Being happy in rainy Vancouver

SUSTAINABILITY ON CAMPUS

To make the case that the only way the forestry industry can survive in BC, is by harvesting areas that are, by their very nature, finite and increasingly being lost, is to say that there is no sustainable forest industry in BC.

Cathy Huynh, Adrift (2022)

Huynh began writing the script for the film in fall 2021. The thesis film debuted in May of last year alongside her SFU classmates, which included Itkina.

The film, titled Adrift tells the story of two best friends reconnecting after one of them returns home from school. Now in completely different places from where they were before college started, the duo try to rekindle their friendship by attending some of their favourite hang-out spots. As the night draws to a close, viewers come to see that the former friends have more in common than they once believed.

Huynh said the film is both a personal ode to the “female friendships” in her life and a reminder of the “sad, yet normal, by-product of growing up, which unfortunately includes drifting apart from your friends.” She said it was her love for storytelling that led her to pursue filmmaking. She took inspiration from the Vancouver area for the film and was able to shoot scenes at Roundel Café and Fantacity, which the friends visit on their list of nostalgic comfort spots.

Huynh’s favourite scene to film was done at Fantacity, a karaoke bar downtown. “Our team breaking out into song with ‘I Want It That Way‘ was definitely a set highlight! I’m super proud of this scene in particular since it was one of those fulfilling moments where you get to see something you’ve been visualizing in your head for so long actually come to life.”

Huynh hopes viewers will be “affirmed” by watching the two leads in the film come to terms with how their lives have panned out. “It’s more than okay to not have your whole life figured out,” said Huynh. “Feeling like you’re stuck in limbo is a collective experience that almost everyone experiences as a young adult.”

As someone who has watched a best friend turn into a stranger in a matter of months, Huynh perfectly captures the silent battle between wanting to salvage a friendship and leaving things best unsaid. One of the more moving scenes in the film happens when the two main characters meet up for the first time at dinner and can barely hold a conversation, when just moments ago, in a memory sequence, they were planning their future together.

Adrift will be a part of the final day of in-person screenings on June 4 at 4:15 p.m. More information about Huynh, including her 2021 film Caleidoscope, which appears on the CineAsian Films website, can be found online.

Sean Brennan, Holly (2019)

Content warning: mentions of pet death

Brennan’s film Holly also taps into the intrinsic human experience: losing a loved one. The film, completely shot in black and white in 2019, begins with Holly’s owner, Olga, reminiscing about her pet’s life as she goes about her morning routine without her animal companion. To cope with the loss, Olga visits a therapist named Arlo, who goes to unconventional lengths to keep Holy’s memory alive, in more ways than one. When Olga comes to, she turns to a new coping method with the help of a newfound friend.

Although Brennan began making films with his sister when he was 10 years old, and continued to do so with friends during high school, he originally was a sociology major at UVIC. Brennan says the loneliness and desperation Olga feels when her pet Holly passes away mirrors how he felt when he first moved to Vancouver to attend SFU. “That kind of isolating experience can make people more okay with maintaining toxic relationships,” said Brennan.

He also shared how the inception of the film took twice as long to come up with than the filming itself. “What you don’t see when you watch this project are the endless notebooks filled with rejected ideas.” He explained the feeling of wanting to do something special, and being frustrated while thinking of ideas. “Eventually, I had to pick a project and ‘Holly’ had a script that got a really good response from readers.”

Shot in downtown Vancouver, the film has a montage of actual dog walkers Brennan saw on the street and asked to be included in the movie. Not only is it super endearing, but it illustrates the unique character of each dog, its owner, and the bond they share. As sweet as this moment is, Brennan’s film touches on the unsettling nature of the stages of grief, particularly focusing on denial, demonstrating just how blissful ignorance can be.

Holly will be a part of the “After Dark” screenings on Saturday, June 3 at 8:15 p.m. All films featured in this screening will include unsettling themes that may be triggering, and or stories with dark elements and horror. You can learn more about Brennan and his projects through his Instagram, @hellothisissean.

1. Don’t root for the Vancouver Canucks

I get it — your grandfather’s grandfather was a fan. You spent your childhood looking up to FIN, watching the playoff games in the background during dinner (though those days are long gone). You can’t help but feel the itch to wear the team’s merchandise even though the jersey you have in the back of your closet is from 1991 (oh, how we miss dear Pavel). I think we all feel inclined to want to root for our home team (or maybe we just want something somewhat interesting to do on a Saturday night). Still, the continuous letdowns make it difficult to continue to do so — wait, was 2011 really over 10 years ago?

