Long Time Running (Canada, 90 min.) Dir. Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas De Pencier Programme: Galas (World Premiere) Long Time Running has major expectations to fulfill given that the final performance of the Tragically Hip in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario in August 2016 provided a defining moment in contemporary Canadian culture. The CBC’s nation-wide
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Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (USA, 98 min.) Dir. Matt Tyrnauer Programme: TIFF Docs (World Premiere) It’s hard to divorce one’s opinion of subject Scotty Bowers from the documentary that shares his story. Bowers opens his little black book as he tells about his scandalous life as a Hollywood escort and pimp
Faces Places (Visages villages) (France, 90 min.) Dir. Agnès Varda, JR Programme: Masters (Canadian Premiere) Agnès Varda, effervescent photographer and iconic filmmaker (The Beaches of Agnes, The Gleaners and I ; La Pointe Courte; Cleo from 5 to 7; Mur Murs; One Sings the other doesn’t), and JR, young mysterious photographer and street artist
Cocaine Prison, the latest documentary from Bolivian born indigenous filmmaker Violeta Ayala, provides a shocking insight into the world of drug trafficking in Bolivia. Filmed over four years, Cocaine Prison was shot inside a notorious, over-populated and poorly maintained San Sebastian prison. Going beyond documentary conventions, Ayala uses footage filmed by the prisoners themselves, putting her subjects
The Judge (Palestine/USA, 82 min.) Dir. Erika Cohn Programme: TIFF Docs (World Premiere) Erika Cohn’s The Judge is a captivating and stirring documentary, which chronicles the story of the first female Sharia judge in the history of the Middle East, Kholoud Faqih. It’s particularly interesting that this documentary, which bares the nuances of Palestinian
I, Tonya (USA, 121 min.) Dir. Craig Gillespie, Writ. Steven Rogers Programme: Special Presentations (World Premiere) “Everybody has their own truth, and life’s what you fucking make of it,” says Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) towards the end of I, Tonya. Harding likes to make her own version of the truth and there’s a lot
Jim & Andy: the Great Beyond – the story of Jim Carrey & Andy Kaufman with a very special, contractually obligated mention of Tony Clifton (USA/Canada, 95 min.) Dir. Chris Smith Programme: TIFF Docs (North American Premiere) Please give Milos Forman a round of applause for restraining himself from punching Jim Carrey in the
The Gospel According to Andre (USA, 94 min.) Dir. Kate Novack Programme: TIFF Docs (World Premiere) In The Gospel According to Andre, Kate Novack offers a long needed and detailed examination of Andre Leon Talley’s life and career. Born and raised in the segregated American South, Talley, a six-and-a-half-foot tall black man with a
Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami (UK/Ireland, 115 min.) Dir. Sophie Fiennes Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami is the only documentary I’ve ever seen that cites a hat designer in its opening credits. The title card is well earned for hat master Philip Treacy, since Grace Jones brings a fierce chapeau game in nearly every
Jane (USA, 90 min.) Dir. Brett Morgen Programme: TIFF Docs (World Premiere) I went into Brett Morgen’s doc Jane with some trepidation. Did we really need a new Jane Goodall movie? This one’s different, though. The deal here is that National Geographic gave director Morgen 140 hours of footage of Jane Goodall shot from