Category Archives: Film

INTRODUCING THE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF AUSTRALIA

The International Film Festival of Australia aims to recognize and honor exceptional artists, directors, producers, and the commendable works of feature films, short films, and documentaries from around the globe. The IFFA reaches out across all continents, unites cultures, and celebrates the power of storytelling. So after seeing numerous Instagram and Facebook posts (you know I love anything about my homeland of Australia) I decided to reach out and learn more about this new, diverse film festival.

When was the IFFA established and why – was there a specific creative gap to fill?  IFFA was established in 2021 with its first Awards night in 2023. The International Film Festival of Australia (IFFA) is dedicated to celebrating the captivating world of cinema. As a key player in Australia’s film and digital industry, IFFA showcases outstanding work in feature films, short films, documentaries, and digital media. We are passionate about both local and international talent, and our mission is twofold: to promote Australian films globally and to bring exciting cinema to Australia.  At IFFA, we firmly believe that art transcends boundaries, bridging gaps between cultures, nations, and communities. Through innovative storytelling, technological marvels, and raw human emotions, we strive to foster connections and create a global community united by the power of the silver screen.Who is the Founder and what is his background?   The IFFA’s director and the creator who brought the festival to life is Jatinder Kumar (pictured below). Born in Delhi, India in 1980, he moved to Melbourne in 2007 and embraced an entrepreneurial spirit which began in India after he graduated from the University of Delhi in 2002. He encountered many people from the film industry and began networking with them; having always been interested in film, this began his passion for the world of cinema, culminating in the creation of his own production company, Creative Production Studio, with a short film shot and several projects in development, including a series and a feature film.
Kumar’s IMDb profile:  https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm15864117?ref_=hm_prof_photo

This passion for film and cinema is what ultimately led Kumar to create IFFA. Born from the challenges he faced in his own career, IFFA represents his ideals for removing barriers of diversity within the industry, bringing all communities to one stage, and providing an opportunity for people of all backgrounds to showcase and celebrate their work. Starting a new festival from the ground up is no easy task, and Kumar had to wear many hats to bring his brainchild, IFFA, to life. The first annual IFFA (2023) had a great attendee turnout including local and international VIPs, such as consulates and international film stars and directors. Reception from guests, filmmakers and actors alike was one the biggest highlights, and the venue and sponsor support was phenomenal. More than that, support and submissions flowed in from around the world, which was the best proof of IFFA’s concept and reach. (Canadian Consulate representative pictured below L)Does the Festival target emerging filmmakers or does it embrace established, more mature creators?  The festival targets both emerging and established filmmakers on the one stage.With the numerous online platforms for viewing films, docs, shorts, etc. do Australian filmmakers embrace non-theatrical distributions for their projects and how does IFFA support that?  Australian filmmakers have increasingly embraced non-theatrical distributions through online platforms, driven by the need for wider audience reach and the flexibility of digital viewing.

IFFA supports this trend through:

  • Partnerships with Streaming Platforms: We are open to collaborating with leading online platforms to showcase films globally.
  • Promotion and Marketing Support: We promote films on our website, social media, and through press coverage.
  • Dedicated Non-Theatrical Awards: We recognize excellence in online releases with our annual awards night.
  • Networking Opportunities: We facilitate connections between filmmakers and digital distributors.

Being based in such an isolated country, how does IFFA reach out to filmmakers and industry creatives from around the world?  IFFA employs several strategies to connect with the global film community:

  • Online Submissions and Networking: We use a robust online platform for film submissions, making it easy for filmmakers worldwide to participate. Our virtual networking events also facilitate global connections.
  • International Partnerships: IFFA collaborates with international film festivals, industry organizations, and cultural institutions to foster global relationships and cross-promotional opportunities.
  • Social media and Digital Marketing: We leverage social media and digital marketing campaigns to engage with a global audience, keeping filmmakers and industry professionals informed about festival updates and opportunities
  • Festival Ambassadors: We appoint festival ambassadors in various regions to promote IFFA and encourage submissions from their local film communities.

Through these efforts, IFFA successfully bridges the geographical gap and maintains a strong global presence, ensuring diverse and international participation.Does IFFA offer any online/streaming of the awards or special screenings for those of us around the world?  IFFA does not offer online streaming, but we hope to stream the annual awards night through our website in the future.
You can follow the Festival’s activities via social media:

Instagram:  @iffaawards
https://www.facebook.com/iffaawardss
https://www.tiktok.com/@iffaawards
and their website: https://www.iffa.com.au/

Well congratulations to Kumar and all at IFFA and we’ll look forward to this year’s festival later this year, on the 5th of November at the Palms at the Crown Casino in Melbourne.

 

MARA JEAN QUINN’S DEBUT FEATURE FILM, ANDAMOOKA, IS IN THE CAN…NOW SHE PRESENTS IT TO THE WORLD

Australian writer, director, producer AND lead actor, MARA JEAN QUINN, can finally take a breath, sit down, relax and reflect on the cinematic journey she’s (almost) completed. Her first indie feature film project ANDAMOOKA, is now completed and after a little respite to re-energize, Mara Jean is now on a quest to get the film distributed across Australia and around the world. Major decisions still being made include whether to screen in theatres, at festivals, or via one of the many streaming platforms that international audiences can access…and getting the $s to take her to all the film festivals as well.
I originally spoke with Mara Jean back in May of 2023 when she was still fundraising to finish the last stages of production (search previous blog using key word “Andamooka”) and I’m thrilled to hear all her positive news, especially that she has recently expanded her non-film family to include a baby daughter – congratulations, MJ!  So let’s catch up with her and learn how the process of making an indie film has enlightened and empowered her…..

Now that the film has been completed, was the effort (production, travel, funding quest, sleepless nights) worth it?   I think so, but because it hasn’t been seen by audiences yet, it’s hard to be resolved in all the work that’s gone into it. Once it’s premiered and done some festivals, it will feel more real. Right now the film exists in a bit of a vacuum, only the creators and a few other people have seen it. In terms of learning, the last five years feels like I’ve completed a PhD in filmmaking. I am still no master by any means, but I do feel I’ve got a real understanding of what goes into a film and I am grateful for that. I also look forward to seeing what opportunities arise as a result of completing my debut feature, hopefully those make it all worthwhile too.In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently, either as producer or director? There are so many things I did wrong at literally every stage of the production. I think this was mostly due to my naivety and lack of producing experience. If I had the knowledge and wisdom I have now there is no way I would take such risk and sink so much time and money into a project. So from that perspective I’m grateful I had no idea what I was doing, because it means I actually did it.
Next time I would like to have a distributor behind me from the start as well as a producer (and some decent funding!).  I am not a producer at heart, only out of necessity. There are far more talented and skilled producers out there who I’d love to work with. I also don’t think I’ll direct myself in a lead role again, I really love collaborating with other artists and the director-actor relationship is very special.

