By George Kozera
When the relationship with his much older male companion rapidly declines, Filmmaker Isidore Bethel returns home to Chicago to emotionally recuperate and to reassess his needs and desires. His solution is to interview and film men that he meets on various gay dating aps to, ostensibly, get varied responses to how they deal with sexual scenarios and personal relationships, much to the chagrin of his mother with whom he has many telephone conversations. It becomes somewhat too apparent that the validity of this undertaking turns into opportunities to have sex with a large number of men and one can’t help but to agree with his mother when she states that this is strictly a vanity project. In a series of scripted and non-scripted scenes, some of which verging on graphic and explicit, ACTS OF LOVE is disjointed and its success relies on whether you find legitimacy in the theme being explored. I did not.
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.
By George Kozera
During my university years in Montreal, oh so long ago, I impulsively picked up an album by the all-girl heavy rock group Fanny based solely on who produced the album. At home, needle to the vinyl, and I became obsessed after hearing the first track. I wasn’t their only fan. FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK opens with a David Bowie quote: “Fanny is not one of the most important female bands of all time; they are one of the most important bands of all time, period. Their achievements are not only important to women, and their hard work is not only impressive for female musicians.”
Whereas in essence this is a straightforward “whatever happened to” Documentary, I was deeply enthralled throughout this 92 minute tribute to a band that were not only groundbreaking, they inspired future all-girl rock bands like The Go- Go’s, The Runaways and The Bangles. Fanny, headlined by two Filipina sisters, broke all musical boundaries while fighting prejudices they experienced, whether they be race, gender or sexuality-related. With interviews from a slew of musical icons (Bonnie Raitt, Richard Perry Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott to name a few), FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK is a must-see.
By George Kozera
By day, Hermes and Betta (a lovely middle-aged Italian couple) run a pet supply store, interacting with clients on a very professional and personal level. It’s at night when they let their freak flag fly: Hermes and Betta are swingers where their interactions take a wildly different turn.
BLOOM UP takes us deep inside the world of swinging where like-minded people explore carnal pursuits without shame, fear or judgment. It is a fascinating topic to pursue as it is virtually impossible not to explore the subject matter with preconceived notions. This couple, alongside the many others who participate in these trysts in the movie, appear to be…for lack of a better word…normal. Prior to attending the events, Hermes and Betta make sure they dress to maximize their sexiness and appeal and who of us doesn’t want to look our best before going out on a date.
Writer, Cinematographer and Director Mauro Russo Rouge must be commended for taking a lifestyle choice that may be foreign to many and humanizing it, without prejudice. Yes, it is rather explicit and perhaps a tad misogynistic, but it also explores a topic that always confused me: how does one deal with a swinging lifestyle and not be emotionally-distanced? How can watching someone you love be intimate with someone else? This question is addressed in this Documentary. BLOOM UP is niche filmmaking. It is definitely not everybody’s cup of tea, but it tackles an adult subject matter with precision and insight.
By Justin Waldman
Ain’t no time for Women is a Short Documentary about the 2019 Presidential election in Tunis. These women are all gathered in a salon discussing everything they have gone through throughout their lives with the dictatorships and hardships they’ve gone through. In its short 19 minutes, it packs an impactful punch.
What makes Ain’t No time for Women so great is the fact that in such a short time the women can turn this regular salon into a political powerhouse with their conversations. Everything is discussed between the hardships they endured in the dictatorship to the bright future they and every other woman is going to have in the future democratic state. There will always be time for women moving forward in the town of Tunis!
By Justin Waldman
The duo of Daniel Edeistyn and Hilary Powell challenge all preconceived notions we have of money, debt, crypto, currency, and politics to an extent in their though provoking and inspiring documentary Bank Job. They are essentially Robin Hood, in creating their own currency that they distribute to their community, and buy their debt, something that we didn’t think was possible, to free the people in essence. If you were to ask someone how money were to be created, outside of the literal process, it would be a long tired answer, however, with their new currency and buying the debt, it gives hope of a world where were not constantly living in fear and debt.
Bank Job is filmed in a very unconventional Documentary style, almost feeling like a work of fiction but it works. It brings to live the Robin Hood aspects of their mission while also still feeling like a Documentary when they’re talking to the community and not being ‘interrogated’. Bank Job is incredibly-informative, fun, and thought provoking, sit back and enjoy the ride.
