Retro review: I've Heard the Mermaids Singing

An underrated gem in Canadian cinema 

By: Aditi Roy

Still from I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing

The 1987 Canadian film I've Heard the Mermaids Singing is less of a film and more of an experience. This queer cinema gem is an uplifting story everyone should watch.

The title of the film comes from T. S. Eliot's poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." The line is derived from the phrase "I have heard the mermaids singing each to each. I do not think that they will sing to me." This line captures T. S. Eliot's feeling of unworthiness to get the attention of potential women love interests. Though this poem does not directly correlate to the film, we see elements of this realization within the life of our main character, Polly Vandersma. 

Director and writer Patricia Rozema takes us into the world of Polly. Wonderfully played by Sheila McCarthy, this goofy character wins your heart by being a relatable woman in her thirties who is fun-loving yet deeply insecure. She isn't your typical put-together woman lead, but her innocence and kind-heartedness make her one of the most compelling characters in the film. 

Polly is an amateur photographer who serves as an assistant in one of Toronto’s art galleries. We see her journey navigating the daunting and superficial art world while simultaneously falling in love with the gallery manager Gabrielle St. Peres, played by Paule Baillargeon. 

We closely follow Polly's endeavours that occur more in her vivid imagination than in reality. In this film, we see Polly discover herself and come to varying realizations about her current state in life.

This one-of-a-kind film is beautifully tied together by its direction, cinematography, acting and storyline that works harmoniously together.

Douglas Koch, an acclaimed Canadian cinematographer, enhanced the film's message through his extraordinary camera work. Scenes of Polly's daydreaming sessions wonderfully capture the mystical figments of her imagination. We see Polly climbing the surface of a tall glass building only to fall down screaming. But this fall doesn't lead to disaster. In fact, she starts to fly! Polly continues to soar and admire the scenic views of Toronto while opera music plays in the background. Such colourful dreams make a frequent appearance in the film. His work in the film creates a wonderful viewing experience. The Academy of Canadian Cinema even recognized Koch's outstanding work as he was awarded the Genie Award for Best Cinematography. 

Meanwhile, the interactions between characters are captured authentically, making you feel like you are present with Polly as she stumbles into the most hysterical encounters. The story centres on Polly and her interactions with art gallery manager Gabrielle. We see the two characters develop a close relationship. Polly admires Gabrielle; she represents everything she's not: successful, elegant, and put together. She even gives Polly a full-time position at the gallery. Gabrielle looks past Polly's flaws, making her feel seen and recognized in a way she hasn't been before.

Though they have ups and downs during their journey, there is a sensitivity to their relationship that makes it seem genuine and unique. The two never date, but we sense the proximity they have through each scene. Each shot builds upon their relationship and captures the subtleties of their growth.

To say that director Patricia Rozema plays a significant role in this movie is a severe understatement. Rozema wrote, produced and directed this piece: this is her directorial debut. Her great direction fulfilled her vision of creating an impactful and unique film. In addition, she managed to perfectly administrate each production element to make the piece fluid and engaging.

Patricia Rozema's innovative use of music was also first showcased through I've Heard the Mermaids Singing. Rozema revealed in interviews that when directing films, she organizes camera shots in a musical sense to provide the movie with an effortless flow. In addition, her decision to focus her story on idiosyncratic characters provides the audience with new, exciting stories that they are unfamiliar with. As a result, Patricia Rozema manages to find a sense of transcendence through this well-executed film.

Despite the production's incredible work, the highlight of I've Heard the Mermaids Singing is undoubtedly the phenomenal acting. Sheila McCarthy steals the show with her portrayal of Polly, an eccentric and unconventional character. McCarthy managed to bring dimension to her with her subtle quirks and authentic delivery. Sheila McCarthy makes the mess that is Polly Vandersma into a charming and captivating character.

McCarthy's co-star Paule Baillargeon also does an exceptional job portraying the mysterious, sensual and elegant French Canadian art gallery manager. Other actors in the film include Brenda Kamino, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Richard Monette, John Evans and Rebecca Jenkins. Although this is a comedy film, the acting isn't overly dramatic and loud; it remains subtle. While the movie's central focus is Polly, all the actors playing the supporting characters give exceptional performances. 

If you are looking for a charming and hysterically funny queer movie, this is a must-watch. This extraordinary film makes you feel invigorated, offering you a more carefree perspective on life. 

RATING: 4/5

Canadians earn major nominations at the 94th Academy Awards

Canada continues to make its mark this awards season.

By: John Vo

(Abby Grant/CanCulture)

The Academy Awards, also known as The Oscars, is one of the most esteemed awards shows that honours the achievements of filmmakers every year. For Canadian filmmakers and actors, these awards can jumpstart their careers. The nominations for this year’s ceremony were announced on Feb. 8 and Canadians were able to again score nominations in some major categories. 

Here’s a rundown of all the amazing Canadian talent who earned recognition at this year’s Oscars for their achievements in cinema.

Denis Villeneuve: Best Picture & Best Writing — Adapted Screenplay

Film Nominated: Dune (2021)

Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is no stranger to being recognized by the Academy. Having previously been nominated for Best Director with Arrival (2016) and winning the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 83rd Academy Awards for Incendies (2010), Villeneuve has established himself as a formidable and talented director.

This year, he’s been nominated in two major categories for his 2021 film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel Dune. Receiving nominations for Best Writing — Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture, the latter considered the most important award of the night, Villeneuve is continuing to cement his status as a visionary within the Canadian and Hollywood film industry.

