Issue 119 – Fall 2023

Swan Song captures Karen Kain’s legacy as an iconic ballerina as she puts everything on the line with her final show and her directorial debut of Swan Lake. Subscribe today!

This issue will be en route to subscribers beginning September 5.

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Cover photo by Christopher Sherman

Inside this issue:

Publisher’s Notes by Pat Mullen

Editorial by Marc Glassman

Policy Matters: On DocuMentality by Barri Cohen

Flirting with Disaster by Pat Mullen
Chelsea McMullan and Sean O’Neill chronicle Karen Kain’s farewell with the National Ballet of Canada in the exquisite backstage documentary Swan Song.

The Evergreen Power of Mr. Dressup by Rachel Ho
Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe recaptures the innocent charm of the Canadian children’s TV icon.

The Unknown World Cup by Jason Gorber
An interview with James Erskine and Rachel Ramsay, directors of 2023 TIFF Docs opener Copa 71

Canadian Oscar Winner Comes Home by Judy Wolfe
Brigitte Berman’s jazz classic Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got gets a new restoration.

Screening Diversity in Montreal by Matthew Hays
Montreal’s RIDM offers a variety of cinematic highlights.

A Tale of Two Cities by Marc Glassman
Reflections on the NFB’s arrival in Halifax and Edmonton.

Skills, Desires, and Dispositions of a Documentary Filmmaker by Shannon Walsh
The Governor General’s Award winner offers advice for filmmakers.

Taking Stock of Hot Docs by Ezra Winton
Looking back over the festival’s first 30 years in the first of a two-part assessment.

Interrogating Photo Archives by Laurence Butet-Roch
Classic photos from Black Star and The Canadian Press reveal historic moments.

Julie Shapiro Travels to Canadaland by Samantha Hodder
The American podcast giant joins Canadian creators in the audio storytelling scene.

Mr. Smith Explores London by Daniel Glassman
Analyzing the oeuvre of the filmmaker behind unique works like The Girl Chewing Gum and The Black Tower.

A Century of City Symphonies by Justine Smith
The metropolis in the documentary imagination, as seen in films like Los Angeles Plays Itself and Of Time and the City.

To See and Be Seen by Jill Blackmore Evans
Webcam videos offer fertile ground for women artists and content creators.

Freeze Frame: Anand Patwardhan by Marc Glassman
On the Indian filmmaker and his remarkable family.