The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival

It’s time to travel the globe with documentarians to discover history and connect it to the present. The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival returns for its 18th year for four days of viewing 20 quality films from more than 100 submissions. The topics of the films are as diverse as the countries where they were made, and four films stand out. Burren Girl is the story of a Minnesota woman who searches for the place — Burren in the region of County Clare, Ireland — that her grandmother left behind and discovers a clan (and its medieval legacy) scattered and lost during the most challenging periods of Irish history.

Daughters of Courage is the world’s first fictional Tukano-language film that highlights the importance of community and immerses the viewer into the Amazon. An outsider threatens the village, and three girls, inspired by an elderly shaman, imagine a way to protect the jungle, the village and their future.

The Pillar of Strength is an animated story that touches on family, natural relations and human identity in Borneo. Finally, Songs of the Water Spirits, filmed in the northern India region of Ladakh, takes viewers through the struggles — and mediation process — of preserving the mystical traditions of the land against uncontrolled development.

The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival opens at 7 pm Thursday, May 12 and runs through May 15 at The Shedd, 868 High Street. A complete schedule of the screenings is at ArchaeologyChannel.org/festival. FREE.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!