Patrice Vermette: Best Production Design

Film Nominated: Dune (2021)

Another nomination earned by Villeneuve's film is in the Best Production Design category. Montreal-born production designer Patrice Vermette is a frequent collaborator with Villeneuve, having earned a nomination in the same category for Arrival (2016). Given how grand the film’s sets look, Vermette deserved to be nominated alongside set decorator Zsuzsanna Sipos.

Tamara Deverell & Shane Vieau: Best Production Design

Film Nominated: Nightmare Alley (2021)

Guillermo Del Toro’s take on the neo-noir genre has many ties to Canada. Not only was the production crew mainly Canadian but the film itself was shot in Toronto. The Carlu Toronto and Casa Loma are just some of the iconic hotspots of the city that were used as filming locations.

The two main people credited for turning modern-day Toronto into the art-deco 1940s aesthetic of the film are production designer Tamara Deverell and set decorator Shane Vieau. It seems Del Toro has a penchant for working with people frequently as these two Canadians also worked with him on The Shape of Water (2017). Thanks to the help of Vieau and Deverell, the film allures audiences with its atmospheric production design.  

Paul Massey: Best Sound or Sound Mixing

Film Nominated: No Time to Die (2021)

Part of the James Bond series, No Time to Die (2021) earned an Academy Award nomination this year for the Best Sound or Sound Mixing category. Paul Massey, who was originally born in the United Kingdom but has lived and worked mainly in Toronto, is one of the people nominated for the film’s sound. Massey won the same Oscar in 2019 for his work on Bohemian Rhapsody (2019).

Tristan Myles & Brian Connor: Best Visual Effects

Film Nominated: Dune (2021)

More love is being showered onto Canada, this time in the Best Visual Effects category. Tristan Myles and Brian Connor, two VFX artists working in Vancouver, have been nominated for their stellar work on Dune (2021). Science fiction films tend to be visual effects-heavy and these two men did not disappoint. 

Donald Mowat: Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Film Nominated: Dune (2021)

Donald Mowat, a Canadian makeup artist, received a nomination for his contribution to Dune's (2021) makeup, hairstyling and prosthetics. This high-fantasy film had many grotesque and intricate character designs and Mowat’s work on the film helps bring this epic story to life. Villeneuve's film received tons of love this year from both fans and critics alike for its makeup so it’s amazing the Academy recognized Mowat’s talents too. 

Luis Sequeira: Best Costume Design

Film Nominated: Nightmare Alley (2021)

A film’s costume design is one of the key determinants of a film’s quality. As part of the mostly Canadian production crew, Toronto-born and based costume designer Luis Sequeira does not disappoint with his work on Nightmare Alley (2021). The 1940s era in which the film is set is solidified by Sequeira’s costume design that takes inspiration from fashion trends and fabrics from the period. Bradley Cooper looks dapper in his detective outfit and the theatrical outfits Toni Collette wears as the tarot card reader are particular standouts.

“Most of the characters in the carnival are past their prime, so I wanted a lot of the costumes to look aged and worn out to show that history. Then once we moved into the city, it was all about dressing the characters in clothes that were of the moment. The fashion is brand new, and everything looks very slick and monochromatic,” Sequeira said in an interview with Vogue about the film’s costumes. Because of Sequeira’s eye for lush costuming, the film captures the spirit of a classic film noir.

Ben Proudfoot: Best Documentary (Short Subject)

Film Nominated: The Queen of Basketball (2021)

Ben Proudfoot was previously nominated last year in the Best Documentary (Short Subject) category for A Concerto Is a Conversation (2020) and managed to accomplish the same feat again this year. Born in Halifax, N.S., this young documentary filmmaker directed the riveting short documentary The Queen of Basketball (2021).

The documentary focuses on Lusia “Lucy” Harris and her story as a female basketball athlete. As the first and only woman ever drafted by an NBA team, Harris herself provides insight into her life story and career in this documentary. Harris died earlier this year in January after the release of the documentary. She’ll be remembered for all the achievements she made within the NBA and the sports world.

Geoff McLean: Best Documentary (Short Subject)

Film Nominated: Audible (2021)

Also a nominee in the Best Documentary (Short Subject) category, this Netflix documentary is a must-watch. Directed by Matthew Ogens, Audible (2021) is about Maryland School for the Deaf student-athlete Amaree McKenstry-Hall. The documentary hones in on his journey to win the football season with his team while simultaneously trying to cope with the suicide of his friend. This powerful documentary was produced by Canadian and Humber College graduate Geoff McLean, who earned the nomination for his producing contribution. The full documentary is available to watch on Netflix here. 

The National Film Board of Canada: Best Animated Short Film

Film Nominated: Affairs of the Art (2021)

Affairs of the Art (2021) was co-produced by The National Film Board of Canada. The animated short film follows a working-class woman and her family, who are all obsessive and eccentric. The woman’s desire to become an artist is explored in a short film that is unique and off-beat in premise and animation style.

Roger Frappier: Best Picture

Film Nominated: The Power of the Dog (2021)

Another Best Picture nominee, Roger Frappier, received a nomination as a producer for Jane Campion’s critically acclaimed film The Power of the Dog (2021). Frappier was born in Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, Montérégie, Que. and established himself as a producer and writer within the Canadian film industry. He is nominated alongside Campion and the other producers for the film. As the most nominated film of this awards season with 12 nominations, many are expecting the film to win in a few categories. The full film is available to watch on Netflix here.

J. Miles Dale: Best Picture

Film Nominated: Nightmare Alley (2021)

Rounding out the list of Canadians nominated in the Best Picture category and overall, Toronto producer J. Miles Dale received a nomination for his work on Guillermo Del Toro’s Nightmare Alley (2021). Having also produced Del Toro’s last film The Shape of Water (2017), the two working together seems to bring about good things as that film won Best Picture at the 90th Academy Awards. 

