming performance at the Ignite! Youth Festival.
Who are LeRoy and the Lovebots? “Leroy + The Lovebots” [didn’t exist] before I experienced pain, and hurt. It was an idea that was born from years and years of being in school, being at work, being at a bar and just realizing how big of a part my sexuality will come into play for everything I do, like it or not.
It felt like, Leroy, this is who you were born as. You were kind of born with this “gay” molecule infused into your image. Employers, strangers, will take a first look at you and instantly they know. And I found out that it really hurts you, truly hurts you, if you hide who you are, be it a gay man or a rebellious burlesque dancer.
So, I decided to create something that—no matter how the outside world was, no matter how work or school was—I could throw myself into what I love doing and focus on that for the rest of the night.
And maybe, if I could create this show and rehearse my balls off and people could see the work and passion I have for the stage, maybe [they’ll see that] a man in a bra isn’t too scary.
Maybe Martha was right. It’s a gay thing.
MUSEUM OF VANCOUVER - "Sex Talk in The City" Lovebots Live
You’ve been performing together for a while now—do you feel like your style or your goals have changed and grown during that time? If so, how?
Yes. Well, the thing I think we find the hardest is that sometimes when you grow up and you think life is going to give you a little off time to fuck around in your twenties, it reminds you time waits for no one.
We have had our share of difficulties over the past two years, from family being severely sick to now, never having time because we all work so much.
But it made “The Lovebots” more precious to us—almost a shelter from reality. Because when you are on stage, only the show is real. I can be whoever I want to be. And for us, that is soooo worth staying up till 2 in the morning and waking up at 7 to go to work. I am now a connoisseur of coffee.
How did you become involved with Ignite!?
All the “Lovebots” hail from East Vancouver and one of the opportunities for us to hone our art for free was at The Cultch. We got opportunities performing, working behind the scenes, even organizing the Ignite! Week with Youth Panel.
The Cultch popped my performance cherry when I belly-danced for a night called “GenderBent”.
I got to meet famous artists in the LGBTQ community [who] took me under their wing[s] to help me with my performances.
The Cultch I might say, was my first real boyfriend.
What are you most excited about in terms of participating in the Ignite! Youth Festival?
I’m excited to show the people that have supported us for four years how we have GROWN. We are more serious than ever. And it really does feel like a homecoming.
What are you hoping to convey to your audience with this performance? What feelings and thoughts do you hope to leave them with?
I want them to feel free. Free to ask out the girl you’ve been eyeing the whole night, or free to feel sexy. If I can, I want to inspire confidence and love in my favourite little “Historic Theatre.” I want to give them a GOOD show.
I want to leaving thinking “Leroy + The Lovebots” are the best band of the night, based solely on their own merit.
Performing, while rewarding, can be time consuming and draining as well. You are a particularly energetic performer – what inspires you to perform and what keeps you coming back?
I have to perform. I need to.
If this is getting a bit too BARE ALL, here: I actually get really depressed if I don’t make art. I have to.
When I’m drinking with my friends, if I have an idea, I’ll just start draping their tipsy bodies with fabric. If I hear a song idea I like, I have to run into the mall bathroom and record it in a stall.
I have to be on stage and feel the love of the audience to keep my alive. Some say it’s me being an “unlicked cub” and insecure. But because all the best artists are crazy, I like to think it’s because I’m crazy.
Do you feel like you have a signature performance style?
I think we definitely have a performance style. I try to make it more specifically unforgettably us, everyday.
One of my queer mentors, Rachel Devin.Bot, one of my inspirations, told me “Never try to be anyone else. Never try to recreate a show, be it yours or anyone else’s”.
And that STUCK with me and forced me to be the most original whip cracking relentless motherfucker with my show. So every show would be authentically “Leroy + The Lovebots”.
What comes next?
Well, I do have a book coming out that I am a part of—[I, along with Dan Savage and many other writers, have contributed to] The Radical Youth Handbook.
We have some really great music that we are going to perform and release soon as well as with music videos. We are working with a styling team called “HAUS OF EAST VAN” who have worked with the likes of Vancouver Fashion Week, Natalie Talson of Canada’s Next Top Model and many more. So I’m very excited for our future!
