Schema Magazine

My, oh my, do you ever have a busy week ahead of you this week. It starts off slow and gentle with some movie screenings and literary discussions courtesy of the Indian Summer Festival, then come the weekend you will be up to your eyeballs in music, movies, food, and dance parties. There's no time for preamble, so let's get right to it:

Indian Summer Festival
July 7 - 17th, SFU Woodward's
It ain't over yet. Ever wanted to cook like Vikram Vij? Well, start saving your pennies, because the master chef of Vij's himself is offering a three-course meal, cooking demo, and lesson on the art of Indian cuisine, all for the bargain basement price of $100. Ok, so it's a bit pricey, but once you're equipped with Vij's trade secrets, you'll never have to wait in an endless line for his delicious food again! If your summer fun budget is a little more constrained, don't forget the top-notch selection of Bollywood films, panel discussions of Indian literature in the media, and, of course, a second round of (FREE) dance classes with Shiamak Davar.

I Travel Because I Have To, I Come Back Because I Love You
July 15, 8:45 pm, Vancity Theatre
July 16, 7:00 pm, Vancity Theatre
If you're looking for a more sobering but still spectacular cultural experience this weekend, be sure to see Vancity's screening of the 2009 Brazilian film I Travel Because I Have To, I Come Back Because I Love You. I Travel... chronicles the journey of a geologist who embarks on a surveillance trip to northeastern Brazil only to find that his every encounter reminds him of the love he left behind. Through a combination of photographs, video-logs, and super-8, I Travel... reminds us how a broken heart sees its reflection in everything, even the plans for a canal route.

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival
July 15 - 17 at Jericho Beach
Slap on your Birkenstocks and whip out your pocketbooks (incongruous, I know), because it's time again for Vancouver's annual hippy (or is it hipster?) haven. This year's line-up features indie-scene staples like Buck 65 and The Weakerthans, as well as a smorgasbord of musical acts from across the globe.

Vancouver South Asian Film Festival
July 15th - 17th, SFU Woodward's
This summer the second annual Vancouver South Asian Film Festival is teaming up with the Indian Summer Festival to bring a thrillingly eclectic selection of films with ties to South Asia. Check out the opening film West is West, a comedy of cultural errors about Sajid Khan, a mischievous Manchester teen whose father packs him off to Pakistan to teach him a lesson, or The Taqwacores, about the underground Muslim punk scene in New York. There are also two collections of short films, and a not-to-be-missed panel discussion on storytelling vs stereotyping. And really, with a poster like that, how can you resist?

To top it all off we have a giveaway happening in conjunction with VISAFF. The first 10 people who comment or "Like" our Facebook Page will automatically win tickets to a screening of a film at VISAFF!


3rd Annual eatART: Power the VAG
July 16th, 10 am - 6 pm, in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery
Who says a raging dance party can't be emissions free? Not the intrepid eco-artists of eatART. This Saturday at the VAG, eatART is hosting a danceathon fundraiser complete with pedal-powered sound system for all your move-busting needs. Dance, donate, oggle their awe-inspiring zero emmission kinetic sculptures like Daisy the solar-powered tricycle, and Mondo Spider, the 1600 lb, 8 legged walking machine. Then pat yourself on the back for your eco-friendliness.

Surrey Fusion Festival
Jul 16th - 17th, Holland Park, Surrey
Surrey takes a lot of flack from Vancouverites and Lower Mainlanders in general, so let's try and even out the karma, shall we? When they are offering a community festival featuring cultural pavilions representing 35 different countries, musical acts like Bedouin Soundclash and Jay Sean, plus food, a traditional pow wow, and much more all for FREE, how can we complain?