In January 2020, the RCMP killed homelessness activist Barry Shantz at his home in Lytton, B.C during a mental health crisis. That morning, his partner called 911 for help. What they got was an army of police officers, including snipers, but not a single mental health worker. In response to this tragedy, his sister Marilyn Farquhar creates a series of art quilts called Kairos – a Greek word which means ‘an opportune time for action’.
A Bullet Pulling Thread is a documentary that follows Marilyn’s journey through grief and tells the story of her brother’s extraordinary life. The film premieres on August 25th at the Abbotsford Film Festival, hosted by The Reach Gallery Museum.
Although they grew up together in small-town Ontario, Marilyn and her brother were very different. Marilyn had a calm, peaceful, safe life as an award-winning quilter. Her brother Barry, who spent many years residing in Abbotsford, BC, was a fearless advocate for the homeless. He was also a former drug smuggler, ex-con, and finally a victim of police violence. One bullet brought their paths together.
In the summer of 2021, Marilyn packed up her quilts and drove across the country to exhibit them at The Reach in Abbotsford, and to confront law enforcement with her pain and share her experiences with those who knew her brother. And as she discovers, grief is a question with no easy answers.
“As I sewed the pieces of Marilyn’s story together in the edit,” says Director Ian Daffern, “I was surprised by her honesty, the rawness of her emotions. I hope what I’ve documented is a statement about art in action. A film that defines the purpose of art in this world: for healing, for expression, for bloodletting. To rage and provoke. To create a bridge between the self and the world. Understanding the issues tackled by Marilyn and her brother Barry is crucial to living as citizens in the world today.”
Tickets for the Abbotsford Film Festival are still available. For more information: https://www.abbotsfordfilmfestival.com/