Hot off its Golden Globe win, Disney and Pixar’s “SOUL” soon will be available digitally and on-demand! We want to give you a chance to win a Digital copy!
Synopsis:
What is it that makes you…YOU? Pixar Animation Studios’ all-new feature film “Soul” introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) – a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (voice of Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions.
Directed by Academy Award® winner Pete Docter (“Inside Out,” “Up”), co-directed by Kemp Powers (“One Night in Miami”) and produced by Academy Award nominee Dana Murray, p.g.a. (Pixar short “Lou”), Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” will be available digitally and on-demand March 23, 2021.
Trailer:
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet below for a chance as well.
Enter for a chance to #win a Digital Download of Disney and Pixar’s SOUL.
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) March 13, 2021
How: https://t.co/GzyajeMfOK pic.twitter.com/vcLbIMOyn3
SOUL is available digitally and on-demand Tuesday, March 23, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: Disney/Pixar)
As you might recall, the EE BAFTA Awards nominees were announced earlier this week and nominated twice was refugee Drama, LIMBO. The Film now will be making its way to North America next month.
Synopsis:
LIMBO is a wry and poignant observation of the refugee experience, set on a fictional remote Scottish island where a group of new arrivals await the results of their asylum claims. It centres on Omar, a young Syrian musician who is burdened by his grandfather’s oud, which he has carried all the way from his homeland.
Reflecting the complexity of the movement of people across borders has been a long-held passion for director and writer Ben Sharrock, who spent time working for an NGO in refugee camps in southern Algeria and living in Damascus in 2009 shortly before the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. There, he formed a network of friends whose personal stories inspired the film.
Written and directed by Sharrock, LIMBO stars Amir El Masry (The Night Manager), along with Vikash Bhai, Ola Orebiyi, Kwabena Ansah, Sidse Babett Knudsen and Kais Nashif (Tel Aviv on Fire). Producers are Irune Gurtubai and Angus Lamont.
Focus Features release LIMBO in select theatres Friday, April 30, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: Focus Features)
Check-out the new Trailer for SPIRIT UNTAMED!
Synopsis:
An epic adventure about a headstrong girl longing for a place to belong who discovers a kindred spirit when her life intersects with a wild horse, Spirit Untamed is the next chapter in the beloved story from DreamWorks Animation.
Lucky Prescott (Isabela Merced, Dora and the Lost City of Gold) never really knew her late mother, Milagro Navarro (Eiza González, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw), a fearless horse-riding stunt performer from Miradero, a small town on the edge of the wide-open frontier.
Like her mother, Lucky isn’t exactly a fan of rules and restrictions, which has caused her Aunt Cora (Academy Award® winner Julianne Moore) no small amount of worry. Lucky has grown up in an East Coast city under Cora’s watchful eye, but when Lucky presses her own luck with one too many risky escapades, Cora picks up stakes and moves them both back with Lucky’s father, Jim (Oscar® nominee Jake Gyllenhaal), in Miradero.
Lucky is decidedly unimpressed with the sleepy little town. She has a change of heart when she meets Spirit, a wild Mustang who shares her independent streak, and befriends two local horseback riders, Abigail Stone (Mckenna Grace, Captain Marvel) and Pru Granger (Marsai Martin, Little). Pru’s father, stable owner Al Granger (Emmy winner Andre Braugher, Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine), is the best friend of Lucky’s father.
When a heartless horse wrangler (Emmy nominee Walton Goggins, FX’s Justified) and his team plan to capture Spirit and his herd and auction them off to a life of captivity and hard labor, Lucky enlists her new friends and bravely embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to rescue the horse who has given her freedom and a sense of purpose, and has helped Lucky discover a connection to her mother’s legacy and to her Mexican heritage that she never expected.
Spirit Untamed is the next chapter in DreamWorks Animation’s beloved franchise that began with the 2002 Oscar-nominated film Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron and includes an Emmy-winning TV series. The film is directed by Elaine Bogan (Netflix and DreamWorks Animation Television’s Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia) and is produced by Karen Foster (co-producer, How to Train Your Dragon). The film’s co-director is Ennio Torresan (head of story, The Boss Baby), and the film’s score is by composer Amie Doherty (Amazon’s Undone, DreamWorks Animation’s Marooned).