Congratulations on a beautifully shot film – the country is clearly a character itself and many of the shots are nothing short of breathtaking. Who scouted locations for you?  Thank you, I really do love the cinematography; Adamooka’s DOP Danni Ogilive did an incredible job.  I agree, the landscape is a character, it’s often just Alex set amongst an epic landscape. In terms of finding the locations, I had conversations with people I knew in the Territory when I was writing the script so I had a few ideas of places to go and particular spots to shoot scenes. We also happened across lots of places along the road, often by just needing somewhere to camp that night. Of course, the locals in each place shared some of their favourite spots and we were able to explore those. We went to so many amazing places, it actually pains me how much had to end up on the edit room floor.
In the middle of shooting and funding campaigns, you had a baby….talk about multi-tasking!! Now that both your babies are alive and kicking, I have to ask: would you undertake such a cinematic journey again?  Hmmm, that’s a good one. I would love to shoot another film, and even another road movie/adventure film, but I would need someone there to help with my baby. Either my partner or my Mum, but my partner is an amazing filmmaker too, so I’d want his attention on the film. To make another film in general I would need a lot more support anyway. My little girl would just add to the madness. She was actually born shortly after the completion of the film, thankfully.

Have you had a screening for cast, production crew, friends and family? And if so, what was their feedback? My friends and family want to see it at the premiere and actually celebrate it, so they’re holding off. Some have seen little snippets and have been very supportive. There’s a huge section in the credits called “Encouragement Thanks” with a huge list of names. I think in general it’s hard for people who know you to see you acting and separate you from the character. Also, the screenplay is very personal and my friends and family witnessed some parts of the story that are inspired by real life (big break up, I was a mess etc.), so it’s hard for them to see me in such pain, even though it’s years after.Have you secured theatrical distribution or festival showcases?  I have had lots of good feedback from the distributors I’ve chatted to, and there are a couple of offers, but it’s really hard to know which way to jump. A number of distributors have said it may not suit a theatrical release, unfortunately, but we’ll see. As long as it has a life and finds its audience. There are a few festivals I am currently waiting to hear from and am actively entering more – though everything costs money, so this limits the entries.

And what is your next film project…after a suitable rest, of course?  I have a couple of series in development and there are a few feature screenplay drafts from over the years too, plus the want to make multiple documentaries about things I am passionate about, but nothing I am actively pushing. Being the only one managing Andamooka I simply don’t have time or mental capacity to be creative or really start on the next project until it’s released. Who knew a film took so much paperwork! Having a nine week old baby takes a fair bit of my time too.  Thanks, Glenda

I’m so happy to see Mara Jean reach completion of the film, overcoming all the inherent challenges that stood in her way. Pure guts and a belief in herself and her script, as well as surrounding herself with the right people to drive the project to the finish line. Bravo!

You can follow Mara Jean’s creative journey via:  https://www.facebook.com/andamookafilm and instagram.com/andamookafilm

TODAY IS NATIONAL CANADIAN FILM DAY! Here’s how we can celebrate our films and filmmakers….

Today, April 17th, is National Canadian Film Day (CanFilmDay), presented by REEL CANADA, which will shine a spotlight on Canadian films so distinct, delightful, eccentric, and profoundly human that even the most advanced Artificial Intelligence couldn’t conceive them!  The 2024 programming spotlight, Films That A.I. Could Never Make, reaffirms that no algorithm can embody the essence, or conjure the creativity inherent in a Canadian film.The beating heart of CanFilmDay celebrations are the more than 1,000 screenings, in every province and territory, and in more than 39 countries around the world and hundreds of offerings on broadcast and streaming services for every human to enjoy. Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada is once again the Vice Regal patron of National Canadian Film Day.  “With more and more of our lives governed by algorithms, it seems more important than ever to highlight the originality, passion and, well, humanity that infuses the best of Canadian cinema,” said Artistic Director Sharon Corder.

Programming highlights across the country include:

Premieres & Sneak Peeks

An exciting lineup of pre-release screenings, giving audiences nationwide a chance to see the top new offerings before their official release. Films include:

  • Ally Pankiw’s debut feature, I Used to Be Funny, in a cross-Canada sneak preview ahead of its June 7th release date on more than 20 screens thanks to the Network of Independent Canadian Exhibitors (NICE).
  • The red carpet premiere of The King Tide in St. John’s, NL, featuring members of the cast and director Christian Sparkes.
  • In Toronto, the World premiere of Caitlin Cronenberg’s film Humane, with special guest stars Jay Baruchel and Emily Hampshire.
  • A sneak preview of the new Highball.TV film Mother of All Shows at the Stirling Festival Theatre in Stirling, ON, where the film was shot. With director Melissa D’Agostino.
  • In Vancouver, a sneak of The Great Salish Heist, Darrell Dennis’ hilarious new no-budget Indigenous caper flick.

In Memoriam
Three major figures have sadly passed since our last CanFilmDay. They will be honoured with tributes spotlighting their indelible legacies.

  • To honour the passing of acclaimed filmmaker Charles Officer, also a CanFilmDay board member and beloved friend, join us for a special screening of Akilla’s Escape, and a discussion with filmmakers he inspired, hosted in Toronto by Regent Park Film Festival and BIPOC Film & TV.
  • VIFF will host a rare presentation of the biographic documentary The Life & Times of Norman Jewison to honour the passing of the legendary director.
  • Two major events – by the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Canadian Film Institute in Ottawa in partnership with the Director’s Guild of Canada in Ontario – will pay tribute to the late pioneer Don Shebib, with screenings of his groundbreaking feature, Goin’ Down the Road. A live Q&A with Jayne Eastwood and DGC Ontario chair Annie Bradley, his friend and colleague, will follow the CFI screening in Ottawa.

Film Festival Partner Screenings

  • In Toronto, writer/director Matt Johnson joins The Canadian Film Festival for a special screening of his smash-hit comedy Blackberry, which recently earned a record-setting 17 Canadian Screen Award nominations.
  • The Vancouver International Film Festival is going all out for CanFilmDay!  Programming includes a special 30th-anniversary screening of Double Happiness with director Mina Shum, a tribute to the late iconic director Norman Jewison, and more.
  • The Oakville Festival of Film and Art presents Barney’s Version, the adaptation of the beloved Mordecai Richler novel, featuring a discussion of the film with producer Robert Lantos hosted by Daniel Richler.
  • Reelworld Screen Institute presents a special 25th-anniversary screening of the landmark film Another Planet, the first Canadian feature film directed by a Black woman, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director, Christene Browne. This screening is proudly supported by Ontario Creates.
  • imagineNATIVE presents a special screening of their 2023 Audience Choice Award winner, Café Daughter, followed by a Q&A with director Shelley Niro (Mohawk), all happening in her home community.
  • 35th-anniversary screening of ROADKILL by Bruce McDonald, followed by a Q&A with co-writer & star Don McKellar, at the recently opened Redwood Theatre in Toronto.
  • TIFF presents a special screening of Philippe Falardeau’s breakout hit, La moitié gauche du frigo (The Left-Hand Side of the Fridge). The screening will be followed by a virtual Q&A with Philippe Falardeau about the film.
  • Calgary Underground Film Festival presents a rare 35mm presentation of the classic Alberta-shot horror film Ghostkeeper, with a Q&A with director Jim Makichuk, screenwriter Doug Macleod, story consultant Dave Makichuk and the lead of the film, Murray Ord.

Plus, these highlights:

  • A partnership with Global Affairs Canada will bring Canadian films to 39 countries worldwide! Special events range in size from the Argentinian premiere of Intercepted at the Buenos Aires International Film Festival with the director in attendance to a charity screening of Tu te souviendras de moi benefiting the Alzheimer Society of Ireland.
  • An estimated 20,000 high school students from more than 200 schools from every province and territory will engage in RCtv, our annual interactive livestream event. This year,  journalist Kelly Boutsalis (Mohawk) will host a discussion with Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki) to discuss her film, Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair, and will facilitate a nationwide student conversation reflecting on Canada’s legacy of Indian Residential Schools and pathways towards reconciliation.
  • Friends of Canadian Media presents a virtual screening of Sarah Polley’s documentary Stories We Tell, followed by a conversation between REEL CANADA Executive Director, Jack Blum, and Marla Boltman, Executive Director of Friends of Canadian Media.

