We are partial to the idea that Canada has amazing stories but Canadians aren't always good at telling those stories. The terrible film Argo is a great example of Americans trying and failing to tell Canadian stories.
BlackBerry is a Canadian film telling a Canadian story. There are essentially 3 characters:
Jim Balsillie (American actor Glenn Howerton) Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) Doug Fregin (Matt Johnson)
Lazaridis and Fregin head Research in Motion. They have an idea for a phone that can do e-mail. They take it to Balsillie. He turns them down. The parties go back and forth and eventually form a partnership.
The rise and fall of the BlackBerry and Research in Motion.
The contrast of intensity (Balsillie) vs. timidity (Lazaridis and Fregin) is at play. They need each other for everything to work. Then it does and Blackberry takes off.
BlackBerry isn't about character development or remorse. This is the story at least told on film.
Matt Johnson, who wrote and directed the film, also stars as Fregin. This might seem an unusual move for a director to make yet Johnson is excellent as Fregin. If you think of Baruchel as a "jerk," the person can act as you will see here. Wasn't sure about Howerton as Balsillie but proven wrong. Howerton brings a strong amount of intensity to an intense person.
Johnson looks at several moments through a more modern lens. Balsillie brings in a, well, jerk as the COO who, at one point, makes a sexist remark. Johnson focuses the camera on a female employee and her facial reaction to what is being said.
The film also takes time to show Balsillie's interest in buying a NHL team. This allows Mark Critch to appear briefly as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Critch didn't shave his head for the brief role.
Matt Johnson gives the film audience an intimacy this story needs. Johnson is also known for The Dirties (2013), Operation Avalanche (2016), and the Web series Nirvanna the Band the Show.
You don't have to be a geek or a hard-headed financier to appreciate the film. A well-told Canadian story that most people think they know.
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, senior domestic policy adviser to presidential candidate John McCain in 2008, claimed that the Blackberry was a "miracle that John McCain helped create." The claim was ridiculous even if the Blackberry was a U.S. invention. This movie will remind people that the Blackberry is Canadian.
When people say hockey is for everyone, Breakaway feels like a good way to show how true that is. Rajveer Singh (Vinay Virmani) loves playing hockey. His Indian-Canadian family doesn't understand why he loves playing hockey.
Singh also struggles to convince others on the ice of the worthiness of people of Indian descent playing hockey.
Breakaway deals with serious issues in a relatively light-hearted manner. The film is very easy to watch in that regard.
The team is known as the Speedy Singhs, which might have made a better title than Breakaway.
Breakaway features other Canadian actors, such as Russell Peters and Ali Mukaddam. Drake makes a cameo as himself in the film.
The film has a few inconsistencies. There is a crucial scene where the team has to decide about turbans vs. helmets. The film forgets about this moment until much later in the film.
American actors Rob Lowe and Camilla Belle play brother/sister but they are a generation apart. Lowe plays the coach. We get the impression from watching the film that even Lowe is not sure why he is in the film.
Singh falls in love with the coach's sister but could have easily fallen in love with the coach's daughter. Perhaps Lowe's ego wouldn't allow for that.
Vinay Virmani is a triple threat as lead actor, co-writer, and producer in the film. Virmani is very personable in the lead and that makes getting past the inconsistencies a lot easier.
Virmani co-wrote the film with Noel S. Baker, Jeffrey Alan Schechter, and Matt Simmons. Robert Lieberman was the director.
The 2011 film isn't a great film but has its moments. The soundtrack may be more noteworthy than the film itself. Breakaway is a light film that is sufficiently entertaining without being deep or over the top.
Breakaway is available in Canada on CBC Gem and Fawesome.tv in the United States.
video credit: YouTube/eOnefilms photo credit: Breakaway
The 2023 Toronto International Film Festival is over. The mainstream film journalism sources are obsessed with the People's Choice Award (we'll get to that soon). We like to recognize the Canadian films that win awards at TIFF 2023.
Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe from director Robert McCallum won the People's Choice Documentary Award. Easy to say Ernie Coombs aka Mr. Dressup is the Canadian version of Mister Rogers. As you can see in the above photo, the two of them worked together. Rogers created Mister Rogers Neighbourhood in Canada before bringing the show to the United States.