See the Trailer:
SPIRIT UNTAMED arrives in theatres June 4, 2021 via Universal Pictures Canada.
(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)
Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a Digital Download of CRISIS!
Synopsis:
Three stories about the world of opioids collide: a drug trafficker arranges a multi-cartel Fentanyl smuggling operation between Canada and the U.S., an architect recovering from an OxyContin addiction tracks down the truth behind her son’s involvement with narcotics, and a university professor battles unexpected revelations about his research employer, a drug company with deep government influence bringing a new “non-addictive” painkiller to market.
Cast: Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer, Evangeline Lilly, Greg Kinnear, Michelle Rodriguez, Luke Evans, Lily-Rose Depp, Scott Mescudi.
Trailer:
To enter for a chance to win a Digital Download, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet below as well for an extra chance!
GARY OLDMAN headlines an all-star Cast in CRISIS.
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) March 12, 2021
Your chance to #win a Digital Download right here: https://t.co/qpwoFMeBGe. pic.twitter.com/Yj1w6z1SQJ
Rules and regulations here.
Elevation Pictures release CRISIS on Digital and On-Demand Tuesday, March 16, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)
Oxtail with Rice & Peas. One of the greatest things about growing-up in Toronto is the vast array of diverse cuisines we have at our convenience. I am a huge fan of Caribbean cuisine, and while I’ve been a Chicken Roti and Jerk Chicken connoisseur my whole life, Oxtail of late has surged to the front as my new favourite. I thought I’d give it a go and while it takes a while to prepare, that little bit of extra love is worth it. Time to break-out the Slow Cooker! Gravy on rice makes everything nice!
Oxtail
2 lbs Oxtail, rinsed and pat dry
1 can Butter/Lima Beans, drained
1 cup (or more) beef stock
1 white onion, chopped
3 stalks green onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Scotch Bonnet Peppers, seeded and minced
1 cup mini carrots
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsps garlic powder
2 tbsps Maggi Sauce
1 tsp celery salt
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp Allspice
3-4 sprigs of thyme
4 tbsps tapioca/corn starch
Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste
Olive oil
Instructions:
1. Marinate oxtail pieces in soy sauce, Maggi, Worcestershire, garlic powder, allspice, brown sugar, salt and pepper.Rice & Peas
2 cups long-rain white rice, rinsedInstructions:
1. Combine all ingredients in rice cooker.Gallery:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
In celebration of upcoming Netflix release YES DAY, we want to encourage our readers to say “yes” to something they’ve been putting off for a while! In a world of “no”, we give you permission to say “yes” on March 12, 2021 as part of what will be known as the #YESDAYCHALLENGE.
Synopsis:
Always feeling like they have to say NO to their kids and co-workers, Allison and Carlos decide to give their three kids a YES DAY — where for 24 hours the kids make the rules. Little did they know that they’d be going on a whirlwind adventure around Los Angeles, that would bring the family closer to each other than ever before.
See the Trailer:
WHAT: International Yes Day is Friday, March 12th and, similar to the premise of the movie and book, families and individuals are encouraged to craft their OWN Yes Day!
WHERE: Wherever it is safe to do so!
WHEN: Starting Friday, March 12th (and beyond!)
WHY: Do you always feel like you have to say NO to your kids, your colleagues, your friends or your family? Are you turning down opportunities that you would have liked to take but were too busy? Taking a Yes Day can be liberating. It’s an excuse to explore fun ideas, to spend time together, to discover something new, laugh and maybe even relax. It’s giving yourself AND your family or friends permission to say yes to the things you have put off. This past year has been a huge challenge for us all, taking a YES DAY may be just what the doctor ordered. So – say YES to doing something fun with your family, your loved ones, your friends – it may turn out to be the best day ever. Be sure to share your photos, videos, and stories from your personal Yes Day using #YesDayChallenge! Everyone deserves a Yes Day!
Remember to use the Hashtag #YesDayChallenge!
YES DAY arrives on Netflix Friday, March 12, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: Netflix)
NOMADLAND continues its early Awards Season dominance, being named Best Picture today by the Toronto Film Critics Association. In addition to being named People’s Choice Award winner at TIFF ’20, the Film by Chloé Zhao has been a winner among Critic Circles around the continent, scoring in San Diego, Chicago, Boston, New York, Los Angeles and more. It also won the Golden Lion in Venice, and was named Best Feature at the Gotham Awards.