Communities across the country that are going all-out for CanFilmDay include: 

  • The First Ontario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catharines, ON, is screening Anne of Green Gables with raspberry cordial-themed mocktails, PEI photo props and musical enhancements.
  • La Maison des artistes visuels in Winnipeg, MB, is screening Ru with a local professor of Vietnamese history.
  • In Slocan, BC, the local Legion is screening two films and holding a silent auction.
  • The Milton Public Library in Milton, ON is screening Canadian films throughout the week of April 15 – 19.
  • In Annapolis Royal NS, the King’s Theatre Society is showing five films on April 17, with refreshments available.
  • A companion workshop on Indigenous traditional arts will run before a screening of Bones of Crows in the Jasper, AB Community Habitat for the Arts.

More than two dozen major broadcast and streaming partners will be scheduling Canadian programming in honour of CanFilmDay. Visit the official website for info:  https://canfilmday.ca/  Founding Sponsor Cineplex is providing over two dozen cinema screens across the country.  The Landmark Cinema chain is also contributing venues in several communities. Both partners will screen the CanFilmDay promo PSA as part of their pre-show presentations.

Events across Canada and worldwide will feature appearances by special guests including Barry Avrich, Kelly Boutsalis, Christene Brown, Caitlin Cronenberg, Renee Courchene (Anicinabe), Melissa D’Agostino, Atom Egoyan, Philippe Falardeau, Tareq Hadhad, Emily Hampshire, Matt Johnson, Robert Lantos, Jason Loftus, Jim Makichuk, Dave Makichuk, Don McKellar, Doug Macleod, Alison Murray, Murray Ord, Alanis Obomsawin, Matthew Rankin, Mina Shum, Gail Singer, Christian Sparkes, Éric Tessier and Vinay Virmani.

CanFilmDay is a huge endeavour that’s made possible through the efforts of dedicated sponsors and partners who support filmmakers year after year, including Telefilm Canada, CBC, Hollywood Suite, Cineplex, Landmark Cinemas, Ontario Arts Council, RBC Foundation, DGC Ontario, Ontario Creates, CMPA, ACTRA, AFBS and more.

Visit canfilmday.ca for more information and you can also visit Facebook, TikTok and Instagram: @CanFilmDay and #CanFilmDay.

About REEL CANADA
REEL CANADA is a charitable organization that promotes the diversity of Canadian film and its power to spark important conversations about what it means to be Canadian. Through our core programmes — Our Films in Our Schools, Welcome to Canada, Reel Opportunities, and National Canadian Film Day (CanFilmDay) — REEL CANADA has reached millions of students, new Canadians, and general audience members.

Located in the heart of the outback, CHRIS TANGEY has become Australia’s “drone master”!

A few months ago, I found an incredible video posted on YouTube that led me down the rabbit hole to the international master of drone cinematography, CHRIS TANGEY. Not only that, my fellow Aussie countryman heads up one of the most remote media broadcasting, film & TV production services located in Alice Springs in the red heart of the country that attracts attention from clients,  filmmakers and festivals from around the world.So, I’ve now spent many have hours viewing his brilliant drone videos shot for corporate and tourism organizations which are licensed for int’l use; I recommend you check them out on his aerial videos page: https://bit.ly/3S3mEHS – I swear you’ll sit there viewing with your mouth wide open in amazement as the drones swoop down, around and over stunning landscapes…like I did!

The video that opened up Chris’ amazing cinematic world to me is this multi-award winning “My Australia” video – enjoy:

To date, Chris and his company have won 8 gold and 5 silver awards from the Australian Cinematographers Society and 26 international awards for aerial cinematography including wins from 3 different New York City festivals.

Alice Springs Film and Television (ASFTV) are the Australian outback specialists in film, TV and stills production and services, specializing in drone filming.  They also Location Fix and manage. Owned and operated by Aerial Cinematographer, Cinematographer, Photographer and Location Manager Chris, his business ethos is simple: “If your project makes the world a better place, or is benign, let’s have a chat, if it makes the world a worse place… best to chat with someone else”. Alice Springs Film and Television produce content for broadcast television, news, documentary, music videos, TVCs, audio/visual displays and corporates. They also specialize in location scouting and fixing, from Amazon Prime’s “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” to Werner Herzog’s “Nomad”, from the Royal Ballet to the global TVCs for Qantas,Visa Card , Toyota and Tourism Australia, the world’s best use and trust our services. Chris and his company have serviced, and worked on productions for all Australian TV networks plus Internationals including Warner Brothers, Universal Pictures, BBC, Amazon Prime, Paramount Plus, Netflix, Stan, National Geographic Channel, Columbia Tristar, Discovery, ZDF, NHK and NASA Television. They also have a very impressive list of corporate clients that includes Tourism Australia, Tourism Northern Territory, Apple, Microsoft, National Australia Bank, Country Music Association of Australia and Qantas Inflight entertainment.

Intrigued? Here’s another link to Chris’ work…perfect for watching while the snow whirls outside here in Canada. https://filmfreeway.com/ChrisTangey

If you like oceans and crashing waves, here’s one of Chris’s videos showing “the Great Australian Bight”, the chunk of coastline along the southern reaches of the continent:

You can follow Chris on Instagram at:  https://www.instagram.com/christangey/ as well as LinkedIn, Facebook and multiple other platforms.  And here’s ASFTV’s website for more info: https://www.alicespringsfilmtv.com.au/

INT’L FILMMAKER ALEX PROYAS LAUNCHES STREAMING PLATFORM FOR SHORT FILMMAKERS AROUND THE WORLD

Yes, I admit it – I am a film junkie! Growing up in the bush in Australia back in the 60s & 70s, I didn’t get to the cinemas in the big cities as often as I wanted to; I did, however, get to see Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen which changed my life – I had to be…needed to be…a part of the cinema world. Thank goodness for the local library (Kalamunda, just outside of Perth WA) where I devoured all the books on film stars, filmmaking and the history of Hollywood (years later, I taught Film History at a film school here in Toronto so all that geeking out paid off in the end). Back then everything was all about Hollywood, Tinseltown, the centre of the film industry universe. But now, thanks to everything being online, the biz has changed…well some of it has. There are still barriers for emerging writers, directors, producers to get their work shown in cinemas or on tv – it’s all about the $s and access to the suits. Sure, there is a global market for film with active film communities in just about every country – ever heard of Nollywood? Nigeria is second only to Bollywood (India) for annual production output leaving Hollywood in the dust but people still think California is the place to conquer professionally.
For the past few years, I’ve become so homesick for Australia that I’ve searched for Aussie-based platforms for films and tv series that we just don’t get up here in North America, apart from the odd Indigenous show (eg: Mystery Road, Total Control), thanks to channels such as APTN in Canada and PBS in the US. Every time I clicked on videos or film industry news broadcasts, I always got the geo-blocked message on screen: “not available in your territory”. Urgh! Isn’t the world wide web supposed to give us access to stuff from around the world?? Then I discovered VIDIVERSE, a streaming platform out of Australia created by award-winning filmmaker ALEX PROYAS (pictured below) best known for directing I, Robot, The Crow, Dark City and numerous music videos including those by Sting, Mike Oldfield and one of my fave Down Under bands Crowded House with whom I worked when they toured Canada.Alex realized there was a huge online opportunity for indie short filmmakers whose work is often the stepping stone to feature work and big-time careers. He knew he could make a difference when he launched Vidiverse and saw the audience numbers grow exponentially along with a  loud buzz within the film community – there was suddenly a greater respect for short films, especially those in the specific horror/thriller/chiller genre.  I became a member and have spent many hours viewing a variety of shorts – some make me laugh, some scare the bejesus outta me, others illuminate issues I’ve not had to confront up here in Canada.  I knew I had to talk to this talented filmmaker to learn about his decision to step up and kick open the doors for all who share his passion….

