After more than 15 years of bringing thought provoking, high quality films to Merrittonians, the Nicola Valley Film Society is hanging up its reels and closing the doors on their program.
Head organizer of the Society, Cathy Frizzell, said it is one of many casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented social gatherings, including those in theatre settings, as well as a lack of volunteers.
“After 15 years and COVID challenges, the Board decided to dissolve the Society as there was no one willing to take it over,” said Frizzell.
“Cathy Starr and I both felt it was time to step away from the responsibilities of the Film Society.”
The Nicola Valley Film Society was officially dissolved on July 31 of this year.
Frizzell was inspired to screen films and connect Merrittonians with unique motion pictures following a similar initiative by the City of Merritt, which focused on children’s movies.
“Jason, who was head of Leisure Services for the City of Merritt had just started screening films for kids at the Civic Centre,” explained Frizzell.
“Because of no movie theatre here, we felt it was an opportunity to screen adult films which were Canadian and International and would provide a film opportunity for Merritt citizens without having to drive out of town to see a movie. We moved up to NVIT when it was completed as the Lecture Theatre had a DVD projector and much more comfortable seating, which proved to be very positive with our attendees.”
The first film screened by the Society was Hank Williams First Nation, in September of 2005. This was followed by Walk on Water, Saint Ralph, Sabah, Being Caribou, Harwood and Turtles Can Fly, which were equally well received. Organizers tried to balance Canadian content with International films.
Frizzell was assisted in her mission to bring a Film Society to Merrittonians by other Interior Film Societies, such as Kamloops and Salmon Arm. Through a relationship with the Toronto Film Circuit, which works with over 150 film societies across the country, and countless volunteer hours, dozens of movies were brought to the NVIT lecture theatre.
Deborha Merrick who joined the Society in its final year, taking on the role of publicity and media contact, said the dissolution of the Society is a sad day for the Nicola Valley, and that the movie nights will surely be missed, although she understands the need for long time volunteers to take a step back.
“In the smaller communities how they’ve always run is through a lot of volunteer efforts,” said Merrick.
“Cathy is one of the people in our community who decided that she was going to do something, and her and her husband have done tremendous amounts of things in our community, for our people… and I think they did so much work, and they loved it, but at some point, I think younger people need to step up and take it on.”
Merrick knows, however, that volunteering is no small commitment, and recognizes that young people today face more stressors, often work more than one job, have less free time and are already spread thin, as opposed to retirees.
“They’re already stretched to the max.”
Nonetheless, there is a hope that someone will step forward and “take up the mantle”, with those who may be interested asked to contact Cathy Frizzell or Cathy Starr, who would be more than happy to help a new organizer get started.
“Hopefully the theatre will open up,” Merrick said, should no one step up to take over the Film Society.
“But the one thing I worry about is these are foreign films and really interesting, sometimes limited release films. So, you get to see stuff that’s a little bit more substantive than the Hollywood blockbusters. We’re also starting to get used to watching movies on TV, and our TVs are getting bigger,” Merrick continued.
“However, there is nothing, absolutely nothing as good as being in a very small town where you know a lot of the people in the audience, and laughing together with everybody. There truly is nothing better than that.”