Every American movie on Rogers ignores his time in Canada with the CBC. Watch this documentary to see what you have been missing.
Kanaval might be our unofficial Canadian film winner of TIFF 2023. The film directed by Henri Pardo won the Amplify Voices Award for Best BIPOC Canadian Feature. Kanaval also won Honourable Mention for Best Canadian Feature Film, which these days is better than winning the award (more on that later).
Tautuktavuk from directors Carol Kunnuk and Lucy Tulugarjuk won the Amplify Voices Award for Best BIPOC Canadian First Feature. We applaud that this category has an overall winner and rewards first-time feature filmmakers. We just want the Best Canadian First Feature Film award back for Canadian films overall.
Solo from Sophie Dupuis won the Best Canadian Feature Film award. Unfortunately, this heralded award has lost a lot of its credibility in the last 3 years. Much better films win Honourable Mention.
We haven't seen Underground, Dupuis' second film. Her debut film — Chien de Garde — was one of the worst Canadian films we've seen. Hopefully, Dupuis has improved as a filmmaker. She does have the good sense to cast Théodore Pellerin in her 3 films.
Ste. Anne and To Kill a Tiger, the previous 2 winners, were also not the "best" Canadian film in the festival.
The FIPRESCI Prize is given by international critics and a Canadian film rarely wins this award. I knew nothing about Seagrass from Meredith Hama-Brown before our TIFF Canadian film preview. The plot intrigued me for a lot of personal reasons.
This feels more significant this year than the actual Best Canadian Feature Film award.
Motherland from director Jasmin Mozaffari won the Best Canadian Short. Damon D’Oliveira won the Amplify Voices BIPOC Canadian Trailblazer Award.
Summer Qamp from director Jen Markowitz was the first runner-up for the People’s Choice Documentary Award.
Hell of a Summer from directors Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk, technically a Canada co-production, won second runner-up for the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award.
Spike Lee interviewing Talking Heads (David Byrne on far left) after very cool 40th Anniversary IMAX screening of Stop Making Sense… #TIFF23pic.twitter.com/i8Tpe15qLB
Nothing can stop Ethan Hawke from coming to #TIFF23 ❤️
The actor-director talks about taking a bus to Toronto to attend the World Premiere of his new film, WILDCAT. Captured with the @canoncanada PowerShot V10. pic.twitter.com/j9s3wwGYt0
We interrupt the Canadian film portion of our TIFF 2023 coverage to talk about things not Canadian. American Fiction from director Cord Jefferson won the People’s Choice Award. Sounds like the film has some things in common with Black Cop, the great Canadian film from a few years ago.
For the first time in recent memory, a Canadian film did not get a runner up spot in this award.
There wasn't as much of a "celebrity factor" because of the writers and actors strike. Getting David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz together again is worth a trip across the border. The Talking Heads reunited for an updated version of their amazing concert film Stop Making Sense. Too bad director Jonathan Demme has passed away, making a true reunion impossible.
Ethan Hawke, who has been in Canadian films such as Maudie and Born to Be Blue, has a great travel adventure of taking a bus from New York City to Toronto to attend TIFF 2023. Hawke directed his daughter Maya in Wildcat.
Tom Power and Q normally have extensive TIFF coverage, some of that related to Canadian film. Often, the segments run after the festival. The closest we get to Canadian film is an interview with Emma Seligman. Her new film is called Bottoms and definitely not a Canadian film.
The Current with Matt Galloway has some interviews with Canadian filmmakers.
Announcing the winner of the Amplify Voices Award for Best BIPOC Canadian First Feature, presented by @canadagoose: TAUTUKTAVUK (WHAT WE SEE) dirs. Carol Kunnuk, Lucy Tulugarjuk. #TIFF23pic.twitter.com/miTWfbytBz
Humanist Vampire Seeks Consenting Suicidal Person (Ariane Louis-Seize) Irena's Vow (Louise Archambault) The Nature Of Love (Monia Chokri) Seven Veils (Atom Egoyan) Solo (Sophie Dupuis)
We will have a lot more on this closer to WIFF 2023.
The video comes from TIFF 2023 celebrating Canadian film, which we do appreciate.
