CBC had listened to the idea of showing Canadian films this past summer. The network went a step further with The Filmmakers, a 30-minute program that aired just before each film devoted to that film and its impact in the world of Canadian film.
During breaks in the 2017 Windsor International Film Festival, I took time on the Canadian side of the border to watch a few episodes.
Each episode of The Filmmakers had 3 segments:
- panel discussion
- interview with the director on the film
- either more about that film or a more recent project
The segments are also enhanced by:
- a people-on-the-street section where people answer a question relating to the theme of the film
- Film 101, where the background roles such as art director and best boy are explained in detail
Johanna Schneller was the host. Amanda Parris, host of Exhibitionists on CBC Television, handled the Film 101 segments.
Each panel had 3 other people besides Schneller. They were picked with the film in mind. Some of the panelists even worked on the film featured in the episode. Guest panelists included Connor Jessup, David Suzuki, Stephanie Morgenstern, Bob Martin, Eli Glasner, Samantha Wan, Emmanuel Jal, Elisapie Isaac, Cameron Bailey, Sook-Yin Lee, Peter Knegt, Edward Burtynsky, Nyla Innuksuk, Anita Lee, Cazhhmere, and Academy Award-winner Sylvain Bellemare.
The Filmmakers to run before Canadian films this summer on CBC
Helping CBC Part I: Show more Canadian content
Schneller asked good questions to the directors to try and get intimate details to help the viewer appreciate the impact of the film. Her personality questions to the directors to draw out some personal detail fell flat.
The panel discussions were very helpful. The themes sometimes drifted beyond the film: the panel for Double Happiness delved into opportunities for women and specifically Asian women.
The Don McKellar interview for Last Night gave McKellar a chance to address the difference in making films in Canada.
"Working in Canada, I have this discussion all the time with young people, if you're going to do it, then you better do it on your own terms. If you want to just make money, then you should go to the States because you're not going to do that here. What you do have here to compensate for that is control and the possibility to work with like-minded people and create a vision together that is distinctive. … "I feel it's a responsibility here for Canadians and if you're working in Canada, you better do something, you better take the reins and make something unique."
The talk with the directors would shift at times to current projects from Xavier Dolan's The Death and Life of John F. Donovan to Mina Shum's Meditation Park.
We don't see too much of the actual film during The Filmmakers; to be fair, the whole film follows the telecast.
Most directors did the episode with Denis Villeneuve being an exception. Schneller interviewed Sylvain Bellemare, who worked the sound for Villeneuve on Incendies and won the Oscar for Best Sound on Villeneuve's film Arrival.
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In a potential Season 2 next summer, the temptation would be to give 2 segments to the panel and only a single segment for the director. The director can often be too close to the project. Don McKellar and Sarah Polley could have used the entire show. Kim Nguyen only needed a single segment. That decision may depend on the director.
The 11 directors and their films are as follows:
Film | Director |
The Sweet Hereafter | Atom Egoyan |
Stories We Tell | Sarah Polley |
Last Night | Don McKellar |
Incendies | Denis Villeneuve |
Double Happiness | Mina Shum |
Rebelle (War Witch) | Kim Nguyen |
J’ai Tué Ma Mère (I Killed My Mother) | Xavier Dolan |
Water | Deepa Mehta |
Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) | Zacharias Kunuk |
Manufactured Landscapes | Jennifer Baichwal |
Across The Line | Director X |
You can access more information about The Filmmakers here, including segments that are not restricted just to Canada. For those in Canada, you can watch Season 1 episodes here.
photos credit: The Filmmakers/CBC
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