Tannis Ling, Paige Cowan, Michelle Fu, Hannah Reinhart, Ken Tsui, Michele Guimond and Megan Lau at Bao Bei // photo c/o Leigh Eldridge
Vancouver Notables is the ongoing interview series where “No Fun City” shows off. More like burlesque than a talent show, Vancouver Notables wants you doing what you do best, but with sequins on your nipples. Tell us who you are, what you’re doing that’s of note and why, oh why, are you rocking that boat?
Sad Mag cornered the team behind Vancouver’s new Chinatown Night Market and asked them all sorts of questions about the history of the Night Market, how it’s going to reemerge (re-surge!) this year, and the challenges they’ve faced in getting it there.
Alright, team: introduce yourselves!
ML: I’m Megan Lau. I’m Sad Mag alumni and family. I read, write and sometimes take pictures.
MG: I’m Michele Guimond. I work for a big organization by day doing marketing PR etc… but by night I like to use my marketing powers for good, connecting with people with a good idea that want it heard.
MF: I’m Michelle Fu. I’m an artist and designer, and the co-founder of 221A, a non-profit artist run centre based in Chinatown, Vancouver.
KT: I’m Ken Tsui. I’m a filmmaker and host of pop-up events around Vancouver. I currently have the honour of working with the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants’ Association as a program director for this year’s Chinatown Night Market.
HR: I’m Hannah Reinhart. I’m an arts administrator in Vancouver, and am thrilled to be able to say I’m a part of this crazy talented group.
TL: I’m Tannis Ling. I own Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, which is a restaurant that sits on Keefer St. where the market happens every year. I’m the [Night Market’s] Managing Director.
Photo c/o Chinatown Night Market & Glasfurd + Walker.
ML: I grew up in Vancouver. As a kid, I went with my parents on their grocery trips in Chinatown every weekend. Back then, the neighbourhood was loud and alive. Those memories have a big place in my heart. I got to know the market around 2006, when I got involved with a magazine that was based in Chinatown. The Night Market meant we had tasty and affordable eats outside our door. When Ken asked me to join this team, I had to do it. This has been one of those rare opportunities to work with creative, generous and like-minded people.
HR: Ken recruited me to the team. We met about a year and a half ago when I was working in the neighbourhood, and I have always had a ton of interest in and admiration for his pop-up events and general zest for community building. I’d expressed this to him in the past, so I guess he knew I’d share his interest in bringing new life to the Night Market.
MG: Ken and I know each other through a shared love of food. Despite eating together for a couple of years we never really discussed the details of day jobs, of which mine happens to be marketing. Over a meal at Bao Bei (of course) he told me what he was planning for the market with Tannis. Seeing Ken turn most of what he touches into gold, including his pop up restaurants, I was excited to offer help with some marketing, social media, PR, etc. I am really excited by helping people get the message out about an idea that adds to the cultural landscape in Vancouver. This project was a great opportunity to get involved with a team of people dedicated and passionate about the same things.
MF: I’ve been actively working in Chinatown since 2008, and since then I’ve spent many nights working late into the evening. In the summer the Night Market is a welcome excuse for a stroll, a treat and the inevitable chance of running into a neighbour or friend. Moving here last year really cemented how much I love the neighborhood, and my desire to immerse myself even more increased. I’ve tried on numerous scales to create community engagement, and it’s a fun dilemma I’m constantly rethinking. Ken and I worked together once in the past, and have since kept an eye on each others’ projects (at least I did — is that creepy?), so when he approached me about working together again for the Night Market, he knew I’d be more than interested!
TL: I always knew that I wanted to open Bao Bei in Chinatown for the obvious reason that a Chinese restaurant belongs the best in Chinatown. I also loved the neighbourhood and felt that, unlike other areas of Vancouver, it had a gritty realness to it that I was attracted to and felt at home in. There’s also nothing handier than getting most of your produce, dry goods and smallware within a couple blocks of the restaurant.
