Curated by Kevin Nikkel In 2006, it was announced that the Winnipeg International Airport would be renamed after James Armstrong Richardson, a modern canonization of a pioneer of the early days of flight on the prairies. To mark the occasion this year, a new terminal will be unveiled. What better time to look closer at the history of our skies. As events of the last decade remind us, pilots rise to mythical status as they face moments of crisis and are commemorated for achievements. It is not hard to celebrate with wonder these pilots of the past, regardless of their back-­‐stories-­‐-­‐ or the discriminating circumstances that existed during their days of triumph. But even the heroes and stories we treasure are worth examining carefully. What kind of aviation heroes do we make? What kind of heroes are they really? What untold stories are there of heroes of the air and those who remained on the ground? These heroes emerge from the clouds to face a crisis, to face an enemy, and then to face the media. The facts, the stories and the legends eventually become mixed in our memories as they fade into history. This program is a search for our iconic aviators and inventors, the ground crews, and the rescuers. These are the stories our skies would tell were they to speak. The Winnipeg Film Group’s Cinematheque presents four days packed with film screenings of some of the most important films ever created in this country about aviation heroes, legends, and the planes they flew. Guest speakers: Wayne Ralph: author of the book “Barker VC” and “Aces, Warriors, and Wingman”. Wayne will discuss his research on the veterans and heroes from Canadian history particularly as they pertain to interpretations of the war record of legends like Billy Bishop and William Barker. Bob Diemert: pilot, inventor and expert in airplane restoration and the subject of the 1988 documentary film “The Defender”. Curator: Kevin Nikkel: filmmaker / teacher based in Winnipeg with an interest in history and cinema. In 2010, he curated the weekend film series “In the Shadow of the Company: Films on the Hudson’s Bay.” His recent documentary series “Our Neon City” explores the legacy of iconic businesses of Winnipeg’s past. He is currently in production on a series of short history documentaries for MTS TV titled “Epilogues”. CINEMATHEQUE: 100 Arthur Street (Arthur and Bannatyne), in the Exchange District *Special Full Series Pass: $50 / $35 members – available for advance purchase through our online store at www.winnipegcinematheque.com or by calling 925-­‐3459. Weekend Schedule Thursday, May 26 Friday, May 27 7:00 Captains of the Clouds 7:00 The Kid Who Couldn’t Miss Saturday, May 28 2:00 Between Home and the Front Sunday, May 29 7:00 Strange Wings 7:00 Our Northern Skies 2:00 Rivets and Wings CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS THU MAY 26 – 7:00 PM Introduced by Aviation Historian Bill Zuk Dir. Michael Curtiz | 1942 | USA | 114 min Starring James Cagney, Brenda Marshall, George Tobias From the director of Casablanca, James Cagney stars as an aggressive bush pilot who competes for business on the lakes of Northern Canada, and for the heart of the heroine played by Brenda Marshall. After muscling his way into the northern skies, Cagney and his competitors try and take their unconventional flying techniques to the RCAF to fight in World War II. The film is the first Hollywood feature film shot entirely in Canada. Followed by a discussion led by the Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society THE KID WHO COULDN'T MISS FRI MAY 27 – 7:00 PM Introduced by Aviation Historian Wayne Ralph Dir. Paul Cowan | 1982 | Canada | 79 min Paul Cowan’s controversial film The Kid Who Couldn’t Miss revisits the famed World War I pilot Billy Bishop and speculates if he was as good as his reputation would suggest. The film tracks the rise of a brash kid from Owen Sound, Ontario, to Canada’s most decorated flying ace of the War. Cowan's use of ‘docu-­‐drama’ and his questioning of the record of the iconic Bishop continues to ruffle feathers. Is this a case of a hero flying too high and too close to the sun, or a filmmaker taking too many liberties? Screens with: PLAYS WITH: SKYDIVE (dir. Heidi Phillips, 2001, Canada, 5 min) A metaphoric reflection on risk and the faith that it demands, using found archival footage to create a story of jumpers who contemplate whether God will be their parachute. Artfully scored and edited, the film creates a thoughtful space, suggesting a move towards the unknown. Followed by a discussion with Wayne Ralph BETWEEN HOME AND THE FRONT SAT MAY 28 – 2:00 PM Introduced by Aviation Historian Wayne Ralph WINGS PARADE (dir. Cranfield Cook, 1942, Canada, 20 min) The film shows the various types of fighter and bomber aircraft and the stages of training through which Royal Canadian Air Force pilots and air crews have to pass before obtaining their wings. FLIGHT 