On the evening of March 22, nine Digital Filmmaking students had the opportunity to showcase the talent they’ve developed and expanded upon over the past 18 months of their lives as each student proudly presented their final documentary to their peers, family and friends.

The first documentary was by Courtney Adams, entitled “Love you always, dad”. This film documented the process of Courtney’s father’s diagnosis of ALS – from first noticeable symptoms to the moment where Courtney’s parents had to break the news to their two daughters of their father’s fatal illness. Friends and family members looked back on Courtney’s fathers struggle, the fight he put forth and the memories he left behind.

Tim Holder presented “Down the Hill” next which followed two sisters and their passion for competitive downhill skiing. The two girl’s passion for such a sport brings forth obvious dangers, however, with the full support of their friends and family, the girls continue to triumph in their sport.

Derek Cameron’s film, “Never Give Up” brought light to his struggle with Epilepsy. Many misconceptions about the disease were addressed as Derek interviewed various family members and friends who acknowledged that although the disease has been a struggle for Derek, his mindset to “Never Give Up” has kept him motivated to follow his dreams.

Joel Hanet presented next. His documentary “Safety Off” explored the highly controversial topic of gun control. Joel sought out many political figures for information, but was unable to make contact with many of the representatives. Joel also interviewed those who owned guns and explored the advantages associated with responsibly owning a firearm. Joel also spoke to educational professionals to get their take on gun control.

Corey Hayne’s film, “Behind the Wheel” took a look at the many various driving hazards that exist both inside and outside of the automobile. This comical, yet powerful film spoke to those who have witnessed poor driving habits and those who, themselves, have been involved in car accidents or had someone close to them involved in one.

The film, “Oh Canada” by Shane McEwan asked the question, “Why Canada?”. What actually makes you Canadian? Why choose Canada as a place to live? Speaking with various Canadians, this film brought forth many different opinions and advantages of being Canadian.

Jean-Felix Hery’s film, “Epilogue” spoke with seniors within the Kelowna community and asked the question, “Why retire in Kelowna?” Answers were pretty unanimous, in that Kelowna offers various summer and winter outdoor activities that appeal to many people, along with the fact that the city itself is beautiful and at a size that isn’t too overwhelming and a location that isn’t too secluded.

Brandon Alexis’ film, “Idle No More” discussed bill C45 and the Idle No More movement.  Brandon interviewed many first nations to gain insight into the government exploitations of the indigenous treaty rights. The film – both informative and touching – successfully brought light to this lingering problem within Canada.

Jordan Marlin finished off the presentation with his film, “Sleepless”, where him and a fellow student underwent an experiment to see how they could function off of limited sleep. The two students visited a sleep clinic to learn about the side effects of not getting quality sleep and compared that to what they actually went through. They each experienced different highs and lows at different times, but in the end, maxed out at a little over 30 hours of being awake.

It was amazing what each student was capable of capturing in just a short fifteen minute film. Each student shows great promise in the film industry and we wish each of them the absolute best in their brightly lit futures!