Shatford Centre’s Artist in Residence Returns-Pepita Ferrari

by Shatford Centre-Okanagan School of the Arts
(760 Main Street, Penticton B.C)

Shatford Centre’s Artist in Residence Returns -
Learn About the Fascinating World of Documentaries

According to Pepita Ferrari, an acclaimed Montreal-based documentary filmmaker, interest in documentary film is at an all-time high. “This year at Toronto’s Hot Docs, one of the top annual international documentary festivals, attendance broke all previous records with more than 150,000 entries.”

Many digital camera models these days have a one-hour built-in capacity for filming, and even cell phones are capable of recording live action.

Suddenly everyone can have the potential to make movies.

As people learn from their hands-on experiences to appreciate what the professionals are producing for the silver screen, is it any wonder that documentary films are so popular?

People also appreciate documentary films for the insights they give, and for the peek into other worlds they afford, because – as the old adage says – truth is stranger than fiction.

For those who want to know more about documentary film-making and what goes on behind the scenes, Pepita Ferrari will be at the Shatford Centre in Penticton July 26-Aug 4 to share her knowledge from 20-plus years in the industry.

In addition to being a highly regarded filmmaker whose films have received worldwide recognition, she is a sought-after presenter who has given workshops and master classes in Quebec, Ontario, Pennsylvania, California, and South Africa.

The workshops Pepita offered here last year as Shatford’s first Artist in were a hit with attendees, and this summer she is back by popular demand with fresh material.

“The class offered by Pepita was filled with so much sound knowledge, passion, expertise and experience,” says 2010 participant Caleb Titus. “I highly recommend Pepita to anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the creative process in film-making.”

Ferrari’s workshops are open to people who simply love documentaries and want to know more about them, as well as those who are involved in making documentaries.

Being offered this year are Art of the Interview (July 28 at 7-9 pm), A Cornucopia of Ideas (July 30 at 9 am-4 pm), Twenty Years in Documentary (August 2 at 7-9 pm) and State of the Art of Documentary in 2011 (August 4 at 7-9 pm).

Attendees can sign up for one, or all four of the workshops. In an attempt to suit attendees’ work schedules, they are being offered in the evenings and on the weekend

In addition to the workshops, the public is invited to the screening of one of Ferrari’s films on August 2 at 2:00 pm.


Joseph Giunta: A Silent Triumph, follows a once-famous octogenarian Quebec artist as he balances his passion for painting with his struggles to care for his Alzheimer’s-afflicted wife at home.

This poignant film was a finalist for a Gemini Television Award, won the Golden Sheaf awards for Best Direction in Documentary and the Best Arts & Entertainment Documentary at the Yorkton, Saskatchewan film festival, and was a finalist for the International Health & Medical Media Awards (category: Alzheimer’s).

“It is first and foremost a film about the power of love,” says Ferrari, “Secondly, it is about the fact that creativity is undeniable, as Giunta manages to create amazing paintings under conditions that are highly stressful.”

The making of this film is also a beautiful example of how intertwined the lives of documentary filmmakers can become with that of their subjects.

After spending so much time with the Giuntas during its production, Ferrari was adopted as one of the family.

Some of Ferrari’s films have been made in collaboration with the National Film Board, and others are independent productions.

Information about the NFB collaborations is available online by going to www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/. There you can search for the historical documentaries, By Woman’s Hand (1994), and The Petticoat Expeditions (1998), and the self-explanatory Capturing Reality: The Art of Documentary (2008).

For a complete change of pace, On July 26 at 2 pm Ferrari will be hosting Meet Trevor Evans.

Evans is a producer/director/writer, who now resides in Penticton. From his early years as a stagehand, and then a clown with his own television show, Evans eventually came to be the writer/director for the Carol Burnett Show and enjoyed a 20-year relationship with the Wayne & Shuster show. “It should be a lot of fun,” says Ferrari. “He has an incredible wealth of fascinating stories to tell.” Trevor’s next wish is to burst into the docu-drama scene. Look out world!

For further information about any of these offerings at the Shatford Centre or to sign up for a workshop, please go to www.osarts.com/courses or call the Shatford Centre at 250-770-7668.