2019 Kacey Rohl, Mikhail Ahooja, Nahéma Ricci, Shamier Anderson
2020 Madeleine Sims-Fewer
2021 Arooj Azeem, Emma Ferreira, Phillip Lewitski, Thomas Antony Olajide
2022 Natalia Aranguren, Isaiah Lehtinen, Carmen Madonia, Joshua Odjick
2023 Amrit Kaur, Cody Lightning, Kudakwashe Rutendo, Mark Clennon
Best Canadian Feature Film
Best Canadian Feature Film
Year
Film
Director
2023
Solo
Sophie Dupuis
2022
To Kill A Tiger
Nisha Pahuja
2021
Ste. Anne
Rhayne Vermette
2020
Inconvenient Indian
Michelle Latimer
2019
Antigone
Sophie Deraspe
2018
The Fireflies Are Gone
Sebastien Pilote
2017
Les Affamés
Robin Aubert
2016
Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves
Mathieu Denis, Simon Lavoie
2015
Closet Monster
Stephen Dunn
2014
Felix and Meira
Maxime Giroux
2013
When Jews Were Funny
Alan Zweig
2012
Laurence Anyways
Xavier Dolan
2011
Monsieur Lazhar
Philippe Falardeau
2010
Incendies
Denis Villeneuve
2009
Cairo Time
Ruba Nadda
2008
Lost Song
Rodrigue Jean
2007
My Winnipeg
Guy Maddin
2006
Manufactured Landscapes
Jennifer Baichwal
2005
C.R.A.Z.Y.
Jean-Marc Vallée
2004
It's All Gone Pete Tong
Michael Dowse
2003
Les Invasions Barbares
Denys Arcand
2002
Spider
David Cronenberg
2001
Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner)
Zacharias Kunuk
2000
Waydowntown
Gary Burns
1999
The Five Senses
Jeremy Podeswa
1998
Nô
Robert Lepage
1997
The Sweet Hereafter
Atom Egoyan
The Hanging Garden
Thom Fitzgerald
1996
Long's Day Journey Into The Night
David Wellington
1995
Live Bait
Bruce Sweeney
1994
Exotica
Atom Egoyan
1993
Kanehsatake: 270 Years Of Resistance
Alanis Obomsawin
1992
Requiem Pour Un Beau Sans-Coeur
Robert Morin
1991
The Adjuster
Atom Egoyan
1990
H
Darrell Wasyk
1989
Roadkill
Bruce McDonald
1988
The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick
Allan Goldstein
1987
Family Viewing
Atom Egoyan
1986
Le Déclin De L'empire Américain
Denys Arcand
1985
Canada's Sweetheart: The Saga Of Hal C. Banks
Donald Brittain
1984
La Femme De L'hôtel
Léa Pool
Best Canadian Feature Film (1991-present); Excellence in Canadian Production (1984-1990).
Best Canadian First Feature Film
Best Canadian First Feature Film
Year
Film
Director
2019
The Twentieth Century
Matthew Rankin
2018
Roads in February
Katherine Jerkovic
2017
Luk' Luk'l
Wayne Wapeemukwa
2016
Old Stone
Johnny Ma
2015
Sleeping Giant
Andrew Cividino
2014
Bang Bang Baby
Jeffrey St. Jules
2013
Asphalt Watches
Shayne Ehman, Seth Scriver
2012
Antiviral
Brandon Cronenberg
Blackbird
Jason Buxton
2011
Edwin Boyd
Nathan Morlando
2010
The High Cost of Living
Deborah Chow
2009
The Wild Hunt
Alexandre Franchi
2008
Before Tomorrow
Marie-Hélène Cousineau
Madeline Piujuq Ivalu
2007
Un Film Sans Fusil Continental
Stéphane Lafleur
2006
Sur La Trace D'igor Rizzi
Nöel Mitrani
2005
The Life And Hard Times Of Guy Terrifico
Louise Archambault, Michael Mabbott
2004
La Peau Blanche
Daniel Roby
2003
Love, Sex and Eating The Bones
Sudz Sutherland
2002
Marion Bridge
Wiebke Von Carolsfeld
2001
Inertia
Sean Garrity
2000
La Moitié Gauche Du Frigo
Philippe Falardeau
1999
Just Watch Me:
Catherine Annau
Trudeau and The 70's Generation
1998
Last Night
Don McKellar
1997
Cube Vincenzo
Natali
As determined by the Toronto International Film Festival.
Twitter captures: @TIFF_NET (x3); @MattBelloni; @TIFF_NET (x3) photo credits: Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe; Kanaval video credit: Toronto International Film Festival
We will have a large article tomorrow morning on the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival award winners at TIFF 2023. We thought to have some fun and share some excitement over some of the Canadian films that might have significance, even without winning a major award.
The idea of a contest to test my Canadian film trivia knowledge sounds better than a donair, a plate of poutine, and butter tarts for dessert. Sorry I missed that event.
Backspot has tremendous potential as a film, Canadian film or otherwise. Bottoms (not a Canadian film) from Canadian filmmaker Emma Seligman may have a stronger marketing budget, but Backspot could be the better film.
We were a bit surprised this film didn't scratch at an award at TIFF 2023.
“You could really feel us transcend.” ✨@TheElliotPage reflects on his experience with director Dominic Savage (@SavageDominic) and co-star Hillary Baack while filming CLOSE TO YOU.
Pageboy: A Memoir may be one of the most interesting books of 2023, Canadian or otherwise. Curious to see what comes of Close to You, especially with a potential limit on major American films. Elliot Page is also an executive producer on Backspot.
We think I Am Sirat will be more interesting and perhaps better edited than Funny Boy from Deepa Mehta.
THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS mashes up textures of Indian cinema and a Canadian coming-of-age picture, tracing key moments in the lives of a mother and daughter born three decades apart. pic.twitter.com/pWQVaPyzjB
Canada is very good at films with strong immigrant stories. The Queen of My Dreams has some promise. This is the full-length directorial debut from Fawzia Mirza (which would have made this eligible for the Best Canadian First Feature Film if TIFF brought that back) and features 2023 TIFF Rising Star Amrit Kaur. Never hurts to have one of our favourite Canadian actors in Hamza Haq in the cast.
"This film is for everyone who has ever felt like their existence was a problem to be solved or who never felt like they fit into the suffocating boxes the world wants to package us in." -- Molly McGlynn https://t.co/8hN1iGMA5F
Molly McGlynn's new film Fitting In / Bloody Hell is based from her own medical experience. Should be funny and also informative.
#TIFF23 SPOTLIGHT: Backspot star Devery Jacobs and filmmaker D.W. Waterson talked to #CherryPicks about the new film, what they learned about themselves while making it, and why people tend to underestimate cheerleading. #TIFF2023@kdeveryjacobs@dw_waterson
Eli Glasner covers film for the CBC. Glasner rarely talks about Canadian film in any language so this very short piece for The National is worth noting.
The story is supposed to be about French-Canadian film. Glasner focuses mostly on actor Sophie Desmarais and writer-director Chloé Robichaud from Days of Happiness | Les Jours heureux. He briefly talks to Sophie Dupuis (Solo).
Unfortunately, Glasner mixes in a French (as in France) film Anatomy of a Fall starring German actor Sandra Hüller speaking English.
We would have suggested actual French-Canadian directors who had films at TIFF, such as Monia Chokri (The Nature of Love | Simple Comme Sylvain) or Louise Archambault (Irena's Vow). Maybe Radio-Canada could have produced the feature with subtitles for the English speaking audience.
Then again, Glasner's point was that French Canada filmmaking doesn't stray outside Quebec. Sophie Nélisse (Irena's Vow) and Théodore Pellerin (Solo) are a few of plenty of acting exceptions.
As an editor, I cringe when obvious mistakes are made, even in a 2-minute TV news piece. Nothing wrong with celebrating 3 French-Canadian films in a story about French-Canadian films.
Will take a Talking Heads reunion over most celebrity interactions at the Toronto International Film Festival. Sorry we missed that in person. Getting David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz together is really rare. Stop Making Sense is an amazing concert film. The reunion was missing the director, the late Jonathan Demme.
“Making movies is an arduous job but a great adventure."
As much as we love Canadian film, we recognize the amazing filmmakers from around the world. Appreciate Pedro Almodóvar, one of the best filmmakers anywhere, alive or dead. So incredible.
“You give me this gift, and if I can give something back to all of you, I will give back to you the feeling that you’re accepted for who you are.”
