Bodega. Friends. Lovely cocktails. Not the typical opener for an indie film column you might think.

It was time to get up to stretch the legs before a nightcap – it was only 6:06pm but let’s save that for another column, we were in search of another tasty beverage.

Down the street was Lacey-Lou’s. We just missed Sunday gypsy jazz but the chalkboard outside promised a film at 6:30 followed by more music.

A film at Lacey-Lou’s? Twenty minutes later the place was packed and a locally made film Turning the Tide was starting. The energy in the room and the earnestness of the makers involved was exciting and inspiring.

Finding the independent film spirit, of all places on Broad Street, put me in mind of other Victorians who present local work where you will find the spirit and more:

CineVic: cinevic.ca has Short Circuit

UVic student film festival, Sunscreen: finearts.uvic.ca/sunscreen.

MediaNet has Flux Media Art Gallery: medianetvictoria.org.