https://www.comoxvalleyartgallery.com

Film Screening – MY SMALL LAND

February 5 2023 / 5:00pm - February 8 2023 / 5:00pm

The Comox Valley Art Gallery Film Series is a selection of titles from the Toronto International Film Festival Circuit. A total of 8 films will be presented during the winter/spring 2023 Series, with each film screening twice.

Films screen at 5PM on Sundays + Wednesdays at Landmark Cinemas — 2655 Cliffe Ave, Courtenay.


MY SMALL LAND

This film will screen on Sunday, February 5 + Wednesday, February 8.

Director: Emma Kawawada
Starring: Lina Arashi, Daiken Okudaira
Language: Japanese, Turkish, Kurdish with English subtitles
Length: 114 mins
Country: Japan, France
Year: 2022

With My Small Land, a coming-of-age story exploring the tragic realities of Kurdish refugees, director Emma Kawawada delivers a touching first film about the timeless and universal struggle to find your place.

My Small Land follows 17-year-old Sarya (Lina Arashi), who came to Japan from Turkey with her Kurdish refugee parents when she was five years old. Now a high-school senior, she is thinking of moving on to university, but is conflicted over her obligations to her family: she helps care for her younger brother and sister in place of their deceased mother, and must work part-time at a convenience store to help make ends meet. Although she has friends at school, Sarya doesn’t speak candidly about her situation or her background. She finally finds a confidante in Sōta (Daiken Okudaira), whom she meets through her job, and is able to open up about her struggles over her Kurdish identity. When her family’s application for refugee status is rejected, their situation becomes extremely precarious.

Director Emma Kawawada first became interested in Kurdish stories around 2015, when she was shocked by the images of women soldiers fighting among the militia against ISIS. She learned that there was a Kurdish community in Japan, and her visits with them inspired her to start writing this script. She conducted extensive interviews, and the result is a truly sensitive film about the balancing act of a young refugee who is caught between two worlds, searching for a sense of belonging.


Tickets + Passes Available at CVAG:

Tickets are $14 for CVAG Members, $15 for Non-Members.
Season passes for all 8 films are $98 for CVAG Members, $105 for Non-Members.

Tickets are for the day specified on ticket only.

Tickets/passes are available for purchase at CVAG’s SHOP:MADE or over the phone at 250.338.6211. We are open Wednesdays – Saturdays, 10AM – 5PM.

Note: We recommend that you purchase tickets in advance. The films often sell out, and there may not be tickets available at Landmark Cinemas on the day of the screening. All seating is first come, first served. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the start of the film; there is no seating after 5PM.


Click here for the full schedule of screenings for the CVAG Film Series – Winter/Spring 2023.