Canadian Crossing

2024 TIFF preview

The best of Canadian cinema lives at #TIFF24. 🍁

Tell us your favourite Canadian film. 👇 pic.twitter.com/JfWlo5vGJi

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 2, 2024

The 2024 Toronto International Film Festival begins tonight, though full days don't kick into tomorrow. The film festival runs today through September 15.

The buzzy part (can we come up with a better word than buzzy) is mostly about films with marketing budgets that they don't deserve and stars you actually recognize. Some of these films will play in the next 2-3 months in theatres or even come into your home via streaming. Aim for the films that don't get the hype and stick in your mind years after the flavour of the week.

You can check out Elle Canada's take on Canadian films in the festival. The Globe and Mail weighs in on the "buzziest" films at TIFF24 if you are one of the privileged few who can read the whole article.

That Shelf, which is a good resource, has their top festival picks. There are no Canadian films in the significant profiles, though the "Also excited for:" area lists Bonjour Tristesse, The Canadian Press "buzzy" list does not list any Canadian films.

RDV Canada has a nice wrapup of Canadian titles at TIFF24.

We inadvertently added Heretic to our Canadian film preview since there was a maple leaf. We have updated our Canadian film preview.

Universal Language is Canada's entry into the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film

I have been on the case for years for TIFF to bring back the Best Canadian First Feature Film. The award was last given out to The Twentieth Century from Matthew Rankin in 2019.

TIFF has finally conceded the need to recognize up and coming Canadian filmmakers. The festival is now presenting the Best Canadian Discovery Award with the new name and criteria. The award will now be an option for first- or second-feature films of those "in Official Selection by Canadian filmmakers are eligible for this award."

The winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000, same as the winner of the Best Canadian Feature Film Award, which specifically excludes first- or second-feature films.

The irony is that Universal Language | Une langue universelle would be eligible since this is Matthew Rankin's second feature film.

2023 TIFF Rising Stars

2022 TIFF Rising Stars

We get back an award that had been missing for 5 years and then we lose TIFF Rising Stars. While we haven't seen an official announcement, TIFF is not doing Rising Stars in 2024. The festival has been promoting young Canadian talent since 2011. The initial exercise was to spotlight young talent, even if they didn't have a film in that year's festival. The last few years has seen a shift where the Rising Stars specifically had films in the festival.

We were thinking about the benefits that, as an example, Sara Montpetit would get as a TIFF Rising Star. Montpetit was the lead in Maria Chapdelaine, co-lead in Falcon Lake, and the lead in Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person | Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant.

2015 TIFF Rising Star Deragh Campbell had 2 films at TIFF24. 2016 TIFF Rising Star Sophie Nélisse is very busy in 2 languages in 2 countries. 2017 TIFF Rising Star Théodore Pellerin is in high demand, mostly in French. 2018 TIFF Rising Star Devery Jacobs is juggling success in TV and film.

TIFF should be rewarding young Canadian talent. Hopefully, we won't have to wait 5 years for that to happen again.

We are a bit envious of Eric Tisch, The record-setting pace of seeing the most films in a festival would be rather impressive on its own. I know the Windsor International Film Festival record is 77.

More impressed on some level is that Tisch, programming manager for National Canadian Film Day, is out to watch every single Canadian film at TIFF. My Windsor experience would be very different if I could watch all of them at TIFF. Of course, Windsor adds Canadian films that don't play at TIFF.

His goal is 80 films. Tisch caught 63 films, including every Canadian film, at TIFF 2023.

Good luck to Tisch in his film-going adventure. We recommend a hearty cereal that doesn't need milk or granola to keep your energy up to absorb all those films.  

#TIFF24's @cameron_tiff shares which Canadian filmmakers are already making waves at the festival this year 🇨🇦✨ pic.twitter.com/fiMHb6ULvE

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 3, 2024

TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey mentions the obvious in the Canadian films coming to TIFF: David Cronenberg, Guy Maddin, and Matthew Rankin. Bailey also mentions Sophie Deraspe's new film Shepherds. You might feel like there are a lot of current French-Canadian female filmmakers named Sophie and you have a difficult time remembering which ones are the ones you like. We would argue they are all good, except of course, for Sophie Dupuis.

2024 TIFF Canadian film preview

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Oh, Canada played at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, though the film is definitely not a Canadian film. Richard Gere plays the older version of a writer who goes to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War. Uma Thurman is also in the film, written and directed by Paul Schrader.

Leonard Fife, the character played by Gere and Jacob Elordi as a younger version, is a documentary filmmaker living in Montréal.

Ironically, a film about running away to Canada was not actually shot in Canada. I don't have a crystal ball but I doubt his character will reflect someone who has lived in Canada, much less Montréal, for well over 50 years. Hopefully, the character will be more "Canadian" than Sandra Bullock's lame presentation of a Canadian in The Proposal.

Tegan and Sara, the Canadian music duo, are the subject of a documentary coming to TIFF24. Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara of is not a Canadian film yet telling a Canadian story. Our American readers can catch the documentary on Hulu starting October 18.

Saturday Night from Canadian director Jason Reitman makes its Canadian premiere at TIFF24. The story is the lead up to the debut of Saturday Night (later Saturday Night Live) in 1975. Canadian characters in the film include Lorne Michaels (creator of the show), Dan Aykroyd (writer and performer), and Paul Shaffer (part of the band).

BC native Pamela Anderson is back in The Last Showgirl, playing a seasoned Vegas showgirl trying to find her next act in life. The film is from Gia Coppola.

Denis Villeneuve will be at TIFF24 to talk about his very non-Canadian films, the Dune films.

The 2024 Toronto International Film Festival runs through September 15.

Twitter captures: @TIFF_NET (x2)
photo credits: @NFB_Jennifer; Seeds/@levelFILM
Facebook capture: Reel Canada/National Canadian Film Day

Canadian politics notebook: Very little of Canada in latest CPC ad

A family in Tuscany. Guns and fields of crops from the United States. A university in Slovenia. Russian fighter jets. An elementary school in Serbia. Foothills in Indonesia.

The federal Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) released a 3-minute video of its leader — Pierre Poilievre — giving a speech at the 2024 Calgary Stampede.

The video was made to seem like all of these lovely images were Canadian since the speech itself talks about Canada, perhaps one some feel like we haven't seen in awhile (if ever). The obvious problem is that the party used footage from everywhere else but Canada. The image of the school guard welcoming the students is from Canada. The rest of the footage isn't from Canada.

Okay, mistakes get made. Even huge mistakes. What is intriguing about this instance is that the party pulled down the ad almost immediately. No acknowledgment that any mistakes happened or any explanation. Pulled down. Nothing to see here.

Let's acknowledge the true Canadian heroes. Calgary-based Twitter user @disorderedyyc, who tracked down the information about the misleading footage. Using Utah's Rockies and not even the Canadian Rockies?

Tom St Denis, who saved the footage of the original video for all to see.

"We're home" is the message but the visuals in the ad are anything but, well, home, as in Canada.

The teacher greeting the students when the video shows us a school crossing guard greeting the students. Celebrating sobriety with alcohol. Somehow hearing the sounds of nails into Canadian lumber. Why are grandpa and grandma looking west?

The images aren't Canada (all but one) and the words are about a Canada that never existed.

CNN thought it was news.

The Guardian thought it was news.

Yet most Canadian news organizations didn’t, or used the Canadian Press reporting if at all.

