Yellowknife (Oct 13/06) - Every tradition has to start somewhere.

This weekend, the second annual World Community Film Festival may have solidified one of its own.

"People were telling us they've been looking forward to this all year," said organizer France Benoit. "When they left, they kept saying, 'See you next year.'"

She said more than 100 people purchased passes to the event, which ran from Oct. 6 to 9th on the Thanksgiving Day long weekend.

Though still "unofficial," she said the response was similar to the festival's first year, which convinced Western Arctic Moving Pictures to bring it back for a second go.

"I think we've started a tradition in Yellowknife," she said.

More than 30 films took viewers from Northern United Place to Africa, South America, Europe and even Saskatoon.

However, the journey was nearly derailed at the station. When the films left the World Community Development Education (which organizes the festival) Society in Courtenay, B.C. they headed North, but in the wrong direction.

"They were sent to Dawson Creek (B.C.) instead of Yellowknife," Benoit said.

The courier tried to correct the error immediately, and the films arrived safely in Yellowknife Friday night. The films were then re-shown Monday evening.

Local short films from WAMP took the lead on Friday, including Alex Beaudin and Batiste Foisy's coverage of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's visit to Yellowknife, Dawn Lacey's A Season's Circle and films from Diane Boudreau and Tracy Kovalench.

While she had trouble picking favourites amongst the films, Benoit said the film Their Brothers' Keepers had an impact, as it helped her put a face on headlines about Africa.

The film followed the AIDS crisis in Zambia, and the phenomenon of children being left to run families after their elders have been claimed by the disease.

"They have so much trauma to deal with," she said.

The film kept in touch with the festival's themes, which zeroed in on social awareness, aboriginal issues and community activism.

These included films such as The Yes Men, Chavez, Venezuela and the New Latin America, Hijacking Catastrophe and Call From a Coast, among many others.

With a second successful year completed, Benoit said she was certain the festival would return for a second year.

"Whether I organize it or not, I'll be there," she said.