WELCOME
Pretty Hill Film Festival
February 13-15, 2009
Pretty Hill, near Armena, AB
On behalf of the Selection Committee, welcome to the 10th annual Pretty Hill Film Festival.
The PHFF had its humble beginnings in 2000. It was the inspiration of Verlyn Olson and Randy Kohan, to spend an entire weekend in the dog-days of winter watching an eclectic selection of mostly foreign film. Participants were encouraged to wear black and white on the opening night. There was some smoking of cigars and sipping of brandy. The first film ever screened was "The Cows Leave the Farm" directed by Kirsti Skaret, followed by a formidable string of Russian war epics.
Fast forward to Family Day Weekend 2009 and in its essence, not a lot has changed. The Pretty Hill Film festival is still a family and friends event, dedicated to the ideal of film and fellowship.
PHFF is a unique opportunity to travel to strange and distant lands, all from within the Olson family basement. By the end of this year’s festival, long-time guests will have enjoyed more than 100 films from Canada, China, France, Russia, Senegal, Sweden, Argentina, Spain, Iran, Italy, Georgia, Poland, England, Serbo-Croatia, Finland, Mexico, Cuba, Belgium, Japan, Ireland, Norway, Germany, Australia, USA., the Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Romania, Turkey, and Egypt.
To kick everything off, Friday night begins with cocktails and music, followed by Opening Ceremonies. Suggested dress for the evening is black and white formal, or informal. Creativity is encouraged.
In the garage, Café Voltaire endures as a place to go between screenings. Whatever the temperature outside, candles, conversation and beverages ensure that the atmosphere is always warm. Local musicians, poets and others are invited to share their art form on Saturday evening. On Sunday night, we are very excited to welcome musicians Colleen Brown, Amy van Keeken, and Peter Belec to the stage.
The PHFF is a family and friends affair. There is no charge to attend. However, guests are encouraged to contribute to the collection of beverages and snacks that will be offered. Check out our FAQ page for more information. On the Films page, you can peruse this year’s exciting line-up of award winning foreign and independent film.
We look forward to seeing you this Family Day
Weekend at the Pretty Hill Film Festival!
Click here for a defense of PHFF.