That’s a problem. https://t.co/ZKcVVo0fCa

— Greg MacEachern (@gmacofglebe) August 23, 2024

This was newsworthy, even significant. If the Liberals or the NDP were this foolish, the story would be high on news pages throughout Canada.

Pierre Poilievre does this? Crickets. Typical was this response from The Current on CBC Radio One (Matt Galloway on vacation) where the ad was barely mentioned and the attitude basically was "no one will care in a year and why care now."

The CPC isn't even confronted on pulling the ad without explanation. The party knew the mainstream press wouldn't challenge them.

The 2 Canadian heroes did what we normally call journalism. The actual journalists? They wanted the story to go away.

Canadaland was a lot better, though even they took their time getting to this story. A conservative episode glossed over the ad, dismissing it like most of Canadian mainstream journalism.

The use of the overseas footage was one concern. At a time when Conservatives in Ontario are closing safe consumption sites, having a part of a speech where they celebrate sobriety with alcohol is really insensitive. That segment on The Current could have mentioned that point.

CanadianCrossing.com journalism coverage

Canadian travel notebook: Brittlestar talks up Atlantic Canada

Brittlestar as well as This Hour Has 22 Minutes put more energy into commentary over the ad than all the mainstream Canadian journalism combined. Not just the origin of the ads but the running commentary.

Season 32. September 17th at 8pm on @cbc & @cbcgem. pic.twitter.com/51mcZtbHq1

— 22Minutes (@22_Minutes) August 30, 2024

This Hour Has 22 Minutes made sure to capture its take on the CPC ad. We will run our look at the CBC television fall lineup next week.

The official news release on the collapse of @voteBCUnited pic.twitter.com/nIKaoFPT0b

— Rob Shaw (@RobShaw_BC) August 28, 2024

Usually a political party in Canada will ask the leader to step down. Kevin Falcon, BC United leader, took the unusual step of resigning the party for the upcoming British Columbia election, scheduled for October 19.

The scramble is for the 140 candidates combined for the BC United Party, formerly known as the BC Liberal Party, and the relatively new BC Conservative Party for 93 ridings. This has forced some incumbents to not run next month. Shirley Bond and Todd Stone are 2 of many who aren't running for re-election. Both served as cabinet ministers in what was then the BC Liberal Party.

Some BC United members might find an easy path to support John Rustad and the BC Conservatives. Falcon, who is not running for re-election, throw his support to that party. The BC Conservatives were a spinoff of the BC United Party over significant disagreements.

Many other BC United politicians are caught in the middle without a place to land or some will shift to David Eby and the NDP government currently in power. Some of the BC Conservatives takes on issues, such as vaccines, were not in the comfort zone of some BC United members and presumably voters.

At the time of the announcement, the BC Conservatives have 5 MLAs and 83 candidates while B.C. United had 23 MLAs with 57 candidates. Vote splitting was a concern in some of those ridings, which would increase the chances for the NDP candidate in a riding.

Falcon kicked Rustad out of BC United and then threw his support behind Rustad. The name switch from BC Liberals (which included Liberals and Conservatives) was likely a hindrance. Money was also likely a concern, as in raising funds for the party.

My name is David Eby, but I approve Kevin Falcon's message. https://t.co/KddcerEHsc

— David Eby (@Dave_Eby) August 29, 2024

The NDP has been in charge in the province since shortly after the 2017 election. While the Liberals won the most seats, that party was unable to form government. The NDP and Green Party then formed government. The NDP won a majority government in 2020. The Liberals had been in charge from 2001-2017.

This is a developing story and very new territory. The closest parallel in Canadian provincial politics was when then Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith, the then Opposition Leader in the Alberta legislature, led a floor crossing to the Progressive Conservatives in 2014.

The writ is expected to drop on September 21 for the October 19 election. We will run a preview for that race as well as provincial elections this fall in New Brunswick (October 21) and Saskatchewan (October 28).

2024 Canadian politics preview

CanadianCrossing.com British Columbia coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

This isn't #journalism, it's stalking.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is confronted during his family holiday by Keean Bexte of Rebel News on a Tofino, B.C. beach.https://t.co/6GlG3z5bub via @thehilltimes

— André Picard (@picardonhealth) July 25, 2024

We have seen a couple of "gotcha" type moments against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the last month or so. There was the stalking of a right-wing person with Trudeau on a BC beach while the prime minister was on vacation. The more recent incident was an infiltration with another right-wing person impersonated a steel worker to complain about paying 40% in income taxes (the numbers didn't even come close).

We get that some would love for Trudeau to leave. Paul Wells is obsessed about not knowing the prime minister's schedule when Wells conveniently ignores the efforts that right-wing people are doing to confront Trudeau. Even if you are someone who doesn't agree with Trudeau's policies, the prime minister deserves decent Canadian respect.

Liberals and NDP people were far more frustrated with Stephen Harper in 2015 and behaved in a civil manner.

Montreal - the town to henceforth be known as, "Wherever my parents' job took us."

— Alexander Panetta (@Alex_Panetta) August 23, 2024

Not so much Canadian politics but politics that can't say "Montréal" or "Canada." U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is running for the top job, president of the United States. The convention speech is a time to introduce yourself to voters who may not know who you are.

Harris lived in Montréal from 1976 to 1981 because her mother got a job at McGill University. She was a teenager who couldn't control where she lived. The vice president just couldn't realistically say the word "Montréal" in her convention speech. What if she speaks French? Does she have friends affiliated with the Parti Quebecois? Does she endorse Bill 101? When (if?) Harris went to a Montréal Expos game at Stade Olympique, did she sing O Canada in French and English? All English? Not at all? Sacre bleu!!

photo credit: Conservative Party of Canada
Twitter captures: @gmacofglebe; @22_Minutes; @RobShaw_BC; @Dave_Eby; @picardonhealth; @Alex_Panetta
video credits: Tom St Denis; Brittlestar

Upcoming Canadian film coverage for September 2024

We are expecting 2 major #cdnfilm stories this week. @TIFF_net list of #RisingStars as well as @Telefilm_Canada announcement for Best International Feature Film for @TheAcademy. Please have those announcements on different days. Please don't wait until Friday. #Oscars

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) August 26, 2024

Welcome to September!! Hope you are enjoying the long weekend for Labour Day (Labor Day for our U.S. friends and readers).

We got the Academy Awards announcement with Telefilm Canada selecting Universal Language | Une langue universelle as Canada's entry into the Best International Feature Film for the Oscars.

While we don't have official confirmation about TIFF Rising Stars, we gather the festival people skipped that for TIFF24. We will have more about that in our 2024 TIFF preview on Thursday.

Universal Language is Canada's entry into the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film

2024 TIFF Canadian film preview

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

2024 CFL Week 13 preview: Touchdown Pacific comes to Victoria, BC

Touchdown Pacific kicks off the Labour Day weekend for the CFL on Saturday night. The Ottawa RedBlacks travel to British Columbia to Royal Athletic Park in Victoria instead of BC Place in Vancouver. This game will indeed by on the CBS Sports Network in the United States.

The primary prairie teams have Sunday night to themselves as the Blue Bombers travel to Regina. The teams also met in Week 7 in Regina.

Toronto goes down the Queen Elizabeth Way to Hamilton for the Labour Day game. The teams also met in Week 7 in Hamilton with a rare Ticats win.

Unlike the other 2 major rivalries, this is the first Battle of Alberta in 2024 as the Elks and Stampeders match up in Calgary. This is the Labour Day nightcap.