The TFCA Gala took place this evening virtually with a livestream on YouTube, hosted by Elaine “Lainey” Lui and Kathleen Newman-Bremang and winners giving their speeches on video.
The evening’s biggest prize, the $100k Rogers Best Canadian Film Award was awarded to ANNE AT 13,000 FT directed by Kazik Radwanski. Radwanski stated “It’s meant so much for the Film to still have a life, to connect, and be written about. It’s a huge honour coming from the TFCA.”.
Other winners include:
Best Picture: NOMADLAND
Best Director: Chloé Zhao, NOMADLAND
Runners-up, Best Director: Kelly Reichardt – FIRST COW; Lee Isaac Chung – MINARI
Best Screenplay: MINARI
Runners-up, Best Screenplay: NOMADLAND, SOUND OF METAL
Best Actor: Riz Ahmed, SOUND OF METAL
Runners-up for Best Actor: Chadwick Boseman, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM; Mads Mikkelsen, ANOTHER ROUND
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, NOMADLAND
Runners-up, Best Actress: Viola Davis, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM; Sidney Flanigan, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah
Runners-up, Best Actor: Paul Raci, Sound of Metal; Leslie Odom, Jr. One Night in Miami
Best Supporting Actress: Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Runners-up, Best Supporting Actress: Yuh-jung Youn, Minari; Olivia Colman, The Father
Best First Feature: THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION
Runners-up, Best First Feature: THE FATHER, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Best Animated Feature: WOLFWALKERS
Runners-up, Best Animated Feature: SOUL and THE WILLOUGHBYS
Allan King Documentary Award: COLLECTIVE
Runners-up: CRIP CAMP, DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA and TIME
Best Foreign Language Film: BACURAU
Runners-up, Best Foreign Language Film: ANOTHER ROUND, BEANPOLE
Cineplex Emerging Critic Award: Mark Hanson (In the Seats) and Rose-Coloured Ray-Bans
Clyde Gilmour Award: Jason Ryle
Jay Scott Prize for Emerging Artist: Kelly Fyffe-Marshall
$100k Rogers Best Canadian Film Award Finalists: AND THE BIRDS RAINED DOWN, ANNE AT 13,000 FT and WHITE LIE
Visit the TFCA website for more details.
(Photo credit: Searchlight Pictures)
Hollywood Suite once again is the Canadian home of the EE BAFTA Awards! The Awards are set to take place at London’s spectacular Royal Albert Hall on April 11, 2021, honouring the best in Hollywood and British Film this past year.
Nominees include:
BEST FILM
THE FATHER Philippe Carcassonne, Jean-Louis Livi, David Parfitt
THE MAURITANIAN Nominees TBC
NOMADLAND Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Chloé Zhao
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Ben Browning, Emerald Fennell, Ashley Fox, Josey McNamara
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Stuart Besser, Marc Platt
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
CALM WITH HORSES Nick Rowland, Daniel Emmerson, Joe Murtagh
THE DIG Simon Stone, Gabrielle Tana, Moira Buffini
THE FATHER Florian Zeller, Philippe Carcassone, Jean-Louis Livi, David Parfitt, Christopher Hampton
HIS HOUSE Remi Weekes, Martin Gentles, Edward Kings, Roy Lee
LIMBO Ben Sharrock, Irune Gurtubai, Angus Lamont
THE MAURITANIAN Kevin Macdonald, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani, M.B. Traven
MOGUL MOWGLI Bassam Tariq, Riz Ahmed, Thomas Benski, Bennett McGhee
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Emerald Fennell, Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Josey McNamara
ROCKS Sarah Gavron, Ameenah Ayub Allen, Faye Ward, Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson
SAINT MAUD Rose Glass, Andrea Cornwell, Oliver Kassman
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
HIS HOUSE Remi Weekes (Writer/Director)
LIMBO Ben Sharrock (Writer/Director), Irune Gurtubai (Producer) [also produced by Angus Lamont]
MOFFIE Jack Sidey (Writer/Producer) [also written by Oliver Hermanus and produced by Eric Abraham]
ROCKS Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson (Writers)
SAINT MAUD Rose Glass (Writer/Director), Oliver Kassman (Producer) [also produced by Andrea Cornwell]
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ANOTHER ROUND Thomas Vinterberg, Sisse Graum Jørgensen