When I opened the restaurant and realized that the night market was going to happen outside every summer, I couldn’t believe how lucky I had gotten with that location. I’ve always had a great love for markets and was excited to have the summer weekends on our street imbued with a sense of liveliness and fun. However, I think once the two night markets in Richmond opened up, a lot of business went over there and the market started to feel a bit sparse. My opinion was that there was no point for the Chinatown Night Market to compete with Richmond and that it should be its own entity, reflecting the emergence of a very exciting, young, entrepreneurial and creative spirit in the neighbourhood yet still preserving its cultural identity. I went to the Vancouver Chinatown Revitalization Committee (VCRC) and suggested the idea to give the night market an update which seemed in line with their mandate of bringing life back to the streets of Chinatown. They in turn introduced me to the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants’ Association who has organized the night market for the last 17 years, and welcomed me and a group of volunteers to facilitate this new vision.
What is the history behind the Chinatown Night Market?
KT: The Chinatown Night Market has been a summer cornerstone for the neighbourhood for almost 20 years. For years, the market was a bustling and full of energy. However, what was once a three-block market is now just a single block. Despite scaling down, the market still maintains a cultural significance to the city that the new market team is excited to be a part of it.
TL: This was also the first night market in North America.
Things have really changed in Chinatown; even in the last five years there’s been a huge turnover in the types of businesses and events that are making Chinatown their home. How is the Chinatown Night Market walking the line between old and new?
MF: This is exactly what got me interested in working with the Night Market this year. I wouldn’t say its been a turnover of businesses in the area; I’d rather say that there is more diversity side-by-side. Though we do have to be realistic about the changing neighbourhood, we can also be very sensitive to everyone living and working here. It’s something I’m very aware of, having been part of the initial change five years ago. So our main thing is to make sure that diversity and accessibility are at the top of the list. We’re not replacing traditional with new; we’re adding to it. We’re keeping it as affordable as it was before, but making it more engaging. We want the Night Market to be a place you can buy a plate of shrimp dumplings, then finish it off with homemade ice cream while listening to Chinese opera, or trying your hand at Hip Hop Karaoke.
Can you recall some of the challenges (overcome or not) that you’ve faced while organizing this endeavour?
HR: Time has been the big one. Annual summer festivals of this size usually take the entire year to plan, and we’ve been working since January (Ken and Tannis started a bit earlier). We’re playing catch up this year and looking forward to getting a head start on next year!
MG: I knew from the start that this was going to be a marketing challenge. How do you get people engaged with something that isn’t happening yet? It is hard to get people focused on an event for summer in the middle of a long, drizzly winter and spring. However, every week as ideas turned into concrete plans and so much amazing talent started signing up, it became clear we just needed a way to help people see what was coming. We are now covering the programming on the wesbite/ blog weekly and activating social media with announcements about what’s coming. Soon we will have a full program up for the summer. We have had so much great support from collaborators and press. Overall, when people hear about what we have planned they are super excited! It’s not hard to convince Vancouverites about the value of a new cultural event. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for announcements throughout the summer.
MF: Working with people from all different backgrounds! That’s been an enlightening challenge — working with different generations, cultural backgrounds, language barriers, different interest groups, and the list goes on…
TL: I’ve realized that creating something from the ground up like the restaurant is difficult but that trying to take an existing event and altering it after 18 years has its own set of challenges.
Okay, team stuff: complete the following “Mad Libs” with the appropriate activity/member of the team…
“Getting it done,” means getting great, crazy, overworked people on board.
Tannis’ cat always manages to make meetings about driving Ken crazy.
The absolute best answer to any question that anyone asks is always ”let me talk to the team about that and get back to you”.
What are you all most excited about right now?
HR: I think I’m most looking forward to seeing Rain City Chronicles perform on the stage. I just went to one of their events a few weeks ago on the theme of “Fame and Fortune,” and it blew me away.
MG: I am really excited about Hip Hop Karaoke hosted by HHKVan. Ken was saying these guys have been looking for way to make these nights accessible to a younger audience. To date, their nights have drawn huge crowds at legal age venues like Fortune Sound Club, but the market is now offering them a way to invite younger kids up on stage. I have no doubt this event is going to be huge.
MF: Outdoor films, and dumpling weekend! Who doesn’t want to know more and eat more dumplings?
ML: I’m with Michelle. Dumplings forever. It’s also going to be beautiful to see Keefer Street transformed and the neighbourhood bustling at night. I want to experience something like the vibrant Chinatown of the 1950s and 1960s that I’ve heard and read about.