Alex, you’ve enjoyed much success throughout your career as a filmmaker, director and writer, both critically and at the box office, so why get into the streaming biz with Vidiverse?  The mainstream of film is broken right now – and less accessible to brave new voices than ever before. I wanted to encourage indie filmmakers and more importantly filmmakers who are attempting to build a new way forward. I was writing and directing my own short films and I found the only place I could share these films was on YouTube, a site that pays a pittance to anyone who doesn’t have millions of subscribers or views, and where great work is at the mercy of the algorithm and can get lost, buried beneath so much rubbish. What hope is there for up-and-coming filmmakers if they have nowhere to showcase their work, so they can continue to create? Vidiverse is my attempt to change that.What excites me about your streaming platform is that it’s not geo-blocked here in North America like most, if not all, of the Aussie platforms (incl. the tv networks and festival outlets). How did you manage that?   I feel that to improve the situation for indie filmmakers it needs to be a global effort. We don’t just want to showcase Australian filmmakers to Australian audiences. Vidiverse is evidence that across the world there are unique, rich, unheard stories from filmmakers that deserve to be shared globally. We simply can’t claim to champion indie filmmakers if we’re limiting their potential audience. A few of our films are blocked in some territories due to existing licenses already arranged by the filmmakers, but these are very few indeed.Many of the films listed on the site maybe “cool” but are definitely outside of the norm (or “genre” films) and would probably never make it into traditional cinemas – why is it important to support and champion these films?   We are about diversity in film. Whether that be in style, content, structure, ethnicity or culture. Filmmakers grow and learn and change. When you provide a platform for their work, they can build their fan base, they can earn money, they can develop their unique style of filmmaking and ultimately add more value to their own brand. Nothing changes if nothing changes and by highlighting different films, we open up an industry that is trapped in a cycle of using the same actors, filmmakers, directors, stories, etc, told from the same perspectives. It’s a monopoly of sorts, that is almost impossible to break into without the finance and the connections. Vidiverse is about building an alternative.

Since its inception, I’ve seen more and more indie filmmakers add their films to Vidiverse, how did you reach out to them and convince them this was the most ideal & targeted platform for their projects? And how difficult is it to curate specific genres or subjects?  I, fortunately, have very committed followers, many of whom are filmmakers themselves, and it was with their help that we initially launched Vidiverse and secured our first lot of submissions. Additionally, blogs like yours, podcasts, social media, etc. are how we generate further submissions. In terms of ‘convincing’ filmmakers it’s the most ideal platform, I’d say that little convincing was necessary. We offer a place for them to showcase their work and generate potential financial return to put back into their craft. It will also increasingly function as a way for them to build their own individual brand – we are ‘creator-centric’, we don’t boost individual videos like Youtube – we are about encouraging and rewarding those filmmakers who have a body of work on Vidiverse. On top of that, our contract is non-exclusive. We don’t want to limit our filmmakers and if they want to share their work on other sites and streamers, we won’t deny them the potential opportunities they might find through those sites. Though I hope they will increasingly view Vidiverse as the best possible way to showcase their work. Again, at the heart of Vidiverse is the desire to improve the situation for all indie filmmakers, and though we have a long way yet to travel I hope we’ve already shown we can and will succeed.Like the “big boys” (Netflix, Prime, etc,) Vidiverse plans to help finance and produce projects for indie filmmakers in the future. How difficult is it currently for filmmakers to get their projects from page to screen Down Under?  Hugely difficult. Funding for shorts is almost non-existent, or out of reach for most filmmakers. Here in Australia, we are very much an entire industry built on the indie model – we don’t have studios here, and the number of streamers or TV concerns that are in a position to finance content are limited and often produce extremely conservative stuff for mass consumption. It can be difficult to engage investors for anything challenging and ground-breaking, even in the ultra low budget indie world of Aussie movies. Australia has some incredibly talented filmmakers with great ideas but it’s a long road to improve it. But this can all be applied to the larger indie world – as I say, the model is pretty much broken worldwide. A good film is always a kind of miracle, every film has odds it’s trying to beat – but in Australia a good film is a very special kind of even more rare miracle. We need to pull together as filmmakers, and build our own alternative model – one that services the artists as well or better than the commerce.Your website’s “Hope” page says…We want to represent the broadest spectrum of voices possible. What we lack in deep pockets to stream the mass-market and narrow-minded, we make up for with embracing the open-minded, the challenging, the brave, the original.  What advice can you offer to indie filmmakers around the world who want to showcase their work on Vidiverse, and are there any specific submission protocols for doing so?  The only submissions requirement is that the submitter owns all rights to the film. In terms of advice: get out there and make something! It’s films made with passion and dedication that capture our hearts. You don’t need to have lots of money to make a great film, you just need to work at your craft. And make the films you want to see, not the films you think others want to see. Creating with that mindset will give you more clarity in your decisions, and no doubt create a better film than if you made it with the hope of external praise. Just start, make a film, and keep making them no matter what anyone tells you, whatever negative criticism you might get. Passion is all you need.
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Thanks, Alex, good luck as you build your portfolio of short films produced by talented filmmakers from around the globe. And a big THANK YOU for being such a patron of the artform and emerging fellow filmmakers. So, attn all filmmakers around the world – if YOU have a project that needs to be seen by audiences, why not reach out with a submission?

You can follow Vidiverse and select films and filmmakers to view here: https://www.vidiverse.com/

And follow Alex and Vidiverse on all social media platforms @vidiverse

AUSTRALIAN FILMMAKER MARA JEAN QUINN LOOKS FORWARD TO RELEASING HER UPCOMING FEATURE FILM “ANDAMOOKA” AROUND THE WORLD

Being an Aussie stuck thousands of miles away from home, I’m always excited to discover music, films, tv shows, literature and art from Down Under, thanks to YouTube, Vimeo and other platforms. After my two-month odyssey trekking around the outback and the big cities last year, I’m even more passionate about arts and entertainment coming out of Australia. There’s a wealth of independent Australian films being made and, joy-of-joys, lots of women filmmakers with successful careers and being given the respect they are due. One such filmmaker is writer, director, producer and actor MARA JEAN QUINN (below), to whom I was introduced by my Brisbane mate, Marilyn C. Bromley.I dug around online and discovered what a multi-talented busy lady Mara Jean is!  But like indie filmmakers around the world, the toughest part is finding the funding to complete the film and secure distribution – she is currently at that stage and is eager to find that last injection of $s to get her film Andamooka into cinemas.

Andamooka is a feature-length road movie about a city woman whose life falls apart just before she turns 30. She goes to the outback on a quest to spend her birthday with her best friend in tiny opal mining town Andamooka. It paints an honest picture of womanhood, the pain of things not working out and the disconnected nature of city life. The film was shot on location in Western Queensland, Northern Territory & South Australia.I recently asked Mara Jean to share stories from the set, how she got the film made, who helped her and, of course, the challenges of being an indie filmmaker in Australia…..

