Wal-Town Screenings Cross Canada

A new documentary film from Grand Nord Productions, Loaded Pictures and the National Film Board of Canada is travelling across the country over the next few weeks. Below is a press release about the campaign and project…

I actually almost worked as a researcher for this project. I met with the directors in their main editing studio and got along with them really well, but the funding didn’t come through at that particular moment for bringing on new staff. Also, it’s possible I out priced myself; though a supporter of the project I was in a place where I couldn’t take on any more work that I’d be passionate about and under-paid for. We all go through these times, and if you’re like me you make up for it by working hard for free on other projects you support whenever you can. That’s the merry-go-round of socially conscious indie art making, and halleluia for it, and for this crew of passionate individuals who are making it their business every day to connect with communities and inspire and unite them in their struggle for fair pay and enviromental responsibility.

And props to the National Film Board of Canada too, while I’m at it, for supporting such an industry-critical project. Cool moves all around. Get out and see the movie if you can and let us know what you think.

Canada-Wide Alert: The Beast is Loose!

MONTREAL – Jan. 07 / A group of activists are heading across Canada this Winter to warn Canadians against a beast they say is destroying communities and slashing human rights as it slashes prices.

Members of Wal-Town – a project by the Montreal-based non-profit überculture – have announced their third Canadian tour, continuing the campaign to raise awareness about the negative toll the Beast of Bentonville, a.k.a. Wal-Mart, has taken on Canadian communities since coming to the country over 10 years ago.

“Since appearing in Canada, Wal-Mart has lived up to its promise of low prices at any cost,” says Ezra Winton, member of the Wal-Town group. “Costs to labour rights, costs to community life, costs to the environment, costs to culture, and costs to human rights.”

From January 20 to February 9, the group will visit Canadian communities from Newfoundland to the North West Territories to discuss their campaign and screen the recently released Wal-Town: The Film. This National Film Board documentary chronicles the group’s antics and activities over two years of touring in which they traveled Canada coast to coast. The current tour, carried out in coalition with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), will use the film to prompt important questions about the role of Wal-Mart in Canadian communities, as well as the role of activists and the media in tackling important issues.

“We’re hoping to continue the much needed discussion about the effect that companies like Wal-Mart are having on Canada and around the world,” says Tim McSorley, another Wal-Town member. “The film shows how Canadians are standing up and resisting Wal-Mart and that no community is isolated in its fight.”

The group will also be joined at many of the screenings by the film’s director, Montreal based filmmaker Sergeo Kirby. Each screening will include a short presentation on Wal-Mart & the campaign, as well as a discussion with audience members.

Wal-Town 2007 Tour Dates

West
Jan. 20: Winnipeg, MB
Jan. 21: Saskatoon, SK
Jan. 24: Gibsons, BC
Jan. 25: Vancouver, BC
Jan. 26: Courtenay, BC
Jan. 27: Victoria, BC
Jan. 28: Salmon Arm, BC
Jan. 29: Whitehorse, YT
Jan. 30: Dawson City, YT
Feb. 1: Lethbridge, AB
Feb. 2 & 4: Edmonton, AB
Feb. 5: Yellowknife, NT

East
Jan. 25: Fredericton, NB
Jan. 26: Saint John, NB
Jan. 27: Moncton, NB
Jan. 28: Summerside, PE
Jan. 29: Charlottetown, PE
Jan. 31: St. John’s, NL
Feb. 1: Corner Brook, NL
Feb. 2: Sydney, NS
Feb. 3: Wolfville, NS
Feb. 4: Halifax, NS
Feb. 5: Labrador City, NL
Feb. 9: Ottawa, ON

Contacts:

Western Canada Tour
(Manitoba to British Columbia and the Territories)
Ezra Winton
(514) 265-1217
ezra @uberculture.org

Eastern Canada Tour
(Ontario to Newfoundland)
Tim McSorley
(514) 842-6244
tim @uberculture.org

For inquiries about Wal-Town The Film:
Sergeo Kirby (Director)
(514) 569-6164
sergeo @glia.ca

National Film Board of Canada
Moira Keigher (Marketing Manager)
(514) 283-9414
mkeigher @nfb.ca

For inquiries with the UFCW:
Lincoln Ellis
Organizer, UFCW Canada Operations Dept.
416-675-1104 x272
416-579-9232 (cell)
lellis @ufcw.ca

Further information:
Info on überculture: http://www.uberculture.org
Info on the Wal-Town Project: http://www.waltown.com
Info on the documentary film: http://www.waltownthefilm.com
Info on the UFCW Canada: http://www.ufcw.ca