14 Arts Madison Scott case gets a new approach Laura Mooney Arts Editor t is the case that nearly every British Columbian has had on their mind for three years, but now, the case of Madison Scott’s disappearance has expanded beyond the province and has begun to attract attention on a global level. When Scottish filmmaker Steve Scouller first heard the strange news story of twenty-year-old Madison Scott’s sudden disappearance from a camping trip in Vanderhoof, BC, he was immensely intrigued and knew that this was a story he wanted to explore further. Released on 6 January 2014, the documentary entitled The Vanishing of Madison Scott focuses on the events that led up to her sudden disappearance, and features heartbreaking interviews with her family members and friends who are still living with the horror of not having Madison in their lives. The film focuses particularly on the specific events immediately before Madison’s vanishing on 28 May 2011, when she chose to attend a friend’s birthday at a well-known camping area near Vanderhoof called Hogsback Lake. From the stories featured in the film, one can come to understand that the trip was nothing short of ordinary until a large group of people who, none of whom anyone knew showed up unexpectedly. The morning after, Madison went missing. while this haunting story has become common knowledge to those of us living a short distance away from the crime scene, filmmaker Scott Scouller is hoping that his film will allow the story of Madison Scott to spread to an even broader audience. In an interview with HQ Prince George, Scouller stated that his meeting with Madison’s family humbled him and he was very grateful that they were able to open up to him during such a traumatic time in their lives. Scouller also stated that while he himself finds Madison’s disappearance fascinating, he wants nothing more than to present the film in a way that will not only expose the story to a much larger audience, but will also hopefully lead to new tips in the ongoing investigation. When viewing the film itself, the material is presented in a way that not only highlights the oddity of the situation, but also gives those of us who have been hearing about Madison’s vanishing consistently for the past three years a new view on the situation. It is no longer simply seeing the “Find Maddy” posters on billboards and the backs of vehicles, the film gives a whole new life to an incident that now feels like a lifetime ago for the majority of us, but is Beijing New Picture Film Co. blue tent were found at the lake. REWARD MADISON SCOTT - MISSING PERSON The family of Madison Scott has increased the reward to up to $25,000.00 Madison Scott is a 20-year old Caucasian female, 5 foot 4 inches tall, 170 Ibs with ginger hair. She was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and blue jean Capri pants. Madison was last seen in the early hours of Saturday May 28, 2011 at Hogsback Lake, about 25 kilometres south of Vanderhoof. Her off-white Ford F-150 Truck and two-tone Madison's disappearance may be the result of foul play. If you have information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for her disappearance please call the Vanderhoof RCMP at 250.567.2222. If you would like to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at 1.800.222. TIPS (8477) - you may be eligible for a Crime Stoppers award of up to $2,000.00. The family of Madison Scott will make all decisions in relation to payment of this private reward of up to $25,000.00. If two or more persons are eligible for the reward, they may be entitled to share the reward which will total not more than $25,000.00. CALL POLICE Vanderhoof RCMP: (250)567-2222 still very much a reality for Scott’s friends and family. Through the documentary Scouller wants to present the case of Madison’s disappearance as a case that still very much needs to be solved, and at the same time is bringing light to a method of investigation not commonly seen. When interviewed about the film, Madison’s parents expressed their hope that the film will not only shed light on their daughters vanishing, but will also convince those with information to finally come forward, so they may finally get some much deserved answers. The Flowers of War (2011 Nahid Taheri Contributor Westerner finds refuge with a group of women ina church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety. This is a summary of the 2011 movie, The Flowers of War. The movie is based on a novel, and relates to a war between Japan and China in 1937. The war was the result of a decades- long Japanese imperialist policy aiming to dominate China politically and militarily, and to secure its vast raw material reserves and other economic resources, particularly food and labor. The rape of Nanking was one of the most horrifying atrocities in history, during which the Imperial Japanese Army invaded the Chinese capital city and killed approximately 300,000 civilians, usually raping the women first. Nanking, today is called Nanjing, has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions. The Flowers of War is the first film about this event. It features an American male who escapes and hides out in a church with a group of students and prostitutes. The drunken man would at first prefer to leave the students, who are teenaged girls, but slowly pulls himself together, dresses in a priest's vestments, and takes on the responsibility of protecting them. The Flowers of War is in many ways a good film. There are moments of genuine emotion, and the director (Zhang Yimou) powerfully underlines the horrors of this dreadful moment in history. It is very touching; the director finds a special perspective to show us goodness, hope, sacrifice and humanity. He has crafted a beautiful piece and a compelling story set inside horrific events. This is an emotionally powerful story about people caught in circumstances in which there seems to be no hope of survival. The script is not based on a true story, as the true stories were much worse because there was no saviour; there was only constant desperation. This is not a movie for entertainment, but watching this is valuable.