Mara Jean, you’ve had quite the career journey since starting in theatre in 1999, then as a film actor in 2006 as well as doing some modelling along the way. Since then, you’ve written, directed, produced…even worked in wardrobe. How have all these skills worked to your advantage now that you’re producing your own films?  Having an understanding and interest in all the areas of the film means I have compassion and a basic grasp of what different departments are dealing with – this helps with communication and being able to really flavour the film. I think the most original work comes from sharing the weirdest and most honest parts of yourself. So if I can take a look at different areas of the film in an active way, I can colour the film and in the end like it more! In saying that I am very collaborative and love having input from other artists.  Doing all these roles has been both an exploration of the medium and a necessity. Having to do difficult things out of pure necessity, I have realized I am capable of substantial output. I still go through moments of thinking things are too hard for me and impossible to achieve, but I chip away and get there in the end. I think everyone is far more capable than they believe!What inspired the story of Andamooka? It looks like a very personal and soul-searching journey from the city into the outback that you may have experienced yourself.  I was in denial for ages that it wasn’t based on reality, but it is. I went through a tough time personally and I’d wanted to do an outback trip for years. Though, unlike the brave protagonist “Alex” I never wanted to do it alone. I did a number of solo trips in different parts of Australia and the world in my late teens to mid-20s, so I suppose this was a factor in writing a female lead solo journey film.You spent a couple of months working with just a crew/cast of 3…talk about indie/guerilla movie-making. How the hell did you manage all that on such a tiny budget?  I suppose it was treated like any sort of travel on a shoestring budget, the only difference was, we had a camera and a sound recorder and we shot scenes every second day or so. We were careful with our spending. We only paid for accommodation one night on the whole trip. That night we just really wanted walls, a roof and a washing machine! We free camped most of the time, as well as staying with different friends along the way. The hospitality we were met with was so heartwarming and the public facilities were great. The three of us have all been in the Arts for a long time, which unfortunately means we’re all used to living well below the poverty line. I think the sacrifices made to live a life of freedom and chasing dreams are worth it.  The lucky thing also was that we were all in a place in our lives where we could step away and just hit the road for a few months without any income. Were you given help and shelter by the locals as you travelled throughout Queensland, Northern Territory, NSW and South Australia? I understand you filmed on Traditional (Indigenous) lands – did that require specific sensitivities and/or were your “hosts” helpful and contributed to certain events in the script?  We were met with incredible hospitality by everyone. We filmed five scenes with Indigenous Australians – all of these were written with the talent themselves.   At the time of shooting, we got permission from some Traditional Owners to film on their sites, and since then we have gained retrospective permission to show all sites in the film. We had to remove some due to no-photography zones. The process of gaining permission to show sacred and non-sacred sites from the Traditional Owners has been mind opening and rewarding. We took the permissions to the next level gaining the blessings from the local people of all areas shown in the film, almost every shot! (Below, Sound Recordist Anthea Hilton and Director of Photography Danni Ogilvie on location)One of the greatest learnings early on in the trip was that Australia is actually made up of hundreds of nations all with their own languages and dialects, culture, art, song, knowledge, laws and protocols. We are essentially the United Nations of Australia! Seeing the Indigenous languages map (pictured below) gives a great visual to this perspective. This understanding was both inspiring and really devastating. Experiencing the depth and vitality of these cultures in the Outback made us reflect on what is often an absence of this culture on the East Coast. Living without the visibility of Aboriginal people or culture feels like living a lie, as though it never existed. It’s a hollow and unjust way to live, acting as though “Terra Nullius” was accurate. Being around different local languages and culture adds depth and understanding to a place, so on parts of the East Coast, where this is invisible, we are really missing out on a level of connection to country that has existed for over 60,000 years.I think we are in an exciting time in Australia where people are waking up, confronting truths about our ugly history. Aboriginal people are at the forefront in the Arts. People want to consume this art, and if they don’t, they just haven’t discovered the magic of it yet.

You recently acted in the zombie killer kangaroo feature film “The Red”…was this where you met your cultural advisor and producer, the brilliant Indigenous actor Aaron Pedersen? And how did you convince him to come on board with Andamooka?  Yes! I first met Aaron on the phone when I was in the production team. We had great rapport straight away. I ended up auditioning for a role and acting alongside him and other amazing actors such as Terminator’s Michael Biehn. One day between takes, I told Aaron about my dormant project Andamooka, a pain in my heart, as it had sat untouched for over two years. It was a simple conversation and he took a look at the teaser. A few months later I was at my editor’s house in Sydney, just down the road from his place, and I realized I wanted him in the room. I wanted his take on the film and his input. I called him and asked if he’d like to come and see it, and if he liked then there was a role as a producer for him. I was nervous about how he would respond to the film and that he might have to let me down gently. Fortunately, he loved the film, jumped straight in, and was a great influence on the storytelling as well as many other hurdles in post. Aaron Pedersen (pictured below in the award-winning Mystery Road tv series) is not only a brilliant actor, but he’s an incredible story teller and human being. I bloody love Aaron and it is such an honour to work with him!Funding is always a major issue when completing film and tv projects and I understand you self-financed filming. How difficult has it been raising $s to finish post-production of Andamooka? Have the various gov’t-run funding organizations assisted or are you hoping to remain completely independent from all the red-tape, relying strictly on private funding?  It has been by far the most stressful, frustrating and restricting element. I did attempt to get government funding from a range of bodies, but because we had lots of volunteers on the film they cannot give us any funding. There is a huge gap in State and Federal government funding for indie films – most of the people I spoke to within these places are well aware of this and wish it wasn’t the case. Luckily one of the funding bodies wants to start supporting indie films and Andamooka has become a prototype for them. We’ve both been learning and figuring it out as we go. They have given us a small grant which has been really helpful. Initially in pre-production I did reach out to a few government agencies but was met with a lack of enthusiasm and pretty much flat out “no’s”. I don’t like pushing people to work with me. I have an enthusiasm requirement or I’m not interested. We have been lucky that some fantastic people have given in kind support as well as some deferred payment plans, such as Nicole Thorn who has done an amazing job editing the film, without her there’d be no film. We recently ran a fundraiser that resulted in AUD$11.5K raised, mostly from family and friends, so the team is super grateful to all those people. Amazing what a community can achieve when they rally to support the Arts.

I am also extremely privileged to have generous parents: I was able to borrow money from them this year allowing me to work on this project full time for the last four months. Asking for help was an emotional process as I am usually proudly independent. I have had to get used to living in debt and carrying the stress of taking financial risks. I’ve also spent half the year sleeping on couches whilst working on the film in Sydney.

So how can film fans help?   Please donate to our online fundraiser at https://artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2E9q000000EkNL
We are also looking for a distributor, a sales agent and all the things I am still learning about that make a film have a life!

And once completed, will you be submitting Andamooka to all the film fests around the world? What are the dream fests where you’d like to see your film showcased?  We hope to tour world film festivals, have a selected cinematic release, and house the film on a streaming platform. And we hope to premiere at the inaugural SXSW Sydney in October this year.  Andamooka is a universal story and almost everyone who has seen it has felt a strong connection, so the more people we can show, the more souls we will touch. It would be cool to end up in places like Toronto, Berlin, Mexico, New York, Indonesia, Japan and New Zealand.You can follow Mara Jean’s creative journey via:  https://www.facebook.com/andamookafilm and instagram.com/andamookafilm
And thanks to DoP Danni Ogilvie for photos from the set.