CBS Sports Network has all the games on Labour Day weekend in the United States.

Montréal enjoys the Labour Day weekend to finish up the summer in La Belle Province.

CBS Sports Network

Saturday
Ottawa @ BC, 7p
Sunday
Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan, 7p
Monday
Toronto @ Hamilton, 2:30p
Edmonton @ Calgary, 6p

TSN

Saturday
Ottawa @ BC, 7p
Sunday
Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan, 7p
Monday
Toronto @ Hamilton, 2:30p
Edmonton @ Calgary, 6p

Bye week: Montréal

Nice to have a special CFL game without the pressure of putting a team in that city. Victoria, BC is hosting a CFL game but there is virtually no way a CFL team will end up in the British Columbia capital.

Victoria is not normally a late night spot downtown after the game but as we noted in our latest travel notebook, the city offers some fun in the evening.

Royal Athletic Park is a short walk away from downtown with a slight elevation going away from downtown. We are thrilled that CBS Sports Network is carrying the game.

We know that BC has quarterback issues, among other things lately. Nathan Rourke is from Victoria and will start the game.

If you are going, enjoy Victoria and then explore Vancouver Island.

Canadian travel notebook: Brittlestar talks up Atlantic Canada

WALK-OFF ROUGE 🚨

Argos only needed a single point to win... and they got it!#CFLGameDay pic.twitter.com/vkvuxF9f5K

— CFL (@CFL) August 23, 2024

The beauty of the CFL is deeper end zones — 20 yards — to give the offence more chances to score. Except that BMO Field in Toronto doesn't have regulation size end zones. They are 18 yards, still larger than puny NFL end zones of 10 yards.

The short end zone cost the Toronto Argonauts in 2019 as Chris Rainey caught the ball after a Sergio Castillo miss but stepped on the back line, giving the BC Lions a narrow win.

Saskatchewan had a strong 1st quarter but 2 quick interceptions helped Toronto back into the game. The Roughriders defence was legendary on the goal line to prevent Argos touchdowns.

Saskatchewan's game management was quizzical at the end. A timeout called with 31 seconds negated a first down reception. The timeout also limited the ability to run out the clock, though a run play would have helped knock off some time off the clock.

Not that the Roughriders wanted another tie but that looked more tempting as Lirim Hajrullahu's missed field goal gave Toronto the win.

Brett Lauther went perfect in field goals in a bounce back week for the Roughriders. Toronto's Chad Kelly went 24-for-39 with 322 passing yards and an interception. That was the most passing yards the Argos had this season in a game.

2024 CFL Week 12 preview

The BC Lions have lost 5 games in a row. Their defence, which had been the pride of the team, has been missing for some time. Dru Brown compiled 390 passing yards with 3 touchdowns. Nick Mardner caught 2 of those touchdowns for 95 overall yards. The big play with a 64-yard TD pass, the majority of which was YAC (yards after catch).

Nathan Rourke was a lot better, going 22-for-31 with 234 passing yards and 1 interception. Sean Whyte had his beautiful 46 consecutive made field goals streak come to an end thanks to a block from Ottawa's Jovan Santos-Knox.

Ottawa remains undefeated at home, something Montréal can't even claim.

The BC Lions could use some help in the past rush. Canadian defensive lineman Mathieu Betts (BC Lions) got his walking papers from the other Lions team, as in Detroit Lions. Betts had 2 solo tackles and a sack in 3 NFL preseason games. While Betts was a CFL free agent, he did return to Vancouver.

2024 CFL Week 11 preview

Before Friday's game in Winnipeg, Zach Collaros had 24 game-winning drives while Bo Levi Mitchell had 21 game-winning drives. The Blue Bombers slept walked through most of the second half while the Tiger-Cats took the lead. Winnipeg had one good drive in the second half, which was enough for the comeback win. Kenny Lawler caught the winning TD pass as he had struggled since returning from injury.

2024 CFL Week 10 preview

The Edmonton Elks had a formula when they lost. Play close but never getting enough momentum. The Elks 3-game winning streak was snapped in a new way: have a big lead and then don't score in the second half. Edmonton had the 17-6 halftime lead. The running game was excellent with Kevin Brown and Justin Rankin. McLeod Bethel-Thompson looked unbeatable. Cody Fajardo did not look like himself.

The magic of the second half led the Alouettes to another comeback win. Cole Spieker had 2 major touchdown catches in the second half: a 33-yard effort over the middle and a 22-yard sideline grab with the sideline running out on Spieker. The receiver finished with 5 catches for 107 yards.

Fajardo ended up with 22-for-34 in the air for 336 yards.

Yes, Boris Bede missed a field goal attempt in the second half on the turf of his original CFL home field. That was as close as the Elks got to productive offence. The Alouettes defence even stopped the Elks running attack.

Montréal celebrated the 1974 Grey Cup championship team. The Als defetaed Edmonton on a rainy day at the old Empire Stadium (pre BC Place) in Vancouver.

Austin Mack seemed destined to be in the NFL. Mack returned to the CFL and got some security with a rare (for non quarterbacks) 4-year contract with the Alouettes.

2024 CFL Week 9 preview

Saskatchewan (5-5-1) has a ½ game lead over Winnipeg and BC (5-6) and 1½ games up on Calgary (4-6).

Winnipeg is 1-4 on the road and Mosaic Stadium should be loud on Sunday. The Roughriders are 1-0 over the Blue Bombers so far.

Calgary is 1½ games ahead of Edmonton. The Stampeders are 4-1 at home while Elks have 2 of their 3 wins on the road.

Toronto is 1-3 on the road while Hamilton is 1-4 at home. Psychologically, this is the best chance Hamilton has to beat Toronto.

Ottawa is 2-2 on the road while BC is 3-1 at home, though the Saturday game is in Victoria.

Here’s the thing that defenders of the rouge fail to admit: the kickers who ‘earn’ the point view it as FAILURE for 59 minutes.
🏈 If a kicker misses a FG he’s disappointed, so is his team.
🏈 If a punter fails to pin the opponent inside the 10 & the ball goes into the endzone,… pic.twitter.com/nl4BrkLQ2m

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) August 23, 2024

Twitter went wild over the way the Saskatchewan-Toronto game ended. Even Farhan Lalji, who is pro-rouge, has some doubts. As a convert who didn't understand all parts of the rouge for a long time, I have an outsider view that embraces all aspects of the rouge. You can be a CFL fan and not like some or all parts of the rouge.

If the reasons you dislike the rouge have to do with gambling or point spreads, I ask calmly to get a nicer hobby. Hug your spouse and/or kids. Take walks in the park during football season. Or just stick to the boring NFL game.

MLB has taken a lot of the fun out of the game. Forced designated hitter in the National League. Constraining many elements of the game. Setting high standards for when a position player can pitch. The fun strategy part of sports. Your humble narrator gravitated to the CFL because of the many points combinations you can get.

Lalji is right in one sense that teams don't think much of the rouge early in the game. Unlike Whose Line Is It Anyway, the points do matter, no matter when they are scored. They might just add up to victory.

Last season, @goelks lost on a rouge in the final minute. Rewarding #BrettLauther for a great kick. Strategy makes @CFL better.

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) August 24, 2024

The Saskatchewan Roughriders fans travel well and hadn't been in Toronto in 4 years. The Canadian National Exhibition was in town so ticket holders got free admission to the Ex. Chad Kelly returned for his first game. The Argos drew 19,327 to BMO Field, the second-largest crowd there since 24,812 attended the Argos' first-ever game on the lakefront.

