COOL RUNNINGS: With this extreme stretch of good weather, it’s hard to wrap our heads around winter, ski season and the fact the Whistler Film Festival is 14 weeks away. But that is exactly what festival creator Shawna Hardy and director of programming Paul Gratton aimed to do recently when they hosted their annual fundraiser at Big Rock Urban Brewery. Hollywood North’s business leaders, luminaries and philanthropists gathered to honour B.C. industry talent and financially support festival programs. From Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, the Whistler Film Festival will welcome film fans to experience its 17th edition featuring fresh films, epic events and time to play in North America’s premier mountain resort destination. Attendees got a sneak peek of what audiences can expect, with organizers announcing the first 15 films confirmed. As well, the festival event shone a spotlight on eight honourees for their contributions to the industry. They included actor Aleks Paunovic, Screen Siren Pictures’ Trish Dolman and Christine Haebler, veteran filmmakers Cynde and Allan Harmon and director Michelle Ouellet. The Directors Guild of Canada, B.C. received the Industry Impact Award while a posthumous award was given to acclaimed film and television producer Tom Rowe, who died this summer. More than $10,000 was raised from the festival hootenanny.
THINK PINK: Pink salmon are the most sustainable salmon species, yet traditionally are undervalued by the general public. Looking to change that, the Pacific Salmon foundation hosted its fifth annual Pink Salmon barbecue at Vanier Park in Kitsilano. Well-known chefs such as Robert Clark, Ronnie Shewchuk, Garrett Schack, Mark Brand and Julian Bond were recruited to cook and serve up 2,000 pounds of the delicious pink salmon, generously donated by the Canadian Fishing Company. Some nine million pinks are forecasted to flood the Fraser River, says Mike Meneer, vice president for development, marketing and communications with the Pacific Salmon Foundation in Vancouver. Pinks are one of B.C.’s most sustainable seafood choices adds Meneer. Other reasons to go pink: they are less expensive than other salmon, therefore more affordable, and they are lower in fat content than other popular species of salmon. Hundreds learned for themselves as lined up for the annual barbecue. Offered by donation, all proceeds went to support community-led wild salmon conservation in the province.
BIG CATCH: The biggest charity fishing tournament concluded this week with a sizeable cheque presented to the Canucks Autism Network. The annual Fishing for Kids Tournament raised an impressive $800,000 thanks to an ardent and competitive group of anglers who participated in the 12th staging of the fishing derby. Forty anglers including two women eagerly took to the waters off Langara Island to claim the first prize trophy. Before setting off, the participants were treated to a royal sendoff, held at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia. and presented by the West Coast Fishing Club. President Brian Legge and tournament director Courtney Hatfield raised a glass to the group each shelling out $12,500 to enter the three-day charity derby that boasts a $200,000 purse. This year, the biggest fish tale belonged to Tanya Mahe. Her 40-pound chinook earned the businesswoman top bragging rights. Event tradition saw the first place prize money donated back to charity. Funds reeled in will once again benefit the Canucks Autism Network, which provides community-level support to over 2,000 families living with autism in British Columbia. CAN was founded in 2008 by Vancouver Canucks owner Paolo Aquilini and his wife Clara.
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