Yoshigai Nao's documentary Shari is a primal scream, remarkable little thing, and a creature feature for the modern age.
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Review: ‘Pope Francis: A Man of His Word’
New doc from Wim Wenders profiles the holiest of subjects with Pope Francis: A Man of his Word.
Review: ‘RBG’
The 84-year-old legal legend receives a long overdue doc portrait in RBG. This respectful profile by Julie Cohen and Betsy West is a timely look at the life of the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and her legacy for advancing human rights.
Review: ‘Boom for Real: The Teenager Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat’
Driver’s film is about a controversial period in New York, when the middle class had fled the city and it was easy for artists to live in cheap flats in areas like the lower East Side and Hell’s Kitchen, now long since gentrified.
Review: ‘Kusama – Infinity’
nown as the “polka dot artist,” Kusama’s paintings, drawings, installations, performances and film go far beyond that simple description—though they have inspired striking fashion statements worn by some of the gallery’s attendees. Ever imaginative, Kusama’s work is challenging, gorgeous, and quite varied in its formal approaches.
Review: ‘Leaning Into the Wind: Andy Goldsworthy’
Leaning into the Wind: Andy Goldsworthy Dir. Thomas Riedelsheimer Starring: Andy Goldsworthy Andy Goldworthy is a land-based sculptor, who makes work inspired by the natural elements existing in the area, which he is commissioned to embellish through his practice. Yikes, you’re probably thinking. I thought I was going to read a film review, not something obscure about a post-modern art practice. Relax, my friend. This is film review of—let’s admit it—a sequel to a hit from 2001, Rivers and Tides. Thomas Riedelsheimer, who won best German doc awards for that film, returned to follow up on Goldsworthy’s career, which
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