Centennial Video Flap

A $25,000 Centennial video production funded by city tax dollars is causing controversy amidst this week’s centennial celebrations and Arts and Life Festival.

The money was paid to the Alternator Gallery to produce a video celebrating Kelowna’s 100th birthday. Seven artists were commissioned to produce the work.

The nine member public art committee overseeing the contract unanimously decided to cancel the video’s premier yesterday and to commence discussions with the gallery.

At issue is a segment of the video by Jayce Salloum who interviewed members of the Westbank First Nations about first contact with settlers as well as native addiction issues. The art committee says that video segment didn’t meet the project’s criteria of being “celebratory”.

That move prompted Salloum to issue a press release claiming censorship and the announcement of a separate public screening of the film.

For its part, the Alternator is standing behind the production, saying the committee received regular progress reports and even a 5 minute screening of the controversial segment.