With all these nominations, we are anticipating Canada can snag a few wins when the big night comes. The 2022 Oscars will air on Sunday, March 27. For more information, visit the Oscars’ official website.

Review: Therapy Dogs — Fact vs. fiction

Do you dare to relieve high school with this student-made Canadian film? 

By: Daniella Lopez

Movie poster for Therapy Dogs (2022)

If your best friend jumped off a bridge, would you too? In Therapy Dogs — which premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in January — the concept of reality and fiction frequently gets distorted and yes, these best friends will do anything together. 

This documentary-style student film captures best friends Ethan Eng and Justin Morrice as they embark on their final year of high school. Along the way, we see the lives and stories of their friends. With high school ending, the daunting question of “What’s next?” is often implied. Yet, whether the film portrays an accurate reality remains a mystery, as scenes throughout the film toy the line between clearly real, obviously fake and somewhere in between.

In a virtual Q-and-A at the festival, Eng, the film’s director, said he and his fellow screenwriter Morrice started working on the film in Grade 10. 

“We always wanted to make high school epic, that was the big thing and we wanted to mythologize it and put it into a story and use our friends,” said Eng. “It was kind of our version of trying to figure out what our lives meant at that time.”

In the opening scene, Justin is lectured by his mother while she drives about the importance of his final year in high school. That is, until Justin hops out of the moving car, the line between fact and fiction blurring almost immediately. 

Now, cut to Ethan filming students inside his high school — Cawthra Park Secondary School in Mississauga, Ont. The catch? Without permission from the school, he discreetly records students, describing the film as a yearbook video, while filming his friends performing mischievous activities. 

“We always wanted to make high school epic.”
— Ethan Eng

Throughout the film, viewers get an inside look into the mind of high schoolers showing their authentic selves. But, viewers will notice a few moments of tension; a run-in with the police, a conversation that turns violent and a do-or-die moment — because what’s high school without drama? 

Both the opening and closing scenes of the film are shot with a higher-quality camera compared to the rest of the film; in these instances, the film feels serious and rehearsed. However, it feels fitting to have the film open and close with this type of cinematography, as the beginning and end of high school are often crucial times in a person’s life. In contrast, the rest of the film is shot by what appears to be an amateur; yet, it’s joyful and lighthearted. 

Each scene is complete with multiple angles of each shot and lots of quick cuts. While the numerous cuts were initially confusing, it creates some form of suspense for the viewer; what will happen next? It leaves the viewer wanting to keep watching and in the end, each character’s arc culminates. 

Eng said he always had a camera on him. “I’d be recording everything … having cameras stuffed in my pockets at all times, for different angles too.” Altogether, this makes the majority of the film feel authentic and raw. 

Eng said he took inspiration from multiple movies and filmmakers, specifically Matthew Johnson’s movie The Dirties (2013), a comedy where two best friends film a revenge movie on their high school bullies, often blurring the line between reality and fiction. “[Johnson] really taught us a lot, especially that stuff with what’s real and what’s fake. I consider him a bit of a magician in that regard.”

In the Q-and-A, both Eng and Morrice said that the majority of the movie is real. However, that’s hard to believe when watching certain scenes, particularly at the movie's end. “I’d say even 100 per cent of everything we do in the movie is real, whether it’s emotional or physically real,” said Eng. 

Justin’s emotions are the most interesting throughout the film. Initially, viewers notice his dread in the vehicle with his mom. Yet, when Justin is with his friends, his mellow nature shines through. The level of comfort Justin and Ethan have with each other throughout most of the film is obvious, and scenes never feel forced; the film feels like a tag-along between two best friends.

However, midway through the film, an awkward exchange between Justin and Ethan leaves Justin furious. It’s a shocking turn of events for the best friends who seemingly always agree with one another. It’s here that the film takes a drastic turn. The following scenes feel tense and awkward; perhaps an ode to the awkward stage of high school. But, the most surprising emotion exhibited by Justin nears the end of the film when a dangerous idea between the two friends goes wrong and the film shows Justin’s most vulnerable side. 

Therapy Dogs has a unique perspective compared to other coming-of-age movies. Eng brilliantly captures the minds of high school students during a time in life when everything is up in the air. The film immerses viewers in the scene too, as the characters comfortably share their lives with the camera. While high school is a time of life that many never want to look back on, for those who watch, this film will create a sense of nostalgia. 

Rating: 4/5

Review: Boreal to Barrenlands - Crossing Labrador

A documentary capturing the beauty of Canadian landscapes

Photo: Alex Traynor/Northern Scavenger via Canadian Geographic

Photo: Alex Traynor/Northern Scavenger via Canadian Geographic

By Minh Truong

In the summer of 2019, four paddlers traversed through the Canadian last natural frontiers of Labrador. Their story did not go untold, however, as Boreal and Barrenlands - Crossing Labrador captures their expedition filled with joys, pains and lots of bugs. 

The documentary is directed by Alex Traynor and Noah Booth —  who were two of the four paddlers — and produced by Northern Scavengers. 

With the help of two DSLR cameras, a drone and a couple of action cameras, Boreal to Barrenlands stars Booth and Traynor themselves, along with David Greene and Chris Grand in a “vlogumentary” style. While it helps bring the emotional human side to the untamed nature of the voyage, the artistic style feels at times, a happy accident.

The story follows the paddlers day by day from Jul. 15 to Aug. 18, 2019 as they start their trip in Labrador City to Nain, Labrador’s northernmost permanent settlement. Traynor’s narration unveils to the audience with expositions and explanations of what’s happening on screen, albeit sometimes it does clash with the vlogging narration as they recap their first few nights. Traynor and Booth planned to release a “daily vlog” series on YouTube going through their voyage in more detail. 

