This month’s VIFF Year Round Volunteer Spotlight is on Krystal Harris. Give it up for Krystal!
PO’B – Hi Krystal. Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?
KH – Okay, I was born in Vancouver and lived there most of my life. I now live in Richmond. I have a daughter, Megan, who is my best pal and I have a large extended family consisting of a broad band of misfits who I adore.
PO’B – What do you do when you’re not volunteering?
KH – I’ve been working for Fed Ex for 20 years, primarily in customer service. I’ve recently moved into their Customs department where I prepare packages for cross-border shipping. I like the new position because it gives me an opportunity to learn new things, such as duties and taxes. The only downside is that I start work at 4:00 a.m. That means going to sleep when my friends are just getting ready to party.
PO’B – Tell me about your history with VIFF and Vancity Theatre.
KH – I began volunteering at VIFF about 25 years ago and I think I started as a year round volunteer about 10 years later. It was the same year that Vancity Theatre screened The Godfather trilogy. Perhaps someone out there will remember what year that was. I’m currently volunteering as a Concessions Lead float.
PO’B – I understand that you’ve been attending VIFF for quite a while.
KH – Oh yes. I have a most impressive track record where VIFF is concerned. I’ve attended every Festival since 1988.
PO’B – Wow! Thirty years of VIFF. Do you realize that at 3-4 films per day for 14 days per festival, you’ve seen more than 1,500 VIFF films?
KH – What can I say? I like movies.
PO’B – Okay, that’s a good segue into my next question. Do you have one or more favourite movies?
KH – Off the top of my head, I’d have to pick The Godfather, Come and See and The Shawshank Redemption. There are also others I love to revisit like Midnight in Paris, Star 80 and It’s a Wonderful Life. But the movies I keep on ‘repeat’ usually depend on genre.
PO’B – For example?
KH – Well, The Exorcist is my favourite horror film. However, of all genres, Film Noir is my hands-down favourite. I think those films capture everything I love most: darkness, intrigue, sometimes a little humour and/or romance. There’s many I watch over & over, such as The Lady from Shanghai, Point Blank, In a Lonely Place, anything with Gloria Grahame or Robert Mitchum (they have no equals in my opinion!). I actually think The Godfather is a modern-noir.
PO’B – Any other hobbies or interests you’d like to share?
KH – I love to travel. New Orleans during Mardi Gras was one particularly unforgettable trip. And last year, while in Europe for 3 weeks, I visited my mother’s childhood home in Prague and sprinkled some of her ashes there. It was a lovely experience. As well, we stayed at The Savoy in London – a super-posh once-in-a-lifetime experience! Oh, and I’ve also grown to love food-walking tours. I’ve done them in Amsterdam, Prague, San Francisco and even Vancouver.
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