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AUSSIE FILMS AT TIFF 2023 – “THE NEW BOY” FROM AWARD-WINNING WRITER/DIRECTOR WARWICK THORNTON

Sadly, due to the far-reaching effects of the WGA and SAG/AFTRA strike, many of the big stars, the A-Listers and international stars and filmmaker will not be coming to town for this year’s Toronto Int’l Film Festival launching in 2 day’s time. But have no fear, dear fellow fans of Australian cinema…I got you covered with some of the films featured at TIFF. First is THE NEW BOY which has already garnered critical and audience acclaim at home. It stars Cate Blanchett alongside leading indigenous actors Deborah Mailman and Wayne Blair, and introduces us to a brilliant young talent, Aswan Reid, as the title character. Thanks to my PR contact at Roadshow Pictures Australia, Stefan, here’s the inside scoop on the film…..

From Dirty Films and Scarlett Pictures comes writer/director Warwick Thornton’s deeply personal film, The New Boy. In 1940’s Australia, in the middle of World War II, a solitary Indigenous boy (Aswan Reid) is dramatically captured by a horseback police patrol and delivered to a remote monastery orphanage in the dead of night. The monastery is run by a feisty nun, Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett), who has worked hard to make it a happy retreat away from the world and its war – and she will do anything to keep it that way. Since the elderly monk who was in charge died, Sister Eileen has been running the place secretly and is very protective of her small group of boys. Wary of too much Church oversight, she is always very careful to keep her head down and make good on the monastery’s expected contribution to the war effort. To that end she is helped by two Aboriginal staff – George (Wayne Blair), who runs the monastery’s farm with the help of the children, and Sister Mum (Deborah Mailman), who runs the domestic side of things.The new arrival (pictured above) doesn’t speak English, and no-one knows where he came from. He has been living a nomadic tribal life up until now, having no concept of Western norms. Dubbed the New Boy, he is quick to pick up on things and soon understands the pecking order and how to make it work. His survival instincts are sharp, his intelligence dexterous and he seems to have special powers which he uses for healing as well as for his own entertainment. The monastery’s orderly Christian ethos is unsettled by his presence, particularly in the case of the head boy, Michael (Shane McKenzie-Brady). And George, an Aboriginal farmhand who believes he’s on a good wicket and doesn’t want the boat to be rocked, recognizes something ancient in the boy that he would sooner forget. Sister Eileen, herself a bit of a square peg, is acutely aware of the precariousness of the monastery’s situation. Faced with her own survival choices when the old monk died, she determined to hold the orphanage together, knowing that any change could put the children in her care in peril. Now the New Boy, with his mysterious and alluring energy, is causing disturbance inside her delicately balanced world. She, George and Sister Mum already have their work cut out just keeping things ticking over.
When a special delivery requires a personal signature from the deceased monk, Sister Eileen has to assume responsibility for it with a bit of careful dodging and some astute white lies. She takes charge of the special cargo – an extraordinary religious treasure; a life-size carving of Christ on the cross – sent to this remote place by the Church to protect it from the ravages of war in France. When New Boy encounters this image of Jesus for the first time he is transfixed. However, the boy’s Indigenous spiritual life and mysterious powers do not gel with the mission’s orderly Christianity, leading to a series of unsettling encounters. Something must be done. Sister Eileen is faced with a choice between the traditions of her faith and the truth embodied in the boy. As her foundations are rocked, will the secret she has harboured for a year be discovered, imperiling the orphanage? Or will everything be brought in line, made good and safe and orderly, even at the cost of New Boy’s unique Indigenous spiritual power?

TIFF screenings are as follows (get your tkts now as this is a very popular film). In fact, it looks like the Fri & Sat screenings are already sold out.
Thursday, September 14 at Roy Thomson Hall 5:30 PM
Friday, September 15 at Scotiabank Theatre 2:45 PM
Saturday, September 16 at Scotiabank Theatre 6:15 PM

See you in the line-ups!

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.

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

Director/writer TRICIA LEE is ready for her own close-up at this year’s Toronto Int’l Film Festival

Back in October of 2013, I was thrilled to work with Canadian writer/director TRICIA LEE, promoting her horror feature film Silent Retreat which made its World Premiere at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival that year. The film did very well with both audiences and critics and since then, Lee has been on an upward career trajectory.

