Letter from the Editor

Welcome to the Fall • Winter 2021 issue of Splice magazine — and a selection of writing that reflects a diversity of thought around moving-image making and culture in Saskatchewan. In this issue, Amber Christensen looks at Melanie Wilmink and Sol Nagler’s new book, Landscape of Moving Images: A Compendium of Prairie Cinema. Elian Mikkola chats with Gary Varro of Queer City Cinema on the occasion of the festival’s 24th year. Aidan Morgan delves into the creative process behind Citytv Saskatchewan’s Flat Out Food. Charity Marsh profiles mercurial filmmaker and musician Amber Goodwyn and her creative alter-ego Natural Sympathies. Esperanza Sanchez Espitia interviews Liz Baron of Harbour Collective about their touring experimental film lab. Dianne Ouellette reflects on her collaboration with groundbreaking Regina theatre group Listen to Dis to interpret their production of Mine to Have for the screen. Lee Chambers reports on his white-knuckled, sub-zero pandemic filmmaking experience on Hell in a Handbasket. Alex Rogalski remembers the late Dave Barber, beloved Winnipeg Cinematheque programmer and arguably our all-time greatest champion of Canadian independent film. And, once again, Splice is pleased to reprint the Oser Essay, by 2021 Oser Prize recipient Jesse Desjarlais on Richardson Morse’s 1972 feature, House Made of Dawn.

This will be the final issue of Splice for which I’ll serve as editor. It’s been a pleasure to help share writing about the rich variety of Saskatchewan film and moving-image making for the past six years. I’d like to thank the Saskatchewan Filmpool and Splice Committee for the opportunity to work with such a wonderful group of writers and artitsts — and to bring Splice, and its growing archive of original writing, online. I look forward to watching what comes next.

 —Wanda Schmöckel