Your humble narrator has seen 3 films in the last year featuring Vicky Krieps, each in a different language. Corsage (German), Hold Me Tight (French), and Bergman Island (English). First saw her in The Chambermaid (2014). Not a minor actor in any of these films; Krieps is the star. Krieps is so smooth and fluid on screen that you have to watch her every move.
Krieps is a Luxembourg actor so you can win a bar bet to show you know one actor from that country. maybe we can sneak Krieps into a Canadian film. By sneak, I mean make her the lead.
Welcome back to our coverage of Canadian films on the CBC. We've seen a few new films this summer and fall, even to us, though they are likely Canadian films in name only.
Mystery could be the code word for the September 16 lineup. A classic film finishes out the September 23 lineup of Canadian films.
CBC shows Canadian films on Saturday night before Hockey Night in Canada returns to the public broadcaster in October.
This summer, the CBC presentations are starting at 9 pm local time (9:30 pm in Newfoundland).
We are getting 6 films in the next 2 weeks, though some weeks have 2 Canadian films.
This is a nice service from the public broadcaster.
The CBC will have a special Indigenous programming night on September 30 for National Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Here is the CBC Canadian films schedule for late September 2023.
September 16
9p Disappearance at Clifton Hill (2019) 11p American Woman (2019) 1a Sleeping Giant (2015)
September 23
9p Charlotte (2021) 11p Akilla's Escape (2020) 1a Bon Cop Bad Cop (2006)
The only major drawback to Disappearance at Clifton Hill is the dullness of the lead female actor but is otherwise an interesting film. Hannah Gross plays the sister but would have been better in the lead. Sleeping Giant (2015) played earlier this summer on July 29.
Charlotte is a Canadian film in name only. The animated film is based on German painter Charlotte Salomon. Henry Czerny is the highest Canadian actor on the callsheet. English actor Keira Knightley voices Charlotte.
We like Charles Officer as a Canadian filmmaker. This encouraged us to see Akilla's Escape, which exceeded my expectations as a film.
If you haven't seen Bon Cop Bad Cop, run the DVR or PVR. The film is a classic for a reason.
The only Canadian film on the schedule that we don't know about is American Woman, written and directed by Semi Chellas. American actor Hong Chau and Canada's own Sarah Gadon are in the cast. Fugitives are involved.
Yes, we praise a lot of Canadian films. Watching films with commercials isn't fun. These intriguing Canadian films address issues where Canadians should be familiar, even if they aren't in their regular wheelhouse.
Saturday nights during the hockey season means the NHL on CBC. Otherwise, CBC has Canadian films in store.
Canadians can choose to watch these Canadian films on CBC Gem. For a monthly fee, you can watch them without commercials.
logo credit: CBC photo credits: Sleeping Giant; Akilla's Escape
Any Canadian film that makes fun of Gary Bettman is a winner. While that is amazing, that point is one of many truly wonderful elements in Bon Cop, Bad Cop.
Martin Ward (Colm Feore) is Ontario and by the book. David Bouchard (Patrick Huard) is Quebec and not by the book. They have to come together to work on a case.
As interesting as the case may or may not be, the adventure comes in every small detail along the way. Language is crucial at key moments. Don't feel bad if you have to pause the film at points.
The chemistry and the script are sensational. You feel like you want the film to last twice as long, which is not to be confused with the sequel Bon Cop Bad Cop II, which is not nearly as good as the original.
There is also tension between the detectives because Bouchard is interested in Ward's sister Iris (Sarain Boylan).
You don't have to be a hockey fan to get some of the references, though that helps if you are a hockey fan.
We recommend using subtitles when watching the film, regardless of which language you speak.
If you are a fan of the Bon Cop Bad Cop film, keep Kevin Tierney in mind. Tierney was involved in multiple elements of the film world. He saw a desire to explore the bilingual issue in Canadian film. The success of Bon Cop Bad Cop led him to do the film French Immersion, which we also recommend.
Tierney's son Jacob Tierney might be more familiar from his career as a filmmaker and as co-creator of Letterkenny.
Kevin Tierney co-wrote Bon Cop Bad Cop with Huard as well as Leila Basen and Alex Epstein. Érik Canuel directed the film.
TIFF 2023 — the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival — runs today through September 17.