DEAR COMRADES! Andrei Konchalovsky, Alisher Usmanov
LES MISÉRABLES Ladj Ly
MINARI Lee Isaac Chung, Christina Oh
QUO VADIS, AIDA? Jasmila Žbanić, Damir Ibrahimovich
DOCUMENTARY
COLLECTIVE Alexander Nanau
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: A LIFE ON OUR PLANET Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes, Keith Scholey
THE DISSIDENT Bryan Fogel, Thor Halvorssen
MY OCTOPUS TEACHER Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed, Craig Foster
THE SOCIAL DILEMMA Jeff Orlowski, Larissa Rhodes
ANIMATED FILM
ONWARD Dan Scanlon, Kori Rae
SOUL Pete Docter, Dana Murray
WOLFWALKERS Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young
DIRECTOR
ANOTHER ROUND Thomas Vinterberg
BABYTEETH Shannon Murphy
MINARI Lee Isaac Chung
NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao
QUO VADIS, AIDA? Jasmila Žbanić
ROCKS Sarah Gavron
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
ANOTHER ROUND Tobias Lindholm, Thomas Vinterberg
MANK Jack Fincher
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Emerald Fennell
ROCKS Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Aaron Sorkin
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE DIG Moira Buffini
THE FATHER Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller
THE MAURITANIAN Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani, M.B. Traven
NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao
THE WHITE TIGER Ramin Bahrani
LEADING ACTRESS
BUKKY BAKRAY Rocks
RADHA BLANK The Forty-Year-Old Version
VANESSA KIRBY Pieces of a Woman
FRANCES McDORMAND Nomadland
WUNMI MOSAKU His House
ALFRE WOODARD Clemency
LEADING ACTOR
RIZ AHMED Sound of Metal
CHADWICK BOSEMAN Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
ADARSH GOURAV The White Tiger
ANTHONY HOPKINS The Father
MADS MIKKELSEN Another Round
TAHAR RAHIM The Mauritanian
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
NIAMH ALGAR Calm With Horses
KOSAR ALI Rocks
MARIA BAKALOVA Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
DOMINIQUE FISHBACK Judas and the Black Messiah
ASHLEY MADEKWE County Lines
YUH-JUNG YOUN Minari
SUPPORTING ACTOR
DANIEL KALUUYA Judas and the Black Messiah
BARRY KEOGHAN Calm With Horses
ALAN KIM Minari
LESLIE ODOM JR. One Night in Miami…
CLARKE PETERS Da 5 Bloods
PAUL RACI Sound of Metal
ORIGINAL SCORE
MANK Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
MINARI Emile Mosseri
NEWS OF THE WORLD James Newton Howard
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Anthony Willis
SOUL Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
CASTING
CALM WITH HORSES Shaheen Baig
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH Alexa L. Fogel
MINARI Julia Kim
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Lindsay Graham Ahanonu, Mary Vernieu
ROCKS Lucy Pardee
CINEMATOGRAPHY
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH Sean Bobbitt
MANK Erik Messerschmidt
THE MAURITANIAN Alwin H. Küchler
NEWS OF THE WORLD Dariusz Wolski
NOMADLAND Joshua James Richards
EDITING
THE FATHER Yorgos Lamprinos
NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Frédéric Thoraval
SOUND OF METAL Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Alan Baumgarten
PRODUCTION DESIGN
THE DIG Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana Macdonald
THE FATHER Peter Francis, Cathy Featherstone
MANK Donald Graham Burt, Jan Pascale
NEWS OF THE WORLD David Crank, Elizabeth Keenan
REBECCA Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
COSTUME DESIGN
AMMONITE Michael O’Connor
THE DIG Alice Babidge
EMMA Alexandra Byrne
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM Ann Roth
MANK Trish Summerville
MAKE UP & HAIR
THE DIG Jenny Shircore
HILLBILLY ELEGY Patricia Dehaney, Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM Matiki Anoff, Larry M. Cherry, Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal
MANK Kimberley Spiteri, Gigi Williams
PINOCCHIO Mark Coulier
SOUND
GREYHOUND TBC
NEWS OF THE WORLD Michael Fentum, William Miller, Mike Prestwood Smith, John Pritchett, Oliver Tarney
NOMADLAND Sergio Diaz, Zach Seivers, M. Wolf Snyder
SOUL Coya Elliott, Ren Klyce, David Parker
SOUND OF METAL Jaime Baksht, Nicolas Becker, Phillip Bladh, Carlos Cortés, Michelle Couttolenc