When the vlogumentary works, however, it can pull an emotional weight to the story. When starting off, the DSLR footage shows how tiny the paddlers are in the overwhelming and vast nature of Labrador. Meanwhile, the action camera point-of-view shots throw the audience straight into the action. One scene shows Traynor’s canoe snapping in half while paddling through the shallow river filled with rocks. As they tried to move the canoe off the rock, their food barrels and equipment bags started to float away as Traynor’s POV looked helpless. It is devastating to witness their struggle in the barrenlands. 

Noah Booth was ahead of them and saw the gears floating down. “The first [item] I saw was my new fly rod,” said Noah during a Question and Answer session at the documentary’s premiere. “So we started to collect and successfully recovered all of our food and gears.”

The most memorable aspect of the voyage is also one of the most disgusting parts of Labrador’s wilderness: bugs. From the very first night as they set up the camps, there was a rotation of mosquitoes and black flies.

“We wake up in the morning and between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. there would be mosquitoes, then [the mosquitoes] would rotate to black flies for the rest of the days,” said Booth.

“The bugs were constant during the trip,” said Traynor. “One night I tried to warm myself up by the flame and it engulfed my entire bug net.”

Besides the bugs, the torrential rain and brutal low temperature didn’t help either.

“It was kind of a summer trip, although it was 11 degree (fahrenheit) most of the time,” said Traynor. He also jammed his feet and numbed his toes from the cold while paddling.

Eventually, sickness got to the team and the morale became low. Booth had dysentery for a week, while Greene broke a tooth, risking an infection. The plan went from reaching Nain to just trying to make it to Mistastin Lake. 

This is where Traynor’s snarky humour towards the situation and Booth’s excited reactions bring the human side to this adventure. One magical scene, when they reach Mistastin lake involving a care package filled with beer cans, is funny and relatable as the paddlers chugged the “rewarding” drinks after a tough travel.

Using a drone for filming was Traynor’s last-minute decision, and it paid off. Every piece of footage of extreme paddling and bug fighting comes with over the head shots of beautiful sceneries. The Mistastin River watershed with the Mistastin Lake is one of Canada’s last remaining wilderness frontiers. The drone shots feel like a reward after going through the hardship. A moment ago was an angry river, then a moment after was a calm sunny paddle on the lake of Mistatin. 

Traynor said the most rewarding aspect of the trip was that he decided to film it. The pelican case carrying the gears “was close to 20lbs”, according to Traynor. Booth also added that the canoes were 80lbs each as they dragged them, along with their equipment across forests, slogs and rivers. “I was like ‘Why the hell are we doing this trip?’ There is so much rain, so many bugs, we’ve been through forests after forests,” said Traynor. “It seems like so much work and little payoff, but Mistatin was a payoff with the ocean view and the waterfalls.”

Beside the insects, the wildlife is also another special star in the documentary, as Traynor hopes to bring forth an environmental message through their expedition. The vlogumentary style shines again as the paddlers encounter caribous, black bears, seals and even whales. Every encounter is whimsical on camera, but pretty intense in real life.

“The water near the ocean was so cold that I couldn’t put my hand in there for more than 10 seconds,” said Booth. “The seals were swimming really close to us and they kept diving around the canoes.”

It took six months to plan out the expedition. “There was no information online, only a handful of [notes from] wilderness travellers who went through Labrador,” said Booth. “Planning this trip was almost as hard as going on the trip.”

He had been going to Labrador since 2014 and been blown away by its nature. “There were a lot of rivers and lakes, and the fishing was incredible”, said Booth. “Then I pitched the idea to Alex [Traynor] and he just laughed it off, but it turned out we got planning and got going.”

Asking about what they would take on their trip next time, Traynor replied “five cents gummies,” to everyone’s laughter.

Traynor and Booth premiered their documentary on February 21, 2019 in a brewery in Etobicoke. Adding to the immersion, the seats were actually foldable camping chairs. 

It was a small and cozy screening filled with laughter as well as gasps. The audience’s reaction describes my thoughts on the documentary. The combination of the simple “vlogging” method and the impressive sceneries of Labrador’s natural frontiers helps viewers connect with the four paddlers, rooting for them on their journey.

In memoriam of Dwayne Winsor, John Weaver II, John Weaver III, Matthew Weaver, Gilles Morin, James Slamon, and a fishing guide from N.L. who lost their lives in a plane crash in Mistastin Lake on Jul. 15, 2019, during the production of Boreal to Barrenlands.

Video: Northern Scavenger on YouTube

Social distancing got you down? Here's 3 Canadian movies on Netflix to keep you company

By Alya Stationwala

With a worldwide pandemic on our hands, the Canadian government has urged people to avoid large gatherings and stay close to home. Streets empty and events cancelled, COVID-19 has very abruptly changed our lives into entering a health crisis quarantine. So, while you are stuck in your room getting through another canned food meal and surrounded by your emergency supply of toilet paper, here’s a few Canadian movies streaming on Netflix to keep you busy.

Bruno and Boots (2016 - 2017)

Photo: Aircraft Pictures

Photo: Aircraft Pictures

Universities, high schools and elementary schools are closed nationwide and have moved to online learning, at least for the next few weeks. If you’re missing the school ground drama you can always follow the academic shenanigans of Bruno and Boots.

An Aircraft Pictures production for the YTV channel, Bruno and Boots is a television film series based on Gordon Korman’s Macdonald Hall series of young adult novels. Originally aired in 2016, the story follows two high school troublemakers at a prestigious school for boys making their mark through high jinks, whether they go well or not. The best part is, if you like the first one, there’s two more in the series available on Netflix during your staycation.