6 (dir. Sydney Newman, 1944, Canada, 10 min) Every night, Trans-­‐Canada Airlines Flight 6 crosses Canada from Vancouver to Montréal with its load of blue and yellow air mail bags, playing an important role in Canadian life and business. With interesting footage of a civilian use Lancaster. DOUBLE HERITAGE (dir. Richard Gilbert, 1959, Canada, 30 min) This is the story of the barnstormers and bush pilots who explored Canada's vast hinterland, and of the heroes of World War II who flew the Bolingbrokes and the Ansons, the Mosquitoes and the Hurricanes. The great unmapped territories of the Canadian North and the impetus of war are reviewed in this film. AS CLOSE AS BROTHERS (dir. Jeffery Riddell, 2010, Canada, 19 min) A retelling of the fate of Winnipegger Andrew Mynarski, gunner on a Lancaster bomber in World War II. On his crew’s 13th mission, their plane was attacked over France, demanding the crew bail out. Mynarski’s act of bravery came in his attempt to save the tail gunner on the plane. Mynarski would not survive the ordeal, and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. This new documentary includes new footage filmed on the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster bomber while on its tour to cities across the west. RIVETS AND WINGS SUNDAY MAY 29 – 2:00 PM WINGS ON HER SHOULDER (dir. Jane Marsh, 1943, Canada, 11 min) This short archival film documents the Woman's Division of the Royal Canadian Air Force of 1943, 9,000 strong, an able corps trained for service at home and overseas. Their aim is to prepare themselves for an important role in the flying field after the war, when Canada's civil air power will prove an essential factor in the air communications of peacetime civilization. ROSIES OF THE NORTH (dir. Kelly Saxberg, 1999, Canada, 47 min) They raised children, baked cakes... and built world-­‐class fighter planes. Sixty years ago, thousands of women from Thunder Bay and the Prairies donned trousers, packed lunch pails and took up rivet guns to participate in the greatest industrial war effort in Canadian history. Like many other factories across the country from 1939 to 1945, the shop floor at Fort William's Canadian Car and Foundry was transformed from an all-­‐
male workforce to one with forty percent female workers. STRANGE WINGS SAT MAY 28 – 7:00 PM BLAKE (dir. Bill Mason, 1969, Canada, 20 min) Bill Mason's short film focuses on his friend and fellow filmmaker, Blake James. In his never-­‐ending quest for freedom, Blake pilots his own plane. This film is Mason's view of his friend as a "hobo of the skies," but it is also an adventure that beckons the viewer to come along for the ride. THE DEFENDER (dir. Stephen Low, 1988, Canada, 54 min) The appealing story about Bob Diemert of Carman, Manitoba, and his dream of building the world's next great fighter plane. His worldwide reputation as a genius at restoring "warbirds" enables him to finance his dream. The Defender is a lively, sometimes wild and funny, tale about a remarkable, modern-­‐day folk hero. THE BALGONIE BIRDMAN (dir. Brian Duchscherer, 1991, Canada, 9 min) A small prairie town has few secrets but in Balgonie, Saskatchewan, Bill Gibson had one. Each night, when most folks were home asleep, Bill was busy in his workshop. You see, Bill had a dream. He was building a flying machine. This charming puppet animation film tells his story. Followed by a Q&A with pilot & inventor Bob Diemert. OUR NORTHERN SKIES SUN MAY 29 – 7:00 PM Introduced by director Bob Lower HISTORY IN OUR SKIES (Archival Excerpts, 1930s, Canada, 5 min) Silent archival footage from the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives includes excerpts from a number of early archival films documenting the integral role of aircraft on the prairies and outposts across the north. BUSH PILOT: REFLECTIONS ON A CANADIAN MYTH (dirs. Norma Bailey & Bob Lower, 1980, Canada, 23 min For some bush pilots, flying is like playing solo violin at Carnegie Hall. For others, it's like driving a taxi. The film shows how bush pilots are slowly being replaced. In northern towns built by bulldozers and jet aircraft, the emphasis is not on adapting to the north, but on remaking it in the image of the south. NORTHLANDER (dir. Myles & Riel Langlois, 2008, Canada, 53 min) On May 10, 1955, a DC-­‐4 crash-­‐landed on the ice floes of Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba. The plane was abandoned by the airline; but a small group of local Inuit men believed that the aircraft could be salvaged. For the first time, Northlander tells their amazing story through interviews, photographs and recently discovered 8mm footage of how the rescue operation was undertaken. We gratefully acknowledge the Richardson Foundation for their support of this program. We also acknowledge the assistance of the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, the Archives of Manitoba and the National Film Board. 1