TIFF12 Picks & Pans: All That You Possess, Frances Ha, Imagine, Motorway, Mushrooming

ALL THAT YOU POSSESS (Canada). Canadian director, Bernard Émond, is a favourite of mine. I was first introduced to him via a DVD of his film, La Neuvaine, and that was such a positive experience that I proceeded to catch his subsequent films in the trilogy, Contre tout espérance (07) and La donation (09) at TIFF. With this latest film, Émond continues to display his keen observation of human behaviour within a certain set of circumstances. This film about a man who tries to distance himself from the world,  is poetic (in fact poetry is a significant part of this movie), insightful and contemplative. There are no big action moments, so this film is not for those who prefer quick edits and music montages.

FRANCIS HA (USA). What a delightful film! I loved being in the company of this post-university intern dancer, who is not quite sure what she should be doing next. Usually twenty-something comedies annoy me, but Greta Gerwig's winning performance as Frances is captivating and charming, and the screenplay she co-wrote with director, Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) is modern yet incredibly timeless; an instant classic.

IMAGINE (Poland / France / Portugal). I'm probably going to be booed or this, but I didn't like this film about a blind teacher Ian (Edward Hogg) who encourages his students to walk around without a cane. Yes, the techniques he teaches them is fascinating to watch, and I appreciated the techniques he uses to improve their observational skills and scope of the world, but after a while, I found myself thinking "so what?". The plot does pick up towards the end, and the budding romance between Ian and Eve (Alexandra Maria Lara), an adult student at the Portuguese school, has some lovely moments, but the dramatic tension comes so late in the film that I didn't really care. Ian's confidence as a blind man who wants to use more than a cane to explore his world is admirable, but at what cost? I found his unwavering beliefs to be sometimes reckless and selfish. It's one thing to have new teaching methods, but they must be balanced with common sense.

MOTORWAY (Hong Kong). I absolutely loved the sound design and sound editing in this film, beyond that, I didn't see much in it for me. The film is never boring and I think it's perfect for those who enjoy racing games and car chases. I would have loved this movie when I was thirteen, but I need more depth than is displayed here. In my opinion, the mentor-mentee relationship between the speed-loving young cop (Shawn Yue) and the near-retirement veteran (Li Haitao) a bit Karate Kid-esque, but the sound is what really focussed my attention: the silences are just as well-captured as the squeal of the car wheels.

MUSHROOMING (Estonia). Skip it! First time director, Toomas Hussar's comedy about a couple and a musician who get lost in the woods while looking for mushrooms tries too hard to be ironic and comes across as directionless. The underlying political commentary about misappropriation of funds doesn't pay off with any credibility or humour and the hyperbolic music added nothing to the plot except to annoyance with its inappropriate insertions.

Toronto International Film Festival
September 6 - 16
Get Tickets: 416.599.TIFF | 1.888.599.8433
Films http://tiff.net/thefestival/filmprogramming

TIFF12 Nordic Wish List

I've become a hue fan of Nordic films, thanks to TIFF, so I thought I would share my TIFF12 Nordic Wish List with you. Are any of these films on your list?

90 MINUTES (Norway). I don't usually see films about domestic violence because I know too many women (and children) who have or still dealing with the issue. What is drawing me to this film is the fact that the setting is Norway, and the director, Eva Sørhaug studied social science at University. How will the setting impact the subject matter? We're very familiar with North American film narrative on the subject, but how will it be viewed through another culture's eyes?

BLONDIE (Sweden). I saw Jesper Ganslandt's Ape at TIFF09, and I still remember talking to a bunch of women in the washroom post-screening. That open-ended film left us with much to discuss and debate, but we all agreed that we really appreciated the film. With that memorable festival experience, I wanted to see the director's latest film, plus TIFF programmer Steve Gravestock lured me in with this description: "An aggressive, almost angry deconstruction of Ingmar Bergman family dramas, Jesper Ganslandt's powerful and audacious Blondie follows three sisters as they return home to celebrate their mother's seventieth birthday."

