This year, the migration of Adams River Sockeye will take a detour, a magical stop in Vancouver.
It was seven years ago, 2010, when internationally acclaimed documentary film director Nettie Wild witnessed a spectacle that, as she puts it, changed her life.
Wild, from Vancouver, was one of the more than 160,000 people who made their way to the Shuswap to stand on the banks of the Adams River that year. There, she witnessed the incredible run of close to four million sockeye salmon who had journeyed more than 600 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean to spawn.
害羞草研究所淚 was completely and utterly overwhelmed. It changed my life. I was so stunned by what I saw害羞草研究所� For me to see a run of that magnitude was beyond belief. I felt I was witnessing a moment when the world was right害羞草研究所� It was exhilarating.害羞草研究所�
Then, aside from the sheer force of nature, as an artist she saw something else.
害羞草研究所淲hen I looked down into the pool of extraordinary circling green and red, I saw patterns of colossal moving contemporary art. As an artist, I thought, can I possibly work with this?害羞草研究所�
And so her journey began. It would sweep her along towards the creation of Uninterrupted, a monumental and innovative public spectacle - the high-tech projection of footage of the Adams害羞草研究所� River sockeye run onto Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Cambie Street bridge, which spans Burrard Inlet and False Creek. Fittingly, she says, False Creek once teemed with salmon.
Viewing will take place from Coopers害羞草研究所� Park at the bridge害羞草研究所檚 north end, five nights a week, 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, from June 28 to Sept. 24. On Aug. 15, the time will drop to 9 p.m. Viewing is free and family friendly. Eight hundred people per night, standing, will be able to experience the cinematic spectacle. An accessible viewing area is available.
Wild and her Canada Wild Productions, with producer Betsy Carson, have produced several internationally acclaimed films, but none like this.
Projecting onto the legs of the bridge and its entire underbelly has required 害羞草研究所渧ery, very cutting edge害羞草研究所� - or 害羞草研究所渂leeding edge害羞草研究所� - technology, as her editor calls it - essentially making up rules as they go along.
害羞草研究所淭he bridge has all these different surfaces, and the salmon have a mind of their own. A cast of millions, all of whom have their own minds. It害羞草研究所檚 thrilling and really hard,害羞草研究所� she smiles.
Essential to the process has been what Wild describes as 害羞草研究所渙ne of the world害羞草研究所檚 most special cameras.害羞草研究所�
While an ordinary camera would shoot 24 frames per second, this one takes 2,000. Donated, and installed in underwater housing, it weighs 150 pounds.
害羞草研究所淯nderwater, it害羞草研究所檚 a whole other extraordinary world of movement and light. To film underwater is heaven害羞草研究所�.害羞草研究所� she enthuses.
Wild relays how a couple of fish spawning will have a dust-up.
害羞草研究所淚t happens as fast as it takes to click your fingers, but makes 30 to 40 seconds of amazing cinema. It害羞草研究所檚 a whole domestic drama playing out; they carve the water with their fins and tails害羞草研究所π卟菅芯克鶟
Making her journey of discovery possible were the people on the river who welcomed her and her crew into their traditional territory. First Nations people have a deep understanding and connection with salmon, she acknowledges. 害羞草研究所淭hey live it.害羞草研究所�
Along with the Adams River, over seven years she also filmed on the Sproat and Pitt rivers. Several First Nations were behind the project, including Little Shuswap and Neskonlith. The staff at Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park and the Adams River Salmon Society were also a huge help, she says, explaining that an 害羞草研究所渋ncredible army of people害羞草研究所� have made the project possible.
The Thomas family allowed the voice of late Neskonlith elder Mary Thomas to be used in the 25-minute film. Although there is no narration, says Wild, the film 害羞草研究所渦ses her voice as the spirit of the river, telling the story of the salmon in her language.害羞草研究所�
The film is a celebration, she emphasizes, not a science lecture.
害羞草研究所淚t is a celebration that contemplates water, current, light, fish and even the city. It害羞草研究所檚 not setting up cities as an opponent.害羞草研究所�
A short animated teaser runs beforehand.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a time when we thank various First Nations, funders, and there害羞草研究所檚 also a little surprise on the bridge. If you go to our website and if you actively engage with funders who are restoring habitat, your name will end up on the bridge.害羞草研究所�
Her hope for the cinematic spectacle is that it imbues the kind of wonder that the sockeye run itself does.
害羞草研究所淲e are crystal clear and humble about what our objectives are. Our job as artists is to create a cinematic experience that takes people to a place they害羞草研究所檝e never been before害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 hoping it will trigger curiosity which will lead them to our website (uninterrupted.ca) and there they will find truly extraordinary people. It害羞草研究所檚 where people can go to help create a habitat more sustainable for sockeye in lots and lots of ways.害羞草研究所�
Wild is hopeful people from the Shuswap will 害羞草研究所渕igrate downriver害羞草研究所� to come see the Adams River sockeye in their cinematic habitat.
Why the name, Uninterrupted?
害羞草研究所淲hen I was standing on the banks of that river, I was really moved by something that has been going on since time immemorial, uninterrupted. If we as human beings cared, know enough to care, we can ensure they can swim uninterrupted into the future.害羞草研究所�
