TIFF 2011: Packages on Sale Today for Visa Cardholders

Today at is the day that ticket packages for TIFF go on sale to VISA cardholders and this is the day that feels like the festival is really upon is and the excitement and anticipation starts to set in. We won't hear titles for a bit yet (although I'll keep my eyes peeled for new press releases and will share the excitement once we know more), and I always particularly enjoy diving though the Midnight Madness titles which is often release about 3/4 of the way thought July although last year was later. I remember the 3/4 of the way through July bit as it's right by my birthday and it feels likes a present to know what's coming! But until then, we'll have to wait patient

Find out more about this years festival by checking out information on Ticket & Packages, Tickets & Packages FAQ, Package Delivery Service, Box Office, New This Year and Festival Policies at the TIFF Festival website.

I also highly recommend the TIFF Talk website which is a great resource on changes year to year and always has a great how to buy tickets walk though and advance ordering process explanation (see 2010's here) which I know can be overwhelming to first time festivallers. Don't worry, with some paper, highlighters and patience you will get the hang of it. Believe me you will! And it always gives everyone something to chat about in line.

The Toronto International Film Festival 2011 runs from September 8 - 18, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Worldwide Short Film Festival 2011 Coverage

Images from Pixels, Umbra and Yuri Lennon's Landing on Alpha 46 in the Sci Fi: OUT THERE Program

Pre-Festival Coverage
Festival Preview
Festival Preview on the Movie Moxie Podcast

Reviews by Program
Canadian Film Centre: SHORT DRAMATIC FILMS
Celebrity Shorts 1
Celebrity Shorts 2
Midnight Mania Creepy
Midnight Mania Freaky
Opening Gala: Awards Winners From Around the World
SciFi: OUT THERE

Reviews by Film
Adder's Bite
Animal Love
Big Bang Big Boom
Bukowski
Bunce
Dissonance
Ella
Kill Brass
Legend of Beaver Dam, The
Lost Thing, The
Martyris
Ninjas
Parasitoid
Peaceforce
Pixels
PS Your Mystery Sender
Sergeant Slaughter, My Big Brother
Sexting
Steve
Sticky Ends
Thief, The
Transmission
Turning
Umbra
Umshini Wam / Bring Me My Machine Gun
West of the Moon
White Other
Yuri Lennon's Landing on Alpha 46

Post-Festival Coverage
Award Winners

The Worldwide Short Film Festival ran from May 31 - June 5, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.


Images from Sergeant Slaughter, My Big Brother (Celebrity Shorts 1) and Martyris (Midnight Mania Freaky)

Worldwide Short Film Festival Award 2011 Winners

It's time to check out the winners for the The Worldwide Short Film Festival for 2011. These awards hold particular weight as the Canadian award winners become eligible for Genie Awards and the winners of the Best Live-Action Short and Best Animated Short are eligible for the Academy Awards. That means we may be seeing some of these names again during the 2012 awards season. Exciting! Although as chance would have it I didn't actually see any of the winners this year. I have dreadful luck with that. Congratulations to all the winners!

The Bravo!FACT Award for Best Canadian Short
Cold Blood / Sang froid, directed by Martin Thibaudeau (Canada)

The Deluxe Award for Best Live Action Short
Aglaée, directed by Rudi Rosenberg (France)
Honourable Mention: Sleepless Night / Nuit blance, directed by Samuel Tilman (Belgium)

The Deluxe Award for Best Performance in a Live-Action Short
Aline Kolditz and Lea Kolditz as Mieke in Fathermotherchild / Vatermutterkind, directed by Daniel Karl Krause (Germany)

The Kodak Award for Best Cinematography in a Canadian Short
Cinematographer Ian Lagarde for Nowhere Elsewhere / Au milieu de nulle part ailleurs, directed by Annick Blanc (Canada)

The Panasonic Award For Best Documentary Short
I Am A Girl!, directed by Susan Koenen (Netherlands)

Best Animated Short
The Tannery, directed by Iain Gardner (UK)
Honourable Mention: The Gallery / Galeria, directed by Robert Proch (Poland)

The Best Experimental Short
The Death of An Insect / ERÄÄN HYÖNTEISEN TUHO, directed by Kiitos, Hannes Vartiainen and Pekka Veikkolainen (Finland)

Screenplay Giveaway Prize
David Widdicombe for Wake
Runner Up: Jason Hreno for Sam and Rea's Fault

TELUS Audience Choice Award
The Gruffalo, directed by Jakob Schuh and Max Lang (UK, Germany)

The Worldwide Short Film Festival ran from May 31 - June 5, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Inside Out 2011 Coverage

2011 brought us another great year at the Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival!

Pre-Festival Coverage:
Festival Preview
Festival Preview on the Movie Moxie Podcast

Film Reviews:
Bloomington
Eloise's Lover / Eloïse
Harvest / Stadt Land Fluss
Making the Boys
OFF BEAT
Sleeping Beauty of East Finchley, The
Weekend
Who Took The Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour
You Will Be Mine / Je te mangerais

Post-Festival Coverage:
Awards

The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival 2011 ran from May 19-29, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Inside Out Winners 2011

Jurries have deliberated and audience ballots have been counted. Here are the results! The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival Awards 2011 are:

Canadian Jury Awards

Entertainment Partners Canada/ Canada Film Capitol Award for Best Canadian Film or Video
Home of the Buffalo by Rémy Huberdeau

Entertainment Partners Canada/ Canada Film Capitol Award for Emerging Canadian Artist
Swim by Jordan Tannahill

Charles Street Video Award for Best Up-and-Coming Toronto Film or Video Maker, presented to a local first-time filmmaker
A Dragged Out Affair By Sonia Hong

HARDtv Hot Shorts Award
Dance to Miss Chief by Kent Monkman

International Jury Awards

Bill Sherwood Award for Best First Feature
Black Field by Vardis Marinakis

Audience Awards

RBC Royal Bank Award for Best Feature Film or Video
Weekend by Andrew Haigh

Elle Flanders Award for Best Documentary Film or Video
We Were Here by David Weissman

Mikey/Schmikey Award for Best Short Film or Video
Change by Melissa Osborne and Jeff McCutcheon

The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival 2011 ran from May 19-29, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Worldwide Short Film Festival 2011 Preview

Images from short films: Sergeant Slaughter, My Big Brother (Celebrity Shorts 1) and Martyris (Midnight Mania Freaky)

BLINK AT YOUR OWN RISK is the new catch phrase for this years Worldwide Short Film Festival, and I actually always look forward to their catch phrase because it's quite catchy & funny and being short myself I always secretly hope it's something I can add to my own repertoire!