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
GREYHOUND Pete Bebb, Nathan McGuinness, Sebastian von Overheidt
THE MIDNIGHT SKY Matt Kasmir, Chris Lawrence, David Watkins
MULAN Sean Faden, Steve Ingram, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN Santiago Colomo Martinez, Nick Davis, Greg Fisher
TENET Scott Fisher, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Lockley
BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
THE FIRE NEXT TIME Renaldho Pelle, Yanling Wang, Kerry Jade Kolbe
THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT Mole Hill, Laura Duncalf
THE SONG OF A LOST BOY Daniel Quirke, Jamie MacDonald, Brid Arnstein
BRITISH SHORT FILM
EYELASH Jesse Lewis Reece, Ike Newman
LIZARD Akinola Davies, Rachel Dargavel, Wale Davies
LUCKY BREAK John Addis, Rami Sarras Pantoja
MISS CURVY Ghada Eldemellawy
THE PRESENT Farah Nabulsi
EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
BUKKY BAKRAY
KINGSLEY BEN-ADIR
MORFYDD CLARK
ṢỌPẸ DÌRÍSÙ
CONRAD KHAN
Broadcast time and date to be confirmed.
(Photo credit: BAFTA)
The semi-biographical THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT pokes fun at Nicolas Cage and his fight to revive his celebrated career.
Synopsis:
Nicolas Cage stars as… Nick Cage in the action-comedy “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.” Creatively unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, the fictionalized version of Cage must accept a $1 million offer to attend the birthday of a dangerous superfan (Pedro Pascal). Things take a wildly unexpected turn when Cage is recruited by a CIA operative (Tiffany Haddish) and forced to live up to his own legend, channeling his most iconic and beloved on-screen characters in order to save himself and his loved ones. With a career built for this very moment, the seminal award-winning actor must take on the role of a lifetime: Nicolas Cage.
Mongrel Media release THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT April 22, 2022.
(Photo/video credit: Mongrel Media)
Super Channel and Canadian Film Fest are partnering again this year to bring the Festival home to Canadians!
Beginning Thursday, April 1 and running for three consecutive weekends, nine feature films will premiere on Super Channel Fuse on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. All festival feature films will have a linear only limited run, so viewers are encouraged to catch them while they can and experience them festival-style during their linear broadcast. In addition, 30 short films from the CFF will be interspersed into the schedule around the feature film presentations for viewers to enjoy as part of the film festival experience.
Virtually, pre-recorded and live Q&As with filmmakers will be made available, in addition to access to industry programs online (panel discussions, masterclass) and a virtual awards presentation.
Opening the Festival this year is Sugar Daddy (dir. Wendy Morgan), starring Kelly McCormack (Letterkenny, A Simple Favour) and Colm Feore (The Umbrella Academy, Sensitive Skin, The Borgias), which follows a young talented musician who signs up to a paid dating website which takes her down a dark path – and her music along with it. Closing out the festival on April 17, will be Range Roads (dir. Kyle Thomas) making its Canadian premiere. Starring Alana Hawley-Purvis (The Great Fear) and Joe Perry (Everfall, Blood Mountain), this poignant film is an intimate story of grief, longing, and forgiveness, that explores the painful and beautiful complexities of what it means to be a family.
A complete list of Films below:
Thursday, April 1: Sugar Daddy (Drama) – Toronto premiere
Director: Wendy Morgan
Cast: Kelly McCormack, Colm Feore, Amanda Brugel, Ishan Davé, Nicholas Campbell, Kaniehtiio Horn, Aaron Ashmore, Noam Jenkins
Darren is a wickedly talented and unconventional young musician who dreams of making music like nobody has ever heard before. But she’s broke, juggling multiple part-time jobs, and has no time to create. Desperate for cash, she signs up to a sugar daddy paid-dating website and throws herself down a dark rabbit hole that forces her to grow up fast, shaping her music, and how she sees the world.