The accomplished and versatile filmmaker earned her US Green Card as an “artist of extraordinary ability” with Canadian and British citizenship, and has directed 11 shorts and 3 award-winning features since starting out in 2004. And she directed newly-minted superhero star Simu Liu in her 2017 short film Meeting Mommy.

Tricia has been recognized as one of Hollywood’s Top New Writers on the 2020 Black List, CAPE List, Young & Hungry List, Athena List, and the BitchList. Her script pitch for Good Chance was an Academy Nicholl Fellowship semi-finalist, Francis Ford Coppola’s American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition grand prize winner, Cinequest Best Feature Screenplay winner, WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Features winner, Sundance Lab second-rounder and selected for the prestigious Producers Guild of America Power of Diversity Master Workshop. Attached are Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, Janet Yang (Joy Luck Club) as producers and Kheng Tan Hua (Crazy Rich Asians, Kung Fu Series) as lead actress – BRAVO, TRICIA!
Currently, Tricia’s script for her next feature titled IDOL is part of this year’s “Breaking Through the Lens” program at the Toronto International Film Festival that just opened on September 9^th so I was excited to chat with Tricia about that and her other achievements since we worked together in 2013.
Tricia, you’ve worked consistently and successfully for more than a decade, creating some of the most innovative and exciting genre films – why is becoming a finalist in this year’s Breaking Through the Lens TIFF so important to you personally and for your career? Looking back on my career, it’s amazing to see how far I’ve come, but also how far I still want to go. In order to continue a long-lasting career, I have to keep innovating and creating new projects and telling new stories. Breaking Through the Lens choosing my new project, IDOL, to be showcased during TIFF is this project’s first walk outside! The opportunity to share the pitch with financiers and distributors is a great way to share this script with people who can potentially help make the film. I want to take my career to the next level and I hope that we can bring this film to the screen and touch, move and inspire people.

For a number of years, you were one of only a few female directors working in the horror genre – what attracted you to horror stories and did you have a different perspective that your male counterparts? What I love about genre, is that we can speak about deeper issues through metaphor. With entertainment, I always want to hide the pill in peanut butter, as they say. Is that how you get dogs to eat medicine? I thought peanut butter was bad for dogs, or maybe that’s chocolate… anyways…
I don’t know that my perspective was more female than my male counterparts. My perspective is simply… my perspective. It comes from the intersection of who I am, how I grew up, where I’m from, how my parents treated me, the significant others I’ve chosen, etc. And also what I wanted to talk about at that time in my life. My second feature Silent Retreat, which pre-dated the #MeToo movement, was about women being silenced. I wanted to make a film about women standing up and using their voices. And I collaborated with a male, Corey Brown, to make that film. That film was a combination our creative perspectives.

You’ve spent a great deal of time undertaking “shadowing mentorships” from Jeff Woolnough on SyFy’s The Expanse, Erik Canuel, producing director on CBS’ Ransom, Peter DeLuise on Freeform’s Shadowhunters and most recently, the highly-regarded powerhouse – Nancy Meyers on the “Walmart Box” Oscars® commercial. How has this benefited you as a story-teller as well as working with actors? This career is all about learning. I think life is about learning. I am so grateful for having been given the opportunities to watch these talented, experienced directors work. Everyone has a different style and approach, and in my own directing, I get to take tidbits from each shadowing experience to create my own process. I’m a person who makes a lot of lists, so I literally write down my process and anytime I learn something new from one of my mentors, I add it to my list. Being a director, I don’t get to practice my craft every day, so these lists help me remember what I’ve learned for when I do have the chance to get on set and work the directing muscle. Also, I practice working with actors to implement what I’ve learned. I work actors on their auditions, break down the beats, give them direction and help shape a performance.You have also worked on more family-friendly projects like Meeting Mommy starring Simu Liu (Marvel’s latest superhero Shang-Chi) and have been developing diverse and inclusive projects – what are your immediate goals and/or future projects? Layered, vulnerable dramas that are heart-warming and heart-breaking at the same time, with a sprinkle of comedy is where my natural intuition lies. I only started writing about 4 years ago, when I moved to Los Angeles. I asked myself, would I rather go through the pain of reading scripts or the pain of writing scripts. And I just found that people weren’t writing the kinds of stories that I wanted to tell. So I took on the pain of writing! And I’m glad, because it has been a way for me to explore my own voice I have been developing more stories that star Asian characters and have taken a deep look within myself to put my truth onto the page. I want to make films that give a voice to under-represented communities, not because it’s the fad right now, but because it breaks my heart that someone can hate or commit violence against someone else just because they are different. I will never run for president, so this is my way of reaching people, to touch, unite and inspire them and create powerful change in our culture. I want to tell stories that resonate deeply with audiences and unforgettably pierce their hearts.
Immediate goals are to secure financing for my scripts IDOL, a music biopic about William Hung (from American Idol – see below) and GOOD CHANCE (starring Kheng Tan Hua from Crazy Rich Asians) which was on the 2020 Black List.You and your husband Mark own a number of condos that you operate as AirBnBs, plus you’ve previously worked as a piano teacher and an experiential marketer….is there anything else you want to try, apart from making movies? No. Film is my life. I will not retire from this career. All the other things I’ve done in my life were side gigs, which allowed me the freedom and time to make my films. I took part-time flexible jobs so that I never had to ask for vacation or permission to make my films. When I was on set, I would just tell them that I couldn’t work that month. I have a crazy resume, but it has always been towards one goal: being a filmmaker.

