Three critically-acclaimed films are being screened Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9 at the Chemainus Theatre.

The mini film festival commences Friday at 7 p.m. with Les Filles du Roi (The KingB次元官网网址檚 Daughters) presented by Urban Ink, Corey Payette and Julie McIsaac.

Haida Modern B次元官网网址� the art and activism of Robert Davidson, a film by Charles Wilkinson, Shore Films and Optic Nerve Films, plays Saturday, March 9 at 2 p.m.

And the festival feature is The Great Salish Heist Saturday, March 9 at 7 p.m., the first-ever Indigenous heist film produced in association with Orca Cove Media and Less Bland Productions Inc.

The Great Salish Heist made its Canadian premiere at the Victoria Film Festival recently. It was filmed in the Duncan area with cooperation from the Cowichan Tribes and includes Canadian and international stars Darrell Dennis, Graham Greene, Ashley Callingbull, Tricia Helfer and David Lewis in the cast.

Dennis, whoB次元官网网址檚 originally from Alkali Lake outside of Williams Lake, did additional duties as director and writer.

He has long been involved in the film and TV industry, including stints in New York and Toronto.

B次元官网网址淚 am currently back and forth between Los Angeles and B.C.,B次元官网网址� Dennis said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got to go where the work takes me.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been pretty busy. IB次元官网网址檝e had lead roles in a number of Canadian TV shows and done a lot of guest stars. Recently, IB次元官网网址檝e been able to be a lead in feature films in my home province of B.C.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e gone through a lot of struggles over my entire career. When itB次元官网网址檚 your passion and you love it so deeply, you get past that.B次元官网网址�

With The Great Salish Heist, he collaborated with Leslie Bland and Harold C. Joe of Less Bland Productions.

B次元官网网址淭hey had this idea,B次元官网网址� Dennis pointed out. B次元官网网址淚 took their idea and basically rewrote the entire script. As I was rewriting the script, they got me involved as director as well.B次元官网网址�

The story follows Steve Joe, played by Dennis, a traditional archaeologist for the Moquahat people who believes the bad luck in his community is a result of the displacement of sacred artifacts. He rallies a diverse group from the Rez to hatch a plan to break into a heavily-guarded museum and reclaim the artifacts.

Steve reluctantly partners with a Russian gangster, Yuri, and his boss Vladimir to fund the heist. As the team plans its daring mission, Steve grapples with the dilemma of whether to give sacred objects to the gangsters. The stakes heighten as they gain unexpected allies and attempt to execute a cunning plan.

Dennis said The Great Salish Heist was filmed two years ago.

B次元官网网址淓verything went pretty quickly by filmmaking standards,B次元官网网址� he added.

B次元官网网址淢y involvement to the last day of filming, the whole process probably took under four years which is kind of unheard of.B次元官网网址�

Dennis is proud of the final result and having a hand in all aspects makes it even more satisfying.

B次元官网网址淔or my entire career, I think IB次元官网网址檝e worn a lot of different hats and I think you have to,B次元官网网址� he conceded.

B次元官网网址淎s the director and the script writer, you feel a unique amount of responsibility to the other actors and the crew. IB次元官网网址檝e got to be all these things to everybody else while concentrating on my own work.B次元官网网址�

The Victoria Film Festival premiere of the show went very well and Dennis is looking forward to additional feedback once more people see it.

After Chemainus, the theatrical schedule includes: Cinecenta at the University of Victoria on March 15, the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre in Duncan March 24, the Star Cinema in Sidney during mid-April on dates to be announced and the Vancouver International Film Festival Centre in late April.

B次元官网网址淎t some point fairly soon, I want to see it with an audience,B次元官网网址� said Dennis.

B次元官网网址淔or the first screening, thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of excitement across the country. People are dying to see this movie.B次元官网网址�

Another movie with the same team, shot all over Vancouver Island, including the Duncan area again, is in post-production now and Dennis is looking forward to the release of Sweet Summer Powwow sometime next year.

Les Filles du Roi that opens the festival is the powerful story of a young girl, Kateri, and her brother Jean-Baptiste whose lives are disrupted upon the arrival of the kingB次元官网网址檚 daughters in New France (now Montreal) in 1665. They forge an unlikely relationship with the young fille Marie-Jeanne Lesp茅rance B次元官网网址� whose dream of a new life is more complicated than she could have imagined. Over the course of a year, Mohawk, French and English journeys collide, setting the stage for the Canada we know today.

It was the winner of the award for best music at the Hamilton International Film Festival.

Haida Modern documents the life and times of visionary artist Robert Davidson. Everyone is touched by DavidsonB次元官网网址檚 work on the west coast. ItB次元官网网址檚 on the walls, the phone boxes, T-shirts, jewelry, tattoos and more. Haida Modern follows Davidson to his native Haida Gwaii, Alaska, Vancouver, San Francisco, New York and Austin, Texas. HeB次元官网网址檚 seen at work in his studio bringing the knowledge of the old masters into the 21st Century. The story is filled with hope and magic and the breathtaking beauty of the natural world that inspires DavidsonB次元官网网址檚 work.

Tickets for the festival are available by clicking .

The Playbill Dining Room will be open on Friday and Saturday evenings before the film screenings, serving the classic buffet menu.