2024 CFL preseason schedule

An independent arbitrator upheld the CFL’s indefinite suspension of defensive lineman Shawn Lemon for wagering on CFL games. The league suspended Lemon on April 24 over a $100 wager while with Calgary in 2021. The wager involved a game in which he played.

Lemon retired before the suspension and came back during an appeal. He played in 4 games this season with 6 tackles and a sack.

Lemon won a Grey Cup with Montréal in 2023 and played for the Alouettes before losing his appeal. If the Alouettes repeat, would his name go on the Grey Cup again? 

As much as we like Shawn Lemon on the field, we have zero sympathy for his situation. Didn't seem worth what he lost.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Saskatchewan @ Toronto: Rod Smith/Glen Suitor/Matthew Scianitti
Hamilton @ Winnipeg: Dustin Nielson/Duane Forde/John Lu
BC @ Ottawa: Rod Smith/Glen Suitor/Claire Hanna
Edmonton @ Montréal: Marshall Ferguson/Paul LaPolice/Kenzie Lalonde

Glen Suitor got some time out east to get some chemistry with Rod Smith. Maybe Suitor likes the rides in the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. Dustin Nielson and Duane Forde worked together for the first time in 2024. Paul LaPolice is getting games Matt Dunigan would have had this year.

Glad to see Claire Hanna back on the CFL sidelines in Ottawa after her stint calling beach volleyball at the Olympics in Paris.

The CFL on TSN panel went back to 3 people on Sunday. This Sunday is the last one until Grey Cup day.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter capture: @CFL; @FarhanLaljiTSN; @canadian_xing
photo credit: TSN/CFL

Universal Language is Canada's entry into the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film

Press Release - 'Universal Language' is Canada’s Choice in the race for Best International Feature Film at the 2025 Oscars®@MetafilmsInc @OscopeLabs @TheAcademy https://t.co/LRnh8MHHNo

— Telefilm Canada (@Telefilm_Canada) August 27, 2024

Telefilm Canada has selected Universal Language | Une langue universelle as Canada's entry into the Best International Feature Film for the 97th Academy Awards for next March.

The Matthew Rankin film did well at Cannes and seemed to be the logical pick for the Oscars. Rankin is the director and co-writer of the film along with Pirouz Nemati and Ila Firouzabadi.

The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and its North American debut will be at TIFF on September 10. Universal Language | Une langue universelle will have a theatrical run in Canada starting September 20. Any qualifying film needs a theatrical run for at least 7 consecutive days between November 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024.

The film stars Rojina Esmaeili, Saba Vahedyousefi, Pirouz Nemati, Mani Soleymanlou, and Matthew Rankin. The languages are French and Farsi within the film.

Screen Daily reported that there were 28 entries for last year's Oscars in this category. Telefilm Canada picked Rojek out of that group. There were 16 films 2 years ago and 10 films 3 years ago. Telefilm Canada doesn't release the list of films under contention.

The publication also reported that Telefilm Canada gives up to $100,000 in promotional support with $40,000 for submissions that make the shortlist of 15 titles.

This is the first feature from Canada in 3 years in this Academy Awards category. Telefilm Canada went with documentaries in the last 2 years with Rojek last year and Eternal Spring 2 years ago. Drunken Birds | Les Oiseaux ivres was the last feature in this category 3 years ago.

The hope is that Universal Language | Une langue universelle will be part of the worldwide conversation for the Best International Feature Film for the Academy Awards.

Canadian film "A Shrine," directed by Abdolreza Kahani, is in the final list for Canada's Oscars entry in the International Feature Film category at the 96th Academy Awards. The final representative will be announced in two weeks. #Oscars2024 @AbdolrezaKahani pic.twitter.com/w2u7CesPVC

— Reihane Taravati (@reihanetaravati) August 14, 2024

We almost never know any other nominees than the one Telefilm Canada picks for the honour. Stumbled upon this tweet. Surprised more films don't announce their status.

We should clarify that while the tweet says "96th Academy Awards," the films are up for the 97th Academy Awards. More like #Oscars2025.

We were curious if Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person | Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant made the shortlist.

Matthew Rankin's new film was a highlight at Cannes 2024

France and Poland had prominent debates last year over the film selected for the Best International Feature Film. Poland selected The Peasants over The Green Border more than likely due to government interference. Though Anatomy of a Fall won major "foreign film" awards, France picked The Taste of Things | La Passion de Dodin Bouffant for its official selection.

In these instances, there were 2 strong films and a discussion. In Canada, there is no talk or speculation — at least in English language circles — as to what films missed the cut.

2024 TIFF Canadian film preview

Universal Language won the first-ever Chantal Akerman award at Cannes: an audience prize presented to the best film in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes film festival. Akerman is one of our favourite filmmakers, regardless of country. She is known for Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles and Je Tu Il Elle.

Looking back at the last 20 Canada Oscars entries for international films

Looking back at Canada's Oscars entries for international films

This might seem early for Canada to make its submission to the 97th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film, but these countries have already submitted their entries: Austria, Germany, Iraq, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Palestine, Taiwan, Turkey, and Uruguay.

All countries submitting films have until October 2.

Rojek misses the Oscars shortlist cut for Best International Feature Film

Canadian film case study: Rojek

Rojek is Canada's entry into the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Your humble narrator is looking forward to seeing Universal Language | Une langue universelle with the idea of joy at seeing Canada'e entry into the Oscars. Watching Rojek was a legit chore. I have seen the last 27 Canadian entries in the Best International Feature Film category. The most recent one I haven't seen is Not Me! | Sous-Sol from the Oscars in 1997.

We will know the films to make the shortlist on December 17. The Oscars nominations get released on January 17, 2025 with the Academy Awards ceremony on March 2, 2025.

Twitter captures: @Telefilm_Canada; @reihanetaravati
photo credit: Universal Language | Une langue universelle
video credit: Telefilm Canada

2024 CFL Week 12 preview

Saskatchewan comes to Toronto, the actual city, for the first time since before the pandemic. The Roughriders fans travel well and they should know that a ticket to see the Argos also gets you into the Canadian National Exhibition.

The Argonauts usually get 2 home games during the CNE but got a bye last week. If you are going to be in Toronto, the CNE runs though September 2.

Saskatchewan hasn't played Toronto in Canada's largest city since September 28, 2019 with a 41-16 over the Argonauts. The Roughriders played the Argonauts in Halifax (2023) and Wolfville, NS (2022) and didn't have a road trip to Toronto in 2021.

The CFL on TSN panel will be on site at BMO Field.

Hamilton gets to relive memories of playing Winnipeg for the Grey Cup (2019 and 2021). Unfortunately for the Tiger-Cats fans, both those tries fell short. Michael O'Shea remembers from the other sideline at Princess Auto Stadium.

CBS Sports Network throws off the algorithm by carrying the Friday night game.

The BC Lions study up on sleeping on planes with the team's second-longest road trip as they go to the federal capital. Ottawa has a much better team and has performed well at TD Place. This is the Saturday game and NOT on CBS Sports Network.

Alouettes GM Danny Maciocia remembers well the yellow and green of the Edmonton franchise. The Elks visit Maciocia's current home of Montréal on Sunday night. CBS Sports Network has this game in the United States.

Calgary gets a chance to rest up for the Battle of Alberta at home at McMahon Stadium.

CBS Sports Network

Friday
Hamilton @ Winnipeg, 8:30p
Sunday
Edmonton @ Montréal, 7p

TSN

Thursday
Saskatchewan @ Toronto, 7:30p
Friday
Hamilton @ Winnipeg, 8:30p
Saturday
BC @ Ottawa, 7p
Sunday
Edmonton @ Montréal, 7p

Bye week: Calgary

The spider cam work on this return is phenomenal!

I’m not paying attention to it during the play, obviously, but wow. pic.twitter.com/IGe1dlVfmA

— Dustin Nielson (@nielsonTSN1260) August 17, 2024

James Letcher Jr. was in the end zone for Montréal, waiting on a Brett Lauther field goal attempt. This is usually a futile exercise since Lauther usually makes these field goals.

To say Friday night was not Brett Lauther's best night is a sharp understatement. The kick missed wide right and Letcher returned the ball 128 yards for a touchdown.

Lauther won a game for Saskatchewan last year over Edmonton with a kickoff single late in the game. The Roughriders still had a chance to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Trevor Harris returned at quarterback for the Roughriders with 31-for-39 for 355 yards and 2 touchdowns. Saskatchewan struggled to get majors early on under favourable conditions.

Cody Fajardo, who used to be the Saskatchewan starting quarterback (3 seasons) was in uniform as a backup.

Davis Alexander can make you think his team won't win but then they do. Can't explain it. Alexander finished 22-for-33 for 285 yards and a passing touchdown. Alexander scored on the ground late in the game to give the Alouettes the win. The TSN replay showed green in between the white shoe and the sideline. There was another shot on the Internet showing Alexander's foot out of bounds. 

The Alouettes won their 8th straight road game, going back to September 9 of last year. The previous record was set in 2002-2003.

A shout-out to Saskatchewan's Rolan Milligan Jr. who may be the defensive player in the CFL. TSN flashed his stats during the 3rd quarter: first in interceptions (6) and pass knockdowns (10) as well as second in special teams tackles and defensive plays. We pay more attention to offence than defence yet Milligan is a standout.

CBS Sports Network doesn't usually carry added a rare Friday game, likely not knowing that this would be a classic.

Montréal gets back another outstanding receiver in Austin Mack after a stint with the NFL Atlanta Falcons. Mack had 78 receptions for 1,154 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2023. He had 104 yards in the Grey Cup.

2024 CFL Week 11 preview

2024 CFL Week 10 preview

2024 CFL Week 9 preview

Calgary wanted to sweep Toronto but lost control of the game at BMO Field. The Stampeders didn't want to get swept by Ottawa yet the RedBlacks gave Jeremiah Masoli his first CFL win in 999 days. Calgary suffered its first loss at McMahon Stadium.

That might have been the best played first half by both teams in a CFL game this season. Calgary had 2 punt singles while Ottawa had 1. They may seem meaningless but not to the margin to get a win, or the previous week for Ottawa to get a tie.

Ottawa seemingly blew a chance on a tough 3rd down call, turning the ball over late in the game. Yet the RedBlacks defence came through and forced a punt that led to the game winning drive.

2024 CFL Week 8 preview

As good as Masoli was in a long layoff, Nathan Rourke was not that great in his return.

Nathan Rourke was rusty. Really rusty. The BC Lions put a lot into Rourke at the home game against Winnipeg. Jake Dolegala likely couldn't have done much better. The same could be true of Chase Brice.

Rourke went 8-for-25 for 126 passing yards with 2 interceptions. He could have had more than that in terms of interceptions. Winnipeg was coming off a bye and looked very comfortable. Despite the terrible Blue Bombers start, Winnipeg is a game behind BC and Saskatchewan within striking distance once Labour Day weekend arrives.

Michael O'Shea wins his 100th game as coach for the Blue Bombers.

The Lions have lost 4 in a row and don't have the tiebreakers versus the Edmonton Elks and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. BC only has 2 more games with West opponents, none until October: hosting Calgary on October 4 and traveling to Regina on October 12. Back to back games with Ottawa is not the panacea the 2023 version might have provided.

2024 CFL Week 7 preview

The Edmonton Elks have a 3-game winning streak after a rare blowout win for the Elks. McLeod Bethel-Thompson won his first start as an Elk and had the first win as a starting quarterback not named Tre Ford in a very long time.

Tiger-Cats receiver Luther Hakunavanhu suffered a head injury on the first scrimmage play. That injury overshadowed the game with about a 20-minute delay before play resumed. Taylor Powell started the game at quarterback for Hamilton but a head injury forced Powell from the game.

Nyles Morgan contributed both hits. The hit on Hakunavanhu looked terrible but possibly was a "football hit." The hit on Powell was head on head. While Powell was running the ball, the hit should have drawn a penalty and/or a fine/suspension.

Justin Rankin ran for 108 yards as the Edmonton run game is now one of the best in the league, regardless of the quarterback.

Bo Levi Mitchell had good numbers in a losing cause again: 23-for-34 for 294 yards with a touchdown and 2 interceptions. Harrison Frost finished up in the 4th quarter.

This season series is over so neither team can rely on a relatively easy win.

Former Edmonton coach Chris Jones was seen at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday. Jones replaced Mark Washington as defensive coordinator on Sunday. The Tiger-Cats already replaced the special teams coach. Psst. The coaches aren't to blame.

Farhan Lalji reported that Jones will calling the defensive plays and not get paid by the Ticats for the rest of the season. Lalji noted that his buyout by the Elks means "receiving approx 12 months pay following his dismissal."

Toronto Argonauts update on Chad Kelly status pic.twitter.com/a2zp4oBHR3

— Toronto Argonauts Media Relations (@ArgonautsMR) August 18, 2024

The CFL has decided to reinstate Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly after a "last chance agreement." We have a number of problems with everything on how this was handled.

The Argos should not have fired the coach in question. Everything that happened with Kelly physically in camp. Kelly's past, official and unofficial. The only remote remorse from Kelly came in a statement he almost certainly didn't write or see until he signed it. Whether the standards of "success" would be acceptable to women who have experience sexual harassment at this level.

Cameron Dukes and Nick Arbuckle have shared the Argos quarterback position. Kelly gets the start for the home game against Saskatchewan tonight.

Thomas Bertrand-Hudon is the first professional football player to wear a guardian cap in a regular season game.

This is the second year of the guardian cap implementation in the CFL. Players have had the option this season to wear it in game if they wanted. pic.twitter.com/c1RoVW4MR9

— CFL (@CFL) August 17, 2024

Saskatchewan's Thomas Bertrand-Hudon is the answer of the trivia question: Who was the first professional football player to wear a guardian cap in a regular season game? The head is the part we want to protect. Good on Bertrand-Hudon to take the lead. We are curious if players like the feel of the guardian cap. Helmets seem to come off quite a bit in football, so we are also curious if guardian caps are more likely to stay on the head.

Safety may not be "cool" but a healthy head means more football and a better life after football.

Stefan Flintoft showing the power for @BCLions, and referee Ben Major is loving it too! #CFLGameDay
📺 on @TSN_Sports & @CBSSportsNet
📱 on TSN+ pic.twitter.com/LmKA9MnoDj

— CFL (@CFL) August 19, 2024 

The BC Place renovation of 2010-2011 brought in a very new, very awesome video scoreboard hanging down from the centre of the new retractable roof. Stefan Flintoft kicked a very high punt that went off the scoreboard Sunday night against Winnipeg. Head referee Ben Major had the best line of the week with his response.