Any advice you’d like to offer to aspiring filmmakers, especial women, and on the various career paths they can take to achieve success, life balance and happiness? Honestly, I’m not great at life balance. I definitely focus on career too much and am working on finding balance myself. I find that the scripts and movies that I’ve made that resonate with people the most are the ones where I dig into myself and tell my truth. I encourage all of you to take the time to sit with yourself. Think about why is it you want to make this film, what do you want to say with it, how do you want the audience to feel when they walk out? And make sure that every scene wraps around that nugget. When you put something of yourself on the page, it shines through. Those are the films that pierce people’s hearts and will help you take the next step in your career. It can be slow and long, or it can be a quick rise to the top. But never give up if telling stories through this medium is really what you want to do.Thanks for sharing your insights and advice, Tricia, and I can’t wait to see how your script faired at TIFF this year. Looking forward to seeing Idol when it hits cinema screens and the festival circuit. You can all follow Tricia on all her social media platforms linked on her website: www.tricialeedirector.com

LEGENDARY HOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR NORMAN JEWISON GETS BIO TREATMENT FROM AUTHOR IRA WELLS

Last week, I was honoured to attend an online gathering of film critics, writers, film directors and industry insiders to hear author IRA WELLS discuss his new book NORMAN JEWISON: A DIRECTOR’S LIFE published by Sutherland House Books (Founded in 2017 by Canadian author and publishing executive Kenneth Whyte). As a long-time fan of the Canadian director’s films, this was a dream Zoom meeting! Ever since my first viewing of The Thomas Crown Affair starring the king of cool, Steve McQueen, and the gorgeous sophisticated Faye Dunaway, I was hooked on Jewison’s style and on-screen “rhythm” – that chess scene from Thomas Crown stands as one of the most erotic scenes ever committed to film…and they kept their clothes on!! From 1965 thru ’68 he served us some of the era’s (and film history’s) most iconic films: In the Heat of the Night presents southern racism in all its brutal ugliness and features that slap heard around the world, The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming is a hilarious look at how the cold war affects small town America, and McQueen’s earlier cinematic outing with Jewison, The Cincinnati Kid takes us into the shady but exciting world of high stakes poker. Fiddler on the Roof, The Hurricane, Moonstruck, F.I.S.T., Rollerball, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Soldier’s Story…going all the way back to the beloved Canadian tv series, The Wayne & Shuster Show, Jewison has delivered provocative, compassionate, engaging and hilarious content for his audiences to devour. This new book is now on my Christmas list for Santa…and the fat man better show up early with this present!About the man, the book and the author:

NORMAN JEWISON directed some of the most iconic and beloved films from the 60s through the 21st century, from In the Heat of the Night and The Thomas Crown Affair to Jesus Christ Superstar and Moonstruck. But despite being what his friend, award-winning screenwriter William Goldman called “a giant of the industry,” Jewison could also walk the streets of any city in the world and go unrecognized. Jewison was a man of contradictions: he cared more about telling great stories than gaining fame and fortune by showcasing movie stars, but generations of Hollywood’s marquee actors—Judy Garland, Sidney Poitier, Faye Dunaway, Al Pacino, Jane Fonda, Burt Reynolds, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis, Denzel Washington—trusted him at crucial moments in their careers. Yet, for all his talent and the passionate support of his actors, Jewison suffered heartbreaking rejection from the executives who refused to believe in his dreams. Norman Jewison: A Director’s Life is a story of artistic survival and reinvention, and about the fate of original cinematic ideas in an industry increasingly captive to corporate greed. Drawing upon exhaustive archival research and dozens of interviews, biographer IRA WELLS (pictured below) provides a soulful portrait of an idealist who had to fight for every frame of his legacy. Here are Norman’s legendary collaborators— Hal Ashby, William Rose, Steve McQueen, and more—brought to vivid life in original letters, telegrams, and revealing, unpublished interviews. A clear-eyed reassessment of Hollywood’s final golden age, Norman Jewison: A Director’s Life is both the intimate portrait of an artist and a rallying cry for anyone who has had to fight for their creative vision.Author IRA WELLS is an assistant professor in English and Academic Programs at Victoria College in the University of Toronto. His writing has appeared in many publications, including The Guardian, The New Republic, The Walrus, Globe and Mail, Los Angeles Review of Books, and American Quarterly. Advance reviews and kudos are pouring in for Ira’s book….

“Renowned filmmaker Norman Jewison is a contradiction in terms: one of the great purveyors of classical Hollywood storytelling and an outsider at the same time. Finally, with Ira Wells’s rewarding biography, Jewison receives the attention he richly deserves. Wells’ vibrant, well-written chronicle is one of those indispensable film books that illuminates the times and life of one of film’s major practitioners.” — Michael Barker, Co-President and Co-Founder, Sony Pictures Classics

“This is a terrific book and a fun read. Norman Jewison directed some of the most enjoyable films of our time. I thank Norman for his films and applaud Ira Wells for capturing both Norman’s legendary feistiness and his great generosity of spirit, both of which I experienced first-hand.” — Joe Eszterhas, writer of Basic Instinct, Showgirls, and Hollywood Animal

“Ira Wells, wonderful storyteller and master stylist, takes us to the movies, then behind the scenes, then beyond, bringing new life to films and stars we thought we knew. This is a book you will never want to put down.” — David Yaffe, author of Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell NORMAN JEWISON: A DIRECTOR’S LIFE
ISBN [hardcover]: 978-1-989555-38-5
Price: $28.95 USD / $34.95 CAD
Page count: 490
Available NOW from Amazon and in-stores or direct from the publisher: https://sutherlandhousebooks.square.site/product/norman-jewison/61?cs=true&cst=custom

BUSY WRITER/PRODUCER/DIRECTOR THOMAS MICHAEL JUST CAN’T SLOW DOWN DURING COVID

Back in the early 2000’s, I was privileged to promote the launch of a Toronto-based indie film production company (Five Faces Films). After several projects, the three partners split, going in their individual directions, both career-wise and geographically. Thomas Michael has gone on to successfully write, direct and produce feature films (Hank & Mike and Back Country – pictured below) shot here in Canada while living in Los Angeles where he resides with his wife and 2 children. Over the past several months, he’s been busy creating more feature film scripts and producing the chilling new feature GIRL that stars Bella Thorne, the incomparable Mickey Rourke and Chad Faust who also wrote and directed the film. I recently e-chatted with my old friend and asked him what he has been doing to keep busy over the past 6 or 7 months and damn, this man ain’t no couch-potato!

After establishing your own Canadian production company and writing/directing/starring in a number of hilarious off-beat comedy films, you moved to LA approximately ten years ago and have been working as an actor on a number of popular tv series (Transporter, Nikita, The Listener). How was that transition to west coast working actor? I actually don’t act very much anymore. My focus has shifted mainly to writing, producing and directing. As an actor, I loved appearing in my own films or in those of talented friends, but a lot of the work I was getting was in TV shows. And coming from a place where I was used to being the writer and producer and often the director as well, I found acting in TV to be mostly frustrating and unfulfilling. I just craved being a part of the storytelling process more. As for the west coast thing, I love living in LA, but I (thus far) make all my films in Canada. However, I have a film we’re planning on shooting in Colombia coming up.All the while you’ve been guesting on tv series, have you been writing and developing scripts? And if so, can you share any news about upcoming productions? I never stop writing or developing. I have now written and/or produced 8 feature films, 2 of which I also directed. I also have a number of TV series in development. I can’t help myself. An idea for a film or tv show comes to me, I try and bat it away and tell it that I’m far too busy, but if it won’t leave me alone and keeps haunting me, then I need to exorcise it. And that means writing it. Once I write something, I then put on my producer hat and find a way to get it made.