Goon (2011)

Photo: Magnolia Pictures

Photo: Magnolia Pictures

The NHL, MLB, and NBA have officially closed doors due to COVID-19 fears until further notice. If you’re looking to get your sports fix, look no further than the hockey classic Goon.

Sharing the world of fighting on ice, Goon tells the story of a tough new player on the Halifax Highlander team who has to punch his way to the top. Led in a truly Canadian fashion, the film is produced and written by Ottawa resident Jay Baruchel, who you might know as the voice of Hiccup in the How to Train Your Dragon series. To boot, there’s a sequel if you’re looking for more drama on the rink: Goon: Last of the Enforcers.

Into the Forest (2015)

Photo: Rhombus Media

Photo: Rhombus Media

While we may not be in the middle of an apocalypse, the dystopian vibes of the country-wide lockdown cannot be ignored. Surviving when there’s no one else around is something this Canadian movie can give you tips about, so take notes while you watch. 

Without gas, water, electricity, or cellphones, Into the Forest is a story of an apocalypse forcing two sisters into the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. Starring Ellen Page and directed by Patricia Rozema, this 2015 Canadian flick will leave you prepared for anything that may come your way. 

To help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic, staying home is the best way to minimize the spread of the virus so we can get to a place where everything starts to level off. 

So, while you are stuck at home for the next few weeks, Canada has something for you which you can watch in the comfort of your own home after wrestling for a box of granola bars at your local grocery store. 

Best of Female Directors at Carlton Cinema

As part of one of the many film festivals sponsored by WILDsound, the Female Directors Short Film Festival at Carlton Cinema in Toronto included films from Canada, Australia and the U.S.

By Ivonne Flores Kauffman

WILDsound Festival accomplished to bring together Toronto’s cinephiles for a night of great short films, directed by and starring women, that awakened a mix of emotions in the audience during the Female Directors Short Film Festival.

But of course, some films were better than others. Here is a short review of some of them.

Old Habits

Directed by Mary Musolino, this Australian film manages to take the viewer on a reminiscing trip in only seven minutes. The film starts with two old women talking about their past in a beach-side changing room. They talk about their first love, their late friend and life itself.

It’s not until one of them confesses to her sister that she doesn’t love the man in her life anymore that the film starts making sense. At that moment, two young girls enter the change room and discuss their recent crushes. This scene shows some sort of remorse from the sisters regarding their past decisions and how they have influenced their lives to the point where one of the sisters asks the other to leave her lover and run away with her, to which the other sister declines.

This film, despite being short, accomplishes to create a great narrative and provides an unexpected ending. Perhaps the most interesting aspect about it is that the viewer can identify themselves with this story. We all have taken decisions that have altered our lives forever and lead to asking ourselves “What if?”

Bet the Demons Win

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Directed by another Australian filmmaker, Denise Hurley, Bet the Demons Win tells the story of a teenager who is tormented by her past demons — in other words, her gambling-addicted father and a sister who betrayed her. The eight-minute short film is filled with emotions such as desperation and anger. Karlisha Hurley, who plays the lead role, gives an excellent performance. However, the film still lacks content and is ultimately confusing. The story starts abruptly with Hurley’s character fighting with her sister and ends in the same way. The beginning and the end of the plot are missing in this film, which makes it impossible to take anything out of it except that Hurley’s character is full of rage and pain.

My Name Was January

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Directed by Canadians Elina Gress and Lenée Son, this documentary tells the story of January Marie Lapuz, a Filipino trans woman, who was brutally murdered in her home in New Westminster, B.C. in September 2012.

January, a sex worker, was stabbed 18 times in her home before dying. Despite being an awful crime that shook a community, My Name Was January is a tribute to January’s life and legacy rather than a film about her death. The film has some honest and raw scenes, like those where January’s mom is interviewed. It also includes interviews with January’s closest friends and members of the trans community. My Name Was January is a beautiful piece regarding the life of a strong woman who was killed in a horrible way. 

Even though the film is beautifully made, it ultimately failed to achieve its full potential. There are some moving scenes, however, the pieces didn’t completely fit together. The film had great scenes that were unrelated to each other, perhaps the reason for it being that it was directed and produced by January’s closest friends whose main focus was to remember January.

Review: Polytechnique - In memory and reflection on International Women's Day

By Federico Sierra

On March 8, women and their stories are celebrated worldwide to remind us to constantly strive towards equality in our communities. Women have come a long way to gain rights and equality; however, as Denis Villeneuve’s 2009 film Polytechnique shows us, women in modern society are still victims of misogyny.

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On a cold, snowy night of December 1989, a young man stepped into an engineering college in Montreal, Canada, wielding a rifle where he shot 14 women before shooting himself. The shooter wrote a confession letter declaring a personal vendetta against feminists because he felt like they had ruined his life. This incident became known as the Montreal Massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history.

Denis Villeneuve’s breathtaking directorial debut Polytechnique examines the gruesome incident without sentimentality. The black and white cinematography creates a detached sensation between the viewer and the film allowing us to absorb this disturbing catastrophe. It also subtracts any trace of blood from the colour palette and thus avoids transforming the hate crime into a sensationalist piece. With the glacial cold atmosphere created by the winter weather, combined with Villeneuve’s realistic approach to craft the scenes, Polytechnique plays like a horror documentary but often feels like a nightmare in which an evil presence is out to hunt us.

Polytechnique casts no judgements, nor aims to open traumatic wounds for commercial purposes. It’s a bitter and icy document which challenges viewers to confront this horrific event with factual accuracy.

