#HOTDOCS: “NUDE TO ME”

By George Kozera

When Director and star, Daniel Berish, discovered that his grandparents initially met at a nudist colony, he decides to visit Canada’s oldest nudist camp, Van Tan, to learn what life is all about while wearing only a smile. With all the “hoohah” bits pixilated for broadcast, NUDE TO ME is a wildly charming 20-minute foray into the forests of British Columbia where people tend to their gardens, chop wood and play volleyball.

In the beginning it was fun watching Berish awkwardly disrobe and then not knowing where to look when chatting with a club member but by the end, he was a pro and would forget that he had no clothes on! Everyone at Van Tan had personal reasons for being there and, due to Berish’s entertaining (with tongue-firmly-in-cheek) interviewing skills, everything you ever wanted to know about being at a nudist camp is answered with panache and humour.

One walks away from this Documentary wishing they could also have that sense of freedom and joy, commuting with nature and have all the dangly bits sway in the breeze. NUDE TO ME is high on my list of Best of the Fest.