With GIRL, you took on the mantle of Producer – was it difficult to secure funding for the indie thriller or were you able to secure support from past collaborators? I’ve always produced. Right from the start when I was 15 and was doing a sketch comedy series for a cable access station in Ottawa. That led to two seasons on the Comedy Network of a show I created and also produced. For GIRL, the project came to me from some past collaborators. It was a terrific script and I loved director, Chad Faust’s vision for it, so I came on board and helped secure some financing and dived in to make it happen.Chad Faust (pictured below), who appears in the film opposite Bella Thorne, also wrote AND directed the film…is he a friend or industry colleague? He is now both. But when I first met him, his script was brought to me. I had worked once before with a first-time writer/director on Backcountry. I felt for GIRL, as I did for Backcountry, that I could help support an up-and-coming talent who I believed in.GIRL is a very dark story, a contrast to your hilarious Hank & Mike and Running Mates films. Is this a genre that you’d like to continue exploring? To the frustration perhaps of the industry, I can’t seem to limit myself to one genre. Comedy is still very near to my heart and I have some comedies I’ve written that are moving forward. But I also love dramas and darker stories. I do believe that adage is true that if you can do comedy you can do drama, but not necessarily the other way around. I have a gritty western we’re making next year as well as a revenge thriller and a coming of age dramedy, and I just wrapped a romantic comedy. If it’s a good story and I feel it needs to be told, genre is the last thing I think about.How was the experience working with award-winning and Oscar-nom’d Mickey Rourke, an exciting but sometimes volatile actor? He has always been a favourite of mine and he’s chosen such diverse film roles – how did he approach his role in GIRL? I have always loved Mickey’s work and was very excited to watch him work. He’s very mysterious and mercurial. Sometimes it feels like he’s not doing anything at all, and then you watch the dailies and you go “Oh my God! He’s mesmerizing!”. He has an ineffable quality that makes him incredibly captivating. Singer/actress Bella Thorne plays the bad-ass heroine in the film – do you see more women taking the lead in action/crime/horror films as indicative of the more positive audience attitude towards women as “heroes”? Totally. Backcountry was a big success both critically (holding at 92% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes!) and that film featured a strong female lead. The last film I directed, “Nowhere To Be Found” was about a mother desperately searching for her missing daughter. That film won my lead actress, Kate Drummond, a well-deserved CSA award for Best Lead Performance. I have two sisters, was raised by my mom. I’m married and have a daughter. Starting out in more male-oriented teenage comedy, I take my responsibility as a storyteller very seriously in terms of how women are portrayed on screen. I’ve also been a long and proponent of working with as many women behind the camera as I could. It’s just always seemed obvious to me.You’ve worked with Paolo Mancini (stars as “the mechanic” in GIRL) for many years – as a close friend as well as actor, does he bring a sense of security to you to the set? Paolo is my long-time writing partner and best friend. We’ve been writing together since we were 13 years old. Writing is such a lonely occupation, so to be able to do it with your best friend is a joy and privilege. Paolo is also a stellar actor and I always know when he’s on set that he’ll not only deliver a great performance, but will also be a stable and solid presence in a sometimes frantic and hectic environment.

Is GIRL currently playing the festival circuit during Covid lock-down? Where can audiences find the film once it goes to general release? The film has done the rounds of Canadian and American festivals and comes out in theatres across the US on November 20^th, and then on VOD and all digital platforms on November 24^th in the US and Canada.How can fans follow your films and production activity? As you well noted, I haven’t updated my website in a little while. I need to get better at that. I guess Facebook is the best way to keep tabs on what I’m up to. I don’t post much, but when I have a project coming out, I make an effort to let people know. I focus on the making and not on the selling. I do need to get better at the selling part. Here are the official social media links for GIRL
https://www.facebook.com/GirlMovie2020/
https://www.instagram.com/girl_the_movie/
https://twitter.com/Girl_The_Movie
Official website: https://screenmediafilms.net/productions/details/3202/Girl

