If you don’t know the Betty Davis, prepare to be blown away. With her deep, raw, earthy voice, a knack for stringing together funky riffs, and sexually super-charged lyrics, Davis shook and shocked American soul in the early 70s. As her husband Miles Davis said: “She was Madonna before Madonna, Prince before Prince.” Betty introduced Miles to Jimi Hendrix and psychedelic rock, as well as to 70s fashion; he featured her on Filles de Kilimanjaro and produced some of her prime recordings before the inevitable split. Albums Betty Davis, They Say I’m Different and Nasty Gal included musicians from Sly and the Family Stone and Tower of Power, but failed to chart — only to be rediscovered and celebrated decades after her retirement. Coming somewhere in the lineage between Ma Rainey, Tina Turner, and Donna Summer, Davis more than stands the test of time, she’s an electrifying talent.
Davis has long been an influence on Vancouver based keyboardist, producer, and all-around phenom Mary Ancheta, which has led Mary to this special night at VIFF full of Davis’ most loved tunes, as well as some deep cuts, with Dawn Pemberton on vocals. The live music portion of the event will be followed by a short intermission, and then a rare screening of Phil Cox’s invaluable 2017 film (55 min), made in collaboration with Davis a few years before her death from cancer in 2022.
Mary Ancheta Quintet plays Betty Davis featuring Dawn Pemberton
Dawn Pemberton: vocals
Mary Ancheta: keys
Tristan Paxton: guitar
Dominic Conway: sax
Paul Clark: drums
Mary Ancheta is a Canadian Filipina born in Hamilton, Ontario. While teaching at the Ontario Conservatory of Music she received her B.A. of Music at McMaster University. Now living in Vancouver, Mary is a composer and bandleader who has performed all across Canada, in Australia, New York etc.
Co-Presented with
Mary Ancheta
Phil Cox
Mike Canton, Oliver Wang, Al Gee
UK
2017
English
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits
Screenwriter
Philip Cox
Cinematography
Philip Cox, Stephan Knuesel
Editor
Esteban Uyarra
Also Playing
Dawn Pemberton Sings Aretha + Amazing Grace Film Screening
These dates are going to knock your socks off: one of the all-time great concert films, Aretha Franklin performing at the New Bethel Baptist Church in 1972, and Canada's own Queen of Soul, Dawn Pemberton, performing live in Aretha's honour.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? + The Soda Crackers
Join us for a fun afternoon of bluegrass music with the Soda Crackers, followed by a special 25th anniversary screening of the Coen brothers' beloved Homeric comedy, O Brother, Where Art Thou? starring George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson.
Frankenstein
Frankenstein and Guillermo del Toro might have been made for each other. The movie does not disappoint, a ripping yarn of grand adventure, spectacle, hubris, passion and XXL body parts, a tale of the fantastic that rings the imagination. Screening in 35mm.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Drawing on 30 years of television archives, Göran Hugo Olsson relates the early history of the state of Israel, as reported by Swedish filmmakers, politicians and journalists. "An astonishing, invaluable document." William Mullally, The National