The festival has a great combination of official selection and specialty programs, from the comedy of Indie Comedy Showcase: FOR SHORTS & GIGGLES to family friendly double bill of Shorts For Shorties: TELL US A STORY! and Shorts For Shorties: ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL. Or travel the world through the programs Trilogy of Trilogies: NEW ZEALAND'S GOT TALENT and Spotlight on Italy 1 & Spotlight on Italy 2.

Feeling a little light-headed in love? Take your honey to Date Night which will be at the CN Tower! That's pretty exciting. Or is you are on the rebound, perhaps it's time to check out One Night Stand. Relationships just keep going as friends in arms can check out Bromance or one of my favourite of the Official Selection titles: The Hipster, for all the cats to cool for school.

Personally I'm drawn more to the wacky & weird, which brings us to one of my continually favourite programs of Sci Fi: OUT THERE and the Midnight Mania's of Freaky & Creepy. If that's not enough we also have the original SLAP'N'TICKLE and it's new found addition Slap'n'Tickle: HARDGORE.

It's not just about watching short film. Check out the Symposium that runs throughout the festival including a Master Class: Directing Performance with Director Kari Skogland and actor Callum Keith Rennie. That's pretty freaking awesome.

And the whole shebang start tonight with the Opening Gala: Award Winners from Around the World at the Bloor.

I usually attend the festival live, but this year I'm in Portland for the World Domination Summit and will be away for the entirely of the Worldwide Short Film Festival which makes me sad. But on the happy side of the street, I have previewed several of the programs for your enjoyment:

• Opening Gala: Award Winners from Around the World & CFC Dramatic Shorts
• SciFi Out There, Midnight Mania Freaky & Midnight Mania Creepy
• Celebrity Shorts 1 & Celebrity Shorts 2

I highly recommend checking out the films at the festival, it's so much more fun to watch them with an audience and with filmmakers in attendance for Q&A's. So scoot over to the festival and have fun, short, time.

For more information, check out the Worldwide Short Film Festival website, Program Descriptions, Film Schedule, Symposium Details, Location Information and Box Office Information.

You can also find the festival on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.

The Worldwide Short Film Festival runs from May 31 - June 5, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.


Images from Pixels, Umbra and Yuri Lennon's Landing on Alpha 46 in the Sci Fi: OUT THERE Program

Worldwide Short Film Festival 2011: SciFi Out There and Midnight Mania

Images from: Pixels, Umbra and Yuri Lennon's Landing on Alpha 46

Sci Fi: OUT THERE

The Sci Fi: OUT THERE is one I always look forward to at the Worldwide Short Film Festival, and this years selections deliver yet again. From the humorous to the haunting, it's a great array of interesting ideas from the playful to the painful. Here's a look at several of the shorts in the program.

Pixels
Dir: Patrick Jean
France, 3 minutes

Awesome animation homage to old school Atari & arcade games transpixelled on city streets. Well crafted, funny and nostalgic all in one, I adored it!

Dissonance
Dir: Anne Leclercq
Cast: Anne-Cécile Vandalem
Belgium, 17 minutes

Wow. This one freaked me out. I love how it can tell it's highly conceptual scifi story with very little verbal language relayed, and how ironic that is considering our protagonist specializes in language. Haunting, lonely and resonate, Dissonance left me unnerved with it's beauty.

Peaceforce
Dir: Peter Gornstein
Cast: Cyron Melville, Henning Jensen, Anders Hoyt
Denmark, 19 minutes

Morally complex and easy-to-access this short film is set in 2032 Copenhagen and adeptly explores the greater complications of human nature and societies. Showing a hard and fast 'protective' agency and the people they are apparently 'protecting' is shows how little is 'clear' for anyone.

Umbra
Dir: Malcolm Sutherland
Canada, 6 minutes

Cute little creature that's doing it's best to figure out where it is and what it's doing. Short, stompy and to the point, this animated film is a mind trip and feels like a moments where it clearly shows how ideas in it of themselves can be truly scary. And, um... really cute. Loved it.

Yuri Lennon's Landing on Alpha 46
Dir: Anthony Vouardoux
Switzerland/Germany, 15 minutes

Yuri Lennon's Landing on Alpha 46 is really short filmmaking at it's best, using a great idea with limited points of view to explore a grander issue. Love that. The ideas fit the format, and in this case a space launch and investigation of a transmission. Brilliant short film.

SCI FI: Out There program screens at Worldwide Short Film Festival on Wednesday June 1, 2011 at 9:15PM at the ROM.


Images from The Legend of Beaver Dam and Ninjas

Midnight Mania - Creepy and Freaky Programs
Ready to stay up late and get all freaked out? You are in luck because with these programs you will!

Here's a look at several of the shorts in theMidnight Mania Creepy program:

The Legend of Beaver Dam
Dir: Jerome Sable
Canada, 12 minutes

Hilarious and totally messed up take on a camp fire/ghost story gone wrong. The Legend of Beaver Dam had me in stitches. It doesn't hold back on any level, pushing all the buttons and delivers equal portions of horror and humour. Really got a kick out of it! Actually, it would kick you if it could. Maybe it can!

Ella
Dir: Dan Gitsham
Cast: Anthony Head
UK, 9 minutes

Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Merlin) star in Ella and we follow throughout as we try to piece together the mystery, and the horror, of not only the story but also his characters involvement and actions. Haunting and unsettling, Ella kept me on edge.

