Oil Sands Karaoke kicks off 2014 film festival

ARTS/ ENTERTAINMENT — The 2014 Kamloops Film Festive launches Thursday night with Oil Sands Karaoke, a story about five oil sands workers who enter a karaoke contest.

The film festival runs March 6 to 15 at the Paramount Theatre.

The Canadian film Oil Sands Karaoke that opens the festive is described as a documentary “about five oil patch workers vying to win a karaoke contest in one of the most controversial places on the planet — Northern Alberta’s infamous oil sands.

“These five characters know they’re at the centre of a global controversy and yet they continue to work there under extremely arduous physical conditions for long hours for extended periods without a single day off.

“Why? Obviously for high wages. But what could motivate a person in this situation to sing karaoke, let alone take it seriously?”

The film was a nominee for Best Canadian Documentary and Best B.C. Film, Vancouver Film Critics Circle. It plays at 7 p.m.

Advance tickets are available at Moviemart at 444 St. Paul St., the TRUSU desk at the Campus Activity Centre, and the Paramount Theatre on Victoria Street. Adults are $10, students $8 for select screenings, seniors 65 and over $8. A special TRU student price of $5 is available on the TRUSU desk at the university.

Buying six to nine tickets at once brings a $1 discount; 10 or more and you get $2 off per ticket.

An annual $2 film society membership is required, available at the door.

Full film schedule:

Oil Sands Karaoke, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6.

Sex After Kids, 7 p.m. Friday, March 7.

Cas & Dylan, Saturday, 1 p.m. March 8.

If I J Had Wings, 3 p.m. Saturday, March 8.

Whitewash, 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8.

The Broken Circle Breakdown, 3 p.m. Sunday, March 9.

The Husband, 7 p.m. Sunday, March 9.

Le Weekend, 7 p.m. Monday, March 10.

The Past, 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 11.

Gloria, 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 12.

No Clue, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13.

Siddharth, 7 p.m. Friday, March 14.

Finding Vivian Maier, 3 p.m. Saturday, March 15

That Burning Feeling, 7 p.m. Saturday, March 15.

For more information, check out the Kamloops Film Festival website.