Spookers (New Zealand/Australia, 82 min.) Dir. Florian Habicht Programme: Nightvision (World Premiere) Zombies are all the rage these days. The walking dead are more popular than ever before with zombiewalks happening around the world and hit television shows spewing blood, guts and brains. The city of Auckland, New Zealand, ups the ante at the
Like a confident performer, Step struts up to the stage with a cool swagger and throws down the glove before it makes your spirit soar.
Ramen Heads looks at award-winning chef Osamu Tomito as he shares his philosophy and takes us on a journey of ramen fanaticism.
PACmen is an inside look at one of the most powerful forces in American elections: the political action committees
78/52 (USA, 91 min.) Dir. Alexandre O. Philippe Programme: Nightvision (Toronto Premiere) It’s one of the most iconic sequences in cinema history: 78 setups, 52 cuts, two weeks of shooting a protagonist washing herself in a bathroom. Psycho’s shower sequence is the apotheosis of Hitchcock’s craft and imagination, a brilliant glimpse into his genius.
City of Ghosts (USA, 91 min.) Dir. Matthew Heineman Programme: Special Presentations (Canadian Premiere) The civil war in Syria has generated numerous documentaries, dealing with the on-going brutal conflict, that it’s somewhat easy to cynically feel fatigued, as if the tragic narratives are all the same. What sets City of Ghosts apart is that
Do Donkeys Act champions the donkey, taking the animals from their position of lowly beast, and elevating them as unique artists.
Recruiting for Jihad is a Vice-style profile of Norwegian Islamist Ubaydullah Hussain, but is ultimately a bit of a missed opportunity.
The Genius and the Opera Singer (UK, 70 min.) Dir. Vanessa Stockley Programme: World Showcase (World Premiere) Grey Gardens meets What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? in the intimate and unsettling The Genius and the Opera Singer. The doc chronicles the lovingly toxic relationship between 92-year-old Ruth and her 55-year-old daughter Jessica as they
Blurred Lines: Inside the Art World (Canada, 80 min.) Dir. Barry Avrich Programme: Artscapes (Canadian Premiere) Oh, this business of art. The world of fine art often has a tenuous relationship between commercial value and cultural worth. Blurred Lines tackles the slippery nature of the culture/commerce divide as director Barry Avrich (Quality Balls) weighs