Adder's Bite
Dir: Firas Momani
Canada, 10 minutes

I can't honestly say that I understand all (or any) of the story of (or if there was one) in Adder's Bite, but I can say that I was completely absorbed by the film and curiously looking in and around and all over the screen. Bizarre movements and unnerving tone provided a completely visceral viewing experience. Can't wait to see more from filmmaker Firas Momani.

Ninjas
Dir: Dennison Ramalho
Brazil, 22 minutes

Following the torment of a man whose wrestling with the pain of wrong doing, Ninja takes this premise and pushes it to further pain and torment with every step and without reprieve. Long, harsh and brutal, Ninjas is one of the few films that was so disturbing I wish I hadn't see it. Effective, yes but the disturbing imagery & ideas it contains was too brutal for me.

Midnight Mania Creepy screens at Worldwide Short Film Festival on Friday June 3, 2011 at 11:59PM at the Bloor.


Images from Martyris and Parasitoid

And now for a selection of shorts in the Midnight Mania Freaky program:

Martyris
Dir: Luis Felipe Hernández Alanís
Mexico, 8 minutes

Fascinating animated film that has a strong nightmare like feel following a wild collection of restrained creatures that are painfully unhappy and destructive. High creep factor but absolutely beautifully done.

Parasitoid
Dir: Martin Lotherington
Norway, 10 minutes

Great idea and nice execution as we see a parasite in search of and attempting to connect with it's host. Really engaging and great use of non verbal storytelling, Parasitoid really caught me.

Sticky Ends
Dir: Osman Cerfon
France, 6 minutes

Great comedy of errors and resilience as the bizarre fishlike man blows hovering bubbles that oddly protect people at the worst of times. Very clever and funny, even when you think you shouldn't be laugh it's hard not to!

Turning
Dir: Karni +Saul
UK, 10 minutes

Bizarre and birdy birthday party that for young Robert who has one heck of an imagination while accepting visitors of from three chatty old ladies. I loved how this one was fantastical and bizarre as well as being oddly comforting. Quite a treat.

Umshini Wam / Bring Me My Machine Gun
Dir: Harmony Korine
USA, 16 minutes

I'm a little at a loss of what to say about this one but I couldn't stop watching these wheelchair riding, ganster & ninja talking, hot-dog roasting duo. This short literally left me speechless & dumbfounded.

Midnight Mania Freaky screens at Worldwide Short Film Festival on Saturday June 4, 2011 at 11:59PM at the ROM.

The Worldwide Short Film Festival runs from May 31 - June 5, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Worldwide Short Film Festival 2011: Celebrity Shorts

Images from Celebrity Shorts 1 films: White Other and Sergeant Slaughter, My Big Brother

I'm not always drawn to the Celebrity Shorts programs but this year had films starring Tom Hardy, Tom Felton, Joel Edgerton, Rosemary DeWitt, Colin Firth and directed by Rachel Weisz and Rupert Friend. I pretty much love all of them, therefore had to see them.

Taking a look at several of the shorts in the Celebrity Shorts 1 program.

PS Your Mystery Sender
Dir: Benjamin Wigley
UK, 9 minutes

This one is noted as both fiction and documentary, and to be honest if it isn't true I'm not sure I want to know! Following fashion designer Sir Paul Smith sharing his beautiful collection of regular object anonymously mailed to him over the years. This short is positively delightful.

White Other
Dir: Dan Hartley
Cast: Tom Felton, Imelda Staunton
UK, 13 minutes

Gripping short set in the confines of a hospital ward between nurse and one heck of live wire guy. Does the sterile setting allow for compassion and healing? Who needs understanding and honesty more? Will we be won over? Great questioning drama and fabulous acting in this short from Harry Potter almost-alums Tom Felton and Imelda Staunton.

Sergeant Slaughter, My Big Brother
Dir: Greg Williams
Cast: Tom Hardy, Ben MacLeod
UK, 12 minutes

Sibling kinship runs both strong and awry this drama centred on younger, bullied brother (Ben MacLeod) and older bully-like brother (Tom Hardy) who wants to go off and join the French Foreign Legion. The film does a great job of keeping the audience off balance on predispositions and judgment on the brothers and their family as we wonder if a clean break truly could be the best for everyone. Really top-notch short.

Animal Love
Dir: D: Mollie Jones
Cast: Selma Blair, Jeremy Davis
USA, 16 minutes

It took me a bit to warm up to Animal Love, which features two oddballs who hook up with a no-strings agreement but then start to seem to get a little sweet on each other. Really tender and beautiful, with lovely performances from Selma Blair & Jeremy Davis, this quirky romance completely won me over. And the cute animals helped, too.

Bunce
Dir: Peter Cattaneo
Cast: Daniel Roche, Milo Quinton, Stephen Fry
UK, 12 minutes

Autobiographical comedy of Stephen Fry's private school days that is witty and charming as it follows the story of how he takes a younger student under his wing, gets in and tries to get out of trouble with the headmaster (played by Stephen Fry) and the lovely power of friendship.

Celebrity Shorts 1 screens at Worldwide Short Film Festival on Thursday June 2, 2011 at 7PM at the ROM.


Images from Celebrity Shorts 1: PS Your Mystery Sender and An Act of Love

And now for a selection of the Celebrity Shorts 2 program:

Sexting
Dir: Neil LaBute
Cast: Julia Stiles
USA, 8 minutes

Crisp short film featuring Julia Stiles as the 'other woman' whose had just about enough! It's very monologue-like with a straight to the camera telling where we bear the brunt of her out pour of honest distaste and discomfort and she attempts to shattering the disillusionment of the her lover's wife.

Steve
Dir: Rupert Friend
Cast: Colin Firth, Keira Knightly, Tom Mison
UK, 16 minutes

Arguing with your partner can be bad enough, what happens when you add a random, persistent neighbour into the mix? Steve (Colin Firth) becomes the self-imposing, tea-thirsty neighbour that throws wrenches in the works of the everyday lives of the folks above him. It begs the question of how far we'll stretch for common courtesy and when enough really seems like enough!

