‘WipeOut’: Extreme Sports and Brain Injury

Date: Tuesday April 14, 2009
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Place: Municipal Hall, District of North Vancouver, 355 West Queens Rd. – Council Chambers
Cost: free! (but please register by email to: walkert@shaw.ca )

WipeOut, produced by Lionel Goddard and the Knowledge Network, tells the story of three young BC men who thrived on extreme sports until traumatic brain injuries changed their lives. Olympic gold medalist Ross Rebagliati narrates this documentary, which offers unprecedented insight into the lives of those who are part of what doctors call the “invisible epidemic” – brain injury, the leading cause of death and disability among men under the age of 35.

After the film, there will be a panel discussion and question and answer period with a variety of experts in the field. Confirmed panelists include:
• Brian Hunt – Medical/surgeon, featured in the video
• Richard Kinar – BC Director, Brain Injury Association of Canada

View the trailer or the entire video at http://wipeout.knowledgenetwork.ca/index.html

Schedule:
7:00 – 7:10 pm Introductions for the workshop and the documentary
7:10 – 8:10 pm Viewing of the WipeOut documentary
8:10 – 8:25 pm Coffee/snack
8:25 – 8:55 pm Panel Discussion and Question & Answer period
8:55 pm Closing and final comments

To register, please e-mail: walkert@shaw.ca

Sponsored by the North Shore Safety Council and the District of North Vancouver

New Documentary About Traumatic Brain Injury & Art to be Presented at the International Festival of Films on Art in Montréal on Saturday, March 28, 2009.

CHANGING IDENTITIES: A STORY OF TRAUMATIC INJURY AND ART, an award-winning documentary film narrated by Meryl Streep, will be presented at the 27th International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA). The festival will take place from March 19 – 29, 2009 in Montréal, Canada. CHANGING IDENTITIES will play on Saturday, March 28th at 1:30pm (EST) and will be followed by a Q&A discussion with the filmmaker, Daniel Labbato.

CHANGING IDENTITIES: A STORY OF TRAUMATIC INJURY AND ART profiles a studio program in upstate New York that doesn’t see art just as a form of therapy, but as a means for participants to redefine who they are, and begin to see themselves not as people with disabilities but as artists. For more info on the film visit: http://fanlight.com/catalog/films/476_ci.php

The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) aims to increase public awareness, knowledge and appreciation of the arts by promoting works by artists and professionals from the fields of film, television and video. The festival takes place at several venues around Montreal, including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art, Center for Canadian Architecture, Place des Arts, and the Goethe-Institute and more.

Tickets are available at Place des Arts, 175, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest in Montreal. Student, Senior and Group rates are available. www.pda.qc.ca, 514-842-2112, (toll free) 1-866-842-2112

The full festival schedule is available at: www.artfifa.com.