KT: I’m excited to see Girls Rock Camp and Green Burrito Records’ band The Courtneys on share the stage. Nothing says summer jam more to me than The Courtneys’ “90210.” Am I allowed two? Screw it. Of course, I’m allowed. I can’t wait to shout “Warrrrrrriorrrrrs come out and playyyyyyyayyyayay” on the mic during our Street Fighter II: World Warrior tournament.
TL: New vendors! We have have a slew of new sellers with products that range from jewelry, laser cut crafts, vintage sunglasses, books, design magazines, ceramics, flowers, chocolate, ice cream sandwiches, and chutney. We also have a couple of collective stalls, one being run by the popular design blog Poppytalk, and the other by China Cloud, a neighbourhood studio/gallery space, that are planning to showcase different artists every week for the entire summer.
The Night Market begins May 17th and runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until September 8th. Check out the action on the 100-block of Keefer Street from 6pm-11pm!
On April 21, Sad Mag writers Jessica Russell and Farah Tozy went on assignment for Vancouver’s Eco-Fashion Week with the intent of discovering how fashion—that most of ephemeral and wasteful of pursuits—justifies its involvement in the eco-friendly scene. How do luxury and consumerism co-exist with frugality and restraint? Over the following days, Jess and Farah discovered quite a lot that is new (most of it vintage!) in fashion and the green movement. Part 1 of 3.
GOING GREEN // Eco-Fashion Week // P.1
Jess and Farah here, reporting from Robson Square on season six of Eco-Fashion Week, where we got a taste of Vancouver’s fabulous fashion scene, and started to feel a bit like celebrities ourselves. (Can you say complimentary Noodlebox and cocktails?) We discovered that eco-friendly fashion has a wide variety of incentives, initiatives and styles, which demonstrate just how inclusive eco-fashion and sustainable clothing’s development has become. EFW showcased designers and products not only from Vancouver, but from all around the world.
But before the good life goes to our heads—all those free carbs!—let’s turn to the people who are actually talented: raw material designer Madera Elena, Diana Svensk with her warm stylings, and Evan Ducharme with his polished looks.
'Merely Me' by Madera Elena, photo by Jessica Russell and Farah Tozy
MADERA ELENA, MERELY ME
“This woman radiated positive energy. I felt an honesty that is hard to come by.” -Jess
“Grace.” That is the word New Yorker Madera Elena chose to describe her collection, “Merely Me.” Elena believes that everything we have in this world is given to us, and it is our responsibility to reuse, recycle and protect the earth we live on. Her spiritual outlook influences every aspect of her collection; this season, she placed her focus on earth tones, pure whites and grays.
From Elena we learned that the most common reason people throw away their clothing is because it doesn’t fit anymore. Which is why, instead of using buttons, all of Madera’s pieces are tacked with a floral pin that is adjustable and allows the body to be free and comfortable. Each of her versatile pieces is reversible, convertible and can be worn in at least three different ways. In order to reduce her carbon footprint, she uses 80% recycled fabrics for her clothing in addition to recycled paper for her shoes and accessories. Her fabrics are light, breathable and simple.
According to Elena, we should recycle our clothes, just as we recycle our experiences throughout our lives, by taking the ugly things that don’t “fit” and making them positive. She left us with these inspiring words: “Being conscious of who we are is just ‘Merely Me.’”
Diana Svensk, photo by Jessica Russell and Farah Tozy
DIANA SVENSK, SVENSK DESIGNS
“Diana was such a riot to talk to! I honestly wanted to hang out with her after the show, and of course, borrow all her clothes!” –Farah
We have never met a more down-to-earth designer than charismatic Swedish designer, Diana Svensk. Svensk creates knitwear that is fun, flirty and wearable, focusing on warm and comfortable feel-good clothing. Svensk began her business making bow hats, and now she incorporates her velour bows as a trademark into her skirts, jackets, sweaters and winter accessories.
In her words, her style is “what you see is what you get.” Her designs are straightforward and are easily worn with a pair of black leggings. This one-of-a-kind designer embraces feminine colours such as pale pink and mustard yellow in combination with bold patterns. What makes her clothing eco-friendly is her use of 100% organic alpaca wool which is hypoallergenic as well as seven times warmer, three times stronger than sheep’s wool.
When asked about Eco-Fashion in Sweden, Svensk replied that it is developing and hopes that her appearance in Vancouver Eco-fashion week will help her generate awareness back at home.