The collection of films from around the world starts tonight with the opening night (non-Canadian) film The Boy and the Heron from Hayao Miyazaki.
Bell announced last month that this TIFF will be the final one of its sponsorship after a 28-year arrangement. The decision was announced as mutual. Bell cited the need to "invest in other opportunities that are core to our business.”
That could be tied to the larger presence of Netflix at the Toronto International Film Festival, given Bell's interest in Crave. That could be due to the many cuts at Bell Media in the past few years.
The Bell Lightbox, the theatre at 350 King Street West in Toronto, will likely get a new name in 2024.
We are focused on the films, especially the Canadian films. One element that will be missing from TIFF 2023 is the lack of famous actors roaming the streets of Toronto. Directors can promote their films but not the actors due to the ongoing SAG/AFTRA strike. Some of those directors are also known as actors. Writers also can't promote their work but writers sadly aren't as famous as the actors who say their words.
Amanda Seyfried is starring in Seven Veils from Atom Egoyan, which will be at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. "@sagaftra has given us a waiver to promote this fully, magically independent Canadian movie but it doesn't feel right to head to the fest in light of the strike." — the actor said on Instagram.
We support fully the combined strikes of writers and actors. We understand and support Seyfried's decision.
We are excited to see the class of 2023 TIFF Rising Stars in their films this fall: Amrit Kaur, Cody Lightning, Kudakwashe Rutendo, and Mark Clennon. We don't know about any of them other than what we have read. There is an excitement to that approach.
While Molly McGlynn's second feature Fitting In will have that title at TIFF 2023, the film will be released as Bloody Hell. Regardless of the title, this film is on my list, especially with Emily Hampshire playing the mother role.
The running joke with the American films that play at TIFF is that they end up in regular theatres shortly after they run at TIFF.
Regardless of country origin, the resale value via Ticketmaster is growing to be extremely ridiculous. There is a novelty to seeing a film before most people but there is a monetary limit to the value of that accomplishment.
This ruins the spirit of a film festival where the joy of film is celebrated.
The spike isn't likely to hit the Canadian films at TIFF 2023 so you can enjoy them at regular prices.
There is not a requirement that the Canada entry into the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film play at the Toronto International Film Festival. This year's entry could use a boost that TIFF can provide.
We noted the upcoming documentary Hate To Love: Nickelback at TIFF about the Canadian band people love to hate. If you are an actual fan of the band, Nickelback will play as part of the Block Party this weekend in Toronto. If somehow you've never heard of Nickleback or wouldn't know any of their songs, you can find out for yourself by watching them live.
There are other bands, too, so you don't have to see Nickleback if that makes your stomach more nauseous than riding the Ferris wheel at the CNE after filling up on fair food.
Join us at @TIFF_NET Festival Street this weekend for a reel good time as we dive into the world of Canadian film trivia — test your knowledge, show off your cinephile skills, and win some EPIC prizes along the way! 🏆🍁 pic.twitter.com/btEjY1J4KR
The Boy and the Heron from Hayao Miyazaki is the opening night film for TIFF 2023. The last Canadian film to open TIFF remains Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band, the Robbie Robertson documentary in 2019. Robertson passed away last month at the age of 80.
That is the 10th Canadian film to get the opening night status since 2000, though the first since 2010.
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (2019)
Score: A Hockey Musical (2010)
Passchendaele (2008)
Fugitive Pieces (2007)
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen (2006)
Water (2005)
The Barbarian Invasions (2003)
Ararat (2002)
Last Wedding (2001)
Stardom (2000)
Denys Arcand had 2 films on the list: Stardom (2000) and The Barbarian Invasions (2003). 2 films reached the Oscars Top 5 cut for what is now the Best International Feature Film: The Barbarian Invasions (2003) and Water (2005). The Barbarian Invasions (2003) is the only Canadian film to win an Academy Award in that category.
We have seen all of these films except for Fugitive Pieces (2007) and The Journals of Knud Rasmussen (2006).
We ask very little from TIFF in terms of Canadian films. TIFF picked a similar type Canadian film in name only (to Rojek) as the Best Canadian Feature Film last year in To Kill A Tiger. Rooting for a Canadian film that feels like a Canadian film to win that award at TIFF 23.