By George Kozera
Did you know that there’s another “Best in Show” competition that has nothing to do with the Westminster Kennel Club dog show? This one is held annually at the Orange County Fair in California and it is for Best Table Settings. I shuttered with delight!
Truth be told, I can be a tad OCD when I attend a dinner party and see that the tableware, glasses and cutlery are set up all wrong. Whereas I never say anything to the hosts, my inner Emily Post/Martha Stewart is screaming that the blade of the knife should always be facing the plate. SET! follows a number of contestants as they prepare for the competition six months in advance after deciding which theme they will tackle, hoping to win a ribbon for.
Themes vary from “International Travel” to “Light It Up”. The participants are singularly-focused, much to the bemusement or exasperation of their families. One lady was inspired to use previously alive animals (she’s into taxidermy as well), AR-15 rifle bullets and military lunch boxes after this idea came to her while spending time in an isolation tank. Another participant was scared that she was not using the correct soup for her menu item and could not find the glassware she wanted in an antique warehouse that had 8000 varieties in stock. Another micromanaged her father building a trellis that could hold a crystal chandelier while her husband snapped over 800 pictures with his iPhone. A mother and daughter team gave no regards to the thousands of dollars they were spending for supplies, where an unemployed and stone-broke guy got everything he needed at a local Dollar Store with moral support from his mother.
Director Scott Gawlik must be commended for telling this story without prejudice, judgment and invisible eye rolls. Whereas the participants may be considered quirky and eccentric, they were all appealing and I was rooting for each and every one of them.
I loved SET! even if my choice for “Best in Show” only received First Place. See the Movie and we can discuss!
By Justin Waldman
A completely fascinating tale of wealth vs nature and what humans are willing to sacrifice to gain something else. Taming the Garden is so rich in its presentation, and so wild in facts that it almost feels surreal. When former Prime Minister of Georgia wants to buy fully grown trees and remove them to his own private garden, he promised locals infrastructure in exchange, but the question that was never truly asked was at what cost? Give up the gorgeous nature in exchange for a better infrastructure.
The direction and cinematography in Taming the Garden are truly breathtaking, capturing the beauty of nature while the combativeness of humanity and the desire for a ‘better live’ that could be provided. There are far and too few voices asking what if and why, rather than just focusing on the positive. Taming of the Garden is a fascinating look at how money talks, and the people who let it.
By George Kozera
SILENT VOICE is powerful Documentary about young people fleeing Chechnya due to its anti-gay policies and continued deadly violence toward the LBGTQ community. A must-see companion piece alongside last year’s searing “Welcome to Chechnya”, this Movie only focuses on one person.
Khavaj is a young Mixed Martial Arts fighter who was tormented ruthlessly by his own brother back home and now lives in Belgium, receiving support from a non-profit group and awaits to see if he will be granted asylum. His is a tragically lonely life with minimal interactions with other people. He is dissuaded from going to any gyms or practicing his fighting skills as he was relatively well-known in Russia and runs the risk of being recognized and captured. Though the audience never sees his face in the Movie, the pain of his solitude seeps through every pore and bone of his body. His current station in life is heartbreaking to watch. The heartbreak is compounded by the many messages left on his phone by his mother. At times tearful and at times masterfully manipulative, hearing her voice and words are agonizing.
Persecution is an ugly word. Being singled-out and besieged due to the colour of your skin or your religious beliefs or who you love is anathema to me. SILENT VOICE made me angry as well as broke my heart.
By George Kozera
Faith is in Serbia to learn all about gypsy music known as Roma. While there, she meets Branko, a Roma Violinist, and this British Artist slowly develops romantic feelings towards her effervescent musical collaborator. They make beautiful music together and decide to marry.
FAITH AND BRANKO follows these lovebirds as they journey through their life together. While wonderful at first, Faith needs her travel itch to be scratched and Branko is reluctant to leave his family and the comfort he feels living in Serbia but he eventually relents, leaving his homeland for the first time ever in his life. As they start their trajectory and develop a strong fan base around the world, cracks begin to form in the foundation of their marriage.
It is difficult not be entertained by this couple. Though stereotypically Brit stoic, Faith is singularly-focused and Branko is an energetic and at times volatile whirlwind. I also defy anyone not to fall in love with Branko’s foul-mouth grandmother. When the marriage is tested due to an event that was no surprise to me at all and Branko returns home to be with his family, we are left wondering if their personal relationship and musical partnership will survive. See FAITH AND BRANKO to find out.
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