'Belladonna' by Evan Ducharme, photo by Jessica Russell and Farah Tozy
EVAN DUCHARME, BELLADONA
“We knew he nailed it, and so did he. Fighting back tears of happiness, Evan melted our hearts and we were there to witness his first huge success!” –Jess and Farah
VCAD graduate Evan Ducharme blew us away with his collection “Belladonna” featuring feminine silhouettes, detailed tailoring, and a sophisticated modern style. This 20 year-old Manitoba native started connecting with the fashion world by volunteering at Eco-Fashion week. He was then approached by the head of Eco-Fashion week, Myriam Laroche, to present his first eco-friendly collection. Designing in East Vancouver, he utilizes reclaimed fabrics as well as natural fibres and transforms them into reworked form-fitting garments.
Together with inspiration from style icons Bette Davis and Audrey Hepburn, Ducharme aims to create a look for women of all ages who are strong and independent. Ducharme explained that military jackets had a big impact on his vision for this collection; he wanted to focus on accentuating the waist by cinching it in and having fuller skirts on the bottom. We look forward to seeing what this young designer does next!
Meeting men organically—in person first—is better than online. I will admit that. But I will also admit that for every date I have with a “real life” person, I have around five dates with people I met online first. Just because I’m trying to hedge my bets doesn’t mean I wouldn’t rather an effortless meet-cute.
It’s a couple of months ago, and a friend of mine’s band is playing a show. Our group of friends gathers for the occasion. We meet for pre-drinks at my place, and are pleasantly soused when we get to the venue. We’re dancing and being goofy when my friend notices someone he knows and introduces us. This guy is cute but I’m just trying to have a fun night with my friends (and I’m already too drunk to seem adorable) so I hardly talk to him. The next day in the murky haze of a hangover it dawns on me that this guy may have been a real fox. But I can’t be sure so I do what anyone would in this situation and I Facebook stalk him.
Suspicion confirmed. He is hot. But I can’t tell if he has a girlfriend. Because I hardly talked to him and I don’t think it makes me look crazy I send him a friend request. Meanwhile, I frantically text my girl friend to ask if he’s single. Silence. I finally get a response, days later, just as he confirms my friend request. He’s single (!) and I can only explain what happens next as a pure and simple manifestation on my part.
I run into him way out of the city at a Starbucks.
I am flustered but I MUST approach him. So I walk up and say, “I think I know you.” We have a little nothing-chat then I get the hell out of there like it’s the scene of a crime. The longer I talk to him the better chance I have of saying something stupid so aborting and trying to pass it off as being cool seems like the best course of action. I freak out when I get into work. “You won’t believe what just happened!” The entire staff of my workplace is married and they live vicariously through my dating horror stories: to them, my love life is a source of amusement.
I get a message from him shortly after the Starbucks incident. “How weird was that?!” Excellent. I can’t help but feel I’m making this all happen. I am the writer of my own destiny!
I stalk him further by perusing his “likes” before deciding to post something about one of those things passive aggressively. Trap set. He almost immediately comments on it in a private message. He asks if I’m going to a show of a band we both like. I say I’m not but invite him for a drink the next day. He accepts. Win.
He arrives for drinks…in a tank top. AND a bandana. Hmm, really? Is this supposed to say “I’m not trying too hard” or is he really not trying hard? He’s very sure of himself, bordering on conceited. We all know that’s attractive, even if we don’t want to admit it. Or maybe this is just my own dysfunctional taste.
Halfway through the date he starts to explain how he was in a serious relationship, which broke up about a year ago, and since then he’s just “been having fun” but “people do fall in love.” I say to myself that this is a mixed message, but is it really? That’s what I want to believe but deep down I know he just wants to “have fun.” I don’t care. He’s cute, I like him, and everything is good on paper too (he has a job, seems stable, and he was in a relationship so I know he’s capable of commitment). He walks me (almost) to my bus stop—which is kinda lame actually, how hard is it to walk the extra 20 feet? But we kiss, and there is something there that is undeniable. Lust.
He goes away on vacation. I send him an invite to this party happening right when he gets back. I only half expect a response but surprisingly get a message from him the next day. He says he’s not sure he can make it because he’ll just be returning but he’ll try. I hold out no hope. I don’t want to get excited for nothing.
