‘Our Kind of Chaos’ director on how TELUS originals spotlights independent Canadian films

Canada has no shortage of incredible film talent, both on screen and behind the scenes, and with the entertainment industry dominated by big players south of the border, it’s more important than ever to showcase and amplify local talent.

TELUS originals and the Whistler Film Festival aim to accomplish this. The festival connects audiences and filmmakers for five days of film premieres, industry summits, talent programs, and special guest appearances — and TELUS originals has two films on the lineup.

Spotlighting local stories

TELUS originals supports compelling and locally reflective documentaries that connect independent filmmakers in B.C. and Alberta to local and global audiences. Their Whistler Film Festival entries, Menopause: Coming in Hot and Our Kind of Chaos, do just that by showcasing stories with wide relevance that start at home.

“Canadian film doesn’t happen without programs like TELUS originals, and certainly not Western Canadian storytelling like this,” says Ryan Stutt, Co-Director of Our Kind of Chaos, in an interview with Daily Hive. “Given the uncertainty in the media world, having platforms to tell uniquely compelling Canadian stories is becoming rarer and rarer.”

A blast from the past

TELUS originals

Our Kind of Chaos goes behind the scenes of the now-iconic early-90s WHISKEY snowboard movies and the men behind them, tracing the birth of snowboard culture in Canada while exploring the deeper traumas these subjects carried into adulthood.

“They were the first filmmakers to turn the camera around on themselves and showcase the lifestyle they were leading as snowboarders,” says Stutt of the film’s subjects. “It’s still shocking behaviour some 30 years later, but it opened up a whole new perspective that we’re still seeing today in various types of filmmaking.”

The documentary goes beyond the surface to explore the duality of the human experience; how a person can be having the time of their life, while suffering through some pretty intense things.

“We were in a unique position in making this film, where the main subjects are now in their mid-to-late 50s, looking back at their lives in their 20s, which were very well-documented on video. They’ve had to face some pretty intense demons and personal issues since then, and we’re honoured that they felt comfortable sharing with us and the world,” he said.

Coming full circle

TELUS originals

While Stutt is hesitant to use the cliche “emotional rollercoaster” to describe Our Kind of Chaos, he does expect equal parts shock, laughter, and crying from the audience. And of course, it’s only fitting that the world premiere takes place in Whistler, where the story began 30 years ago.

“I’m looking forward to what I expect will be a very emotional first screening with locals, some of whom were in Whistler during the WHISKEY days.”

A Canadian story at heart, the message that it’s never too late to face your demons and fight for your life is sure to resonate with all audiences. It’s with the support of TELUS originals that Our Kind of Chaos has the chance to fulfill that objective.

“TELUS originals have been a fantastic supporter of the film,” adds Stutt. “We couldn’t have told this story without them.”

Our Kind of Chaos is playing on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7:45 p.m. in the Maury Young Arts Centre, while Menopause: Coming in Hot is playing on Friday, Dec. 5, at 12:30 p.m. in the Rainbow Theatre. Learn more about the films and purchase tickets online.

TELUS originals

Can’t make it to Whistler? TELUS originals has plenty of fantastic Canadian and Indigenous films and series to stream through TELUS Optik TV Video on Demand channel 8, Stream+ and their online platform. Want to watch more? Check out Slides on the Mountain to get your outdoor sports fix. For something centring women’s issues, look for Precious Leader Woman or Not Alone. Learn more on the TELUS originals website.