CALL GIRL (Sweden). I'm so happy that TIFF has a section for new talent, and this Discovery Programme film by Mikael Marcimain got my attention for two reasons: it's a policier, and it's based on a 1970's scandal that involved sex and the government.

THE DEEP (Iceland / Norway). Baltasar Kormákur's first film, 101 Reykiavik won the Discovery Award in 2000, and he's got a good track record with Jar City and Contraband, but it's the star of his film, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, who solidified my interest; I loved him in Valdís Óskarsdóttir's Country Wedding, and he has worked with Kormákur on several films. This shipwreck survivor story promises to at least have some fantastic cinematography, and some tense moments.

A HIGHJACKING (Denmark) Tobias Lindholm is the director and writer of this high seas highjacking tale of a Danish ship being captured by Somali pirates. Besides the suspenseful aspect of this film, I'm inspired to see it because Lindholm is the co-writer for Vinterberg's Submarino and The Hunt. How will he fare in his first solo directing piece?

KON-TIKI (Norway / Denmark / United Kingdom) Directors Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg WWII film, Max Manus, introduced me to a period of Norwegian history that I knew nothing about, so I'm fascinated to see how they and Max Manus cinematographer, Geir Hartly Andreassen handle this story about explorer Thor Heyerdahl and his crew's expedition across the Pacific on a raft.

ROAD NORTH (Finland). It's by Mika Kaurismäki.



Toronto International Film Festival
September 6 - 16
Get Tickets: 416.599.TIFF | 1.888.599.8433 www.tiff.net

TIFF12: A Royal Affair, The Hunt, NO, Inescapable, Barefoot, Zaytoun

A ROYAL AFFAIR

THE HUNT

Mads [pronounced MAS] Mikkelson [think Nicholson but 'sen' instead of 'son'] is not only a star, he's a wonderful actor whose range is evident in A ROYAL AFFAIR (Nikolaj Arcel) and THE HUNT (Thomas Vinterberg). We tend to think of present day Denmark as fairly liberal, but this wasn't the case in the eighteenth century. If you are a history buff who likes a bit of romance in your movie, then put this period piece on your list. With a star like Mads playing the role of a German physician who subversively tries to bring Enlightenment to the Danish court via his friendship with the mercurial, sometimes simple-minded King Christian VII you have a riveting drama that's more than bustiers, petticoats, and tumbling between the royal bed sheets of the forward thinking Queen Caroline (Alicia Vikander). Want more Mads? Then go see the Love It or Hate It film of TIFF12, THE HUNT, in which Mads plays an affable Kindergarten teacher whose professional, personal, and community life quickly unravels after he is accused of abusing a child. I loved it, but will you? Only you can answer that and I hope you share your answer with me in a blog post.

NO

Gael García Bernal is hot, but is that reason enough to go see this move by Pablo Larraín? NO! Whether or not you know anything about Chilean history, this film is interesting in the way advertising strategies are used by Bernal's character to "sell" the NO side of a 1988 referendum on General Augusto Pinochet remaining in office. Shot in the manner of a television documentary, this film will have you wondering exactly how spin tactics are used in politics today, how they have impacted your decisions, and how far you would go to exercise your democratic rights.

INESCAPABLE

I've long been a fan of director Ruba Nadda (Sabah, Cairo Time), and my interest in her work as a writer/director continues after seeing her venture into the thriller genre. In INESCAPABLE, a father (Alexander Siddig) risks his life by returning to Damascus to find his daughter who, without telling him, took a side trip to Syria during her vacation and has gone missing. The mandatory chases, shouting and action sequences are present, but what fascinated me about this film is the theme of family secrets, and the issue of immigrant parents living in a new country, with a new "identity" that is not completely true or revealed. People can have fresh new starts in a country like Canada, where the term "disappeared" is not part of our lexicon. Children raised with these new family identities may sometimes wonder what their parents, even grandparents, may have gone through "back home", but many will never know and many may never guess what is in the past. Curious about knowing more about their families' past, and raised in a country with a human rights charter, some of these children will go exploring in danergous areas, revealingg secrets that are not their own. Inescapable is a thought-provoking dramatic thriller with an outstandingly credible performance by Siddig as a desperate father, and a surprisingly seamless performance by Marissa Tomei, as the woman left behind.