The night of the party I get a text from him at 12:30am. “How’s the party going?” “Good, you should come by”…”Well it’s going to take me an hour to get there, should I still come”…”If you want to see me.” He shows up right as the last two people are leaving around 2am. I guess he’s staying over?
I have bruises all over my ass and thighs from his hands the next day. I don’t care. We take a shower (together), go to breakfast, and do it all over again. Two days pass and we meet again at my place. We’re supposed to watch a movie. We have sex. I’m a little worried I’m entering into fuck buddy territory but it’s fun and maybe I can do that. The last time I did that was nine years ago and it ended badly with me in a puddle of my own tears but I’m older now, wiser, I can handle it….maybe.
We meet again, sex again. And I just have to ask because I’m starting to feel gross: “Are you sleeping with other people?” He says yes and I reply, “I don’t really know how I feel about that.” But, then I immediately realize that’s bullshit and I say “I’m not okay with that.” He says he doesn’t want a relationship and then there’s nothing more to say.
I could have argued and been really needy about it, but what’s the point? I shouldn’t have to CONVINCE someone to want to be with only me. He is lucky to even have the chance. (Girl power!)
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the free trial. You need to see if you’re compatible in the bedroom, of course. But that free trial expires at some point and you need to make the call. I feel like he’d already had enough of the cookie to know. (Though there’s always that part of you that thinks: maybe I should have ridden it out longer. Pun intended, of course).
We have sex again but I can’t come. We get dressed and he pulls me in for a kiss by the fly of my pants, which was actually really hot but I can’t share a dick. I can’t. I won’t. I go cold. He drops me off and says, “call me” and all I can respond with is “why?” I get out of the car. I feel proud of myself for having some self-respect.
By cutting this “relationship” off I’m protecting myself. I don’t want to develop real feelings for someone who doesn’t want me that way. But I can’t stop thinking about the sex. It’s all consuming. I don’t even think I miss him as a person at all but the sexual desire is tricking me. This feels like a big deal, helped along by the very weird fact that I keep running into him. Life is cruel like that. We act like friends when we run into each other but it’s still unnerving to be so cavalier with someone who has had their face in your vag.
The weekend arrives and I get a little tipsy on another bad blind date. I don’t have anyone to stop me so I drunk text him. I am trying to booty text him. But how does that work? I just start with “hey there.” I imagine if it’s on then he’ll respond with something like “is this what I think it is?” and then I could say “maybe” and then we’d be doing it on my kitchen table in no time. But, alas, this is not what happens.
At any other time of day the conversation we have would be innocuous because it’s essentially the kind of chitchat that happens between strangers. “How are you doing?” “How’s your job?”…etc. Except it’s 1am. No one makes mention of the time and it ends as abruptly as it starts with me not answering his last text, which didn’t need answering anyway. He didn’t try to keep it going. Was he just answering to be polite? I try to forget it.
A few weeks go by and I run into him again. I’m with a friend. And as soon as we’re out of earshot she says “holy sexual tension!” He couldn’t keep his hands off me, touching my necklace and stroking my arm. She said I was super cool about it (because I needed to redeem myself after the drunk texting incident). Are we just going to keep going back and forth playing it cool? I guess I just assumed that he would realize he DOES want a relationship and come crawling back. But if I analyze things rationally, he doesn’t know me well enough for that to happen. There isn’t enough “us” there to run back to.
He starts following me on Instagram.
My social life suddenly looks a lot more interesting. Look at me at a concert! Look at me out with friends! Look at me with this random hot guy (who’s really just my friend’s boyfriend on loan)! Am I behaving like a maniac? Or is this just what people do now because we are so crippled by our fear of rejection that we can only communicate with wildly staged photos and vague status updates. I don’t follow him back but that doesn’t mean I don’t periodically check on his feed.
One day after a three second tug of war with myself I check to see what’s new for him and there it is. Dinner for two tagged with a cute girl. The next photo is breakfast for two with the same girl tagged in a comment “you are so lucky.” My heart sinks. I immediately feel awful. How could I be so stupid? I thought he didn’t want a relationship! Surely you don’t go tagging people in couple-y meal shots if you’re not serious. And I know I could be misinterpreting the photos but I can’t keep kidding myself, this has got to stop. So I believe that this is what’s happening and bear down. I’ve been going on so many bad dates that I’ve been treating him like the last bastion of hope for my sex life. I cry myself to sleep.