As impressive as the current scoreboard is at BC Place, there will be a new video board as part of renovations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. CFL punters should take note.

2024 CFL preseason schedule

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Ottawa @ Calgary: Rod Smith/Paul LaPolice/Farhan Lalji
Montréal @ Saskatchewan: Dustin Nielson/Glen Suitor/Brit Dort
Edmonton @ Hamilton: Marshall Ferguson/Duane Forde/Matthew Scianitti
Winnipeg @ BC: Dustin Nielson/Glen Suitor/Farhan Lalji

Farhan Lalji is based in Vancouver yet Lalji seems to be the unofficial choice to cover Calgary on the sidelines. Shantelle Chand has also handled sideline duties in Vancouver. Lalji usually calls play by play on a game or two in Vancouver. We predict September 13 might be one of those times, maybe with Matt Dunigan.

Paul LaPolice seemed a logical choice in the Ottawa game in Calgary because of his relationship with Jeremiah Masoli (being his coach in Ottawa). TSN seems more likely to send LaPolice west than Duane Forde.

Milt Stegall had the week off. Laura Daikun filled in for Kate Beirness for Sunday, which also had 4 human beings on the CFL on TSN panel. We had seen a host and 2 panelists all summer on Sundays. Dave Naylor made his 2024 CFL on TSN panel debut on Sunday, though that could have been tied to the whole Chad Kelly story.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter capture: @nielsonTSN1260; @ArgonautsMR; @CFL; @CFL
photo credit: TSN/CFL

Canadian travel notebook: Brittlestar talks up Atlantic Canada

Brittlestar has wonderful content about Canada and being Canadian. His take on tourism videos in Atlantic Canada makes us want to go back to that part of the world, especially in late summer. His take on Halifax: a lot of walking uphill. Brought back great memories of my time walking a lot uphill in downtown Halifax.

Canadians aren't stereotypically good at conveying how good Canada is, especially as a travel destination. Shy about self-promotion is good, unless you want to get people to come visit you.

Even among Canadians, traveling to Atlantic Canada is not high on the list of travel destinations. I might have thought the same thing until I went there to find out for myself. Prince Edward Island, a popular tourist destination, is trying to figure out the best way to manage tourism marketing.

Brittlestar said it well in one of his recent Substack entries:

One of our poorest character traits as Canadians is to dismiss anything Canada has to offer until it is celebrated elsewhere then we become annoyingly patriotic.

Here’s the reality…
We don’t have to wait for some other place to tell us our place is cool.
Our place is cool.
Occasionally cold, but still cool.

You can catch his YouTube videos or find him on a platform that is more your speed, such as TikTok.

See Canada through Canadian road films

How Canadian film can show U.S., North Korea what Canada looks like

We are in the dog days of late August. We wrote a piece a long time ago on the beauty of road trip Canadian films. Maybe you've done your summer travel or travel is too expensive for you. Watching Canada through road trip films can serve a travel requirement where you can sleep in your own bed.

Highway 61, Cas & Dylan, and One Week are just some of the Canadian film titles we mentioned. I miss the type of films that Tatiana Maslany used to do as a film actor. Maslany was influenced by Gena Rowlands, who just recently passed away, and John Cassavetes. From the Guardian:

When Tatiana Maslany was 20, she wondered whether acting was really for her. The Canadian was already 11 years into her career, having begun working as a child, and had recently relocated from Regina in Saskatchewan to Toronto in order to be where the jobs were. "I suddenly had this urge to re-evaluate why I was doing it," she says. "Was I just doing it because it was this thing I did as a kid?" But then she watched John Cassavetes' 1974 film A Woman Under the Influence, in which Gena Rowlands' suburban housewife reaches breaking point. "And I thought: 'Yes, that's it! That's what I want!'" she exclaims. "I wanted that level of freedom and inventiveness and presence and connection. It was so powerful to watch. That movie showed me what was possible."

Come back to Canada and do those kind of films (not with Joey Klein).

If you have a favorite Canadian travel film — English, French, or whatever language — please let us know.

Just had a realization-- Is there seriously no other regional rail offerings besides GO Transit (ON) in all of Canada?

BC? AB? QC? There's no non-VIA passenger rails between cities outside of Ontario? Why?

You'd think Calgary-Edmonton or Vancouver-Whistler would be easy wins.

— Olivier Bourgeois (@olivi_eh) April 29, 2024

This is a topic where we have gone into detail. Whatever our criticisms of Amtrak are in the United States, there are stretches where trains are a great option to get from Point A to Point B. You could fly from Rome to Florence but having been on the train between the 2 Italian cities, you know the train is the only way to go.

This person mentioned Calgary-Edmtonton and Vancouver-Whistler. We would add Regina-Saskatoon. You can take Via Rail from Winnipeg to Saskatoon but that isn't terribly convenient from a schedule standpoint. I took the overnight bus (Greyhound RIP) from Winnipeg to Regina that worked out well enough.

High-speed rail brings people closer together, even in wide open spaces such as Alberta

I took short buses in between Atlantic Canada points: Charlottetown-Moncton as one example. Trains to and from Prince Edward Island have a major barrier in the Atlantic Ocean. Halifax-Yarmouth would take you across Nova Scotia.

I've done Vancouver to Victoria in a seaplane. Gorgeous trip though frighteningly expensive. Downtown to downtown travel is psychologically freeing on vacation. Compare that by contrast to Vancouver to Tsawwassen and then BC Ferries to Swartz Bay to Victoria. Speaking of Victoria ... .

For those who don't follow the CFL, the league has had Touchdown Atlantic as a way to draw interest in getting a team into Atlantic Canada. Regular season games have been held in Moncton, NB as well as games (finally) in Nova Scotia in Wolfville in 2022 and Halifax, the ideal site for the Atlantic Schooners, in 2023.

Touchdown Atlantic has shifted to Touchdown Pacific in Victoria. The BC Lions host Ottawa on August 31 (Labour Day Weekend) at Royal Athletic Park. The stadium is about 2 km away from the water's edge in downtown Victoria. You do move uphill away from downtown but not nearly as steep as Halifax or St. John's.

I recommend Red Fish, Blue Fish for dinner after the game if you are going to the British Columbia capital for the game. Beautiful seafood and a view of the sunset into the harbour. The government building lights up at night in the harbour. Munro Books is just down Government Street.

Victoria is also a good stepping point to explore Vancouver Island: Nanaimo as well as Tofino and Ucluelet.

We talk about travel to Canada tied to sports events. I went to New Brunswick in part because of Touchdown Atlantic in 2013. The Toronto Blue Jays were recently at Wrigley Field, which draws Canadians to come in part because of sports. Met a very nice father and son who came in from Bathurst, New Brunswick. They drove to Bangor, Maine and then flew to Chicago.

Canadians and Americans can get along better if they know each other's country. That leads us to the final news story.

Yesterday, met a guy at a gas station, he asked where I was from and I said Manitoba Canada and he goes how do you say hello in your language?? He was American

— Marni Cramer (@CramerMarni) August 17, 2024

We started this blog many moons ago to get a better understanding of Canada by Americans. Whatever progress we have made, well, there is a long way to go. Americans are not taught to be curious about the world. Those who are curious know a lot, such as your humble narrator.