2. Get comfortable in the 1,000 sq ft apartment you’ll be renting out for the rest of your life

Housing costs in Vancouver are outrageous. So, prepare yourself to still live in the apartment you thought you would temporarily rent while you finish your graduate degree long after you’ve baby-proofed things. I suggest looking up video tutorials like: “Maximize use of your small space,” and, “how to keep your small home organized.” Unless, of course, you plan on moving to Abbotsford (AKA Abbots-FAR) . . .

3. Don’t live in Abbotsford

Unless you’re making frequent US trips, there’s absolutely no reason one would want to go there. Aside from visiting the pumpkin patch every fall, there isn’t much to see. You’ll spend the entire drive there asking are we there yet? And the whole ride back, asking, why did we go there? You might even get torticollis from craning your neck out the window for any signs of modern civilization: a Cactus Club, a Starbucks drive-through, give me something! Don’t plan any trips to downtown Vancouver unless you feel like making it a staycation.

4. Gas cards are the new currency

Ah, inflation. Filling up my little FIAT 500 for nearly $70 leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. One of the main reasons I bought this car was to save a little money on gas. If you find someone who gifts you gas instead of flowers, that’s how you’ll know they’re the one. I’m adding gas cards to my wedding registry, my baby registry, my Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday registries . . . and you should too. Still, I don’t think I’m driving out to any pumpkin patches any time soon . . .

5. Dress for the weather

As cliché as it may sound, an essential part of living in Vancouver is dealing with the constant rain. And spontaneous heat waves. And frosty snowstorms (is it really the holidays if the entire city hasn’t been shut down due to road conditions?) So make sure you have at least one waterproof jacket in your wardrobe (make it a SuperPuff if you really want to fit in) and a pair of clothes that are easy to change into in the back of your car. That way, you’ll be prepared if the forecast says it will be cold and windy, but half of the city has gone out to tan in the afternoon heat.

6. Don’t apply to UBC

There’s no need to go here. Seriously. I know, I know it’s a top research facility, or something or other. They have their own hospital there. They throw a few good parties. But hear me out. I know people who go to UBC who don’t even like their school. You practically have to drive across campus to get from one class to another. Not to mention that attending this school becomes your only personality trait.

7. Go to as many lakes as you can this summer (there’s nothing else to do)

Since happy hour prices are what regular-priced items used to be two years ago, spend this summer by a lake of your choice: Cultus, White Pine, Buntzen — we’ve got them all, and the ocean too. This is a cheaper alternative to sipping a spicy margarita at an overpriced and overhyped restaurant. This is BC, after all. It’s time to explore the great outdoors (also, it’s the cheapest activity you’ll find in this city).

8. Make friends with the wildlife

There’s nothing like stopping at a red light on Burnaby Mountain and coming face-to-face with a deer (I swear they try to make eye contact just to freak me out even more). I’m all for embracing nature, but I have to admit, Bambi got a little too close for comfort there. Vancouver has so many wild creatures running around that it shouldn’t be too unexpected. My suggestion is to befriend as many animals as you can — leave some nuts for the squirrel circling your porch, offer a polite wave at the black bear sifting through your garbage, and take some time to introduce the family pet to the raccoon family that seems to have made up its lodging in your yard. What, did I take being friendly to your neighbours too far?

9. Grow your own produce (groceries are so expensive)

Want to start a herb box this summer? You’re going about this the wrong way. Herbs are relatively inexpensive to get at the store. What you really need to do is figure out how to maintain some strawberry plants (but do they even grow here??), or you’ll have more debt from grocery shopping than your post-grad education. Some fruit trees would probably be a good idea too . . . maybe you could consider farming life. I hear there are some great properties available in Abbotsford . .

10. Wear a glass helmet like Sandy from SpongeBob

Not only will this offer protection from the wildfire smoke and the virus that shall not be named, but it’s also a stylish alternative to a mask! No more smudged makeup. PRO TIP: the helmet can double as a container when you inevitably forget to bring reusable bags to the grocery store and as a mug when you want to avoid the cup fee at cafés still charging it (sneaky, sneaky).