TAKE A TRIP DOWN GRAVEL ROAD WITH AUSSIE DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER TRISTAN PEMBERTON

Since arriving back in Toronto from my 2 months traveling around Australia’s most remote towns, I’ve been obsessed with maintaining contact with new Down Under friends as well as Aussie social media news and information, especially about filmmakers and musicians. One story particularly piqued my interest as it dealt with both those subjects: it told the story of documentary filmmaker, Tristan Pemberton, and his passion project – a new documentary film that told the story of an indigenous rock band as they toured the Australian outback in some of the country’s most remote places.

Gravel Road tells the real-life story of Jay Minning, singer-songwriter of the most isolated rock band in the world, The Desert Stars. His four-piece bandmates are traditional land owners of Spinifex Country in the Great Victoria Desert of Western Australia, which is home to the last nomadic people in Australia.  From their home in Tjuntjuntjara, the film follows Minning and his band’s first ever tour as they rock their way across the Western Desert with songs of hunter-gatherer life. Their elders survived the British atomic testing (at the infamous Maralinga site) and the band’s profound connection to culture spans back 2,000 generations. With customary Spinifex reciprocity, Minning shares the journey with East-Coast friends, a band named The Re-mains, providing a rare glimpse into his country, his culture, his music and his extraordinary everyday life. Producer/director Pemberton (shown below with editor Harriet Clutterbuck, ASE) previously collaborated with the community of Tjuntjuntjara and The Desert Stars for many years. He produced short films The Cheater and Maku Digging; the documentary Ara Wankatjara Nyinanyi (The Good Health Story) for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Outback Stories show; a short for Spinifex Health Service Ukuri Wiya (Ganga is Bad); the music promo for The Desert Stars homelands tribute Tjuntjuntjara; and most recently The Tjuntjuntjara Story, a staff recruitment film for the Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation (PTAC).It’s taken some 3 years to research, film, edit and finally get the documentary on screen: Gravel Road is now screening around the world at international film festivals and last month it was screened at CineFest Oz film festival in Western Australia. The band made a surprise live appearance after the film screened, delighting theatregoers. The audience demanded so many encores, the band ran out of material! Offers for them to appear nationwide are now pouring in.I recently e-chatted with Tristan about his journey with Jay and the band, his relationship with the Tjuntjuntjara community, the filming process, the hardships of filming on the road with a small crew and then pulling it all together in order to launch at film festivals across the country…..

Tristan, you’ve worked on several previous projects involving the remote Tjuntjuntjara community – what was so special about Jay and his band’s tour that fired your imagination?  Jay and the Desert Stars are traditional landowners of Spinifex Country where, in 1986, the last hunter gatherer nomadic people in Australia and possibly the world – a family of seven – made contact for the first time. My journey to research the facts around those events started over ten years ago, and my passion to tell that story with Tjuntjuntjara Community – with the community’s full support – hasn’t waned. The fact is, Spinifex People, due to their isolation, have managed to keep culture very intact and remained some of the most traditional people left in Australia, and probably the planet. So the Spinifex People have a unique place in Australian and world history, and Jay writes his songs, tells his stories, from that perspective. That in itself fascinates me and lights that fire in my belly to share Jay’s stories and music through film.Were you a fan of The Desert Stars/Re-Mains prior to shooting the film? Yes. I’d first heard of the Desert Stars on my second trip to community where I was running a filmmaking workshop. Together we’d made a short film, called The Cheater, and during post-production we were looking to add music to the edit. A couple of people involved in post immediately suggested we add some Desert Stars music as they were the local rock band. A CD appeared shortly after and I heard their music for the first time.  It was such a perfect fit, with songs that reflected culture of life in the desert and the Spinifex experience. And what great songs. Jay really is a gifted songwriter, weaving his life experiences into catchy melody and poetry, with a great 80s rock feel.

Did you discover new truths about the community, the country, the musicians or yourself over the years it took to get the story to the screen? As long as you keep pushing yourself, I don’t think you ever stop learning about yourself and the world. Filmmaking is hard work, and it never really gets easier. But it’s made easier by the contributions of others. They say it takes a village to raise a child, well the same can be said of a film. Without its village, its own little community, most films never get made, or have a chance to find its audience once completed. So as a filmmaker one of the most important jobs is to surround that story idea with its own community who’ll support and protect it and help it grow into something bigger and stronger. It’s been incredibly humbling to watch as so many have invested time and energy into Gravel Road, with their only reward the hope that it, and the band, will succeed in finding an audience.How important was the input from local elders when telling the band’s story and that of the community itself?  Absolutely critical. Without input from elders and the collaborative support of the Tjuntjuntjara community, there’s simply no way I could, or would wish to, tell Jay’s or any story that belonged to the Spinifex People. Afterall, they are not my stories. I just see myself as a conduit, using my skills to walk with and work with Tjuntjuntjara community so together we can share their stories. Collaboration only works when there’s genuine ngaapartji ngaapartji (reciprocity) and cross-cultural consultation and understanding. Jay was the first person – outside the post team – to see an edit, and subsequent edits. And once complete, a private community screening was arranged where all community members were invited to attend. I would never allow a community film to go out into the world before the community got to see it first so they are happy that it’s not mis-representing their story, or presenting anything of cultural concern that shouldn’t be seen or heard. Once Gravel Road had Tjuntjuntjara’s community blessing, it then started its journey beyond the desert into the world.

Did you encounter any resistance from Jay or the musicians when shooting scenes that perhaps revealed more on a personal basis than perhaps they wished to share? And if so, how did you strike a balance with creative differences?  Not really. The band were very open to allow me access to their lives during the time I was travelling with them. Occasionally I’d be advised not to record a certain landscape, or capture a particular location – but that was always for cultural reasons which I completely respect and had no reason to challenge.  At the same time, I was careful not to push people too far. As a documentary filmmaker you have to use your intuition – or simply ask – to work out when the people you’re recording are getting film fatigue. Sometimes people just want a break from the camera and have some personal space, so I was always acutely aware to allow that to happen when needed. (Jay is also an artist who shares stories through his paintings- see below)After watching the trailer, I can see how all that bumpy dirt road traveling must have put a strain on both your vehicles and your own bodies – how many flat tires, broken axles, empty petrol tanks or back aches took their toll on the musicians and crew?  So as not to spoil the film, I guess you’ll have to watch Gravel Road to really answer that question.  Though I will say it certainly was uncomfortable sitting in a bus driving over corrugated road for hours and hours, days and days on end. On one of the days sitting on the bus I calculated that if we were hitting 50 corrugations (vibrations) a second, it works out to be 180,000 vibration per hour or about 1.5 million vibrations after 8 hours of driving. That plays havoc on electrical and mechanical equipment, not to mention our bodies.As director, cinematographer and co-producer of Gravel Road, how time-consuming was this project and did you have any sort of personal life throughout production? During the shooting phase, I didn’t have much of a personal life at all. Shooting documentary is all consuming, especially when working in remote locations. There was no sound recordist, or any other crew, with me so I had to be on, or ready to go any time during the day and most nights. Even when exhausted you have to be ready to get going. You never know when you might need to capture that critical piece of the action which will help to drive the narrative forward. It’s hard work!How do you hope audiences respond/react to the film both in Australia and when the film hits international screens?  We had our world premiere at Phoenix Film Festival, Arizona USA in April. The feedback from audiences there was very positive with loads of lively and engaging discussion after every screening. Later in April Gravel Road appeared at Poppy Jasper International Film Festival in Morgan Hill, California (just south of San Francisco) where it won Best Documentary Feature award. There, too, we had great discussions around the film, the band and the Spinifex People.  So far, the feedback we’ve had has been really positive and audiences have enjoyed Jay’s passion for his music and enthusiasm to share his stories. We often get comments about how great the band play and what wonderful, catchy songs they perform. There’re often comments about the landscape that the band passed through. It’s a feel-good film which shares a really positive story about how the Spinifex People have survived atomic testing and the ravages of colonialism to rise above, keep culture strong and succeed.