The Thief
Dir: Rachel Weisz
Cast: Rosemary DeWitt, Joel Edgerton
USA, 14 minutes

Beautiful human drama between a thief (Joel Edgerton) who breaks into an unexpectedly occupied home where the owner (Rosemary DeWitt) displays something more powerful that fear. Gripping and wonderfully acted, I loved this short film. And a PS to any skeptics out there, it's based on a true story from Glamour Magazine’s Reel Moments project. Wow. That's truly powerful.

Celebrity Shorts 2 screens at Worldwide Short Film Festival on Friday June 3, 2011 at 7PM at the Bloor.


Images from Celebrity Shorts 2 films Sexting and The Thief

The Worldwide Short Film Festival runs from May 31 - June 5, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Worldwide Short Film Festival 2011: Opening Night Gala & CFC Dramatic Shorts

Image from West of the Moon from the Opening Gala Program

Opening Gala: Award Winners from Around the World
The festival starts off tonight with star studding award winning shorts from across the globe! Let's take a look at selection of shorts in the Opening Gala program.

Bukowski
Dir: Daan Bakker
Netherlands, 8 minutes

A wiser than his age and well spoken 12-year old charms everyone he meets with candor and vigor at a hotel where his family is vacationing. It begs the question is it better to believe, or to know? Or perhaps a bit of both. Charming & delightful this one is sure to be an crowd pleaser. Bukowski delivers.

West of the Moon
Dir: Brent Bonacorso
USA, 10 minutes

Gorgeous & whimsical this combination of live-action and animation shows the wonder of imagination at work. I loved watching this wacky and wild story unfold, making sense of nonsense & sensing and sharing whimsy in every possible way. West of the Moon was a complete treat.

Big Bang Big Boom
Dir: Blu
Italy, 12 minutes

I could watch the animation of Big Bang Big Boom over and over and over again. A beautiful, rough around the edges with a lively sense or humour and smarts to top it all off. This is a creative genius at work.

The Lost Thing
Dir: Andrew Ruhemann & Shaun Tan
Australia, 15 minutes

Oh, The Lost Thing... where have you been? Perhaps you've been lost. A beautiful story that blends the very literal with an undercurrent of the sad notation of not noticing the wonder of the world around us. A great reminder and a truly magnificent film. A treasure not only lost, but also found.

Opening Gala: Award Winners from Around the World screens at Worldwide Short Film Festival on:

• Tuesday May 31, 2011 at 7PM at the Bloor
• Sunday June 5, 2011 at 9:30 at the ROM

Andrew Moodie in Transmission, part of the Canadian Film Centre: SHORT DRAMATIC FILMS program

Canadian Film Centre: SHORT DRAMATIC FILMS

Here's a look at two of the shorts in the Canadian Film Centre: SHORT DRAMATIC FILMS program.

Kill Brass
Dir: Michel Kandinsky
Cast: Ron White, Graham Abbey
Canada, 17 minutes

Great storytelling and tension displayed in this tale of two hit men. From the younger, bolder Koestler (Graham Abbey) and the passed-seasoned Spinoza (Ron White) take each other on to see who will remain standing at the end of the day.

Transmission
Dir: Randall Okita (Machine with Wishbone)
Cast: Andrew Moodie, Wayne Ward, Evan Gilchrist
Canada, 17 minutes

Griping moral drama and character study centred on a tow-truck driver (in a fantastic performance by Andrew Moodie) who struggles with a non-so-simple towing. Challenging perceptions and balancing restraint, the audience is kept captive as we see the moments go from bad to worse. Fantastic display of restraint, repercussions and rage.

Canadian Film Centre: SHORT DRAMATIC FILMS screens at Worldwide Short Film Festival on Sunday June 5, 2011 at 12NOON at the Varsity.

The Worldwide Short Film Festival runs from May 31 - June 5, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Inside Out 2011: OFF BEAT & You Will Be Mine

Above: Hans-Jakob Mühlethaler and Manuel Neuburger in OFF BEAT

OFF BEAT
Dir: Jan Gassmann
Cast: Hans-Jakob Mühlethaler, Manuel Neuburger, Domenico Pecoraio
Switzerland

OFF BEAT was one of the films I just knew I had to see at the festival: a film from Switzerland that features a real life musician (Hans-Jakob Mühlethaler) as a rapper was well more than enough to get me intrigued but little did I know it would easily be one of the best films I saw of this year selections. The film is centred strongly on the journeys and relationships between several people focusing on rapper Lukas (Hans-Jakob Mühlethaler), producer Mischa (Domenico Pecoraio) and Sämi aka Samsonite (Manuel Neuburger). Two rappers and one producer could easily be enough to cause tension, but this amps it up with Lukas & Mischa also being discreet lovers, and with Lukas & Sämi being brothers. The emotions run really high in this film and are layered with complications from everything from drugs to broken families to cyclic patterns it but also does a great job of showing the process of catharsis and questioning as well as treating the audience to many truths from family to healing, and the power of poetry, inspiration and music. I absolutely loved OFF BEAT. It has powerful emotional journeys, fantastic performances especially by Hans-Jakob Mühlethaler & Manuel Neuburger, tender & beautiful moments throughout as well as awesome rapping and great music. It's a crazy package when you put it all together, and it works each step of the way. I highly recommend checking it out.

OFF BEAT screens at Inside Out on Friday May 27, 2011 at 7:15PM


Above: Isild Le Besco and Judith Davis in You Will Be Mine / Je te mangerais

You Will Be Mine / Je te mangerais
Dir: Sophie Laloy
Cast: Judith Davis, Isild Le Besco
France

You Will Be Mine / Je te mangerais follows as two childhood friends who drifted apart are reunited as young adults when Marie (Judith Davis) comes to stay with Emma (Isild Le Besco) to be closer to school where she studies classic piano. The film does a great job of dancing on comfort zone lines, for both the characters and the audience, from Marie trying to find the balance of freedom outside a family environment or as as the young women find their feet in their rekindled friendship in which Emma subtly pushes for more. Confronted by the confusing of looking up to someone then not agreeing with them adds to the unique dynamic created. There is certainly a lot of heat in You Will Be Mine / Je te mangerais as the chemistry between Judith Davis and Isild Le Besco can be electric, and it plays teasingly along as the characters come together and move away like a push me-pull me doll. Mental games and chilling tension add to the already ramped up atmosphere creating a whirlwind of chaos. I wasn't always on board with the direction it went, but was always impressed by the great performances by the two leads and the fantastic atmosphere. Very chilling.