AUSTRALIA’S FANFORCE TV TO PRESENT 2ND ANNUAL “VIRTUAL INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVAL” NOV.11-15

Over the past 6 months of Covid quarantine and isolation here in Toronto, I’ve spent a lot of time online getting reacquainted with my homeland of Australia, its film and TV industry, its leading players and cultural ambassadors – yes, as you can already tell, I’m homesick and can’t wait to board a QANTAS jetliner and get my butt back Down Under. My quest for Aussie content took me to Amazon Prime, AcornTV and other streaming platforms, resulting in binge-watching shows like Water Rats, City Homicide, and the feature films and tv series of Mystery Road…the common thread being star Aaron Pedersen (pictured below) who has captured my heart and imagination. The award-winning indigenous actor has led me to more in-depth research of the state-of-the-art for indigenous filmmakers, writers, directors and I was amazed at the depth of talent currently working in Australia. So why don’t we know about them up here in Canada and the U.S.? Lack of distribution deals? The assumption that other countries wouldn’t understand the specifics of cultural heritage and Aussie politics? I remember back in the 80s, Australia’s “new wave” of filmmaking ignited worldwide interest with such classics as My Brilliant Career, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Gallipoli (pictured below), Man From Snowy River, the int’l commercial hit Crocodile Dundee and TV mini-series such as The Thorn Birds that made Bryan Brown a huge int’l star. But these were all told by and for the “new” Australians, the white population. I remember watching Walkabout (1975) featuring a young aboriginal actor, David Gulpilil, but his character sadly ended up rather badly. Where were all the positive cinematic images of indigenous actors and their stories? Were there any indigenous actors or filmmakers? We never saw them on TV or in the cinemas. I’ve been away from home a long time and as I plan my return as soon as Covid allows, I’m comforted in the knowledge that this previous lack of inclusion is being addressed now thanks to the brilliance of directors such as Ivan Sen, Rachel Perkins, Wayne Blair and Warrick Thornton, and actors like Pedersen, Deborah Mailman, Ernie Dingo, and the now-legendary Gulpilil who remains a great presence on screen. I’m excited to be introduced to even more talent this coming week thanks to the 2nd annual Virtual Indigenous Film Festival and I encourage all film fans to join in online to celebrate the creativity and educational opportunities presented. Here’s all the info you need…..FANFORCE TV, the new Australian community-based streaming platform presents the second Virtual Indigenous Film Festival from the 11th of November till the 15th of November as part of NAIDOC* Week 2020. The festival will present award-winning Australian Indigenous films followed by live Q&A discussions and audience participation via Live Chat. *National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week events are held across Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. [#NAIDOC2020 #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe ]

FANFORCE TV is showcasing 5 virtual events including film screenings of In My Own Words, The Song Keepers, The Flood, Wik vs. Queensland and Westwind: Djalu’s Legacy. Tickets for the individual virtual screening events are $6.99USD with an all access pass available for $19.99USD. For more information visit: fanforcetv.com
There is also an exciting lineup of guest speakers and expert panelists involved throughout the week including filmmakers’ Erica Glynn (In My Own Words), Naina Sen (The Song Keepers), Dean Gibson (Wik Vs Queensland), Victoria Wharfe Mcintyre (The Flood), Ben Strunin (Westwind) and Keri Tamwoy (Mayor of Aurukun). More guests to be announced! FANFORCE TV uniquely enables audiences to ask questions and discuss topics in real time with the guest speakers and community leaders via live chat and live streaming features. “We are thrilled to have a special screening of The Flood as part of VIFF and NAIDOC Week” says Victoria Wharfe McIntyre, writer/director/producer of The Flood. “Our film was born from a unique collaboration and tells a highly emotive, provocative and revisionist story about our nation’s history, it is fitting to showcase the film in an equally unique way via Live-streaming with a public discussion. This Q&A will be cracker and we are looking forward to some passionate, hard hitting and insightful comments and questions from the audience.” The Flood will follow its VIFF NAIDOC Premiere with Cinema screenings across Australia and New Zealand (and hopefully the rest of the world in early 2021). Dates to be announced shortly.

