Testimonials about MCC and our Film Festivals

The following letters were written in support of MCC's nomination for the KW Arts Award by individuals who have worked with us in the past. We thank everyone who helped us receive this honour.

Alan Kirker

In the past several years, I have had wonderful experiences with the Multicultural Cinema club in Kitchener- Waterloo. For the last year, I have been a member in good standing of the club. I would like to make particular mention of two distinct ways that the club has impacted me, on both personal and professional levels.

In the context of the film Festivals that the MCC hosts, and in particular the Local Focus Film Festival, these venues provide an exciting, creatively rich, opportunity for me to see what other filmmakers are doing in this area, as well as provide a means for me to show my support of their efforts. It is wonderful to know that such diverse talent exists with our very neighbourhoods, and the MCC is the only organization that actively promotes and brings new, young and socio-culturally diverse film making talent into public awareness. The MCC, through these showcases, is an active incubator and highlighter of fresh, creative talent, and I am not surprised to see work that is premiered here wind up in the larger film festival circuits, as has already been the case in several instances. The MCC brings to the fore work that would otherwise not get the support and exposure it deserves.

Regarding the workshops that are conducted on a regular basis by the Multicultural Cinema Club, I would like to mention that these have been some of the most information-packed, useful, engaging sessions that I have ever attended in the realm of video and media work. My work as a professional media consultant at the University of Waterloo has benefited greatly from insights and skills gained at these workshops. The various presenters are themselves highly skilled, interesting and thought-provoking. Often these seminars will run on Saturday mornings and I always make a point of not sleeping in on a day off, just so that I can enjoy these wonderful learning opportunities.

Thank you so much for all your hard work and all the very best in winning a much-deserved award!

Marjonneke Grech

It's tremendously satisfying to see such enthusiastic and worthwhile grass roots support for the arts in this community, particularly filmmakers. The Multicultural Cinema Club has helped me with practical, hands-on workshops and now, with the very first screening of my documentary in the Local Focus Film Festival. I'm grateful for all their hard work and the vision they have to promote the important contribution film makes, not just to our community, but the world at large. I'm proud of my association with them and congratulate them on their nomination for the KW Arts Award.

Marjonneke Grech, Independent Film Maker

Isabel Cisterna - Neruda Productions

It is my pleasure to write a letter of support for Azam Fouk Aladeh, and his work at the Multicultural Cinema Club. Neruda Productions involvement with the Local Focus 3 Film Festival and the Multicultural Cinema Club (MCC) has been a positive one from day one. We have collaborated with the MCC to produce a documentary which features the creative, organizational, and leadership roles of high school students in the community, through a documentary entitled Going to the Moon.

This film featured the learning experience of high school students from a cultural exchange that we organized between local high school students and the Puerto Varas Music Academy, a school that is located in an economically disadvantaged (but culturally rich) area of Chile. This musical academy serves students from impoverished backgrounds.

I have been delighted at the support, mentorship, and engagement that Azam and the staff of the Multicultural Cinema Club has provided for the high school students involved with the project, and the volunteers of Neruda Productions. The level of professionalism and enthusiasm for the project, as well as the inspiring and mentoring of young adults truly impressed me.

The work that the staff at the Multicultural Cinema Club does is a very vital contribution to the development of the arts and culture in this community, and speaks to the high caliber of integrity that can be achieved by community-based arts organizations.

I commend the Multicultural Cinema Club for their efforts at involving all members of our community, regardless of age, economic or cultural background. I believe that the community of Kitchener-Waterloo benefits greatly from having a place that supports the arts, the diversity found in our region, and the development of emerging, young, and New Canadian artists.

I am very glad to offer a letter of support for the MCC and for Azam Fouk Aladeh, and wish them the very best as they continue to do invaluable work in this Region.

I would be glad to answer any questions that you may have at the contact information provided.

Yours truly, Isabel Cisterna

Majdi Bou-Matar

I am writing in support of the Multicultural Cinema Club nomination for the KW Arts Awards.

This project is timely and singular for our community in the Waterloo Region. I have worked with MCC in the past, and continue to share with them great enthusiasm for a refined cultural vision of this region. We share the focus on cultural diversity and creating artistic opportunities for immigrant artist and those from racialized and marginalized communities. Moreover the MCC’s focus on youth is one they are commended on.

The MT Space has supported and continues to support the work of the MCC. We highly value the contribution this initiative is making towards a more vibrant and inclusive arts scene. Last year we have partnered with MCC during IMPACT 09 - our biennial international theatre festival that we organized in September 2009. As part of IMPACT 09, MCC successfully organized Theatre on Film festival at Kitchener City Hall which was a great addition to our festival’s programming.

We have also commissioned MCC to create a documentary about IMPACT 09. Theatre is Here documentary will premiere at Princess Cinema as part of Magnetic North Theatre Festival in June 2010.