BAREFOOT

Danis Goulet's film BAREFOOT about Alyssa (Emily Roberts), a teenage girl trying to fit in with her peers, takes us to the Lac La Ronge reservation and the Cree community in northern Saskatchewan. Screening as part of Short Cuts Canada Programme #5, this film approaches the coming of age story with a quietness and underlying pathos that makes you want more than the 11-minute story line, thanks to Goulet's patient hand as writer/director, and the fine acting by Roberts. Danis's short film Wapawekka, which used dialogue primarily in Cree, screened at TIFF11. In Barefoot, Ida Tremblay (a non-actor and artist) who plays Alyssa's grandmother, speaks entirely in Cree while the others speak English. Trivia: Danis' father does the Cree to English translations for her films.

ZAYTOUN

Director, Eran Riklis has managed to capture my heart again, the way he did with The Lemon Tree and The Human Resources Manager. I often talk about the precious balance between comedy and drama and Riklis has the secret recipe for this formula because he gets it right every time. He never sacrifices reality for humour, but he never leaves us so deflated by his dramatic depictions that we feel bruised and depleted. In ZAYTOUN an Israeli soldier named Yoni (Stephen Dorff) and Fahed (Abedallah El Akal) a Palestinian boy form an unusual alliance of sorts. Set in 1982, this piece of recent history revolves around theme of "home" amidst the displacement and chaos of Lebanon, Israel and Palestine. Stephen Dorff has long been overlooked as an actor of worth, and I am hoping now is his moment to be recognized for his formidable talents. I wish the same for young El Akal who is just dynamite in the role off a boy caught between childhood wishes and the danger of an emerging manhood that will only lead to a dangerous conclusion.

Photos courtesy of www.tiff.net

Get Tickets: 416.599.TIFF (8433)

1.888.599.8433 

www.tiff.net

SUMMERWORKS REVIEWS: Breathe for Me, FACTS, Violent Be Violet

BREATHE FOR ME
Real Eyes Theatre

REMAINING SHOW
Factory Theatre
Sat. August 18, 7:30 PM
Warning: Mature Language

Breathe for Me is a two-hander starring Deborah Kipp as Edith and Peggy Mahon as Edna, two characters in their seventies who have navigated the long road of friendship, interrupted at times by distance and at one point, prison.  Wheelchair-bound Edna has a respiratory illness and refuses, despite Edith's advice, to go to the doctor. Edith enjoys having her high school friend living with her but abhors her stubbornness. Both women have had a problem with booze, and made decisions that they regretted, but at this stage of their lives it's time to face up to those mistakes and lost opportunities, and Edna especially needs to know the answer to a burning question. Jesse Strong's script brims with the brash honesty and lies of aged friendship, with lines delivered with wonderful comic timing and rock solid seriousness as needed. Edna is the more colourful of the two women in costume (by Dora nomineeNina Owens) and salty dialogue, but Edith, with her bland clothing and tiny gold cross, also gets the opportunity to let loose some zingers of her own. Director, Ed Roy keeps the dialogue flowing at a quick clip, and while there is too much obvious stage left/stage right movement in the first ten or so minutes of the play, the blocking eventually settles into a more naturalistic movements for the characters. Jesse Strong has written a gem of a script, and when you team that with two mighty fine actors in a production lit by three-time Dora Award winner, Kimberly Purtell, you have a winner that audiences can approach, confident that they will be seeing something special.

