Pubdate: Thu, 06 Mar 2003
Source: Monday Magazine (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003 Monday Publications
Contact:  http://mondaymag.com/monday/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1150
Author: Adrienne Mercer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Philip+Owen (Owen, Philip)

FIX FIXED FOR ANOTHER WEEK'S RUN

Response to the film FIX: The Story of an Addicted City has been so strong 
in Victoria that the Cineplex Odeon is holding it over for another week--an 
unusual move given that it's an independent film.

On Monday, filmmaker Nettie Wild said since FIX opened on February 28, it 
had out-grossed every other film showing at the Odeon over the weekend. 
"I've been so impressed by Victoria," she says. "People here really want to 
understand the issue."

FIX tells the stories of Dean Wilson, a heroin user and the president of 
the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users; Ann Livingston, a non-user and 
VANDU organizer; former Vancouver mayor Philip Owen; and Vancouver police 
sergeant Doug Lang. For nearly two years, Wild followed and filmed this 
diverse cast of characters as VANDU pushed for a safe injection site in 
Vancouver, finding an unexpected ally in the city's mayor.

The film was co-winner of the Most Popular Canadian Film award at the 
Vancouver Film Festival, and was so popular in that city that its scheduled 
one-week run stretched to five weeks.

After most showings of FIX, Wild moderates a community forum so audience 
members can ask questions. So far, speakers have included Wilson, Owen, 
Victoria police chief Paul Battershill, inspector Bill Naughton, mayor Alan 
Lowe and Karen Dennis of the Prostitutes Education, Empowerment and 
Resource Society.

"I think it's been great," says Lowe. "There's a huge cross-section of the 
community coming to watch it. The forums are important because the 
decision-makers are still on a learning curve. [On opening night] we could 
have held the forum for another hour."
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MAP posted-by: Jackl