The streak continues where TIFF has stopped the Best Canadian First Feature Film, last handed out in 2019. That was helpful to encourage young Canadian filmmakers.
TIFF 2023 starts today and runs through September 17.
Welcome back to our coverage of Canadian films on the CBC. We've seen a few new films this summer, even to us, though they are Canadian films in name only.
The long weekend starts today and you can catch up on some cool Canadian films.
The early September film lineups are sufficiently eclectic.
CBC shows Canadian films on Saturday night before Hockey Night in Canada returns to the public broadcaster in October.
This summer, the CBC presentations are starting at 9 pm local time (9:30 pm in Newfoundland).
Sometimes, we only get 4 films in 2 weeks, though these 2 weeks have 6 total Canadian films.
This is a nice service from the public broadcaster.
Here is the CBC Canadian films schedule for early September 2023.
September 2
9p Tammy's Always Dying (2019) 11p Mean Dreams (2016) 1a Man Running (2018)
If you only see 1 of the 6 Canadian films in the next 2 weeks, Mean Dreams is at the top of this list and most lists. An intense and scary film at times. Most chase films can't live up to this chase. American actor Bill Paxton, in one of his last roles, will scare you.
Tammy's Always Dying and Percy have good stories that needed help in how they were told. If you are flipping a coin between the 2 films, pick Tammy's Always Dying and research the real-life story of Percy.
We are at a disadvantage about the other 3 Canadian films. Man Running is from Gary Burns (waydowntown), whom we trust. Gord Rand plays a doctor who competes in an ultramarathon. Angelique's Isle is a Canadian historical drama film based on a true story about a voyageur couple who are forced to survive a harsh winter on an island in the middle of Lake Superior. Into Invisible Light is a romantic comedy with Jennifer Dale and Peter Keleghan that is an homage to Uncle Vanya.
Yes, we praise a lot of Canadian films. Watching films with commercials isn't fun. These intriguing Canadian films address issues where Canadians should be familiar, even if they aren't in their regular wheelhouse.
Saturday nights during the hockey season means the NHL on CBC. Otherwise, CBC has Canadian films in store.
Canadians can choose to watch these Canadian films on CBC Gem. For a monthly fee, you can watch them without commercials.
logo credit: CBC photo credits: Tammy's Always Dying; Percy
Just announced: The #TIFF23 Rising Stars, featuring actors on the verge of making a large impact on the international stage: Adwa Bader, Almudena González, Amrit Kaur, Aria Mia Loberti, Cody Lightning, Kudakwashe Rutendo, Léah Aubert, Mark Clennon, and Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne. pic.twitter.com/AGx1C7fQLQ
We are always excited about new, or relatively new, Canadian talent that gets the spotlight at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival through the Rising Stars program.
In recent years, TIFF has used the Rising Stars program to showcase Canadian and international talent as seen in films shown at the festival. For our purposes, we only spotlight the Canadian talent.
Here are the Canadians in the 2023 TIFF Rising Stars. All bios courtesy of the Toronto International Film Festival.
"Amrit Kaur is an artistic hyphenate: an actor, comedian, director, and writer. She believes in acting as a humanitarian art form with the power to heal, transcend, and empower. Kaur will star in Fawzia Mirza's The Queen of My Dreams opposite Hamza Haq and Nimra Bucha. The film, premiering at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, follows a Pakistani woman and her Canadian-born daughter as they come of age in two eras. The actor is best known for her breakout role on Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble's HBO Max hit series, The Sex Lives of College Girls."
"Cody Lightning is a world-class, generation-defining actor. Hailing from Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta, Lightning began acting at age five in the film Geronimo. Since then, he has become one of Hollywood’s most active Indigenous actors, best known for his roles in Smoke Signals, The Brave, Brick, and many more. In 2023, Lightning will star in Marvel's upcoming Echo series. His debut feature film as a writer-director, Hey Victor!, sees Lightning revisit his iconic role in Smoke Signals."