FACTS
http://factstheplay.ca/

REMAINING SHOWS
Factory Theatre
Fri. August 17, 5:00 PM
Sat. August 18, 2:30 PM
Warning: Gunshot, Mature language

Part detective story, part philosophical treatise, and part moral dilemma, FACTS is a play in which there are no easy answers, set in an area of the world where easy is a cosmic joke. An American archaeologist has been murdered, and it's up to two detectives, one Israeli (played by Richard Greenblatt) and one Palestinian (played by Sam Kalilieh) to find out if the settler (actor, Alex Poch-Goldin) they have tracked down is guilty of the killing. Check points, Arab-Israeli cultural differences, and police procedural are expected in this play set in a politically charged arena, but throw in a question of belief that may or may not have been proven by the dead archaeologist, and you have a story that demands the audience question its own religious stance, be they Muslim, Jewish, Christian or atheists. Superb acting by this triumvirate.

VIOLENT BE VIOLET
Fine Wine Theatre Company

REMAINING SHOWS
Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace
Fri. August 17, 3:00 PM
Sun. August 19, 10:00 PM

Playwright/actress Tanisha Taitt is the reason to see this play. Her role as Violet calls for emotional extremes that could easily descend into caricature. Directed by Dora Award winner, Philip Aikin, the play deals with mental illness, guilt, and the stresses on a family when they have to be on guard, but ever helpful, to a loved one. Violet is the sole survivor of an incident that resulted in the death of several friends. Her coping mechanisms are her poetry and the sessions she has with her former professor, now a nun named Sister Genevieve (Sarah Dodd). The story unfolds well, with Violet's relationship with her steadfast mother, Yolande (Sandi Ross) being established and the jocular sibling interaction between she and her brother, Amos (Peter Bailey) providing some light moments here and there. Violet's flashes of anger and her suicidal attempts frustrates everyone, but as the play progresses, her memories are gradually unblocked revealing the horror that has been trapped within her for the past fourteen years.

Tanisha's effortless acting makes the other actors seem stage bound. I see Violet (Tanisha) in the kitchen, but I see the others as actors on a set. There is too much gesticulating by Peter Bailey and not enough movement from Sarah Dodd.  Sandi Ross does a good job as the mother, but it is Tanisha that draws your eye every time, and she is what makes this viewing of her first play very worthwhile.

TICKETS
HOW TO BUY ADVANCE TICKETS ($15 + FEES): Advance Tickets are available until midnight the day before and can be purchased as follows:

Online at ticketwise.ca
In person at the Lower Ossington Box Office (located at 100A Ossington Avenue) ($15 + Fees) 11AM – 5PM

By phone by calling the Lower Ossington Box Office at 416-915-6747 for tickets & info during the hours listed above.

REVIEWS: SummerWorks 2012

SummerWorks Performance Festival "is the place where dedicated, professional artists are free to explore new territory and take artistic risks." Besides juried plays, the Festival also includes Music, a Performance Bar, and Live Art. Here are my thoughts on a couple of plays:

photo by Amber Williams King 

ANEEMAH'S SPOT
MotionLive/cric crac collective
www.motionlive.com or AneemahsSpot.com Warning: Strong and mature language, Smoking

REMAINING SHOWS
Lower Ossington Theatre
Thur. August 16, 10:00 PM
Sat. August 18, 5:00 PM

The moment she steps onto the stage, you can feel the worries and exhaustion that cloud Amanda Parris' character Aneemah, as she takes off her shoes and sits down on the couch in her apartment. Soon, she is joined by Wan (Araya Mengesha), but not before director, Dian Marie Bridge gives us time to absorb Aneemah's silent burden. And there are more moments of silence in this play, moments that ring true when the situation concerns people on the day of a friend's funeral. The silent notes complement the characters natural movements, be it sitting smoking a joint, or preparing Ackee and Salftish and talking about their dead friend "G". What also elevates this play from the ubiquitous elements of "hood drama" is the realistic dialogue penned by MOTION, who captures Caribbean-Canadian youth speak ("chu seh" "mans dem" "still") while cleverly interspersing theme-forwarding lyrics through Aneemah (a poet) and beats dropped by Wan (an emcee). Amanda Parris is a quiet beast of an actor whose stage presence could easily have over-shadowed, Araya, but he manages to hold his own in this play thanks to impressive writing and directing. Toronto's theatre scene needs more youth-focussed theatre, not just to build new audiences, but to add story diversity to Canadian stages.

