The Vancouver International Film Festival is back and running from Oct. 2 to 12 with a full catalogue of Hollywood hits, international indies and homegrown stories.

This year, the festival features three feature documentaries made in collaboration with Knowledge Network by emerging B.C. filmmakers.

Each film interrogates the connections between art, culture and identity and explores different tools for preservation and remembrance in a fast-moving world.

‘The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes’

Described by writer-director Jenn Strom as part art biography, part Canadian art history and part B.C. travel film, The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes explores the life and legacy of the titular artist known for his intricately painted landscapes.

Hughes’ work spanned 70 years and captured scenes across Vancouver Island and mainland B.C. The North Vancouver-born artist was famously introverted, avoiding public appearances and gallery schmoozing in favour of immersing himself in his work in solitude.

“He was a very quiet and shy person who really just loved to paint, and specifically loved to paint British Columbia,” Strom explains, describing her journey across the province seeking out the exact vistas depicted in Hughes’ paintings. “He left us this treasure trove of images, drawings and paintings that are extremely beautiful of B.C., especially as it looked in decades past.”

Strom’s film takes advantage of a wealth of archival material and expert interviews, including Robert Amos, author of several books on Hughes’ life and art, to bring his work and stories alive.

“I don’t think there are very many people who are as beautifully documented as this particular man, and it’s because he had people in his life who really dedicated themselves to documenting what he was doing,” Strom says.

The film also offers a rare glimpse of some of Hughes’ most prolific pieces, tucked away in private collections and gallery vaults, many of which are outside of B.C. Strom set out to find and film these works in 4K resolution to capture their meticulous detail for audiences who otherwise may never get to experience them.

“You’re going to get to see this artwork in a way that you’ve never seen it before,” Strom says.

‘The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes’ is a Knowledge Original documentary that screens at VIFF on Oct. 5 and 7. It will be available for streaming online after the festival.

Filmmaker Jennifer Chiu as a child in her birthplace of Kolkata, India, with Radha, her childhood caretaker. Photo by Betsy Chiu. ‘Clan of the Painted Lady’

Jennifer Chiu’s delicate and captivating Clan of the Painted Lady delves into her own family history in an exploration of the Hakka — a people, language and culture originally from China and now dispersed across the world in places like India, Jamaica and Canada.

Weaving together interviews, home videos, intimate family moments and archival Super 8 footage, Chiu questions the meaning of cultural belonging and preservation during a time she dubs “the great forgetting,” where many diasporic communities live under threat of assimilation.

Chiu explores this threat from Vancouver, where she spent the majority of her childhood, all the way to her birthplace of Kolkata, India, where the once-thriving Hakka community is now disappearing.

“Confronting the very real, physical erasure of the community really had me thinking about what’s left of us when these things are gone,” Chiu says.

The film captures a portrait of several Hakka families’ efforts to preserve and connect to their culture in the face of ongoing displacement.

“Ultimately, preservation happens between generations,” Chiu says. “If you have a broken connection between generations, that’s where it all falls apart.”

Chiu hopes the film speaks to diaspora communities worldwide who feel a sense of disconnection and encourages them to explore their own family history and cultural traditions.

“Even if a few people were to come away from this film becoming curious about their own families and wanting to ask questions of their families before it’s too late, that would fill my heart with so much joy.”

‘Clan of the Painted Lady’ is a Knowledge Original documentary that screens at VIFF on Oct. 6 and 9. It will be available for streaming online after the festival.

Apo Whang-od, a 107-year-old tattoo artist, shares a smile after a successful traditional celebration with the Buscalan community and documentary team of Treasure of the Rice Terraces. Photo by Emmett Sparling. ‘Treasure of the Rice Terraces’

Another story of cultural preservation and fighting assimilation is told in Filipino Canadian filmmaker Kent Donguines’ debut documentary feature, Treasure of the Rice Terraces.

Using tattooing to explore broader themes of culture and identity, Treasure of the Rice Terraces explores efforts to revive the centuries-old style of Indigenous Kalinga tattooing in the Philippines, as well as Donguines’ personal journey to reconnect with his Filipino heritage.

The film follows Donguines to Buscalan, a secluded community nestled in the mountains of the Philippines, where 107-year-old tattoo artist Apo Whang-od has mentored over 100 women in the craft of Kalinga tattooing.

“There’s so much tattoo stigma in our country,” Donguines says, explaining how the once vital practice has developed a negative connotation over centuries of colonization. “Knowing that we have a piece of our culture that has survived Spanish colonization really allowed me to dive deeper into our culture.”

While Whang-od has cemented a place in the cultural imagination as the world’s oldest practising tattoo artist, appearing on the Discovery Channel docuseries Tattoo Hunter and the cover of Vogue Philippines, Donguines set out to show a more holistic image of Buscalan’s people and the symbolism of Kalinga tattooing.

“What’s really important for me is for people to realize that there’s more to the village than just Apo Whang-od,” Donguines says.

“Gone are the days when Apo is called the ‘last traditional tattoo artist of the Philippines.’ This specific practice has been preserved and saved by the women of the village.”

‘Treasure of the Rice Terraces’ is a Knowledge Original documentary that screens at VIFF on Oct. 5 and 6. It will be available for streaming online after the festival.

As B.C.’s viewer-supported public broadcaster, Knowledge Network brings local stories to audiences across Canada, free and commercial-free. Explore other Knowledge Original documentaries and more at Knowledge.ca.

This article is part of a Tyee Presents initiative. Tyee Presents is the special sponsored content section within The Tyee where we highlight contests, events and other initiatives that are put on either by us or by our select partners. The Tyee does not and cannot vouch for or endorse products advertised on The Tyee. We choose our partners carefully and consciously, to fit with The Tyee’s reputation as B.C.’s Home for News, Culture and Solutions. Learn more about Tyee Presents.

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