Review: ‘The Rankin File: Legacy of a Radical’
Long before a certain obstreperous blowhard vowed to make America great again, Vancouverite Harry Rankin endeavoured to do the same for his beloved city.
Review: ’93 Queen’
93Queen (USA, 85 minutes) Dir: Paula Eiselt Programme: World Showcase (World Premiere) Movies about underdogs fighting for their rightful place have built-in appeal. 93Queen expertly takes you into trials and tribulations, victories and reversals right out of a narrative film. The film is about Hasidic women who want to set up an all female emergency ambulance service in Brooklyn’s Borough Park, a neighbourhood the film refers to as a “self-contained bubble” of ultra-orthodox Jewish life. The story’s antagonist is, of course, the stern Hasidic patriarchy that insists women belong in the home cooking and taking care of children. The
Review: ‘The Guardians’
The Guardians (Canada, 104 minutes) Dir: Billie Mintz Programme: Canadian Spectrum. (World Premiere) State-appointed guardianship in Nevada has become an issue in elder abuse. Numerous cases of guardianship have cropped up, where older people are threatened to comply, and, once in custody, are forced to obey strict rules, which ensure their incarceration. In The Guardians, victims discuss their stories. We hear of people who were told if they did not leave their homes they would be arrested or sent to psychiatric facilities; who were told they could not speak languages other than English lest they be capable of expressing
Review: ‘King Lear’
King Lear (Russia, 56 minutes) Dir: Denis Klebleev Programme: Artscapes. (International Premiere) Retired actor Viktor Rotin wants to play King Lear. At 86, he’s finally the right age, and he has the passion. In Denis Klebeev’s documentary, we watch as Rotin meditates upon this beloved play, and what he perceives to be his destined role. But as the film unfolds, the actor’s interests become increasingly enigmatic. Rotin has a drive to play Shakespeare and he has evident skill. He slips in and out of monologues seamlessly, something which is only natural given his obsession. It’s not just that Rotin
Review: Short Docs ‘Turning Tables’ and ‘Prince’s Tale’
Two shorts at Hot Docs this year provided significant tales of performers mastering the art of self-representation. Director Chrisann Hessing’s Turning Tables is a handsome profile of Anishinaabe DJ/techno artist Classic Roots (né Joshua De Perry) as he returns home and explores the roots that inspire his electro beats. Director Jamie Miller’s Prince’s Tale, which deservedly won the jury prize for Best Canadian Short Doc and the Audience Award for Best Short Doc, offers a lyrical and poetic portrait of burn survivor Prince Amponsah as he rises from the ashes of a horrible fire renewed with confidence, destined to reclaim
Review: ‘God Straightens Legs’
Joële Walinga observes her mother's fight with cancer with subtlety and grace in God Straightens Legs
Review: ‘The Strange Sound of Happiness’
The Strange Sound of Happiness (Italy/Germany, 89 min.) Dir. Diego Pascal Panarello Programme: The Changing Face of Europe (North American Premiere) Some say the happiest sound is the noise of children’s laughter. Happiness could be the sound of birds chirping or waves crashing upon the beach. Others, the 1%, might say the clang of the stock market bell puts a smile on their faces. Director Diego Pascal Panarello, on the other hand, finds life-changing serenity in the twang of a marranzanu. The instrument, also known as a khomus and a Jew’s harp, is an old tool that unleashes a remarkable
Review: ‘The Issue of Mr. O’Dell’
Civil Rights Activist Jack O'Dell discusses institutionalized racism past and present in The Issue of Mr. O'Dell
Review: ‘Afghan Cycles’
Afghan Cycles (USA, 90 min.) Dir. Sarah Menzies Programme: Silence Breakers Afghan Cycles follows the stories of several young women who train as part of the Women’s National Cycling Team of Afghanistan. Mostly young university students, the women are passionate about the freedom bicycles present and are determined to continue riding despite the opposition they face in their communities. The bicycle serves as a powerful symbol: the right to movement, the right to take up public space, the right to gender equality and self-determination. The friendships that are developed through the sport, the intimacy of training and the mentorship
Review: ‘Pick of the Litter’
Pick of the Litter (USA, 79 min.) Dir. Dana Nachman, Don Hardy Programme: Special Presentations (International Premiere) Call it puppy love. It’s impossible to resist the sheer volume of adorableness packed into Pick of the Litter. This crowd-pleasing and doggone adorable doc by Dana Nachman and Don Hardy introduces audiences to five extremely cute puppies as they endeavour to become guide dogs for the blind. One watches as a veterinarian delivers Phil, Poppet, Potomac, Primrose, and Patriot from their mother, and it’s love at first sight when these little puppies wiggle and roll in their first moments of life.