I love writing about Canadian film and I love love. So where can you turn on Valentine's Day for a love film that is Canadian?
If you Google "Canadian love films," you don't get too many well-known options. I don't even know most of the films in the search. The first one in the search is When Night Is Falling, a beautiful love film we have reviewed. The one on the list you are more likely to find is The F Word. I have not seen the film but that film looks more along the lines of a traditional love film. Then, there is Love in the Sixth, but that might be harder to find.
Love in the Sixth highlights Canadian films in 2016 CIMM festival
Canadian film review: When Night Is Falling
So if you asked me on this Valentine's Day for the one love Canadian film to recommend, I would offer up Better Than Chocolate.
The love story centers around Maggie who starts a new relationship with Kim. Maggie's mother and brother end up moving into her loft but don't know she is a lesbian. Maggie works in a bookstore that keeps running into problems with Canada customs over the material the store is trying to sell in Canada.
Maggie and Kim are in love with each other. Judy, who is trans, is in love with Frances, the bookstore owner, but Francis isn't sure. Maggie's mother just came out of love. Maggie's brother discovers love.
Better Than Chocolate is about love, friends, freedom, and acceptance. The characters go through discovery and learn about themselves and each other along the way. The characters invite you into their world and make you feel at home, even if they are people you might not see at the local mall.
CanadianCrossing.com film reviews
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
The 1999 film gives perspective to the issues of the gay community at the time. The bookstore battle with customs is based on a real-life story. This was before gays and lesbians could get married in Canada. Maggie has trouble explaining to her mother that she is a lesbian.
In the end, the subplots of love are about love, regardless of the human beings involved. That 1999 message still rings true today.
The film satisfies the requirement for love on Valentine's Day but also has enough going for it as a film in case you are alone on Valentine's Day.
My Canadian Valentines 2016
My Canadian Valentines 2015
Ellen Page: still a cool Canadian role model
Seeing the multiple layers of beauty of famous Canadian women
I wish they all could be … Canadian girls
If you are recently new to CanadianCrossing.com, you might not be aware that we treat Valentine's Day as very special. The cool Canadian woman is a treasure that I like to give praise to on February 14. Click on any of the above links to take you to a previous Valentine's Day tribute.
Full disclosure: Anne Wheeler, who directed Better Than Chocolate, is a friend of a friend. I have never met Ms. Wheeler. I did meet Karyn Dwyer at a Toronto party last summer. She was very nice and let me go on about how much I loved the film. I also know the director and several cast members of Love in the Sixth.
video credit: YouTube/Lesbian Lips
screen grab: Google
Comments