From my experience as the founder and Artistic Director of The MT Space, the first and only multicultural theatre in the area, I realize the extreme importance of this project that utilizes the talents of local, both established and emerging, filmmakers to emphasize the process of developing community cultural expression. We, as arts organization and individual artists from various cultural backgrounds, widely benefit from such a diverse organization and we are proud to be partners with MCC.

On behalf of many multicultural artists that constitute The MT Space, I encourage you to award MCC the KW Arts Award. Please contact me with any further questions or discussions.

Yours truly, Majdi Bou-Matar, Artistic Director

Joseph C. Chen

My name is Joseph C. Chen. I am the curator of the Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema, an international and unique film festival in its 10th year. I am also an inaugural member of the Neruda Productions board of directors.

My experience with MCC, its works in the community, and its various festivals have spanned the range from collaboration, to sponsorship, to simply being an appreciative member of the audience. Its work and influence is outstanding, and its values and integrity are beyond reproach. Without the MCC and Azam, the GRFF would have no Indie Lounge. Without the MCC and Azam, Kitchener would not have the beginnings of a grassroots audience for appreciating film in a festival / cinema club type of setting. Without the MCC and Azam, Waterloo Region’s filmmaking and indie scene, and the opportunity for the community to appreciate this scene, would not be what it is today.

I will fully support MCC’s nomination and consideration for the KW Arts Award for its many past and present contributions to the community.

David Marskell

I'm very pleased to support the nomination of the Multicultural Cinema Club for this award. I am just delighted every time I see the efforts of MCC and Azam Fouk Aladeh.

Here at the museum, we've worked with Azam on a number of occasions. One was an animation camp run over several weekends where kids learned how to do animation, hands-on activities, learning behind-the-scenes film work. It was terrific for us, it was terrific for MCC, and most importantly it was terrific for the children and the community.

For the Indie Lounge, through the Multicultural Cinema Club's efforts the programming was superb. Also, MCC secured $1500 in funding to help make those stunts happen (along with GRFF funds); it just wouldn't have happened without them.

And it was an amazing day, to watch a professional stuntman fall from this building and hit the airbag – they did it on cue, hitting the X – and to set another person on fire so that people could see, and kids could see, how it's done professionally. It was wonderful to work with MCC on that one.

And we're not the only ones they work with, I know they collaborate with a number of organizations.

Azam and the good folks there do a terrific job.

David Marskell, Executive director, The Children's Museum; Chairman, Grand River Film Festival

Kenneth Westhues

I have been following the Multicultural Cinema Club with admiration and appreciation since its inception, and have had the pleasure of watching many of its films in City Hall, including the premier of "Downside Up." I'm delighted to know the Club has been nominated for a Kitchener-Waterloo Arts Award. Not only in the form and content of its documentaries but In its inspiration and organization and in its openness to filmmakers of all stripes from this community, the Club is a wonderfully grass-roots, democratic initiative, and without any sacrifice of standards of cinematographic excellence. "The Hurt Locker," winner of best picture in this year's Academy Awards, has demonstrated that the greatest films are not always those made with the biggest budgets. This region's own Multicultural Cinema Club demonstrates the same thing. The recognition it continues to receive is well deserved.

Kenneth Westhues, Professor of Sociology, University of Waterloo; Vice-President, Board of Directors, The Working Centre

Barb Chrysler

I have worked with the Multicultural Cinema Club in a variety of ways since its inception. A few years back Azam worked with me with a group of homeless youth teaching them video production. As you can imagine the youth were very preoccupied with their own personal life crisis however, Azam managed to charm them and the youth expressed a sense of pride in their participation, knowledge and creation. After this experience Azam worked on a video on youth homelessness in the Waterloo Region. This video was able to highlight the main issues facing youth and address some of the myths of homelessness portraying the resilience of the youth.

I have attended courses learning the art of video making myself and have been working on and discussing various other projects with Azam including our recent project filming a single room occupancy dwelling. Azam has highlighted many important issues within the region and has also developed the skills of many individuals including those who are marginalized enabling them to tell their own stories and become film writers, producers and researchers. His passion is evident when reviewing the achievements in terms of organizational development from conception to funding to film production and festivals, as well as artist development and facilitation of community dialogue on important topics through film.

Barb Chrysler, Regional System Coordinator, Concurrent Disorder Program

Elinor Campbell-Lawrence

The Multi-Cultural Cinema is one of the reasons I am sorry to have just moved away from Kitchener. I was an English as a Second Language teacher in one of the local high schools for many years and was delighted when I learned about the MCC. I found that the movies and the discussions enriched both my life and my teaching and made me feel more whole and satisfied as a person.

Good luck at the awards. You deserve formal recognition!