You Will Be Mine / Je te mangerais screens at Inside Out on Friday May 27, 2011 at 7:30PM

The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival 2011 runs from May 19-29, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Inside Out 2011: Weekend, Who Took the Bomp

Weekend
Writer/Dir: Andrew Haigh
Cast: Tom Cullen, Chris New
UK
I always look forward to the Centrepiece Gala selection at Inside Out as it's a place on the schedule that has an excellent track record bringing us fantastic films from around the world, such last year with Undertow / Contracorriente and 2008's Newcastle. This year we have Weekend from the UK and it's another fantastic film to add to the mix. The film follows the rather quiet and reserved Russell (Tom Cullen) and new hook up Glen (Chris New) as they go through the getting to know each other steps from awkward newness to amped up bravado to tender admissions. It's a beautiful look at many complicated layers of relationships that honestly and adeptly peels back those layers one by one. I loved how it was very verbally direct but emotionally subtly as it explored assumptions, opinions as well as the actual reality of the relationships created. One of the many strengths of the film is that it looked at the ideas, ideals and issues from not only a personal perspective of the individual characters but also as a society and world view of inward looking out and outward looking in. Another strength of the film is Russell & Glen themselves, who are well developed, complicated yet so human and accessible. Plus, they have great chemistry which is highlighted by the slow burn nature of the film which before you know it draws you completely in and makes you care intensely for the characters. Absolutely brilliant filmmaking and top notch performances from Tom Cullen and Chris New. I highly recommend checking Weekend out.

Weekend is the Centrepiece Gala selection this year and screens at Inside Out on Tuesday May 24, 2011 at 9:30PM



Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour
Dir: Kerthy Fix
Documentary featuring the band Le Tigre
USA

Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour follows the band Le Tigre during their 2004 This Island world tour and includes footage of their Hamburg, Tokyo, Copenhagen & Sydney shows as filmed by by their lighting director Carmine. Along with being a concert films it also features interviews with the band, behind the scenes footage and archival footage of other concert appearances throughout the years and on top of all that it's an awesome punk rock, feminist, lesbian, positive hell of a good time. Le Tigre is made up of Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman and JD Samson who are impressive as hell both on stage and off. The concert footage is electric and the media interviews that range from enlightening & engaging to ones where it's obvious the interviewers have done little research into the band but the audience get treated to their reaction along with more hilarious behind the scenes footage. We also get general reactionaryness to more awkward interviews and encounters, some of which is entertaining and at other times disheartening as it shows the battle for feminism and equality is still a battle being fought. I also loved the direct to camera interviews where they discussed their individual and collective interest in and connection to music, politics, feminism, and each other including the importance to continuing to acknowledge speak up and out of feminism. I thought it was sad and shocking that they still dealt with sexism and prejudice along with way, and it was great to hear their honest reactions and responses to it along the way. Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman and JD Samson are completely awesome, awe-inspiring and positive to boot. I loved every single moment of this film.

Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour screens at Inside Out on Friday May 27, 2011 at 10:00PM

The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival 2011 runs from May 19-29, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Inside Out 2011: Eloise's Lover, The Sleeping Beauty of East Finchley & Bloomington

Above Image: Eloise's Lover / Eloise

Eloise's Lover / Eloïse
Dir: Jesús Garay
Cast: Diana Gómez, Ariadna Cabrol, Laura Conejero, Bernat Saumell, Carolina Montoya, Miranda Makaroff
Spain

Eloise's Lover / Eloïse stars Diana Gómez as Àsia, a college student who we initially see in her everyday life with friends, family and boyfriend. As the film gains traction, we see the subtle rifts in those relationships through differences of opinion and attitudes whiles we also see Àsia reach out to another student, Eloïse (Ariadna Cabrol), whom is often the butt of Àsia jokes and insults. The film actually shows the events from the reflective perspective from being in a coma, so there is a sense of reoccurring certainty that crops up but it still achieves consistent tension, which is quite impressive. Personally, I would have loved for there to be more elements of mystery and oddity given the coma context, but it sticks to a more strict coming of age & relationship journey. I loved the character of the strong and sure Eloïse and she's lovely and open with Àsia but won't take any crap from anyone else. It's refreshing to see a strong character who is also emotionally supportive of others and although the film is clearly from Àsia perspective, I really felt that Eloïse was the star. Both Diana Gómez and Ariadna Cabrol deliver great performances and together they have great chemistry.

Eloise's Lover / Eloïse screens at Inside Out on Monday May 23, 2011 at 7:15PM


Above Image: The Sleeping Beauty of East Finchley

The Sleeping Beauty of East Finchley
Writer/Dir: Seamus Rea
Cast: Josie Walker, Ruth James, Jill Keen
UK

In The Sleeping Beauty of East Finchley we follow Joan (Josie Walker), who plots through life by routine including looking after her mother (Jill Keen) and squirrels away time to enjoy in the beauty of music. When her mothers nurse Pat (Ruth James) hears her sing one day and encourages Joan to join her choir as they connect over similar musical tastes and sounds. I felt like there was bit of a meta quality to this film as the acting often felt oddly a little too broad and clear, but the singing... oh my goodness, the singing was glorious and brought tears to my eyes. There was also a very beautiful connection between Joan & Pat, that had a great range from confused and awkward to tender and deep. I'm sure this film will resonate strongly with anyone whose has gone on the journey, inadvertently or on purpose, to find the own tribe and the pains and pleasures it brings along the way.

