Oh, heavenly TIFF. The Toronto International Film Festival is a stunning behemoth that is a complete celebration of film, so many of them, in the busiest and most populated city in Canada. Out of all of the film festivals I attend every year, there is just something special about Toronto’s film culture. Of course […]
Author: Jason Whyte
TIFF 2018 Interview: WHEN ARABS DANCED director Jawad Rhalib
“The film is an alarm signal that I urgently draw. But also a sensual ode to Arab Muslim culture and freedom. They are artists who resist and refuse to remain silent in the face of the increasingly violent Islamist threat.” Director Jawad Rhalib on WHEN ARABS DANCED which screens at TIFF 2018. Congratulations on your […]
TIFF 2018 Interview: JIRGA director Benjamin Gilmour
“Shot in extraordinary conditions in Afghanistan, Jirga follows the story of an Australian war veteran who returns to Kandahar searching for the family of a civilian he accidentally killed during the war, and offering himself up to the village justice system – the Jirga.” Director Benjamin Gilmour on JIRGA which screens at the 2018 edition […]
TIFF 2018 Interview: DZIADZIO director Aaron Ries
“As summer days grow longer, 22-year old Stefania – who lives with her aging grandfather – begins to spiral into fantasy in this unpredictable and darkly comedic drama about intergenerational disconnect and malaise. Buckle up, Dziadzio is a 12 minute ride.” Director Aaron Ries on DZIADZIO which screens at the 2018 edition of the Toronto […]
BLACKKKLANSMAN Review – Based On Some Fo’ Real, Fo’ Real S**T
In November of 1992, my life was changed forever. My parents took me to a Saturday night screening of MALCOLM X in the biggest theater in my home town. I was a casual movie buff at that time and enjoyed some of the major studio movies on the big screen and watched some movies on […]
LUBA Interview – On The Film Festival Circuit
Every now and then you get sent a copy of a movie you have never heard of, sit down to watch it and find a true discovery that you want to see more of. LUBA, this little Canadian movie that could, is definitely one of these experiences. It’s a Toronto story that feels all too […]
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE FALLOUT Review – The Definitive Action Movie of 2018
Anyone who is a regular moviegoer these days will notice the plethora of sequels, remakes and franchise movies dominating the box office charts and hogging up nearly every screen in a multiplex. Of course, we live in a mass-moviegoing climate where money talks and the majority of people want the exact same movie over and […]
JURASSIC WORLD FALLEN KINGDOM – The Mighty Have…
The majority of joy experienced with 1993’s JURASSIC PARK had a lot to do NOT just with the dinosaur action, terror and revolutionary visual effects work, but the fact we were witnessing a theme park that we absolutely wanted to visit ourselves. A lot of people would LOVE to take a chartered helicopter to a […]
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ANDRÉ: The Documentary Of The Latest Fashion!
At no point in my life have I ever purchased an issue of Vogue, let alone ANY fashion magazine. My experience is limited to only a few scant documentaries on the subject. My first exposure was the outstanding THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE featuring the lovely Anna Wintour as she was followed by a crew putting together […]
SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY – Hey, Anyone Remember Fun & Laughter?
Although one may disagree, for this film fan it is a great time to be in love with STAR WARS. When the mighty empire of Disney took over this franchise a few years ago from legend George Lucas, the Mouse House had a tall order to fill with a lot of product already out […]
HotDocs 2018 Review – PRIMAS
PRIMAS begins almost exactly like your standard-narrative based coming-of-age drama. Our subject is lying down in a beach, seemingly asleep and very clearly angst-ridden as we see her in scenes to follow. This quirky feeling doesn’t last for long though as we find out said subject is one of two cousins that bond over something […]
HotDocs 2018 Interview: GURRUMUL director Paul Damian Williams
“GURRUMUL is a film about the wonderful things that can happen when people from two very different worlds struggle to truly understand one another.” Director Paul Damian Williams on GURRUMUL which screens at #HotDocs25. Great to have you here at HotDocs! Are you going to be attending your screenings? Yes, the Saturday and Sunday screenings. […]
HotDocs 2018 Interview – EXIT MUSIC director Cameron Mullenneaux
“EXIT MUSIC is a visceral, emotional, and unexpected story about death and dying and how a family struggles to face mortality. I follow the last year in the life of a young artist as he grapples with end of life decisions and focus on his relationship with his father, a Vietnam veteran with PTSD who […]
HotDocs 2018 Interview – WOMEN OF THE VENEZUELAN CHAOS director Margarita Cadenas
“My movie is about five women from Venezuela, from different backgrounds and generations. They draw a portrait of a chaotic society and allow us to take the pulse of a population in distress. It represents a sort of barometer of the worsening critical situation in this Latin American nation.” Director Margarita Cadenas on WOMEN OF […]
HotDocs 2018 Interview: WARRIOR WOMEN directors Christina D. King & Elizabeth Castle
“WARRIOR WOMEN is the story of American Indian Movement leader, Madonna Thunder Hawk, who cultivated a rag-tag gang of activist children, including her daughter Marcy, into the “We Will Remember” Survival Group as a Native alternative to government-run boarding schools. Their deep involvement with The Movement fight for Native rights made them more comrades than […]