The film opens with the shooter (Maxim Gaudette) alone in his bedroom, with his rifle pointed at his own head. Right from the start, Villeneuve paints the image of the shooter as an isolated, deprecating misogynist incapable to integrate into the community. One of the key factors of this film is that it never once mentions the name of the shooter. By doing so, it rips away any power or memory of who this person was and instead asks us to judge the characters of the film solely on their actions.

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Polytechnique’s eye-opening reenactment of the painful memory of the Montreal Massacre at first may come across as insensible and unnecessary. Even at a 77 minute runtime, Polytechnique is definitely not an easy film to digest, but thanks to Villeneuve’s uncompromising storytelling, this cold film invites us to meditate about the ways we confront and overcome traumatic experiences.

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 Villeneuve enhances these tragic events by lending multiple perspectives. The story follows two engineering students, Jean-Francois (Sebastian Huberdeau) and Valerie (Karine Vanasse), as they prepare to write their midterm exams. They are both part of the class where the shooter opens fire. They are both survivors of this monstrous act, and in the aftermath of the attack we continue to follow them to observe how their lives are impacted and forever changed. Polytechnique serves as an alarming reminder of the senseless, violent evil that exists in this world, but the moral of the story goes beyond reminding us that we must continue to hope and love, despite the horrors events such as this instill in our collective memory. 

The film ends on a hopeful note with a letter Valerie writes after learning that she is pregnant, “If I have a boy, I will teach him to love. If I have a girl, I will tell her that the world is hers.” A baby, a new life with boundless opportunities, reminds us that love and forgiveness are lessons we pass on to each other and become the most powerful of tools. Polytechnique breezes by like a whisper in the dark that shows us why it’s OK to feel afraid but presses on the value of finding the courage within ourselves to create a better world and to cultivate a society where we can coexist in harmony.

In memory of the women who lost their lives in this harrowing attack: Genevieve Bergeron, Helene Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Laganiere, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michele Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte, Barbara Maria Klucznik-Widajewicz, Sarto Blais.

Photos: Polytechnique Trailer

Canada at the 2020 Academy Awards

Photo: theacademy via Instagram

By Alya Stationwala

The biggest night in Hollywood is coming up on Feb. 9 and within the mass of recognition, a few Canadians have slipped into the Academy Awards nomination lists including Best Documentary Short, Best Live Action Short and more.

Sami Khan, from Sarnia, Ont., earned a nomination for his co-directing on St. Louis Superman, a story about a battle rapper and activist who was elected in the heavily white, Republican Missouri House of Representatives. Up against a wide range of short documentary stories from around the world including South Korea, Afghanistan, and Sweden, Khan is one of many people bringing in diversity in an otherwise whitewashed run of the Oscars this year.

In a phone interview with Canadian Press writer Victoria Ahearn, Khan talked about the moment he heard the news of his nomination saying him and his family had a mini dance party in their Toronto home before realizing, “We had to drop our daughter off at daycare.”

Meryam Joobeur, a Tunisian-Canadian director and writer, is also nominated for her live-action short film Brotherhood. The story follows a Tunisan father dealing with the return of his oldest son with a mysterious new Syrian wife, causing him to question if his son has been working for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). She has won 22 awards and earned eight other nominations at film festivals around the world for this production since it was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2018.

Other Canadians who have earned themselves the chance to compete for a golden statue are Dennis Gassner and Dean DeBlois for their roles in the major productions 1917 and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World respectively.

Gassner, born in Vancouver, worked on the production design for Sam Mendes’ WWI epic 1917. This is his seventh Oscar nomination, one of which he won in 1992 for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration on the historical drama about a gangster moving to Hollywood, Bugsy.

DeBlois faces his third nomination for the How to Train your Dragon trilogy alone, earning nominations for the animated films in 2011 and 2015 as well. Up against Xilam’s I Lost My Body, Netflix’s Klaus, Laika Studios’ Missing Link, and Pixar’s Toy Story 4, this is the last chance for the production to win Best Animated Film for its final installment.

In an interview with Ahearn, Deblois said, “When it comes to the Oscars and awards in general, I try not to think about it, otherwise I kind of carry this guilt of representing 400-plus people who worked on the movie.”

Minority Inclusion at the Academy Awards

Despite being one of the most celebrated nights for the film industry, The Academy has had a bad history with representation in their nominations throughout the past, including the famous #OscarsSoWhite controversy of 2015. 

Under fire for another year, the Oscars have been criticized for their 2020 white and male dominated nominations for major categories yet again.

Greta Gerwig was snubbed from a Best Director nomination for her film Little Women despite being nominated in multiple acting categories and even Best Picture, leaving the directing category with only male nominees. 

Cynthia Erivo, the only person of colour nominated for an acting role this year, is nominated for playing a slave in Harriet, whereas Scarlett Johansson earned herself two acting nominations playing a woman going through a divorce in Marriage Story, and an anti-nazi mother during WWII in Jojo Rabbit. 

Besides Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite recognition this year, people of colour and women are often ignored at the major awards in Hollywood. Smaller categories such as Best Live Action Short and Best Documentary Short are examples of places where the underrepresented are earning praise with seven of ten films in those two categories alone telling stories of people of colour and/or created by people of colour.

While most of these movies remain under the radar, Canadians like Sami Khan and Meryam Joobeur are artists that are pushing stories of marginalized people in film on the industry’s biggest platforms.

The Academy Awards will be held this weekend where Hollywood will be celebrating themselves in a glamorous televised party, and where minority artists in film, including some of the Canadian nominees this year, will hopefully be earning themselves a few statuettes.

