The Winnipeg Film Group is starting a Film Fund in memory of Dave Barber

If you have ever been to the exchange district and visited the Cinematheque theatre on the corner of Bannatyne and Arthur, or you have simply spend any amount of time working in the Winnipeg Arts community, there is a good chance that you have heard the name Dave Barber.

Sadly, Dave Barber passed away last week at the age of just 67 years old. He was a true legend on the artistic scene here in Winnipeg. He served as the head programmer at the Winnipeg Film Group for almost 40 years, and grew The Cinematheque theatre into one of the best independent theatres in North America.

“He was probably the kindest and sweetest person I’ve ever met in my life…and he was not only an encyclopedia of film; but he lived and breathed and sweated film!” says Jaimz Asmundson, Programming Director at Cinematheque.

Winnipeg Film Group Interim Director David Knipe equates the history of the Cinematheque Theatre with Dave Barber’s career. “The history of the Cinematheque and the story of Dave’s life for the past forty years are synonymous. The Cinematheque has been Dave and arguably the Film group for almost its entire existence.”

A chronic work-a-holic, Dave Barber not only spent hours and hours watching film, but also promoting movies from young up and coming filmmakers; always giving the utmost support to the next generation of movie makers. As Jaimz points out “If you talk to any filmmaker in the city they’ll tell you the same story…they showed Dave their short film when they were young and he would really give them the encouragement to keep going…and they would eventually become really exciting voices in filmmaking. Dave cultivated a really great film community in the city.”

The Winnipeg film Group is starting a Film Fund in Dave Barber’s name in the hopes that it will keep Dave vison ad passion alive. “Dave was such a champion of filmmakers and always wanted to see them progress and was willing to do anything he could to help them get to that next level…he was doing that type of work right up until the day he died… and we just want to continue that work in his honour” says David Knipe. “We want to continue the opportunities for artistic and career development for filmmakers here that Dave was always doing.”

The Winnipeg Film Group hopes that Dave Barber Film Fund will continue Dave’s legacy well into the future, and serve to do the job that Dave was so passionate about throughout his illustrious career. That task being to give the utmost support to young up-and-coming Manitoba film makers.

If you want to donate to the Dave Barber Film Fund click here:

https://www.winnipegfilmgroup.com/product/donation/

All funds donated will go directly to the Film Fund.

To see the entire conversation Chris Wolf had with Winnipeg Film Group Interim Director David Knipe and Jaimz Asmundson, Programming Director at Cinematheque, click here;