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

Say hello, bonjour, Nǐ hǎo (Mandarin), Tansi (Cree), or Taanshi (Métis). Do say hello in some form.

video credit: Brittlestar
photo credits: Cas & Dylan; Brittlestar; CFL
Twitter captures: @olivi_eh; @CramerMarni

Canadian film notebook: Season 3 of the Maple Popcorn podcast

We have a Season 3 of the Maple Popcorn podcast thanks to Telefilm Canada. Each season has had 6 episodes as does Season 3.

As we have previously noted, Maple Popcorn is about the world of Canadian film as opposed to actual Canadian films.

Canadian entertainment reporter Marriska Fernandes is the host. Fernandes is candid in her observations.

Season 3 gives us encounters with Atom Egoyan, Cody Lightning, Kari Skogland, Karen LeBlanc, Mark O’Brien, and Mary Walsh.

The release notes Egoyan's work in Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter, and Chloe. Egoyan shares about the time he and Bruce McDonald screened their short films on a wall during TIFF.

Lightning got a lot of acclaim for his directorial debut Hey, Viktor!. Skogland is known for her contributions to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and The Handmaid’s Tale.

LeBlanc talks about her career, "feeling seen by Charles Officer when filming Nurse.Fighter.Boy," a beautiful Canadian film. Mark O'Brien may be known broadly for his work on Republic of Doyle though his recent work shows different sides of the actor and filmmaker. Mary Walsh has had a legendary career in Canadian film besides her amazing television work with CODCO and This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

Here are the 6 podcast episodes:

• Filmmaker Atom Egoyan
• Cree actor and filmmaker Cody Lightning
• Filmmaker and showrunner Kari Skogland
• Actor, singer, and performer Karen LeBlanc
• Actor and filmmaker Mark O’Brien
• Actor, comedian, writer, and even director Mary Walsh

You can look into more about the Season 3 episodes. You can find out more details about the podcast.

Canadian film notebook: Season 2 of the Maple Popcorn podcast

Maple Popcorn podcast offers insight into those who make Canadian film

Looking back at Telefilm Canada efforts to promote Canadian film

There was the Quebec cinq aka the Quebec 5 — the first 5 films for Xavier Dolan. Then a shift with Juste la fin du monde | It's Only the End of the World and then the long wait for The Death and Life of John F. Donovan. Finally, we had Matthias et Maxime.

Xavier Dolan did come out and say he wants to stop making films. Now Dolan is working on a period piece (1880s France) horror film. The current timeline is for Dolan to start shooting in late 2025.

Dolan has felt a lot of outside frustration from his recent films. We feel like Dolan should do what works best for him in filmmaking, even if those films don't approach what he did early in his filmmaking career.

The Deadline article noted that Dolan talked to the Canadian cinema podcast Sans Filtre. We recognise that a Canadian cinema podcast on this level has to be in French. English subtitles are available by clicking on the CC button on the video.

We aren't wild about jumping back and forth between retiring and not retiring but we also recognise that this could happen. We want the future Xavier Dolan films to be thoughtful, entertaining, and hopefully, Canadian.

Xavier Dolan says he wants to stop making films

Canadian film review: The Death and Life of John F. Donovan

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Tomorrow, we will explore summer travel through road trip Canadian films. You can take an early peek at the Canadian films coming to the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Opening night is September 5.

photo credit: Maple Popcorn/Telefilm Canada
video credits: Sans Filtre

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late August 2024

The 2024 Paris Olympics are done so we resume Canadian films on Saturday nights on CBC.

Islands is a very quiet film about Joshua, a middle-aged Filipino immigrant searching for a partner after his parents' health starts to fade. A terrific character study with a look at the Filipino-Canadian community.

Splinters is the next to last film from Thom Fitzgerald. Belle comes back home to Nova Scotia after her father passes. Her mother was not happy when Belle came out as a lesbian. Now she wants to hide her current relationship with a man.

You might know Thom Fitzgerald from The Hanging Garden (1997) or Cloudburst (2011).

Night Raiders presents a dystopian world as a nod to the reality of residential schools. Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Brooklyn Letexier-Hart are in sync on screen.

Werewolf is a strong film about 2 meth addicts in Nova Scotia. Yet CBC showed this film on July 13 this year. Honey Bee might seem like a simple plot yet is surprisingly deep as a story. Julia Sarah Stone has proven she can carry a film. Her character is dealing with a foster home.

We do have a bonus movie on August 17. CBC is running Absolutely Canadian: The Pizza City You've Never Heard Of about Windsor, ON at 8 pm local time. We have reviewed that film.

Some of these Canadian films may have been featured on CBC in the past. The films should also be available on CBC Gem.

The CBC coverage of the Paralympics from Paris will interrupt Canadian films on Saturday nights on August 31 and September 7.

August 17

9p Islands (2021)
11p Splinters (2022)

August 24

9p Night Raiders (2021)
11p Werewolf (2019)
1a Honey Bee (2018)

Canadian film review: Islands

Canadian film review: Splinters

Canadian film review: The Pizza City You've Never Heard Of

Canadian film review: Night Raiders

Canadian film review: Werewolf

Canadian film review: Honey Bee

These Canadian films offer a decent variety in the next couple of weeks. Maybe you missed Werewolf last month.

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late July 2024

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early July 2024

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late June 2024

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in the 2023 offseason

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in the 2022 offseason

A reminder to our American friends who are fortunate enough to get a CBC signal — such as Detroit, Buffalo, and Seattle — that this is a really good opportunity to get a glimpse into Canadian content through cinema. A lot of English Canadians also need this reminder.

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Feel free to leave a comment on these Canadian films or even Canadian films you would love to see on a Saturday night on the CBC.

logo credit: CBC
photo credit: Splinters

2024 CFL Week 11 preview

screw it, Nathan Rourke highlights. 😤#CFL pic.twitter.com/6D9kzMd3s4

— CFL (@CFL) August 13, 2024

Calgary fans hope their home game against Ottawa will be as lopsided as the road loss was in the federal capital. The Stampeders, undefeated at home, face a new quarterback. Jeremiah Masoli gets the start for the RedBlacks on Thursday night. This is the only CFL game not on TV in the States.

Saskatchewan has its own revenge outcome in mind as Montréal travels to Regina on Friday night. The Roughriders didn't score in the second half in Montréal in the earlier game. Cody Fajardo will be back at his old stomping grounds at Mosaic Stadium, even if he might not be ready to play. Former Alouettes QB Trevor Harris might play in this game.

Tre Ford gets a homecoming Saturday night as the Elks travel to Hamilton, near where Ford grew up in Ontario. The Tiger-Cats got a taste of what Ford can do when he came into the earlier game and threw 3 TD passes in the 4th quarter. Taylor Powell hopes to be stronger on offence for Hamilton.

The last Blue Bombers versus the Lions matchup was horrendous for BC. A 25-0 shutout and the loss of Vernon Adams Jr. was a terrible scenario for the Lions. Nathan Rourke should make a difference Sunday night in Vancouver.

CBS Sports Network has the final 3 games in the United States.

Toronto is usually playing at home during the Canadian National Exhibition but gets the week off. The CNE is an option as is going out to the Toronto Islands for relaxation.