Review: Honey Bee - A Canadian film about human trafficking

Director Rama Rau’s first fictional feature is a beautiful, raw and honest piece about an alarming issue within Canadian society

Photo courtesy A71 Entertainment

Photo courtesy A71 Entertainment

By Ivonne Flores Kauffman

Rama Rau, an award-winning director best known for her documentaries League of Exotique Dancers and The Daughter Tree makes her transition into fiction with Honey Bee.

Honey Bee tells the story of Natalie (Julia Sarah Stone), a troubled teenager who spends her days sleeping in motel rooms and having sexual interactions for money with truck drivers at night. But Natalie’s job is not a form of rebellion or a way of making easy-money; Natalie is a sex traffick victim.

The film opens with Natalie getting a tattoo of Ryan (Steven Love), her boyfriend. Him and Honey Bee — his pet name for Natalie — are young and in love, or at least that’s what it looks like. Soon enough, we learn that Ryan is more than Natalie’s boyfriend; he is her pimp.

Photo courtesy A71 Entertainment

Photo courtesy A71 Entertainment

Ryan has trafficked Honey Bee and three other young women; all of them living in a motel room. However, none of these girls see themselves as prisoners. 

With lies and manipulation, Ryan has brain-washed these young and vulnerable women into thinking that they are a family and that he takes care of them. The first 20 minutes of the movie are slow-paced and repetitive. It’s not until Natalie is arrested for prostitution that the story really begins. When the cops interrogate her about Ryan, Honey Bee refuses to give him up.

Being a minor, she is sent to a foster home instead of prison. Natalie’s new foster home, located in a farm in Northern Ontario consists of her foster parents (Martha Plimpton and Peter Outerbridge), Chante (Michelle McLeod) and Matt (Connor Price), the two troubled and non-threatening kids they take care of.  

Despite being genuinely nice people, Natalie hates her new foster family. She repetitively tries to escape and return to Ryan. Natalie’s rude and ungrateful behaviour makes it hard for the audience to empathize with her. 

It’s not long after many small occurrences happen that Natalie begins to change her attitude and warm our hearts. The movie is an honest story on how bumpy the road to recovery can be for human trafficking victims. The film also shows that despite the fact that some women are able to escape this life and find healing within themselves, many of them are too sucked into the system and the control of their pimps that it’s seemingly impossible for them to escape this life, even when given a second chance.

Photo courtesy A71 Entertainment

Photo courtesy A71 Entertainment

The beauty of this film is accomplished by the astonishing performances. Stone does a terrific job in this film by playing a paradoxical character extremely well — a skinny, vulnerable-looking girl whose life has led her into becoming a stubborn and angry young woman. Furthermore, while Love, Plimpton, McLeod and Price’s characters are created to support Natalie’s story, each of them manages to intrigue the audience to the point that their stories become as relevant as hers.

Another important aspect that makes this film worth watching is the honest narrative and the intensive research scriptwriter Bonnie Fairweather and producer Sally Karam did. This research included the first-hand testimony of an officer from the Durham Regional Police Service, as they had recently started their human trafficking unit. Karam worked with the officer to create an accurate and honest narrative. 

In an email interview with director Rama Rau and producer Sally Karam, Karam explained that she not only worked with the Durham Regional Police “to be sure Natalie's journey with her pimp was accurate”, but she also worked with a Crown Attorney in Oshawa.

“The Crown Attorney sees these girls in court day in and day out and gave us insight into their reluctance to leave their so-called 'street families',” said Karam.

When it comes to directing, Rau said her biggest challenge while transitioning from documentary into fiction was “to keep everything authentic.” Rau wanted to keep every aspect of the film real, from the actors to the way the story was portrayed. Rau explained that human trafficking rings are strong in Northern Ontario and operate through the province. For her, the importance of making this film was “to tell the story of one of these girls and take the audience into their world.”

With great performances and an engaging plot, Honey Bee is the film every Canadian should watch to learn about an alarming issue that is often ignored within the country. 

Honey Bee will be available in video on demand on December 10.

The Oscars 2019: Canadians dominate the best short film category

By Devon Harvey

The Academy Awards are back on Feb. 24 and this year Canadians are dominating the short film categories. Bao, Weekends, and Animal Behaviour are some of the short films that are contesting to take home the gold.

Usually a majority of the awards are filled with American nominees, but this year Canadians are taking over. Filmmakers Domee Shi, Trevor Jimenez and David Fine are being praised in the film industry for having their work up for notable awards.

Canadians are nominated in the live action short film category and animated short film category.

For best live action short film

Jeremy Comte is nominated for Fauve, a short film set in a mine that details how two young boys go from playing seemingly innocent power games and having fun to being pitted against their surroundings with Mother Nature as their only witness.

Marianne Farley is nominated for Marguerite. This film tells the story of Marguerite (Béatrice Picard), an elderly woman who develops an unusual friendship with her caretaker Rachel (Sandrine Bisson). Through this friendship, Marguerite is able to confront her longing that she had hidden away and was able to make peace with her past.

In the animated category for best short film

David Fine and Alison Snowden are nominated for Animal Behaviour, this short film follows a group of animals through a group therapy session as they all attempt to come to terms and deal with the negative behaviours that come to them naturally.

A scene from Animal Behaviour, directed by Canadians Alison Snowden and David Fine. (Courtesy Animal Behaviour Trailer via TIFF Trailers on YouTube)

A scene from Animal Behaviour, directed by Canadians Alison Snowden and David Fine. (Courtesy Animal Behaviour Trailer via TIFF Trailers on YouTube)

Domee Shi is nominated for Bao, a story about a Chinese mother who is experiencing empty nest syndrome because her son left home. She is given a second chance when one of her handmade dumplings comes to life. The story follows the mother through raising the dumpling as she did with her son. This film shows a mother’s love for her child through all stages of their lives.