"Kudakwashe Rutendo is a fast-rising actor from Fort McMurray, Alberta, currently based in Toronto. She was first introduced to the performing arts through LIVE poetry, and since then her passion for performance has only grown. … Rutendo landed a role starring alongside actor Tatyana Ali in the feature film Giving Hope: The Ni'cola Mitchell Story (Lifetime). She is also a theatre actor featured in productions such as Lost Heroes of Oro (Theatre by the Bay), and Vierge (Factory Theatre). Rutendo is expected to have her breakout role in the upcoming feature film Backspot (Page Boy Productions), starring opposite Devery Jacobs (Rising Stars 2018), Thomas Antony Olajide (Rising Stars 2021), and Evan Rachel Wood."
"Mark Clennon is a Jamaican-born artist whose art is expressed through various mediums. As a musician, he has garnered fans worldwide with music that The Recording Academy describes as “mesmerising,” MTV News recently described his art as “intimate and groundbreaking.” In 2022, Clennon made history with the first music video set and shot in Jamaica to depict a same-sex on-screen romance instantly highlighting him as one of Jamaica's only openly gay performers. Clennon began his career in entertainment as an actor, but took a hiatus to focus on music. I Don't Know Who You Are marks his triumphant return to acting, with which he is able to marry his love and passion for music."
3 of the 4 Canadian films that feature the Rising Stars are from the Discovery section: Backspot, I Don't Know Who You Are, and The Queen of My Dreams. Hey, Viktor! is in the Centrepiece section.
Clennon is a writer on his film. Lightning directed and co-wrote the script for his film.
Your humble narrator has seen most of the recent films featuring past year's TIFF Rising Stars. Haven't seen the 2022 film (Bones of Crows) featuring Joshua Odjick, but saw him in Wildhood. Haven't seen Quickening featuring 2021 TIFF Rising Stars Arooj Azeem.
For those who thought Eternal Spring had "too much" Canadian content, Telefilm Canada brings us Rojek as Canada's nominee for the Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category for the 2024 Academy Awards.
The 2022 documentary from Zaynê Akyol is about imprisoned members of the Islamic State (aka ISIS) and telling the story of the Islamic State through personal stories.
The film did have a run in Canadian theaters in January.
Rojek is in Arabic, Kurdish, French, and English. English is allowed in the category as long as the English is less than 50% of the dialogue. We feel comfortable in that this will not be a repeat of Funny Boy.
This is the second documentary that Canada has entered for the Oscars. Last year's entry Eternal Spring was the first documentary. This is also the first film from Canada where Arabic is the primary language. Incendies, Monsieur Lazhar, and Antigone all featured Arabic as a secondary or tertiary language.
The strategy didn't work too well for Eternal Spring last fall. 14 Days, 12 Nights, like Rojek, was also a year old when Canada picked that film to replace Funny Boy, though that doesn't happen too often. Let's see if Rojek has a better fate.
Telefilm Canada doesn't give breakdowns on possible nominees. Based on the upcoming TIFF schedule, these Canadian film titles could have been in the mix.
Tautuktavuk | What We See (Carol Kunnuk, Lucy Tulugarjuk)
The Nature of Love | Simple Comme Sylvain (Monia Chokri)
Days of Happiness | Les Jours heureux (Chloé Robichaud)
Ru (Charles-Olivier Michaud)
We know Telefilm Canada wouldn't have selected the vampire film or Simple Comme Sylvain since comedies are almost allergic in this category.
Mentioning these titles showcases films with more of a Canadian presence than Rojek.
Akyol told the stories of women fighting against ISIS in her previous documentary, Gulîstan, Land of Roses (2016), her directorial debut.
We recognize that films such as this needs countries such as Canada to tell these difficult stories. The issue is that the Telefilm Canada current strategy is to pick films that have no visible Canadian content and aren't films in the Oscars conversation. If Canada won't come close to making the shortlist, why not submit a film that tells a Canadian story?
If Rojek makes the shortlist, that will be the first Canadian film in 7 years to have such an honour. The Xavier Dolan film It's Only the End of the World | Juste la fin du monde was the last Canadian film to make the shortlist.
Your humble narrator has seen the last 26 Canadian entries in this category, not counting Rojek. The most recent one I haven't seen is Not Me! | Sous-Sol from the Oscars in 1997.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the films on the 2024 Oscar shortlist on December 21. The five nominees will be announced on January 23, 2024. The 95th Oscars will be held on March 10, 2024.
Twitter capture: @Telefilm_Canada video credit: YouTube/Icarus Films photo credit: Rojek
