Edmonton-born artist featured in film festival world premiere
An Edmonton-born artist is one of the stars of a documentary film which got its world premiere Thursday as the kick-off to the Edmonton International Film Festival.
Tim Okamura, now based in New York, is one of four artists profiled in HEAVYWEIGHTPAINT.
The feature-length film gets its title from the artists' personal experiences and their daily fights to survive in a competitive world.
"We've talked a lot about the struggle and about the fight of staying in this business," said Okamura, who was back in Edmonton for the premiere Thursday evening. "It's such an easy business to get knocked down in."
Okamura said the idea for the film originated in the kitchen of his Brooklyn home early in 2011.
Three of his friends who are also artists agreed to take part to show the roller-coaster ride of life, and the friendship and camaraderie that keeps them going.
"You could be making great work and still be struggling, living that starving-artist stereotype," said Okamura, who describes the documentary as a window into the artists' lives.
The film shows how, in an attempt to get themselves in the spotlight in New York's art scene, all four painters decide to team up to show their work together in a unique show with a boxing theme.
The documentary shows the four friends doing research for their work at Gleason's Boxing Gym in New York.
Filmmaker Jeff Martini spent 4 1/2 years recording the artists' ups and downs to make sure he captured the emotions in a natural way not forced by timelines imposed by reality-based shows.
"Stories of people's real lives take time," said Martini. He said that in a way, his career as a filmmaker is similar to the artists' careers — coming up with something creative and then trying to find a willing audience.
Martini, once an amateur boxer himself, is thrilled his film was shown in Edmonton first. He hopes people are inspired by its message.
"That struggle is a part of our existence, and if you don't get up you're going to get knocked down," he said.
The documentary is one of more than 150 films from Canada, Alberta and around the world, that will be shown at the festival over 10 days.
Festival producer Kerrie Long said it's a bonus that Okamura is here for the premiere of HEAVYWEIGHTPAINT.
"It gives Edmontonians and people in our community the opportunity to say, 'Hey, man, how do you do that? How did you go from Edmonton to Brooklyn 30 years ago and make a living?' "
Okamura is enjoying being back in his home town.
"For it to premiere here in Edmonton is exciting for me."
