Eddy's Kingdom tells one of the strangest chapters in B.C.'s history, streaming to December 26 at VIFF Connect

Greg Crompton’s documentary follows the yarn from theme-park dreams to hostage-takings

By Janet Smith

VIFF Connect streams Eddy’s Kingdom until December 26

IT”S ONE OF the weirdest chapters in this province’s history, centring on one man’s dream to build a Middle Eastern theme park on an island in Lake Okanagan in the 1970s.

But there is much, much more to the story of Eddy Haymour, as revealed in Greg Crompton’s colourful documentary. The man better known by Kelowna residents as “Crazy Eddy” stares down the camera and recounts a tale that includes arriving penniless in Canada from Lebanon, building himself into a barbershop-chain millionaire, kidnapping his own children, and a hostage-taking in Beirut.

There is more, much more to Eddy’s Kingdom, zippily edited together with a wealth of archival footage and interviews.

You have to see it to believe it—especially if you’ve ever driven by Kelowna’s strange-looking castle that overlooks Rattlesnake Island.

Trust us, you can't make this stuff up.  

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