CBS Sports Network

Friday
Montréal @ Saskatchewan, 9p
Saturday
Edmonton @ Hamilton, 7p
Sunday
Winnipeg @ BC, 7p

TSN

Thursday
Ottawa @ Calgary, 9p
Friday
Montréal @ Saskatchewan, 9p
Saturday
Edmonton @ Hamilton, 7p
Sunday
Winnipeg @ BC, 7p

Bye week: Toronto

CFL command centre rules roughing the passer after Riders recover supposed game-winning fumble in OT https://t.co/qGki7eEkvY#Saskatchewan #Riders #Redblacks #CFL pic.twitter.com/TobdIH8FyU

— Justin Dunk (@JDunk12) August 9, 2024

Rod Smith said the game was over. Twice. One time when Ottawa had won and another time when Saskatchewan won. Neither team won. Not Rod Smith's fault.

You could have slept through the first 3½ quarters and missed little except the Roughriders blocking 2 Ottawa field goal attempts. The RedBlacks got a punt single while Saskatchewan scored the only touchdown in regulation.

The Command Centre was busier than perhaps the players and coaches wanted. Very few were happy with the results. As Kate Beirness noted sarcastically, "Everyone was super happy after that game, like super pleased with the results."

Dru Brown was injured in the second quarter on a roughing the passer call. Dustin Crum finished up for Ottawa.

The last CFL tie was in the opening game of the 2017 season at TD Place featuring Calgary and Ottawa. Each time got a point, which is worse than 2 points and better than 0 points.

Jeremiah Masoli starts for the RedBlacks at quarterback. No matter which team you root for, here is hoping Masoli finishes the game in 1 piece.

2024 CFL Week 10 preview

2024 CFL Week 9 preview

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats had a comedy of errors to start the game in Montréal. A time count violation followed by a pass and a fumble. The second possession resulted in an interception. Taylor Powell came in for Bo Levi Mitchell. Soon after, the snap went over Powell's head, resulting in a safety.

The Alouettes couldn't get a touchdown on any of those moments. Davis Alexander did well enough to pull out a 3rd straight win with Cody Fajardo out of the lineup. Nice return for Dominique Davis in his return to the Alouettes as the short yardage quarterback.

Scott Milanovich says Taylor Powell will start next week vs Edmonton. Matthew Scianitti reported that Bo Levi Mitchell did not want to speak on camera post game.

Nathan Rourke knew Austin Mack from Atlanta NFL camp. The Falcons just released Austin Mack. Will that be to the benefit of the Alouettes? Tyson Philpot was hurt last week and presumably won't play this week.

2024 CFL Week 8 preview

2024 CFL Week 7 preview

Turns out Jake Dolegala vs. McLeod Bethel-Thompson is not must see(FL) TV. Dolegala and the Lions had an excellent first drive. His difficulty in going deep made things easier for the Elks defence. Bethel-Thompson seemed more relaxed coming in relief for Tre Ford for Edmonton.

Watching the second half made us wish for this game with Ford vs. Vernon Adams Jr. The Elks won their first home game in almost a calendar year in what was the largest home crowd to see an Elks game in 2024.

Edmonton has the tiebreaker with the BC Lions, something the team has not enjoyed with any team since 2019.

The Lions released Dolegala yesterday so perhaps Chase Brice, who finished up last week, is the backup this week.

Nathan Rourke bounced around the NFL: Jacksonville, New England, New York Giants, and Atlanta. Rourke signed a 3-year deal to return to the Lions and he knows the playbook. Regardless of the quarterback, the BC Lions have a 3-game losing streak. Perhaps Rourke can make that big of a difference.

2024 CFL Week 6 preview

2024 CFL Week 5 preview

There are a lot of quarterback stories in the 2024 CFL season. One we didn't see coming was Nick Arbuckle starting for Toronto and getting a win over his original CFL team, the Calgary Stampeders.

Jake Maier threw for 373 yards, more than twice the passing yardage of Arbuckle (181) yet Arbuckle got the W. The Argos were helped on defence with a DaShaun Amos Pick-6 that gave Toronto the lead for good and yet another punt return for a TD from Janarion Grant (86 yards). Grant and Justin McInnis are up there for most meaningful off-season CFL acquisition.

Ka’Deem Carey gained 89 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 rushes for the Argonauts against his former club.

The CFL season is sort of half over and there isn't much we can assume, given the current standings. The crossover looks really slim. The West Division standings outside of Edmonton are rather tight. Winnipeg still has a shot at climbing back into a playoff spot: 2 games left with Saskatchewan.

Upper bowl seating is OPEN at @saveonfoods Field at @bcplace when we host Winnipeg on Sunday, Aug 18. 🙌

Adult prices start at $25 and $15 for kids 17 & under. All tickets for Aug 18 are also valid for a FREE weekday entry to the @PNE_Playland! 🎢

🎟️| https://t.co/svGx0A7q7p.. pic.twitter.com/RivwdDr7Li

— BC LIONS (@BCLions) August 7, 2024

We note the connection Toronto has to the CNE. The BC Lions connection to the Pacific National Exhibition used to be as prevalent when the team played at Empire Stadium on the PNE grounds. The ticket deal applies to weekdays, which is still a good deal.

Nathan Rourke's return to Vancouver will also impact ticket sales. If you are visiting Vancouver and were going to the PNE, then you might as well take in the CFL.

Very intrigued for the Elks press conference on Thursday introducing Larry Thompson as the new owner.

I’ve heard there will be a desire to rebrand over the next 1-2 years to Esks or back to Eskimos.

— Dustin Nielson (@nielsonTSN1260) August 13, 2024

One oddity about the CFL is the idea of community-owned franchises, especially in the West Division. The season started with 3 such franchises: Edmonton, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg. We had known for some time that the Elks were looking for a private owner.

Now we know unofficially that Larry Thompson is the new private owner of the Edmonton Elks. Thompson is the former owner of Thompson Brothers Construction. The issues with the coaching staff debt have been settled and so the hope is that Edmonton can work out building back its base like we have seen in Vancouver and Montréal.

We are excited about the long-term prospects with Edmonton. However, that will disappear over any backwards rebranding. The Elks are a forward moving team. Win more, make the playoffs, play exciting football, especially at home and the nickname talk will be just that: talk.

2024 CFL preseason schedule

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Saskatchewan @ Ottawa: Rod Smith/Duane Forde/Kenzie Lalonde
Calgary @ Toronto: Marshall Ferguson/Matt Dunigan/Kenzie Lalonde
Hamilton @ Montréal: Rod Smith/Duane Forde/Matthew Scianitti
BC @ Edmonton: Dustin Nielson/Glen Suitor/Tom Gazzola

Kenzie Lalonde was in Toronto instead of Matthew Scianitti while Scianitti was in Montréal instead of Lalonde.

A statement regarding today's announcement about 900 CHML.#TheHammer pic.twitter.com/UYjoZyq7uI

— Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats) August 14, 2024

We got word yesterday that CHML AM 900 in Hamilton is no more. One of Canada's oldest radio stations, Corus shut down the station. Not a format change but shutting off a key AM signal in the community. This is part of the insanity (a word we rarely use) that is Corus scrambling to make cuts.

The tweet notes that Tiger-Cats games are still available on Y108 CJXY-FM at 107.9 on the FM dial as well as online at ticats.ca/listen. CHML covered more ground in southern Ontario than Y108 does.

Besides the CFL angle, Hamilton needs more news outlets, including CHML. The CRTC should allow another company to take over the 900 AM signal in Hamilton.

Twitter captures: @CFL; @JDunk12; @BCLions; @nielsonTSN1260; @Ticats
logo credit and photo credit: CFL