photo by Gein Wong

A SONG FOR TOMORROW 
Eventual Ashes/New Harlem Productions

REMAINING SHOWS
Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace
Thurs. August 16, 7:00 PM, Fri. August 17, 2:00 PM,
Sat. August 18, 4:30 PM Sun. August 19, 11:30 AM

Inspired by her parents own marriage, and including themes that impact many immigrant families, playwright, Christina Wong's A Song for Tomorrow is a drama that invites us to think about time and the evolution or devolution of relationships. Wong's use of English, unsurtitled Cantonese and Mandarin in her script, is a bold choice that lends flavour to this Toronto-based, but universally available show. Set in reverse chronological order, we meet Ping (Jeff Yung) and May (Jasmine Chen) on the day that May has decided to leave the marriage. With the clock set in reverse, key elements of the relationship is expounded: Ping's gambling, his love of Wheel of Fortune, his work place situation, and May's attempt to improve her English so she can get a better job, and her hard work inside the home preparing meals after battling her way home on Toronto transit. Promises are broken and made as the play ends with the happiness and expectations of a young couple starting their lives together in a new city; unfortunately, because we know how it will end, their hopefulness leaves us with a sad heart, knowing what is to come.

With minimal make-up and costume changes, Jasmine Chen brilliantly ages backwards as May--I actually thought she was a more mature actor at the beginning of the play! The multi-media production matches the theme and setting of the play, as does the lighting by David DeGrow. I enjoyed the trip down memory lane with references to Simpson's Department Store, Wintario, and Toronto's red and cream streetcars, and locales such as China Town, Spadina and Markham streets. If I have one complaint, it is that there are too many scene changes as the characters get younger. A couple of short scenes could have been combined into one proper scene without sacrificing plot.

TICKETS
HOW TO BUY ADVANCE TICKETS ($15 + FEES): Advance Tickets are available until midnight the day before and can be purchased as follows:

Online at ticketwise.ca
 In person at the Lower Ossington Box Office (located at 100A Ossington Avenue) ($15 + Fees) 11AM – 5PM

By phone by calling the Lower Ossington Box Office at 416-915-6747 for tickets & info during the hours listed above.

Revisiting the Sistas: d'bi.young and Donisha Prendergast

In honour of Jamaica's 50 Year of Independence, I decided to rebroadcast two interviews I did in 2010. What better way to celebrate the island nation, than to showcase two young daughters who are doing so much to promote Jamaican culture, while establishing themselves as creative forces on the international scene. Up first is my interview with Dora Award winning playwright, dubpoet, actor and educator, d'bi.young, daughter of one of the original dub poets, Anita Stewart. In this interview, d'bi talks about creating the "wombanifesto" CD, the importance of giving back to community, and her future endeavours. Secondly, you will hear from Bob and Rita Marley's granddaughter, Donisha Prendergast (who joins the conversation from Florida), and producers Patricia Scarlett (Scarlett Media), and Marilyn Grey. At the time of the interview, the women were in the process of filming RASTA!-A Soul's Journey, a documentary that has since exploded onto the international scene. Enjoy.

FringeTO Faves

Guest, HeidyMo (http://hyemusings.blogspot.ca/) and I discuss some of our favourite Toronto Fringe Festival faves:

With the Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival being unjuried, sometimes you will luck out and see great shows and sometimes you can bounce from a spectacular show to a bomb in the span of 60 minutes. When I go to the Fringe, I hope to see a mix of indie and professional passion. This year, from my perspective at least, there seemed to be a bumper crop of wonderful plays. Here are some o my avourite plays, not because they were technically excellent, as many were, but because they resonated with me.

Liza Paul and Bahia Watson

Liza Paul and Bahia Watson, past artist-in-residence grads from d'bi young's anitafrika dub theatre) are the creators and stars of Pomme is French For Apple, a play that dares to share the honest truth about the vagina, sexuality and platonic and non-platonic relationships. One of my favourite scenes, is the one in which Liza (playing the teenage daughter) asks her Caribbean mother (Bahia) if she can date. What follows is a hilarious diatribe that more than answers the question. I saw knee-slapping from beginning to end. A Caribbean show that is well-suited to Toronto's savvy audiences.

