Press Releases & News

Victoria Loves Veer, and Veer Loves it Back

Report from Greg Fredette

After a week at the Victoria Film Festival I’m a bit behind on some things, so our report comes a bit late. Better late than never.

Jason and I arrived in Victoria by ferry just in time for registration after flight delays and a detour to the city of Vancouver. The festival arranged for a ride from the dock, and we found ourselves in a shuttle van chatting with Charles Martin Smith (Untouchables, American Graffiti) about his new film The Stone of Destiny. Already a little star-struck, we arrived at the Empress hotel and met Barry Pepper (25th Hour, Saving Private Ryan) in the check-in line at the front desk. Wow!

The Empress Hotel was also the base of operations for Springboard over the weekend, a collection of meetings, parties, and film industry talks. We had the opportunity to meet with distributors, producers, actors, theatre operators, and other filmmakers. We attended what we could (and made sure we never missed the 5:00 PM complimentary cocktail hour) but spent most of the weekend out and about on bikes, meeting folks and promoting the film. We even ran into Portland filmmaker James Westby, promoting his new film The Auteur.

Saturday began with posters and flyers all around town. Our number one goal was to sell out our single screening. First to Office Max for last minute poster additions, with Aaron and Tim who had come up to help support the film. Then we started out at Cycle BC and rented some bikes. We rode to bike shops and met some nice folks at Reckless, Recyclistas, Fort Street, and many others. Along the way we hit coffee shops, pizza places, and video stores – anywhere that would take our posters. Sunday was more of the same.

By Monday some of our hard work had paid off with some much needed press exposure. We interviewed on the university radio station Monday afternoon, and with film critic Michael Reid of the Times Colonist who wrote a feature about Veer for the Tuesday edition of the paper. Tuesday afternoon we interviewed in CFAX talk radio. Wednesday morning we did back-to-back interviews with CBC Radio, followed by the A Channel morning TV news show. We topped off our media blitz with a nap, and then a ride around some of Victoria’s better bike routes with Victoria Counselor John Luton, a bike advocate and Victoria politician. Then we prepared for our screening (which means we went to the festival cocktail hour and tried to kill our nervousness with free drinks). 

We arrived at the theatre early to find a line formed outside . We learned that the screening had sold out in pre-sale, and that around 20 seats had been reserved for the rush. By 7:00 PM there were around 100 people in line for those 20 seats, and festival organizers announced a second screening for Friday. This was especially exciting considering we were screening opposite of Mulligans, a popular film from Victoria with awards from several other festivals.  

Inside the auditorium we were introduced by Darren Marr of the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition. After a brief introduction the film began. We were elated to find people really enjoying the film. Just like at the Portland screening, people were cheering, crying, and laughing at all the right spots. When the credits rolled the audience cheered and clapped, and many stuck around for the Q&A session afterward. We met a lot of people after the screening who were inspired by the stories of the Portland cyclists we followed in the film, both cyclists and non-cyclists alike. It was gratifying to see people being affected by something we created.
Thursday we did nothing, just tried to recover from the last week. My family had come up for the previous nights screening, as did our Assistant DP Savannah Teller Brown and her boyfriend and local filmmaker Matt.

The Friday screening of Veer was a tough time-slot, 4:30 PM on a weekday, so we were surprised again when the screening sold out and many were again turned away. Among those attending were a few of the Velo Vixens, and we were so glad to see them in the audience and that they participated in the Q&A session afterward. Again, it was a great screening and everyone enjoyed.

But the festival was not all work. At night we watched films. Friday was Ballast, a Sundance Award-Winner. Saturday was Smith’s new film, The Stone of Destiny (see previous), which took the Audience Favorite award at the end of the festival.  We also saw Dean Spanley, Res Bomb, and others. The caliber of films in Victoria was indeed impressive to say the least.

We want to say thanks to everyone mentioned above, and add thanks to Pete Harris, Donovan, Tim, and all the festival staff and supporters we met. We really felt supported and had a great time with you. We hope to see you all again.

The Northwest Film Center will hold a special fundraiser screening of Veer March 4th. http://www.nwfilm.org/screenings/?volissue=371&series=1#2336

The Lincoln Center of NYC will screen Veer May 5th at the Walter Reade Theatre as part of a short festival. Details to be announced.

Distributors
If you are interested in distributing the feature length documentary Veer please contact Aaron Douglas at 503-407-0810 or Greg Fredette at 503-957-6568 or by emailing info@veerthemovie.com.

Request a full-length screener
Distributors may request a full-length screener by emailing info@veerthemovie.com.

Interviews with the key crew
To arrange an interview with crew member, contact associate producer Aaron Kirk Douglas at (503) 407-0810

Press Kits
Request a press kit or info packet by emailing info@veerthemovie.com.