Jon Lucas

I'm Jon Lucas, a UW student and aspiring filmmaker. I've been fortunate to work with the MCC on several occasions. The volunteer credit system at the MCC gives youth (and other filmmakers on no budget) the opportunity to use upscale videography equipment at a cost much less than what commercial rental companies charge. This is very important as the high cost of renting equipment is often the biggest obstacle for making an independent film.

The MCC provided me with critical audio/visual equipment to make a short film. Not having a budget, I was able to volunteer my time and services in order to earn "volunteer credits" which the MCC counted towards my entire rental cost. These credits were earned by assisting the MCC at various events and festivals such as the Iraq in Hollywood Film Festival, the Café Cabaret Intimo, and The Spotlight Art Festival's "Famous for Half a Minute Video Booth".

Having recently obtained a diploma in film studies, the MCC provided me with an excellent opportunity to practice and further develop some of the artistic and technical skills I'd learned from my program. Most recently, shooting a local concert performance at the Button Factory gave me videography and editing experience while earning me volunteer credits towards future equipment rental.

Working with the MCC introduced me to other arts and entertainment organizations in Kitchener/Waterloo as well, including Neruda Productions, the MTSpace, and Modevation Media. The festivals organized by the MCC promote good filmmaking by providing free screenings of excellent films from around the world, and by giving local filmmakers a chance to showcase their own talent. All of the artists at this year's Local Focus Film Festival are receiving artists fees for their submissions, just another way the MCC supports filmmaking as both an art and a career.

The MCC deserves the KW arts award for supporting new artists, and for their commitment to building a stronger film and entertainment community within the Kitchener/Waterloo area.

Lee Patterson

I have attended a number of Multicultural Cinema Club events at Kitchener City Hall and want to say that these events are meeting an important need in the community by focusing attention on social justice issues as well as current events. Not only are topical films shown but each event is followed by audience participation through Q&A. This is a much needed opportunity for community members to meet and discuss issues of great importance to the development of the Kitchener Waterloo community. It is disappointing that at times participation is much lower than the diversity of our area suggests it should be. I don't know if this is a marketing problem or timing or something else, but hopefully the Multicultural Cinema Club will be able to work out that wrinkle so that interested members are able to attend. I'll see you at Local Focus this week and look forward to attending more offerings later this year. Even my young granddaughters enjoy attending when they're up for a visit. Thank you for your commitment. Keep up the great work!

George Melnik

I am a retired actuary. My only connection to the arts community is that my wife and I try to attend local arts events whenever we can.

We have attended film showings of the Multicultural Cinema Club for the past 2 years and found them very well worthwhile. The movies shown are very good in quality and we are amazed at the depth of movie-making talent in the area. We'd like to see more publicity given to the Multicultural Cinema Club and the Local Focus film festival and both deserve a wider audience.

We also commend the Multicultural Cinema Club for its efforts to expand the movie-making capability in the area by making equipment available to potential movie makers.

Finally, we thought that Northern Choice, the film produced by the Multicultural Cinema Club, was an excellent documentary about the experiences of new immigrants to Canada.

Paul K. Weigel

The Multicultural Cinema plays a vital role in the development of talent and industry in the Waterloo Region. Creativity and the skill to communicate big ideas to the world are a critical component for the prosperity of our community. The MCC is a talent and skill incubator and Azam has been strategic and persistent in building the vision and the impact of the club for the community.

Paul K. Weigel, Writer/Producer (retired), 35 years of writing and producing for television (more than 300 programs) feature documentaries, and print publishing

Joe Johnson

My name is Joe Johnson and I work at The Working Centre as a publication designer and webmaster, fundraiser, among other tasks. I have been a part of the Multicultural Cinema Club from its beginning, creating posters and brochures for screenings and film festivals, developing the MCC website, and drafting successful grant applications.

I believe the greatest achievement of the MCC is the way it has made film-making accessible to a far broader range of people than it was before. It has helped to remove barriers, particularly financial barriers, for artists wanting to create films of all sorts through affordable equipment rentals and informative workshops.

The Local Focus film festivals organized by MCC provide local film-makers with the opportunity to show their work to the public. As an admission-free festival, there are very few barriers to public participation, allowing a very broad range of people to enjoy it.

Local Focus is especially important given the difficulty facing artists with few resources who want to showcase their independent films. The MCC’s Local Focus festival deserves to win this award because of its huge impact in promoting local film-making.

Isabella Stefanescu

I am a newcomer to film and video, and the presence of the MCC has made it possible for me to work as a writer-producer of drama and new media right here in Kitchener-Waterloo. The generous sharing of knowledge, equipment and opportunities has made the MCC and its director, Azam Fouk Aladeh, indispensable artistic resources of this region.

Isabella Stefanescu, Artist, Globe Studios