The Sleeping Beauty of East Finchley screens at Inside Out on Monday May 23, 2011 at 3PM

Bloomington
Dir: Fernanda Cardoso
Cast: Sarah Stouffer, Allison McAtee, Katherine Ann McGregor, Erika Heidewald, Chelsea Rogers
USA

Coming of age & college seem to go go hand and hand, and they do in Bloomington where child star Jackie (Sarah Stouffer) who has had slightly sheltered life finally gets a chance to break out and do her own thing. Too bad she's confronted by array of subtle to bold reactions from peers that range from awed fans to bitter jealousy. Although she doesn't connect with her peers, she does connect with Catherine (Allison McAtee), a professor who has a rumour mill track record longer that Jackie TV credits. A relationship soon forms as they find solace in each other but have different comfort levels on outside relationships, including sharing their own. I really enjoyed teh personal journey and relationship between Jackie & Catherine, as well as their individual emotional journeys and relationships independent of each other. Great performances and story, and I thought the realness of the emotional pains and loneliness was fantastic but I wish that energy was also captured in the more heated moments which felt a little safer and a lot shorter. Interesting relationship exploration and character depth, just would have loved a little more heat.

Bloomington screened at Inside Out on Friday May 20, 2011 at 9:30PM

The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival 2011 runs from May 19-29, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Inside Out 2011: Harvest & Making the Boys

Above: Lukas Steltner & Kai-Michael Müller in Harvest / Stadt Land Fluss

Harvest / Stadt Land Fluss
Dir: Benjamin Cantu
Cast: Lukas Steltner, Kai-Michael Müller, Karin Butsch
Germany

Harvest / Stadt Land Fluss is a gorgeously shot, beautiful and tender film set on a farm outside Berlin where young apprentices go to train. Following the introverted and contained Marco (Lukas Steltne) whose close to finishing his apprenticeship just as the young and more bold Jacob (Kai-Michael Müller) joins after already trying his hand at other apprenticeships. The who are different in many ways from demeanour to home lives to opportunities, but are both training towards the same possible future and connect subtly along the way. One of the things I love about Inside Out is that I'm often happily suprized by which films are the ones that win me over, and Harvest / Stadt Land Fluss quickly and easily won me over. The naturalistic cinematography and real farm setting serve as a perfect palette for emotional realness between Jacob and Marco that reads beautifully. I was completely absorbed by the beauty of setting, story and fantastic performances from Lukas Steltner & Kai-Michael Müller. I widely & highly recommend Harvest / Stadt Land Fluss, as a stand out film that is not to be missed.

Harvest / Stadt Land Fluss screens at Inside Out on Sunday May 22, 2011 at 7PM


Above Image: Making the Boys

Making the Boys
Dir: Crayton Robey
Documentary
USA

Making the Boys is a documentary on the play, film and effect of The Boys in the Band, touted as first representation of gay people as people. The features a fantastic amount of stock footage as well as extensive interviews with playwright Mart Crowley and numerous interviews with people involved with, reacting to, or not even knowing the relevance of the play from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? playwright Edward Albee, director William Friedkin, actors Robert Wagner, Cheyenne Jackson and Laurence Luckinbill, plus Project Runway designer Christian Siriano, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy host Carson Kressley just to name a few. I loved how transparent Making the Boys is, on so many levels from honest positive and negative reactions from people about the play and what is says and represents, to the challenges of people involved to get work afterwards to more current day reactions and people openly not knowing about it. It's a great film not only from a historical perspective giving the context of the perception of being gay at the time of the play in comparison to now as well as the challenges, struggles and triumphs along the way. It was interesting, honest and engaging throughout which is what you need for and awesome documentary, and an awesome documentary is exactly what Making the Boys is.

Making the Boys screens at Inside Out on Sunday May 22, 2011 at 4:45PM

The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival 2011 runs from May 19-29, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Movie Moxie Podcast 37: Priest, Inside Out 2011 & Vampire Films

On this weeks episode of the Movie Moxie Podcast Shannon takes a spoiler free look at the recent release of Priest, previews ahead to the Inside Out festival for 2011 & sinks fangs into Vampire Films as a Genre.

Show Notes
0:00 – 1:10 - Introduction
1:10 – 8:10 – Priest Review
8:10 – 12:15 – Inside Out 201 Preview
12:15 – 38:45 – Vampire Films as a Genre
38:45 – 43:30 – DVD releases
43:30 –44:45 – Upcoming Next Week
44:45 – 45:45 – Outro

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Subscribe through iTunes here.

Show Notes:

• Priest Review
• Inside Out Preview
• DVD releases for May 17, 2011
• DVD reviews of:Daydream Nation (DVD Review), The Mechanic (DVD Review) and Vanishing on 7th Street (DVD Review)

Vampire Show Notes

• I mention 2008 being a big turning year for vampire film fans with Twilight and Let the Right One In / Låt den rätte komma in
• I mention my Vampathon
• Vampathon Vlog & Aftermath Post
• Classics: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922), Vampyr - Der Traum des Allan Grey, Dracula (1931) all of which all really hold up over time
• Comedies: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Love at First Bite, and one of Shannon's faves: Blood & Donuts
• Action: The Blade Trilogy: Blade, Blade II & Blade: Trinity
• Gore: Daybreakers
• 1970’s: Rabid, Martin
• 1980’s: The Lost Boys, Near Dark, The Hunger
• 1990’s: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), Interview with the Vampire
• Generally mentioned: Shadow of the Vampire, Thirst / Bakjwi, Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl
• Hybrid films: The Underworld Series (Underworld, Underworld: Evolution and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans) and also Night Watch / Nochnoi Dozor & Day Watch / Dnevnoy Dozor
• See all vampire film reviews
• I mention my other podcast Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast and specifically Marina & I's top ten vampires episode
• I mention my podcast Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural, a podcast dedicated to paranormal TV
• Vampire TV shows mentioned: Vampire Diaries, True Blood and Being Human (UK & North American)
  

Faves vampire films of others:

• Near Dark (several nods), Night Stalker, Lost Boys, Shadow of a Vampire , Dracula: Pages of a Virgin’s Diary,
• TY for David, FandangoGroover, Potato Film, TrashCompactorX, Coleen and Suzie

Upcoming 2011 Vampire Films mentioned:

• Fright Night remake starring Colin Farrell and Anton Yelchin, German femme vampire horror film We Are the Night, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1.

