MILE Camp

In this poetic exploration of sound, silence, movement and places, director João França provides a glimpse into a magical world where musicians of diverse ages and abilities come together in an inclusive and supportive environment to explore the possibilities of improvisational collaborations (music, dance, and visual art). Following the experiences of the participants of the second annual Musical Improvisation at Land’s End / Coin-du-Banc en folie summer camp, which seeks to connect members of various communities with profound experiences of improvised music making, this short documentary interweaves the personal experiences of the camp participants with the breathtaking landscapes of Coin-du-Banc, Quebec and the surrounding areas. Why I’m Here / Pourquoi je suis ici offers an encounter between music, community, and place, painted in the delicate colours and textures of the Gaspé Peninsula.

In Why I’m Here, director João França provides a glimpse into a magical world where musicians of diverse ages and abilities come together in an inclusive and supportive environment to explore the possibilities of improvisational collaborations.

Watch the short documentary Musical Improvisation at Land’s End/ Coin-du-Banc en Folie. In August 2016, seven participants, with artists-in-residence François Houle, Kathy Kennedy and Jesse Stewart, explored the possibilities of improvised music in the stimulating setting of Coin-du-Banc, Quebec.

In the summer of 2016, the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation (IICSI), with support from the Musagetes Foundation and the Chawkers Foundation, mounted the inaugural session of a bilingual improvised music camp entitled Musical Improvisation at Land’s End / Coin-du-Banc en Folie! in Coin-du-Banc, in the Gaspésie region of Québec. [includes the 2016 film trailer]