Halifax director gets big nationwide push with Bystanders

CITYnews halifax \ By Steve Gow

A Halifax filmmaker is getting a big push with her debut feature-length film.

Supported by Canadian indie distributor Vortex Media, local director Koumbie’s first movie, Bystanders is rolling out in theatres across the country.

“It is beyond my wildest imagination,” says the acclaimed filmmaker about the support. “I was thrilled just to be playing FIN (Atlantic Film Festival) in the fall with my friends and family so I feel really grateful.”

She says she is particularly excited because Vortex is also taking her on a cross-country tour to promote the movie in key cities, where she will participate in Q&As with audiences.

“They are putting together these impact screenings,” she adds. “So there are going to be these panels with actual experts, and I just think, what an opportunity. That’s really exciting to me.”

The panels are undoubtedly appropriate because the nature of Koumbie’s film raises social issues that are worthy of discussion.

After all, following a group of fictional childhood friends, the movie asks the question, what would you do if one of your close friends did something unforgivable?

“It is about a group of friends who have grown up together, and they go for their annual winter weekend away (but) they discover that one of them has been accused of a sexual assault,” says Koumbie. “So the rest of the film is about them trying to reconcile that, and negotiate that and navigate that to the best of their abilities.”

She adds that sexual assault and consent weren’t necessarily issues she wanted to explore, especially since the original concept came before the #MeToo movement. However, she said the rise of the social movement certainly helped force the film into existence.

Not only is Koumbie now reaping the rewards of her hard work with a nationwide release, but Bystanders has no less than six Screen Nova Scotia Award nominations, which will be unveiled on May 13 at Casino Nova Scotia.

In the meantime, the esteemed filmmaker hopes the film opens a dialogue with audience members.

“I would like to think that it is a challenging film, so I hope folks come with an open mind and that they are maybe prepared to think about things afterwards,” says Koumbie. “But really, I just hope that they come.”

Bystanders is now playing at Cineplex Park Lane Cinemas in Halifax.