FANFORCE TV acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this page may contain images or names of people who have passed away.

I encourage you all to expand your understanding of Australia – its people, its cultures, its history….and its inspiring Indigenous filmmaking community.

More film festival fun in Toronto with Nollywood stars

On Wed. Sept. 14, Nollywood filmmaker OMONI OBOLI had her first public screening for her film OKAFOR’S LAW at the Scotiabank Cinemas in downtown Toronto where she was joined onstage by co-star UFUOMA McDERMOTT for an audience Q&A afterwards. Looking lovely in one of the gorgeous gowns supplied by Gail McInnes of Stylist Box, Omoni fielded numerous questions about her career and meeting the challenges of being a female director in a predominantly man’s world. Ufuoma (above) sported a short sparkly cocktail dress that twinkled brightly on the stage.

Omoni then greeted fans outside the theatre, posing for selfies for nearly an hour! And so did Ufuoma!Omoni was joined by TIFF/City to City Programming Associate Olena Decock, who also moderated the Q&A session, for a few photos, too.The fabulous Uche Jombo (below) then joined us …….and then once the moviegoers had left the theatre, we decided to have some fun and play!

Tomi Adeoye kicks up her heels

The cinema’s cocktail lounge was closed and deserted so our little group took advantage of the cool lighting and views across the city of Toronto. My one quick photo opp with Omoni….it’s been fun working with her and her cast during TIFF. This woman is a real pro and I was honoured to be a part of her film fest experience.
We found a lot of cool spots to take pics so every few feet it was a case of “strike a pose”! I love this pic of Ufuoma (below)….very moody, very “film noir”.We had waaaay too much fun but fortunately we were all able to sleep in a little in the morning after. It’s been a blast working with these incredible women from Nigeria’s flourishing film community and I look forward to continuing the relationship once they head home.

OUT THERE @ TIFF WITH THE FABULOUS MELISSA DIMARCO

And so the dance begins….

The fans are lining up outside the Ritz-Carlton Hotel (above) in hopes of spying visiting celebs during the Toronto Int’l Film Festival (TIFF) – the annual high holidays for the movie industry.

Got a great start to my TIFF’ing this year…I got to visit the media hospitality suites in the Hotel Intercontinental on Front St West and my first stop was the www.OutThereWithMelissa.com suite, hosted by the gorgeous, friendly MELISSA DIMARCO (yes, she’s even prettier in person).

Her team of hosts (below) welcomed me to the suite and I had fun with the photo wall….can’t wait to see how “fabulous” they made me look – only hope their Photoshop program was working overtime..LOL!

Downstairs, there was lots of schmoozing going on, as well as tons of nibblies and sponsor drinkies….

…and more networking opps with industry folks like Dixon and Bruce (below)and I caught these two fellas below mid-chew (sorry)…. LOLYoung ACTRA party organizer Sarena Parmar (below right) was working the room like a pro!…and here she is again with Rodger Edralin of Napintas Films (centre) and one of the numerous casting guys (left) in town over the next 10 days.Here are more of Melissa’s great team of room hosts and her official photographer (below right) who looks quite a bit like Chrissy Teigen, don’t you think?

Sadly I left the party a bit too early as I missed fellow countryman and Oscar-winner, Geoffrey Rush (below with Melissa )Aussie star Rush is famous for The King’s Speech and numerous other films but I will always remember him for his award-winning portrayal of pianist David Helfgott in the movie SHINE which holds a special place in my heart. It’s based in my home town of Perth, Western Australia, and I remember seeing the real David play in the piano bar of the Parmelia Hotel which I frequented after work in the early 70’s (I was under-age to drink booze but kids and dogs were allowed in hotel bars in Oz – civilized or what, eh?). G’day, Geoffrey…if you need any Vegemite or Lamingtons, I got a stash here!

As I left the suites I ran into the adorable and super talented Katie Boland who was making her exit with her hands full of goodie bags. Such a pretty dress!So a really big thanks to Melissa and the Out There with Melissa DiMarco gang, and a special thank you to Caron Nightingale, Director of Sales for APM Canada (one of the suite’s sponsors), who kindly extended the invitation to me. Check out what APM does here: http://www.apmmusic.com/

I’m looking fwd to visiting the ladies of Sirius XM’s What She Said next week so check back for more TIFF news.