POMME IS FRENCH FOR APPLE
BEST OF FRINGE PERFORMANCE
FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 9PM
TORONTO CENTRE FOR THE ARTS
http://pommeisfrenchforapple.com/

Seeing a title like pornstar at the Fringe could be a little dicey. I didn't know if I was in for stripper poles, or raunchy dialogue intended just to shock, but with Chris Craddock'ss name on the script and the team behind Fringe darlings Morro and Jasp, I joined the line that stretched around the Tarragon Theatre with less trepidation than I would if the production had been by unknowns. What I got was a smart script about religion, politics, and a young woman's claiming of her sexuality maturity. The comedy about a repressed Saskatchewan librarian's nomination for amateur porn (little did she know she was staring in one at the time) was intelligent as well as winningly acted by Amy Lee (Esther), and seductively performed by Lynne Griffin as sexpert, Sharon, whom Esther encounters when she lands in San Francisco. Rounding out this women-only quartet are Heather Marie Annis as the innocent, ethereal Kate, longing to reconnect with sister, Esther, and Sharah Menell, as Clarice, the Sarah Palin-loving politician and mother of Kate and Esther, played with cool fire by Menell. My Rating: 5/5 Stars

OTHER FAVOURITES, include The Dinner, which has an outstanding ensemble cast, and one that I have already reviewed is The Virginity Lost & Found, a perfect pairing with POMME! (see these reviews here) and The Ballad of Herbie Cox (see review)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

Jim Sands

charlie: a hockey story. I love storytelling, and Jim Sands quickly drew me under his spell with this mostly autobiographical tale. As a kid, Jim was the kind of guy who wanted to watch a brand new series called Star Trek, with its phasers in action and women in short skirts than spend an evening watching hockey. A successful night for him was getting away with switching the channel (manually, back then), and hoping his Dad kept snoozing on the couch so he could make it through an entire episode. When young Jim finds out his father's brother was once part o the NHL, is the moment that sparks his interest in the game. Through his recounting of hockey's rock 'em, sock 'em history, Jim reveals aspects of his relationship with his father (one that never ran smoothly), and his love of Shakespeare. Yep, I said Shakespeare. Sometimes good shows get overlooked at the Fringe. At 75 minutes the show could be improved with a good 15 minutes shaved off its run time, but this "average guy" show is a good one that deserved more than the modest crowd that were present at my viewing. If you're out West try and catch Jim's other performances of charlie: a hockey story: http://www.jim-sands.ca/  My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Quantum Taxis
By: Paul Steinsland
Company: Punkture Wounds Productions
Company origin: Toronto, ON
Director: Paul Steinsland
Location: Honest Ed’s Parking Garage, 581 Bloor St. W.

FRINGE DESCRIPTION: Performed in an underground parking garage, the play is set inside two cabs. Each driver interacts with his passenger in a way which affects both lives. Yet what happens when a seemingly insignificant event causes each passenger to get into a different taxi? We see in an alternate reality how the smallest occurrence can profoundly change our trajectory.

My THOUGHTS: Kudos to this play for a)taking me somewhere I had never been, or even thought of going: Honest Ed's Parking Garage (I don't think many in my group had been to this site, either judging by their response), and b) making me think about Quantum Mechanics as it relates to everyday experiences of four characters (two passengers, two drivers) as they chit chat about life while headed to their destinations. God, the Universe, Fate, Coincidence, reggae music (Did you know every tune can be transposed into a reggae song?) are all explored with a casualness that nevertheless makes you ponder your own existence. At 80 minutes, the play does drag, especially when your Fringe time clock is tuned to plays below the 60-minute mark, but I was glad of the experience. My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Photo Credits: photo of Liza Paul and Bahis Watson, Taxi Cab by donna g; photo of Jim Sands courtesy o http://fringetoronto.com/