ATHABASCA – Work continues for former archivist Gina Payzant in writing and producing an event with the Athabasca Archives to honour George Ryga that includes a reading of his Athabasca-written works and a screening of her video Just a Ploughboy.
Payzant made a presentation with current archivist Margaret Anderson and Aspen View School Division First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) coordinator Alma Swan as part of the Athabasca Archives annual report to the Athabasca County council Feb. 27.
Anderson first began by presenting the report itself before it moved on into the project, which is called Richmond Park Ploughboy.
“We do not have a finalized budget for the project as of yet, but we will present it to council as soon as have something concrete for you to look at,” Anderson said. “(Gina) had presented her film in 2018 by invitation only here in Athabasca due to the restraints of a film award that she had applied to. We plan on doing it again because we would like to have the entire community to feel free to come and view this presentation.”
The event will be held May 30 at the Nancy Appleby Theatre.
“We would also like to make this a fundraiser for the library and archives by donation in order to help the Athabasca Archives remain on solid footing,” Anderson continued.
Payzant noted that her film was still in its dream stages the last time she approached the council.
“It was just a proposal at the time, and who would have thought that we would now have three printings of DVDs out. Each printing includes about 50 DVDs,” she said. “I was then invited to tour Ukraine as George Ryga was actually the son of poor Ukrainian immigrants. I went and I presented the film, and I lectured all across western Ukraine. I could spend hours talking about my experiences over there.”
Just a Ploughboy was nominated for the Documentary History and Biography award at the Yorkton Film Festival in May 2019.
“Although I didn’t win the award, I was proud that the film was nominated with documentaries made by the National Film Board and by CBC,” Payzant added. “The film that lavishly featured the Richmond Park area is just so local, and now it’s attracted an international interest.”
She said after their film project was done, they had enough money to produce a music video called The Hand That Picks the Stones, which won an award for Outstanding Music Video at the Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta (FAVA) Fest back in August.
“We shot this on location in Richmond Park at a field that had to look like it could be in the 1950s,” Payzant continued. “I couldn’t believe that I was even nominated for, let alone winning the award.”
The trophy she brought with her was what she called an Alberta boot, literally a shoe, that she said served to remind filmmakers that they cannot always have their head in the sky.
“It’s a reminder that filmmaking is really hard work, and that we have to look at the boot and remember that we can never stop,” Payzant said.
She also gave council members a viewing of The Hand That Picks the Stones.
“Richmond Park Ploughboy brings home the music video back to Athabasca and Richmond Park,” Payzant explained. “The event can be described as a film screening with embellishments, including selected works by George Ryga, along with dancing and a special surprise ending.”
She declined to say what the surprise ending would be.
“We are doing rehearsals and getting everything ready,” Payzant said. “The focus on Richard Park Ploughboy will be on his Ukrainian background as well as his work with First Nations neighbors.”
After the presentation, Reeve Larry Armfelt said that her work is creating an opportunity for tourism in the Athabasca community.
“This could end up as a springboard for something that’s a lot bigger that what we just saw,” Armfelt stated.
Bryan Taylor, TownandCountryToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @BryanTaylorNews