Thank you, Tristan, and good luck with Gravel Road as it rolls out into wide release in cinemas around Australia and the world.  If you want to learn more about the documentary, visit the official website or follow Tristan and the film on social media:

https://gravelroadfilm.com/

https://www.facebook.com/gravelroadfilm

https://www.instagram.com/gravelroadfilm/

 

THE LONG RIDER documentary feature coming to Canadian cinemas June 24

Opening in Canadian cinemas next week (June 24), the new feature-length documentary film, THE LONG RIDER, follows a young man’s journey on horseback from Canada, through the continental United States, Mexico, Central America then into South America on his way to his country of birth, Brazil.When Filipe Masetti Leite leaves his adoptive home of Canada, he sets out on an epic quest to ride from Calgary, Alberta, to his family’s home in Brazil – and later beyond – entirely on horseback. Inspired by Aimé Tschiffely’s legendary 1925 equestrian journey from Argentina to New York, Filipe’s 8-year odyssey of over 25,000 kms across twelve international borders, sees him and his trusty mounts battle intense heat, drought, speeding transport trucks, nature’s wrath and corrupt border guards on his history-making long ride home.

Apart from being a world-renowned Long Rider, Filipe is an award-winning journalist, and best-selling author. The Brazilian-born cowboy is the youngest person in the world to cross the Americas on horseback. In 2020 he was chosen as the Calgary Stampede’s Grand Marshal and ‘white-hatted’ by Mayor Naheed Nenshi. He is the author of the best-sellers, Long Ride Home (soon to be a motion picture) and Long Ride to the End of the World, published in Portuguese (Harper Collins) and English, soon to be released in Spanish. He is a regular contributor to The Toronto Star, a frequent guest on Rede Globo’s Fantastico, Brazil’s most watched Sunday night television show, and is writing his third memoir, Last Long Ride.Culled from over 500 hours of never-before-seen footage, the documentary deals with the issue of chronic loneliness and the insensitive, restrictive and frustrating nature of international borders, but regardless of all that, it’s an inspiring and emotional story of the most daring and epic proportions.

The Long Rider has been 10 years in the making. Shot almost entirely by Filipe on his cross-continental long ride, and directed by award-winning filmmaker Sean Cisterna, who went to the same high school as the cowboy, the duo seemed destined to bring this epic story to life.  The kindness of humanity is on display in The Long Rider, made evident through the extraordinary strangers who helped Filipe along his journey. In these challenging times, The Long Rider offers hope and inspiration, one hoof at a time.“Filipe made an historically important equestrian journey, overcame tremendous challenges, suffered in the saddle physically and emotionally, and after a Herculean effort, rode into his beloved hometown in triumph”.  – Cuchullaine O’Reilly, Founder of the Long Riders’ Guild and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Being a pony-club brat from childhood, this film fascinated me…could I ever have undertaken such a ride? Of course not, but I have such respect for Filipe and his beautiful loyal horses, Frenchie, Bruiser, Dude plus several others throughout the journey. So many disasters along the way including Frenchie (the palomino) getting hit by a truck in the middle of nowhere during a thunder storm that required serious veterinary treatment and a long period of recuperation that kept the trek on-hold for several weeks.Filipe and the producers have been asked so many questions during this pre-release publicity tour, such as…

Q: How long did it take to film The Long Rider?
A: The journey portion of the documentary took place over 8 years, and the interviews were collected over the course of 1 year. With all that footage, the editing process took almost 2 years.

Q: What countries was The Long Rider filmed in?
A: The Long Rider was filmed in 13 different countries – Canada, the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. In addition, the interview segments with the Long Rider’s Guild founder Cuchullaine O’Reilly was filmed in France.

Q: How about the horses’ well-being?
A: Filipe, an experienced rider and equestrian competitor who rode with his father since he was a baby, spent two years speaking to Long Riders around the world to learn how to properly travel on horseback. Through the Long Riders Guild, the world’s first international association of equestrian explorers and long-distance travelers, Filipe was also awarded the opportunity to participate in Stan Walchuk’s wilderness riding clinic in Northern British Columbia. Filipe always had his animals’ health in mind, travelling only thirty kilometres a day, taking lots of rest days, and never pushing them.Q: Was there a film crew travelling with Filipe the entire time?
A: No, for the most part, the journey footage seen in The Long Rider was captured by Filipe himself using a tripod, or by locals and friends that he encountered along the way.

In fact, the scenery itself was another “character” in the film – towering mountain ranges, snowy forests and winding highways, hot dry deserts, swampy marshes, and hard stony plains. And so many welcoming, smiling faces as Filipe and the horses clip-clopped into tiny villages and towns, some of which weren’t even on the maps. The emotional toll taken on the young man was also shown as part of the film – audiences are privy to Filipe’s joys, fears, frustrations and anger, the loss of his long-time girlfriend whose support was so valuable, then meeting the woman who was to become his wife towards the end of the ride all bring a sense of intimacy and triumph.

The Long Rider is due for release the last week of June and early July in cinemas across the country. The first pair of boots he wore on his Long Ride (below) are on display at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto…..…and two statues, more than five meters tall, have been erected in Brazil to celebrate his feat. The documentary has already won several awards and received Official Selection status in various international film festivals.Credits
Mythic Productions & Mojo Global Arts presents The Long Rider in association with NC2 Media
Directed & produced by Sean Cisterna
Executive Producers: Filipe Masetti Leite, Peter Hawkins, Arnon Melo, Sonya Di Rienzo, and Aeschylus Poulos
Director of Photography: Filipe Masetti Leite
Interview Cinematography: Carl Elster and Ingrid Vido
Editor: Lee Walker

Follow Filipe on Instagram @filipemasetti

OSCAR-WINNING DIRECTOR GUILLERMO DEL TORO CALLS ON THE EVASONS FOR ADVICE FOR HIS LATEST FILM “NIGHTMARE ALLEY”.

Over the past few weeks, my TV has been dominated by ads for an exciting new feature film, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro’s noir-themed “Nightmare Alley” which opens this Friday, December 17th. The film stars Bradley Cooper and Rooney Mara along with an outstanding cast of A-listers including my fave Aussie ladies, Cate Blanchett and Toni Collette. I was thrilled, then, to receive a message from the world’s leading mentalist duo, Tessa and Jeff Evason, telling me about their participation in the film, too.When del Toro was going over the script, he wanted to ensure authenticity for the various scenes showing how mentalists work with their audiences. So after a few international phones calls and emails, he was introduced to the Evasons who are considered the best working mentalists in the world!I met Tessa and Jeff several years ago and they told me that one day we would work together – yes, they nailed that one for sure…now here we are.  I spoke with them 2 days ago and asked them to share the experience of getting the phone call that has brought them into a whole new circle of friends and business opportunities.

