August 29 – An evening of film, music and conversation at Metro Cinema in Edmonton

By Jake Cardinal

(ANNews) – On August 29, 2020 the Metro Cinema will be hosting an event called Hard Core Local: An Evening of Film and Conversation featuring: Bad Buddy and Unspittable.

The event will consist of a double-feature – two films screened back to back – from Edmonton’s very own, Michael Macdonald. He is an award-winning filmmaker, cine-ethnomusicologist, and associate professor of music in the MacEwan University Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

“I’m delighted Metro has programmed a night of my films. It’s quite an honour and privilege to live in a city that has a cinema that supports local filmmakers and artists more generally,” Macdonald said.

The first film is Hunters, which follows the Edmonton-based band, Bad Buddy, behind the scenes as they live life on the road; and the second film is Unspittable, named after the Edmonton-based rap group, and this film features the life of Amplify, an Indigenous hiphoppa.

Macdonald said of the event, “It’s a great opportunity to share an intimate portrait of two local bands with a larger public. Unspittable has done really well at festivals, winning two awards, and yet the group hasn’t had the chance to see our work on the big screen.”

Now, it would be misleading to discuss the event without mentioning COVID-19 and social distancing, but have no fear! The Metro Cinema’s auditorium is equipped to seat crowds of up to 100 people. There is a modified seating arrangement which will have rows clearly marked for use (and not for use) and the arrangement will have options for individuals, couples, families, and cohort seating areas that are spaced 2 metres apart to adhere to social distancing. There are other protocols like enhanced cleaning, required mask-wearing by staff and viewers, Cashless and tap payment options, etc.

With a limited screening schedule, Hard Core Local will be among one of the first events hosted at the Metro. Dan Smith, Executive Director of the Metro Cinema, said, “It’s going to be a fun event because we get to showcase the work of a local film-maker and we get to showcase the work of two local music groups.

“I think it’s going to be our first chance to bring in local artists and maybe get an understanding of what their experience has been during COVID and just hearing a little bit about what they’re doing right now.”

After the screenings, there will be a Q+A session featuring the film-maker and the artists featured in the films.

Doors open at 6:15 and the films will start at 7:00.

$13 adults, $10 seniors and students.

The one ticket price will cover both films and the Q&A portion of the night.

The Metro Cinema is located at the Garneau Theatre, 8712 109 Street, Edmonton AB.

Jake Cardinal is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter for Alberta Native News.