REEL CANADA Blog Archives

Right off the top, I need to get something off my chest. I was, in fact, not a huge fan of Dolly Parton at the beginning of the week. This has since changed. Between her massive support of the film, her real life generous spirit, and the on-screen subtle reminder that she writes ALL of her songs, I am now a fan with a capital F!

Canadian film turns my crank for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because we are REALLY good at making movies, and secondly, because I absolutely love seeing Canadian landscapes and hearing regional speech dialects from across Canada. Both of my loves were present in the film The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom, written and directed by Montreal filmmaker Tara Johns. 
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The memories of our time spent at Earl Haig Secondary School may be dimming, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pause and reflect on how AMAZING the day really was…

Right off the top I would like to say that my new goal in life is to create a machine with which I can travel back in time to attend Earl Haig. The students, faculty, and overall school vibe is a delicious mix of kindness, intelligence, and a heavy dose of creativity.

Take for example this art installation, with circular cut-out “peeps” into tiny dioramas relating to the films being viewed that day – too cool (and too on topic, as one of the films was Peep Culture, based on the book The Peep Diaries by Hal Niedzviecki)! Read More...

 I got a chance to do a little Q&A with the producer, writer, and star of the film New Year, Julian De Zotti. 

RC – What was the writing process like coming back to a script on and off for a year?

JDZ - I think it was a good thing. You really have to let a script breathe. It gives you time to step back, be objective about what really works and what doesn't. Something that was a great idea then can be terrible months or a year down the road. Also, usually in that time someone else has read the script and gives you feedback that can be incorporated.  Read More...

In the new film New Year, Jason is 20-something, living in Mississauga, getting less than average grades at his post-secondary school, and has just been informed by his parents that he is about to be financially cut off. So what does someone do when faced with that kind of situation? Throw a massive party and go down in a blaze of glory – right?

I went to see New Year at The Royal Cinema knowing that I was going to see a movie about being a confused young adult, and a party to end all parties. Not a bad hook; but at the end of the day I need substance, action, and a heavy dose of talent. Was I let down, you wonder aloud? Indeed, I was NOT! Read More...

If there’s one thing I love more than Canadian film, it’s FREE Canadian film! This year, the TIFF (at their new home, TIFF Bell Lightbox) enters into its sixth season of Free Screen, a program that seeks to provide film lovers with a chance to see independent and avant-garde works while exploring various art forms and how they relate to cinematic works. Of the four free events this season, two are part of a new program co-produced by TIFF and The Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre (CFMDC), aptly named Avant-Garde Canada: Curating the CFMDC Collection. Read More...