Tessa & Jeff, tell me how you became specialist consultants on Guillermo del Toro’s latest Hollywood blockbuster, Nightmare Alley – how did he find you?  It was the summer of 2019, we were at our cottage in Canada. We got a phone call from the office of producer Miles Dale. He said Guillermo del Toro was on the other line and he would like to chat with us about his upcoming film, Nightmare Alley. We looked at each other, wondered if it was a prank call, but it really was Guillermo on the line. OMG! He was just so friendly and warm, and incredibly nice. He told us we had some mutual friends, Teller (from Penn & Teller) and Derren Brown (mentalist from England), and that when he asked them if there was two-person mentalism team that he should speak with, they both said we were the ones.Without giving anything away, what did the Oscar-winning director ask of you?  Guillermo said that he was a huge fan of magic, and a member of the Magic Castle (private club in Hollywood, which we are also members of). He felt it was important that he remain true to the original story, and to also be respectful of magic history. Our task was to read the script (and every revision that followed) to provide notes about any scenes that pertained to methods, psychology and the performance of mentalism. On the first phone call, Guillermo  told us about his love and respect for magic. He was sensitive about exposure of secret methods, and he didn’t want to reveal any more than necessary in his movie, while keeping the storyline as authentic as possible. He wanted our perspective, as experts in the field of two-person mentalism, to advise and give insight line by line, scene by scene. Anyone who hasn’t studied what we have studied, to the depth and degree that we have studied and performed, has no idea what is possible with two-person telepathy. Some things in his original script sounded great and made for an interesting story, but just weren’t practical for a mentalism team to actually perform on stage during the era when the story takes place. Nightmare Alley was originally a novel by William Lindsay Gresham published in 1946. It has always had a degree of controversy among magicians and mentalists, yet it’s a film that we all love because we can relate to it in so many ways.

Del Toro is a big fan of magic and mind-reading – did you find him open to suggestions for certain scenes?  Oh yes! He was quite receptive to the many notes and ideas we contributed. We read quite a few revisions of the script. We had a blast doing it! You know for us it was really about keeping the scenes that involved mind reading and mentalism as realistic as possible, while at the same time remembering Nightmare Alley is a movie, not a documentary, and therefore it had license to bend the truth. Production had an unfortunate major delay due to the pandemic, and we imagine they had to make quite a few changes along the way because of that. We’re very keen to see the finished product.

You have created a great reputation in the corporate events world for presenting astounding feats of mentalism – have you been able to sustain work throughout the pandemic? Did you adapt by conducting events online?  We’re so fortunate to be working with some of the best entertainment agents and bureaus in the business. The agent who represents us, also represents many of the best magicians and mentalists on the planet. His name is Bill, and more than a business associate, he is a friend. He has given us so much encouragement and guidance before and during the pandemic. At first we were like everyone else, thinking life would soon get back to normal. As time went on, we resisted doing virtual shows. But then we tried doing a few guest spots on virtual charity events and we found that what we did worked really well virtually – sometimes even more unbelievable than live performances. Since then, we’ve been doing virtual shows regularly and we love it! Today, for example, we woke up early to do an 8:00am show for an audience in the UK, then later in the day we did a show for a North American group, and at 3:00am we performed for a group in Japan! We literally travel around the world to do 3 shows in less than 24 hours – how amazing is that?!

Do you think virtual shows may be the way of the future for corporate events and public shows?  We have no doubt that virtual meetings and events are here to stay. And fortunately for us, magic and mentalism is one of the best forms of entertainment for online platforms. Attendees become active participants, and the more interactive the show is, the more engaged the audience becomes. It’s not just about watching the performer, a big part of the appeal for attendees is watching each other, so Zoom shows work really well. Many of the groups we have performed for tell us they plan to continue doing virtual events even after they return to doing live events. During these strange times, we’ve thought a lot about the performers who successfully transitioned from Vaudeville theaters to film, and later to radio and TV. Who knows where we’re headed with virtual shows, but we do know this is a time where we need to embrace change. In many ways it’s an exciting era and we’re thrilled to be part of it!

“They turned a roomful of arms-folded skeptics into intrigued believers.” – Toronto Star

“They left audiences aghast with their abilities” – Carte Blanche, South Africa

“Their mind-reading act was one of the most incredible displays this reviewer has ever witnessed.” – Evening Chronicle, Newcastle Upon Tyne  What is the most exciting thing about being involved with Nightmare Alley? Would you like to be the go-to experts for other films or tv shows?  Nightmare Alley is one of our favorite movies of all time, and Guillermo del Toro is such a legend. What an honor to be involved on any level! The most exciting thing about it is probably just to have had the opportunity and to be able to include it on our resume. Life is all about variety and having as many amazing experiences as possible. This certainly has been a significant highlight for us, and yes, we definitely would love to be the “go-to experts” for this genre for other films or tv shows or media appearances.

As 2022 is fast approaching, are you and your US booking agent planning any live events, corporate or public, next year or are you simply working on a day-by-day basis?  Yes, we are planning live events and have quite a few dates booked on our calendar. In fact, we’ve already done a lot of live events. Our first show back after a year and a half hiatus was in August at Lilly Dale in upstate New York. It’s a beautiful little town, actually a hamlet, where psychics and mediums live and work. It’s known as the world’s largest spiritualist community. Working there was another highlight for us. Since then, we’ve also done colleges and corporate events in the US and in Canada. Next month (January, 2022) we are excited to be appearing nightly for ticketed public shows at Liberty Magic, a lovely intimate theatre in Pittsburgh, PA.To book a live or virtual show, corporate event, or learn more about Tessa and Jeff Evason and their amazing skills, visit: www.evason.com and be sure to check out Nightmare Alley when it opens in a cinema near you.

CANADIAN INT’L FAITH & FAMILY FILM FEST STARTS TODAY!

Just as the Toronto Int’l Film Festival (TIFF) closes, the 5th annual Canadian Int’l Faith & Family Film Festival opens! My dear film industry friends BRIAN KAULBACK (CIFF Ambassador and member of judging panel) and festival Co-Founder & Exec. Director JASON BARBECK invited me down the the exclusive Hotel X on Toronto’s waterfront today to talk about this unique family and faith-focused festival that runs online for an entire month, and features films, shorts, documentaries, even animated films that are suitable for ALL the family. Jason graciously offered to share information about CIFF with me via a series of video chats so I encourage you to click on and learn about the cool content and activities at this year’s festival.

Every year, the CIFF Film Festival exhibits and celebrates the most outstanding faith and family content produced from every part of the world. Films are selected and nominated by a panel of judges on the basis of content, quality and originality.  CIFF is one of the fastest growing segments of the international film festival markets, and the only one of its kind in Canada.audience Film lovers, industry professionals and media outlets will celebrate the best in new faith and family cinema from established and emerging filmmakers and talent. This year, CIFF will be showing films from 22 countries around the world via their website: www.cifflix.com  Get your online passes there NOW. The festival runs until mid-October so you can catch all the films as well as tonight’s Awards Gala from the comfort of your home.

And there will be lots of celebrities and stars in virtual attendance, too….

colmCIFF Film Fest welcomes submissions from filmmakers around the world so come on all my Aussie movie making mates…here’s how YOU can submit your latest production and access a growing audience of film lovers who appreciate inspiring, family-oriented and faith-based content……

I encourage you to visit the festival’s official website: www.cifflix.com or follow them on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.logo