×

Film festival expands to Harrisville, RC

The Thunder Bay International Film Festival is taking some of the movies on the road.

As part of the expansion of the festival, films will be shown both in Rogers City and Harrisville.

“In the spirit of the recent expansion, it’s important to include our other sanctuary cities,” Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Media Outreach Coordinator Stephanie Gandulla said. “We’re looking forward to doing this with more and more of our events.”

The movies will play from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Alcona County Library Harrisville Branch, 312 W. Main St., Harrisville. They also will play from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Rogers City Theater, 257 N. Third St. The cost of admission in both towns will be $5.

Gandulla said organizers tried to vary the films at the different locations in order to provide variety.

“We wanted to make sure they could attend here in Alpena and go to Rogers City and Harrisville and experience different films,” she said.

Alcona County Library Assistant Director Lynn VanderLinde said throughout the years the branch has had programs through the sanctuary.

“Every year I’m in contact with Stephanie about programs,” VanderLinde said. “She contacted me about a few months ago. She told me they were taking it on the road because the sanctuary expanded down south of Harrisville. I told her absolutely we would. We’re very excited.”

The films will be shown on a big screen in the main section of the library, she said.

“There’s six films some are as short as three minutes and the longest is 56 minutes,” VanderLinde said. “So first they’ll show all the short movies, then there will be an intermission and the last movie is about the Great Barrier Reef.”

She said Inspiration Alcona and Friends of the Library will host a brief reception during the intermission.

“We’re very excited about the program being here. I hope we have a really good crowd,” VanderLinde said.

Presque Isle District Library Program Director Anne Belanger said a reception will start the activities in Rogers City.

“It opens with a couple of (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) films then we go into some of them from New Zealand and Ireland,” Belanger said. “They range from three minutes to 65 minutes.”

The films shown not only will be about the ocean, there will be some about the Great Lakes as well, she said.

“The films are thought-provoking, beautifully crafted,” Belanger said. “The cinematography is just outstanding. They’re not your average films. I’ve seen all the films being shown. I’m looking forward to them being on the big screen.”

This is a way for the sanctuary to have a larger presence in Rogers City, Belanger said.

“It’s really giving it that regional presence. I applaud the staff and management at the sanctuary,” Belanger said. “We need that bridge; to have that presence here.”

Jordan Spence can be reached via email at jspence@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5687.

Harrisville

6-9 p.m. Jan. 20

Alcona County Library Harrisville Branch

312 W. Main St., Harrisville.

Films: “Earth is Blue: Your National Marine Sanctuary System”

“Project Shiphunt: Discovering the M.F. Merrick”

“Great Lakes, Bad Lines”

“The Cook, The Hunter, The Whales and Their Watchers”

“A Plastic Sea”

“Life on the Reef”

Rogers City

6-9 p.m. Jan. 25

Rogers City Theater

257 N. Third St.

Films: “Earth is Blue: Your National Marine Sanctuary System”

“I am Morgan: Stolen Freedom”

“Reflections of an Underwater Cameraman”

“A Plastic Sea”

“Great Lakes, Bad Lines”

“SILA and the Gatekeepers of the Arctic”

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today