In an interview with journalist Tracy Brown from the Los Angeles Times, Domee Shi spoke at great length about her short film Bao:

“My inspiration mainly came from my own life. Growing up I was that overprotected little dumpling for my Chinese mom. I was an only child living in Toronto with my parents, and they’ve always kind of watched over me and made sure I was safe — kept me really, really close. And I just wanted to explore that relationship between an overprotective parent and their child with a dumpling as a metaphor, as weird as that sounds,” said Shi.

When Brown asked Shi about the choice not to include dialogue in the animated short Shi said, “by taking dialogue out you’re really pushing and challenging yourself to tell the story with all the acting and emotion and actions of the characters...so your story could be understood by people of all ages and all backgrounds and all cultures.”

A scene from the short film Bao, directed by Domee Shi. (Courtesy Cinema for Kids via YouTube)

A scene from the short film Bao, directed by Domee Shi. (Courtesy Cinema for Kids via YouTube)

When Pixar picked up the Asian-Canadian short Shi explained that despite Bao was such a culturally specific film, overprotective parents learning how  to let go of their children and food bringing families together are universal themes with which people all over the world could identify.

Trevor Jimenez is nominated for Weekends, an animated short film that follows a young boy as he moves between his recently divorced parents’ homes. It couples dreamlike moments with the reality of a broken up family and home. The details of the reality of divorce and moving between parents’ houses and lives are portrayed through the eyes of a child.

I met and interviewed Trevor 12 days before the Oscars over Skype, he explained to me that the day he found out his film Weekends was nominated, his wife and him woke up really early, “The day of, was insane... it was our anniversary that day too...I almost felt like shock, like I couldn’t believe it”.   

When he finished the film just over a year ago Jimenez said, “I had friends who told me ‘Oh this is going to get nominated,’ and I never believed them...To have it do what it’s doing now is crazy.”

Jimenez said that every time he watches the film it’s different. “[it] depends on the crowd and how people react and the questions that come after. It’s always sort of shifting...I think the whole experience has shifted how I view it...For it to be validated in this way is a huge confine boost...It almost feels like a weird science experiment. It’s like oh the experiment kinda worked, like that’s how it feels. People connect with it and that’s kind of special,” Jimenez said about his short film.

When I asked him how being Canadian has affected his experience as a nominee Jimenez said, “I’m really happy that there are other Canadians, I’m very proud to be Canadian. Everyone is just really happy to be there whether or not you share that kind of nationality or not,” adding that all of the nominees are rooting for each other.

The 91st Oscars air live across the country Feb. 24th at 8 p.m. E.T.

5 Canadian films to watch on Valentine’s Day

By Ivonne Flores Kauffman

The Fireflies Are Gone (2018)

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This film directed by Sébastien Pilote follows the story of Léonie (Karelle Tremblay), a teenager who is desperate to graduate from high school and leave the industrial town where she lives.

V-day sucks when you are single. However, instead of spending all day feeling miserable for not having a partner, buy a bottle of wine, turn off your phone and watch this entertaining film. It will make you laugh all your problems out. Tremblay’s character is so relatable that by the end of the film you will say, “F**k it” and embrace the fact that you are young, single and living a life full of possibilities.

Kingsway (2018)   

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If you hate the idea of celebrating February 14th because you have recently gone through a breakup, do not worry. We have the perfect movie for you: Bruce Sweeney’s newest production Kingsway. This movie, shot in Vancouver, portrays the struggles of life and love in a darkly funny way. According to the movie’s marketing material, “Kingsway is a romantic comedy about suicide, infidelity, and in-laws.” This Valentine’s Day you are allowed to spend all day in pajamas, eating ice cream and watching sad movies. But remember, there are plenty more fish in the sea.

Little Italy (2018)

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This romantic comedy by American director Donald Petrie is the perfect film to watch with your significant other on V-Day. Set in Toronto’s Little Italy, the film follows the complicated love story between Nikki (Emma Roberts) and Leo (Hayden Christensen), whose parents hate each other. Nikki, a successful chef, has to relocated to her hometown Toronto, where she reunites with Leo. This Romeo and Juliet inspired movie promises to deliver a chill evening full of cuddles and laughs. Don’t forget to order your favourite Italian food! We swear you will get hungry while watching it.

The New Romantic (2018)

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“Romance is dead,” writes Blake Conway (Jessica Barden), an aspiring journalist, who after years of searching for a Hollywood-style romance has given up the idea of finding love. Instead of spending all day crying for being single, Barden’s character decides to face the world and become a sugar baby, so she can finally be debt free and launch her career as a gonzo journalist.

This romantic comedy is the debut film of Canadian filmmaker Carly Stone and the winner of the 2018 SXSW Special Jury Recognition For First Feature award. This movie, full of comedy and cynicism can be enjoyed with your girlfriends, partner or even by yourself. With a super cool cast including Jessica Barden (The End of the F***king World), Brett Dier (Pretty Little Liars), Camila Mendes and Hayley Law (Riverdale)., The New Romantic is a must watch for this Valentine’s Day.

Clara (2018)

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This sci-fi love story is a great alternative if you or your significant other are looking for a more serious plot this Valentine’s Day. The movie follows the story of Dr. Isaac Bruno (Patrick J. Adams) who believes there are Earth-like planets in the universe. His new assistant Clara (Troian Bellisario) does more than helping him with his research; the pair spends endless nights debating the meaning of their existence. The connection formed between both of them leads Bruno to discover there are more things in life than numbers. Apart from having an exciting plot, the chemistry between Adams and his wife Bellisario is undeniable, and this movie is proof of it. The film will be available for rent or purchase on iTunes, The Cineplex Store and Google Play on Feb. 12.