The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, D ec em be r 27 ,2 01 8 | 42 General $8.50 | Children & Seniors $6.50 | All seats Tues $5.00 171 Speers Road, Oakville (at Kerr St.) 905-338-6397 (MEWS) www.film.ca Aquaman (PG) Fri - Thu: 12:40, 3:40, 6:50, 9:45 Bumblebee (PG) Fri: 11:10, 1:40, 4:20, 7:05, 9:30 Sat & Sun: 1:40, 4:20, 7:05, 9:30 Mon: 11:10, 1:40, 4:20, 7:05, 9:30 Tue: 1:40, 4:20, 7:05, 9:30 Wed & Thu: 11:10, 1:40, 4:20, 7:05, 9:30 Mary Poppins Returns (G) Fri: 10:30, 1:15, 3:50, 6:30, 9:15 Sat & Sun: 1:15, 3:50, 6:30, 9:15 Mon: 10:30, 1:15, 3:50, 6:30, 9:15 Tue: 1:15, 3:50, 6:30, 9:15 Wed & Thu: 10:30, 1:15, 3:50, 6:30, 9:15 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (PG) Fri: 10:40, 1:00, 3:25, 7:20, 9:50 Sat & Sun: 1:00, 3:25, 7:20, 9:50 Mon: 10:40, 1:00, 3:25, 7:20, 9:50 Tue: 1:00, 3:25, 7:20, 9:50 Wed & Thu: 10:40, 1:00, 3:25, 7:20, 9:50 Instant Family (PG) Fri - Thu: 8:30 Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (G) Fri: 10:50, 12:50, 3:00, 5:00, 6:15 Sat & Sun: 12:50, 3:00, 5:00, 6:15 Mon: 10:50, 12:50, 3:00, 5:00, 6:15 Tue: 12:50, 3:00, 5:00, 6:15 Wed & Thu: 10:50, 12:50, 3:00, 5:00, 6:15 Film.CA CinemAS ShowTimeS For DeCember 28, 2018 - JAnuAry 3, 2019 James Picard ponders the success he's achieved with his short documenta- ry and can only come up with one word: Insane. "It's kind of beyond in- sane," he laughed. "Every once in a while I catch a glimpse of reality." Born and raised in Bur- lington, Picard, 54, has be- come a world-renowned painter, his work hung next to some of the greatest painters ever known. Most recently, his series of paintings, The Dark and the Wounded, became part of a documentary film that he made, and directed. His directorial debut, the short film was billed the sleeper hit of the Festival Cannes Film Festival. The film, chilling in its ability to reveal universal human despair, gives view- ers the rare opportunity to heal themselves and pre- vail against a dark world - think being soft in a very hard world. "Never in my life would I have thought I would be there," he said, noting he first started his toursfirst started his toursf thinking I'll maybe get a couple of those Laurel things and we - as in me, myself and I - we could tour it or rent out a theatre. I never thought it would take off like this." Now, the Nelson High School graduate has got dozens of trophies and he's recognized everywhere he goes. "I've never won a thing in my life - maybe a few bucks on a scratch and win." The Dark and the Wounded is a series of 143 ofWounded is a series of 143 ofW Picard's paintings that challenge the viewers to look at the darkest parts of the human psyche. They challenge individuals to look at the deep wounds we carry around with us every single day. The paintings became part of The Dark and the Wounded documentary,Wounded documentary,W shot in venues that accen- tuate the meaning behind the work: Alcatraz prison in San Francisco, Preston Castle in Ione, Riverview Psychiatric Hospital in Vancouver and EasternVancouver and EasternV State Penitentiary in Phila- delphia. It won nearly every film festival it was in including:festival it was in including:f The Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festi- val, the New Media Film Festival, Pasadena Interna- tional Film Festival and the Toronto International In- dependent Film Festival. Impressive, considering the film started out on a tac- tic to gain access to one of the most dark and wounded backdrops you could think of. Picard wanted to show his art in makeshift galler- ies that supported the dark, dreary images. No. 1 on his list was Alcatraz, but strict rules prohibit exhibitions of any kind - only filmmak- ers are allowed on site. So, he became a documentari- an, persuading staff to al- low him in on the pretense he was filming a documen- tary. The father of two grown children never dreamed his artwork would become just that, and now a feature film to follow. He's negotiating with film studios for the featurefilm studios for the featuref length film, The Dark and the Wounded. Currently, Warner Brothers, Univer-Warner Brothers, Univer-W sal and Lionsgate are all among those interested in the distribution and the production. The negotiations take into account millions of dollars. "This kind of money for someone who once lived in his car," he said, "it floors me. There was a time when I could barely scrape to- gether enough money for a sandwich." Proof that hard work pays off, Picard is quite lit- erally living the dream. Nothing would please him more to see his feature film on the big screen andfilm on the big screen andf that certainly sounds like it's going to happen. "When I was meeting with one of the head studios in L.A., they were saying 'The Dark and the Wounded is unique and original.' He wants to see it get beyond that. He's thinking this could win an Academy Award. "With the political envi- ronment, he said, 'I've been in the film business my whole life. I smell Oscar. If you don't win, you would easily get nominated.'" He cites current issues in his film that are perti- nent to today: Wars, drug and alcohol abuse, loneli- ness, human trafficking NEWS JAMES PICARD: FROM DESTITUTE TO DISTINGUISHED Artist and director James Picard with some of the film festival trophies he's won with his short documentary The Dark and the Wounded. James Picard/Special JULIE SLACK jslack@metroland.com See - page 43