You Can Punch a Hurricane: A Film about Women Making Music (2012) by Megan Sutherland, Joelle Carey, and Mathias Kom

You Can Punch a Hurricane – A Film about Women Making Music reveals the thoughts and reflections of five female musicians in St. John's, Newfoundland. Taking part in what is known as the RPM challenge, these five women attempted to complete a full album, consisting of ten songs or thirty minutes of original music, in the month of February 2012. The film raises issues about gender inequality in music as viewed from the perspective of the female participants. Complete with original music from the musicians, you can punch a hurricane showcases the remarkable talent and minds behind the recordings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Street Entrenched: Issues of Homelessness in St. John's (2012)by Janna Whelan, Mehrenegar Rostami, Emeline Dehn-Reynolds and Jasmine McMorran

The documentary team collaborated with Cheryl Coleman of Choices For Youth to produce a short film highlighting housing and homelessness issues in St. John's. Street Entrenched: Issues of Homelessness in St. John's includes personal narratives accompanied by shots of the city, landscapes, and musical performances, creating a collage of the images and soundscapes of downtown St. John's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 From Fair Island to "Found Harmonium": Stan Pickett's Accordion Journey (2012) by Beverley Diamond, Meghan Forsyth and Kati Szego

This documentary traces the pathway of accordion virtuoso Stan Pickett from his first home on Fair Island, in Bonavista Bay, to various other Newfoundland communities, and finally to St. John's where he plays an active role in the traditional music scene. Known today for his eclectic repertoire, he unfolds the story of the many influences that shaped his playing. After introducing the distinctive tunes and players who gave him an early start playing for dances on Fair Island, Stan identifies 1960s/70s-era bands, Irish influences, Suzuki education methods, and the recordings he sought out in search of the 'best tune' he ever heard. The documentary culminates in a brilliant performance by Stan and his buddies at one of their weekly noon-time sessions at The Rocket Bakery in downtown St. John's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Joy of Step (2009) by Ian Hayes, Amanda Ironside and Leila Qashu

The Joy of Step is a documentary about Scottish step dancer, Joy Fraser. A young, innovator from Edinburgh, Joy is an active performer and an enthusiastic teacher. At the time of filming, Joy was a Ph.D. candidate in Folklore at MUN. She also gave classes and workshops through her dance outfit, Scotch Legs (www.scotchlegs.com). In this documentary, Joy explains her personal influences in dance, demonstrating steps that are both traditional and self-composed that are integral to her style. She adds her own unique insight to negotiating issues regarding continuity and innovation as they relate to place and time.

 

 

 

Kilautiup Sonuninga – Keeping a Culture Alive (2009) by Tom Artiss, Tiffany Pollock, and Leila Qashu

This film explores the creation and continuation of St. John's first Inuit drum-dancing group, Kilautiup Songuninga (The Strength of the Drum). Formed in 2006 with the help of The Rooms, a small, but dedicated group of individuals set out to learn many of the Inuit singing and drumming traditions that had long been unpracticed, and for some, unknown. Using a variety of sources including CDs, the Internet, and Inuit knowledge-bearers, the group developed a diverse repertoire that allows members to get together weekly for enjoyment as well as to perform within and outside the province. In 2009, the members of Kilautiup Songuninga not only participated in this aspect of Inuit culture, but also contributed to the cultural knowledge sharing that helped establish the group through workshop participation, teaching, and uploading videos to the Internet.

For more documentaries, please see the student video documentary section of the MMaP YouTube channel.