Friday, April 2: White Elephant (Drama) – Toronto premiere
Director: Andrew Chung
Cast: Zaarin Bushra, Gurleen Singh, Dulmika Kevin Hapuarachchi, Jesse Nasmith, Yahya Amin, Kumar Kapasi, Amanda Catibog, Kalyna Fisher, Riley James Myers, Kessandra Cook
Set in 1996, in a majority-minority neighbourhood in Scarborough, 16-year-old Pooja finds herself torn between her crush on a white boy, and her Brown and Black friends. Her relentless pursuit takes a violent turn, ultimately making her quest for love, a question of self-love.
Saturday, April 3: Woman in Car (Drama) – Canadian premiere
Director: Vanya Rose
Cast: Hélène Joy, Liane Balaban, Gabrielle Lazure, Aidan Ritchie, Anthony Lemke
Anne seems to have it all – sophistication, a house on the hill, an upcoming wedding to the ideal man. But when her stepson returns home with a beautiful woman, Anne develops an obsession with the stranger whom she fears could destroy the privileged life she has built. In a story about a woman who struggles to keep her secrets hidden, Vanya Rose explores issues of class, family, desire and deception. As the countdown to her wedding day winds down, Anne drives head-on into redemption from a life of lies.
Thursday, April 8: Chained (Crime, Thriller) – Toronto premiere
Director: Titus Heckel
Cast: Marlon Kazadi, Aleks Paunovic, Adrian Holmes
An abused and bullied boy discovers and befriends a criminal chained inside an abandoned warehouse, but after a violent betrayal the abused becomes the abuser, putting both their lives in peril.
Friday, April 9: Between Waves (Drama, Sci-Fi) – Toronto premiere
Director: Virginia Abramovich
Cast: Fiona Graham, Luke Robinson, Miguel Damiao, Stacey Bernstein, Sebastian Deery
Even after his presumed death, Jamie continues to be visited by her lover Isaac, a quantum physicist, who pleads for her to join him in a parallel plane. Jamie follows a map and notebook Isaac’s left behind and embarks on a journey to the island of São Miguel in the Azores. At the centre of the Atlantic Ocean, Jamie begins to untangle the truth of what really happened the night Isaac disappeared, learning that she had a greater part in it than she cares to remember. Straddling a fine line between enlightenment and madness, how far will Jamie go before she’s in too deep?
Saturday, April 10: The Last Villains, Mad Dog & the Butcher (Documentary) – Toronto Premiere
Director: Thomas Rinfret
Cast: Paul Vachon, alias “The Butcher”
The Last Villains is the larger-than-life story of the legendary Vachon family of pro wrestlers, as recounted by its only surviving member, Paul “The Butcher” Vachon.
Thursday, April 15: The Corruption of Divine Providence (Drama) – Toronto premiere
Director: Jeremy Torrie
Cast: Ali Skovbye, Elyse Levesque, David La Haye, Corey Sevier, Tantoo Cardinal
This is the story of a sixteen-year-old Métis girl Jeanne. She resides in a small northern town, and one day she mysteriously disappears. When she is found, she is near death and has developed what appears to be stigmata, the wounds that echo those carried by Jesus Christ in his dying moments.
Friday, April 16: Events Transpiring Before, During and After a Highschool Basketball Game (Comedy) – Toronto premiere
Director: Ted Stenson
Cast: Andrew Phung, Benjamin Arthurs, Paul Cowling, Isra Abdelrahim
It’s 1999 and the Middleview Ducks boys’ basketball team are about to play the most low-stakes game of their lives. As the team prepares for another certain loss, the dramas around the game become more of a focus than the score. Locker room conversations about existentialism, an assistant coach’s obsession with an NBA offence technique, organizing a radical theatre protest, and frantically searching for an osteoporosis- stricken canine are just some of the events that take place before, during, and after the high school basketball game.
Saturday, April 17: Range Roads (Drama) – Canadian Premiere
Director: Kyle Thomas
Cast: Alana Hawley Purvis, Joe Perry, Chad Brownlee, Nicole de Boer
When her parents are killed in a sudden car accident, television actor Frankie King returns to her hometown in rural Alberta to face this tragedy after being estranged from her family for 20 years. As she struggles to reconnect with her truculent brother Grayson, old wounds are reopened, and family secrets uncovered.
All Features air at 9 PM ET with Short Film and introduction beforehand.
More details can be found here.
(Photo credit: Canadian Film Fest)
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