The next day I feel remarkably fine with it. I realize that it wasn’t him; it was the sex. I was denying myself something I thought I could just order by picking up the phone, but that’s no longer an option. He’s with cute dinner-breakfast girl. He’s off the menu. And I would never go for someone else’s guy. I feel liberated and also a little stupid for making such a big deal out of him. But I realize I need to go easy on myself since this is the first person I’ve slept with since my big break up.
The next week I see him on the street walking right beside me. This time I look the other way.
Sad Mag presents a dance party with your favorites 80s, new wave and electro-pop covers. Vancouver music legends (or soon-to-be legends) will be singing their hearts out to songs by The Talking Heads, New Order, Cut/Copy, The Organ, The Knife, Humans and many more.
++THE KINGSGATE CHORUS
++CITY OF GLASS
++Plus a DJ set by Phil Intile of MODE MODERNE
Saturday May 18th, 2013
Doors at 8:30pm
Cover is $8
The Gam (next door) will also be showing a sneak preview of artwork from the next issue. Come see what happens when bands take disposable cameras on tour. BAM
Photographs by Lauren Zbarsky, Alex Waber, Brandon Gaukel, Matty Jeronimo, HUMANS (Robbie Slade), MODE MODERNE, AUSTRA and CITY OF GLASS.
Morrissey would be proud. Also, I have the same birthday as Ian Curtis. Just sayin’.
ACCESSIBILITY: ****Both the Gam and Remington are street level on Hastings St. There is (usually) parking on Columbia and there is a ground floor washroom!
Behind-the-scenes with the filmmaking team: Sean Cox, Sean Horlor and Steve Adams
Vancouver Notablesis the ongoing interview series where “No Fun City” shows off. More like burlesque than a talent show, Vancouver Notables wants you doing what you do best, but with sequins on your nipples. Tell us who you are, what you’re doing that’s of note and why, oh why, are you rocking that boat?
Who are you?
Former reality show host. Currently part of a Vancouver filmmaking trio (with Steve Adams and Sean Cox) that is working on a feature called The Mill and the Mountain.
How did you get involved in the filmmaking industry in Vancouver?
My partner Steve and I won a filmmaking grant from OUTtv in 2011. Our short film “Just the Tip” screened at a few festivals. We were instantly hooked.
How did Steamy Window Productions come to be?
After working on contract for other producers, Steve and I said “NO MORE” and started our own company. We started with commercial projects believing that our business model would eventually fuel our creative work.
The Mill on the Mountain is based on the history of deaths and disappearances along BC’s so-called “Highway of Tears.” Were there additional challenges in creating a story based on actual events? What sparked the concept for The Mill and The Mountain?
I started [writing] a novel about a 2005 missing-person case in Vancouver, but the idea didn’t really come together into a screenplay until I met Steve. He grew up along the Highway of Tears and babysat accused serial killer Cody Legebokoff in the 1990s. There’s also a revenge-porn connection to the film (based on Hunter Moore’s website Is Anyone Up?) which we used to tie the events together. We wanted to create a showcase for some of Canada’s dirtiest secrets. It’s not all hockey and rom-coms up here right?
What are the aesthetic influences for The Mill and The Mountain?
Definitely films like Fargo, Winter’s Bone and the original A Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
How did you decide to enter the project into the CineCoup film accelerator?
Our team said yes to our inner Dr. Evil: One million dollars!
How is the competition going so far?
We’ve had a whole bunch of love from Vancouver, which is incredible! We’ve also crowdsourced our concept and script with movie fans around the world, testing what works and what doesn’t. It’s a new way to make movies and we’re stoked to be involved in CineCoup’s first year.
What will a 1 million dollar budget allow you do with this film that wouldn’t be possible otherwise?
The $1M will help us make our film, but CineCoup has helped connect us to film fans and the film industry in a way that would have taken years to do alone.
Best Vancouver spot?
Third Beach!
Last film you watched? The Illusionist. Clunky start and some mushy parts AND Jessica Biel, but there’s a five-star reveal at the end.
Last album you listened to?
The soundtrack to The Hours. Philip Glass is a writer’s best friend.
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