Special Screening of ‘Illusions of Control’ Set for The Cinematheque

The GOODS from The Cinematheque

Vancouver, BC | Vancouver filmmaker Shannon Walsh’s beautifully made, admirably restrained documentary, Illusions of Control (2019), isn’t out to solve humanity’s pressing problems but to chronicle our determination and resilience — or just our plain, simple ability to survive — in the face of them. Asking how we maintain hope or optimism in the face of crisis — specifically, here, human-caused crises — it offers compelling portraits of five women in five countries as they confront daunting realities: desertification in Ningxia, China; nuclear fallout in Fukushima, Japan; arsenic contamination in Yellowknife, NWT; murders and disappearances in Coahuila, Mexico; and terminal cancer, during the current American political crisis, in Chicago, IL. Selected for both Hot Docs and DOXA Film Festivals.

“With sharply cinematic detail, Walsh blends seemingly independent experiences into a seamless statement about our willingness to destroy the planet — and our perseverance to survive in the aftermath” (Hot Docs).

Illusions of Control screens at The Cinematheque on Wednesday, January 29 at 7pm followed by a Q&A with director Shannon Walsh. Tickets $12 / $10.