More upcoming Vampire Films:

• The Last Voyage of Demeter from director David Slade with Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Ben Kingsley that follows the sea voyage of Dracula’s coffin.
• Harker from director Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan, Unknown) and that follows Scotland Yard detective consumed with finding Dracula.
• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter from director Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch / Nochnoi Dozor), starring Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell, Dominic Cooper, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and hollowing President Lincoln's mother is killed by a supernatural creature, which fuels his passion to crush vampires and their slave-owning helpers.
• Remakes in the works: of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Near Dark, Monster Squad
• Book to film film adaptations in the works: The Mortal Instruments, Vampire Academy

Inside Out 2011 Preview

Tonight marks the opening of the 21st Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival with the Opening Gala screening of the Italian film Loose Cannons / Mine Vaganti from directed Ferzan Ozpetek at TIFF Lightbox, which seems to be one of the new homes of several of the festivals in the city! As always the festival boasts 11 days of festival goodness shimmied around the Victoria Day weekend and has a total of three Galas: tonight's Opening Night Gala of Loose Cannons / Mine Vaganti, Centrepiece Gala of Weekend (Tuesday May 24, 2011) and Closing Gala of The Night Watch (Sunday May 29, 2011). Galalicious goodness!

There are lost of films at this years festival I have my eye on including Christopher & His Kind (starring Matt Smith aka the current Doctor of "Doctor Who"), the Greek film The Guide / o xenagos where in a bit of a flip around the guide learns from sightseers, and Leading Ladies centered on a ballroom dancing-but-crazy family. I'm also always drawn to the Icon Documentary Series program and this year has another stellar line up including the French doc L'Amour Fou centred on on fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and his ex-lover Pierre Berge, directed by Pierre Thoretton (which opens theatrically in Toronto on May 27, 2011), I'm also looking forward to Making the Boys as docs on the performing arts are always a big draw. We also have The Real Anne Lister, a nice follow up to last year's The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister which re-plays at this years fest.

Coming of Age & hot teachers feel like a mini theme for the ladies this year in both Bloomington and The Evening Dress / La Robe du soir. If music is your thing there is lots to choose from including Sleeping Beauty of East Finchley described as an all dyke version of Glee, we also have OFF BEAT from Switzerland and following rapper played by actual rapper Hans-Jacob Mühlethaler. One of my favourite titles of this years festival is Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour. I just want to keep saying Who Took the Bomp? because it sounds so fun. And the film follows the Le Tigre and who doesn't a band that can be describe as not only badass, but also sexpots and political. Sounds awesome to me!

The festival also offers an amazing array of shorts programs to enjoy, I'm particularly fond of Hogtown Homos featuring homegrown Toronto Talent (Wednesday May 25, 2011) and the Queer Video Mentorship Project (Saturday May 28, 2011). They also have Transplanetarium, Animate This!, World's Best Docs, Working Stiffs, Sexy Boys, Naughty Girls (Need Love Too) and Straight, Not Narrow to name a few more of the exciting shorts programs if you prefer you films in quick, bites sized pieces.

It's always exciting time when Inside Out is around town, and it's easily one of the busiest festival in the city. I highly recommended checking Ticket Availability and to be safer than sorry get tickets in advance (check out the Online Box Office and Box Office Information) to enjoy all the goodness the festival has to offer.

For more information, check out the Inside Out Website, Film Schedule, Festival Planner, Online Box Office, Ticket Availability, Box Office Information, Venue Information and Party Information.

The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival 2011 runs from May 19-29, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Hot Docs 2011 Coverage

The festival came and is now gone in it's 11 days and many films glory. There are so many more films I had hoped to see this year (Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey, Fightville, Jig and Project Nim to name just a few), but I still had the chance to see lots of amazing films at the festival. Every year I'm impressed by the quality and selection of films and each year there is an every growing audience population that's energetic and enthusiastic. Another great year at the festival!

Film Reviews
At Night, They Dance
Dolphin Boy
Family Instinct
Future is Now!, The
Housing
Imagining Emanuel
Inside Lara Roxx
My Barefoot Friend
Simple Rhythm, A
Superheroes

Pre-Festival Coverage
Festival Preview
Movie Moxie Podcast 35: Hot Docs Preview
Movie Moxie Podcast 36: Hot Docs Wrap Up
Hot Docs Preview Reviews (Part 1)
Hot Docs Preview Reviews (Part 2)

Daily Coverage
Day 6: Tuesday May 3, 2011
Day 8: Thursday May 5, 2011

Q&A's (Audio)
Dolphin Boy Q&A with directors Dani Menkin and Yonatan
Housing Q and A with director Federica Di Giacomo
Inside Lara Roxx Q&A w director Mia Donovan and Lara Roxx
My Barefoot Friend with director Seong-gyou Lee

Post-Festival Coverage
Awards



Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival ran from April 28 - May 8, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Hot Docs 2011 Awards

Ballots have been counted and juries have decided and the Hot Docs Awards for 2011 have been announced. Here are the results:

Sundance Channel People's Choice Award winner is Somewhere Between (Dir: Linda Goldstein Knowlton)

The top ten audience favourites as determined by audience vote are:
Somewhere Between (Dir: Linda Goldstein Knowlton)
Give Up Tomorrow (Dir: Michael Collins)
How to Die in Oregon (Dir: Peter D. Richardson)
Wild Horse, Wild Ride (Dir: Alex Dawson and Greg Gricus)
Senna (Dir: Asif Kapadia)
Buck (Dir: Cindy Meehl)
Jig (Dir: Sue Bourne)
Eco Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson (Dir: Trish Dolman)
Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (Dir: Constance Marks, Philip Shane (Co-Director))
Koran by Heart (Dir: Greg Barker)

