Dharma Arts

Ottawa’s Nina Bains believes that art has the power to transform our city—and this is no idle observation. For the past few months, Bains has been funneling her creative energy into real ideas and opportunities for local filmmakers. Along with partners Shawn Kazda and Richard Nishimura, Bains is the creative force behind the newly-established boxcART Film Festival, Ottawa’s first independent short film showcase, which will premiere on September 20th at the Jack Purcell Community Centre.

Named in honour of Bains and Kazda’s passion for train-hopping and their free-spirited life philosophy, the boxcART Festival promises to be a tribute to unfettered creativity. This past summer, ten teams signed up to take part in boxcART’s 72-Hour Film Challenge. Over the course of three days, each team shot and edited a short film that addressed a surprise theme.

Submission guidelines allowed for films between five and fifteen minutes in length and produced in any medium. In keeping with the challenge’s mandate, the judging focused almost exclusively on the films’ demonstration of creativity rather than on the technical aspects of the production. “When you’re making a film, so much work usually goes into the editing, into trying to create the perfect product on a technical level. As a result, the creative aspect of the process can get lost,” Bains explains. “We wanted the filmmakers to bring out that raw, uncensored creative energy.”

Unlike most juried art competitions, boxcART festival charged no submission fee. “We didn’t want a fee to stop people from taking part,” says Bains. “We really want to encourage the creation of art for the love of art, and we want filmmakers to have an opportunity to show their work in a completely unbiased environment.” The only steadfast rule for qualification was that all the parties involved in each project had to reside in Ottawa. One of the fundamental problems that Bains’ work responds to is the lack of communication she perceives between emerging local filmmakers. By organizing an event that requires artists to work in teams, and creating a venue where they can view each other’s work, Bains hopes to provide Ottawa filmmakers with that all-important networking opportunity. Artists in Ottawa support each other in a limited environment, because people tend to rotate in their own cliques,” Bains explains. “The reality is that many artists are creating art in their basements, unconnected to others and unconnected to an audience. An event like boxcART is like a speed dating service—it creates a place where creative souls can connect!”

Bains herself once dabbled in film production, but she found that her resources as a budding filmmaker were limited. “When they’re lacking a support network, many artists feel pressured to look for a ‘real job’ and to give up on their passion. That shouldn’t have to happen. I want to give other artists the opportunities that I didn’t have, and that’s where the idea for the boxcART Film Festival originated.”

Bains got the idea for a time-limited competition from her days in Carleton University’s Film Society. She recalls the group’s 24-Hour Film Challenge, where each Friday night, small teams of filmmakers would get together to produce a piece based on a surprise topic or theme. Teams were shuffled each week, giving artists the opportunity to experience different combinations of creative energy. “It was like a pop quiz every Friday. Having to produce something creative in such a short period of time really pushed and tested our abilities,” she recalls. When put under pressure to deliver a project within a confined timeline, Bains found that filmmakers came back with some of their best creative work. She set out to recapture that energy with boxcART.

Of the ten teams who signed up for the boxcART challenge, five have been selected to have their films shown in the festival. While the surprise subject of the 72-Hour Film Challenge remains a closely guarded secret, it’s no secret that some amazing work will be on display. “The overall quality of the work we received was very high,” Bains says. “There is a lot of talent here, and a lot of potential. We received entries in all genres, from comedy to really thought-provoking drama.” The best film will be awarded a $250 prize, with the winner to be announced after the festival screenings.

On September 20th, the boxcART Film Festival will not only unveil some of Ottawa’s hidden talent, but it will also highlight some innovative work by established and award-winning local filmmakers. Screenings will include “Death By Vibration” from acclaimed DJ and movie-maker Bear Witness—whose work has previously been featured at the National Gallery and most recently at the Berlin International Film Festival. Also on the bill is Lisa Virtue’s “CUBEd,” a quirky short film featured at the 2008 Sundance Film about an office worker enduring cubicle life.

Pascal Aka’s “Ottawa Action Team” is another highly-anticipated project on the program, as audiences at the boxcART Festival will be treated to a compilation of the group’s short fight sequences. Ottawa Action Team is the only martial arts movie stunt team in Ottawa, and the group recently won an award for “Best Action Sequence” at the Action On Film Festival.

Over the next couple of years, Bains expects that the boxcART festival will grow quickly as more artists become aware of its existence. She also hopes to collaborate with other film festivals abroad, kicking off an intercultural dialogue and enabling an exchange of creative experiences across boundaries. “By partnering up with international art organizations, we hope that opportunities are being created for Ottawa artists to proudly stand behind their work on an international level.”

“This festival is something we plan on doing for a long time,” Bains says. “We decided to take the lead on this initiative, we’re committed to what we’re doing, and we’ve got big plans for the future.” The next boxcART Film Festival won’t take place for a year, but the group has several creative events in the works for the meantime, including a photo exhibition and a second miniature film fest. So, if you know someone who loves making movies—tell them now’s the time to get on the boxcART train.