Fredericton Silver Wave Film festival celebrated its 15th anniversary this weekend with a variety of international features and shorts showcased by the Fredericton District Labour Council.
The council is behind CliFF, or the Canadian Labour International Film Festival, and began its partnership with Silver Wave last year after attendance spiked.
The films shown cater specifically to the council’s agenda and promote stories of unity in the workforce and social justice. The council works with over 22 different unions, organizations and workforces within Fredericton in an effort to support the rights of workers in a multitude of areas including both private and public sectors.
According to Council President, Alex Bailey, their jump to film acted effectively as a “way to let our hair down. We’re not all picket signs and strikes some-
times you have to just look back and celebrate.”
“We definitely need to deal with workers’ rights but at the same time we want to do it in an accessible, fun and thought provoking way,” says Bailey.
This year CliFF showed 13 short films as well as a feature film entitled Little Girl with an Iron Fist. The film debuted Friday night at St. Thomas Univer-
sity’s Kinsella auditorium.
Bailey believes holding these events in and around campuses will help students acquaint themselves with the unions they need when they become a part of the workforce. Schools like STU, with their thriving arts and theatre communities, are perfect environments for film to be used as an approach.
“Tt’s really about bridging the gap,” said Sarah Bernard, a member of CliFF. “Even actors, production teams and liberal arts jobs need unions.”