Best Canadian Feature: Family Portrait in Black and White (Dir: Julia Ivanova; P: Boris Ivanov, Mike Jackson)

Special Jury Prize – Canadian Feature (tie): At Night, They Dance (Dir: Isabelle Lavigne, Stéphane Thibault; P: Lucie Lambert) and The Guantanamo Trap (Dir: Thomas Selim Wallner; P: Thomas Kufus, Amit Breuer, Marcel Hoehn, Christoph Jorg)
Honourable Mention: Wiebo's War (Dir: David York, P: David York, Nick Hector, Bryn Hughes, Bonnie Thompson; EP: David York, David Christensen)

Best International Feature: Dragonslayer (Dir: Tristan Patterson; P: John Baker, EP: Christine Vachon)

Special Jury Prize – International Feature: The Castle (Dir:Massimo D'Anolfi, Martina Parenti; P: Massimo D'Anolfi, Martina Parenti; EP: Massimo D'Anolfi, Martina Parenti)
Honourable Mentions: Grande Hotel (Dir: Lotte Stoops; P: Ellen De Waele, Co-Producer Denis Vaslin, Volya Films; EP: Ellen De Waele) and Hell and Back Again (Dir: Danfung Dennis; P: Mike Lerner, Martin Herring; EP: Dan Cogan, Karol Martesko Fenster, Gernot Schaffler, Thomas Brunner, Maxyne Franklin)

Best Mid-Length Documentary: Our Newspaper (Dir: Eline Flipse; P: Eline Flipse; EP: Eline Flipse)
Honourable Mention: People I Could Have Been and Maybe Am (Dir: Boris Gerrets; P: Pieter van Huystee)

Best Short Documentary: Flying Anne (Dir: Catherine van Campen; P: Joost Seelen)
Honourable Mention: Something to Tell You (Dir: Pete Gleeson; P: Pete Gleeson; EP: Yvette Coyne)

HBO Documentary Films Emerging Artist Award: Michal Marczak for the film At the Edge of Russia (P: Marianna Rowinska)

documentary’s Don Haig Award: Rama Rau

Lindalee Tracey Award: Alexandre Hamel

Also, the festival itself has been nominated for an award! The 2011 Premier's Award for Excellence in the Arts which "recognizes the outstanding achievements of artists and arts organizations and their contributions to arts and culture in Ontario over a significant period of time". The winners will be announced on Thursday June 9, 2011. I'll be thinking happy Hot Docs thoughts for the festival and keep my fingers crossed for them. Good luck!

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival runs from April 28 - May 8, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Poll Results: Hot Docs is Upon Us! Are You Attending the Festival?

I'm excited that so many people are interested in Hot Docs but surprized so few were able to attend! Hopefully the "I wish I was"'ers will make it to the festival in 2012!

Poll Results:
53% - No, but I wish I was
23% - No
15% - Yes! For the First Time
7% - Yes! It's a yearly tradition

Thanks for voting!

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival runs from April 28 - May 8, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Hot Docs 2011: Inside Lara Roxx & Dolphin Boy

Thursday night was all about World Premieres and seeing two head to head with Inside Lara Roxx and Dolphin Boy, both of which played to packed houses at The Bloor. I have to say it's pretty freaking amazing to attend two World Premieres in a row, especially 1 week into the festival and to top it all off both had directors and special guests in attendance. It certainly was another very exciting night at Hot Docs.


Q&A of Inside Lara Roxx screening with Senior Canadian Programmer Lynne Fernie (left), director Mia Donovan (centre) and Lara Roxx (seated)

Inside Lara Roxx
Dir: Mia Donovan
Canada

Inside Lara Roxx follows the roller coaster journey of Lara Roxx, after the cool down of media hype over being one of three women who tested positive for HIV after having unprotected sex with a male adult film star in LA. The film takes a very personal approach as we visit Lara during various health and addiction management moments, as well as a huge emotional journey to tackle dealing, expressing and confronting not only the ordeal of testing positive, but also a lot of the history that brought her to the decision to go to LA to try and make it industry before that dream was stopped short in just a few brief months. I found it to be a very brave and raw film, especially when she returns back to LA to see and connect with many people from her past who responses were everything from callous to comforting. In fact, the responses she receives from people inside and outside the industry are varied to say the least from extreme compassion to almost shocking dismissal. It was great to see the support that she did receive throughout the filmmaking, and even more exciting was that she was in attendance at the screening along with director Mia Donovan who brought this important and brave story to a fuller light.

Listen to the Inside Lara Roxx Q&A w director Mia Donovan and Lara Roxx here:

Dolphin Boy
Dirs: Dani Menkin and Yonatan Nir
Israel

Dolphin Boy is one of those films where you think "Oh, inspiring!" and then realize that sometimes getting to the inspiring means going through more than a little harshness. This is very much the case here as we follow Morad, who becomes almost completely unresponsive after a brutal beating while being kidnapped. Lack on progress from several types of treatment, his doctor recommends a 4 week dolphin therapy program on the Dolphin Reef of the Red Sea, and his father is more than willing to give it a try. It's quite amazing to see the effect of the dolphins and the way that Morad can connect to them, but it is truly heartbreaking the circumstance that brought him to need that kind of therapy. It was absolutely beautiful to see the powerful love his family & family friends have for him and the commitment they have not only to his health but also in non-violent retaliation against the people who hurt him. A truly powerful story of not only strength but also the fragility of the human spirit. The audience was overwhelmed by the power of the story and I know this is a film is one that will resonate with many people. I really hope people continue to get a chance to see this film, and considering this was the first ever screening it feels like it's only just the beginning. Keep your eye on this one!

Listen to audio of the Dolphin Boy Q&A with directors Dani Menkin and Yonatan here:

Dolphin Boy directors Dani Menkin and Yonatan Nir



Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival runs from April 28 - May 8, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada