My Notes on Reel world film festival

Opening Night film Snow by Rohan Fernadao .

Plot: Immigrant story about coming to Canada after a natural devastating loss and having to pick up the Pieces of ones life and what the struggle one must go through to survive.

Principal cast  : Achala Hewarrachi

Himaly Fernando

Pardis Parker

Sobaz Benjamin

Alicia Orr MacDonald

Pah’s analysis  there was some make up/ tech issues but the story line was good and solid and gave the audiences a different perspective on Immigration, grief, addiction and the struggle the female lead goes through to gain acceptance in a foreign land.

snow trailer

www.snowthefilm.com

This movie is a slice of Canadian and east meets west immigration story with a tragic natural disaster thrown in.

My only quibble is make up continuity full make up while taking a shower or when in bed sleeping is not realistic less make up is better and no make up is real.

Closing night film was I will follow by Ava Dunernay  a film about cancer and death and how black community handles death.

Story about putting ones life on hold to take care of dying family members and how does one start over again with this new found freedom?

www.DVAHQ.com

Winner of Outstanding International feature  Baghdad Texas by David H. Hickey drama/comedy was well deserved award. This comedy touches on the Ironic absurdities of racism and the typical or not so typical stereotypes we all have about race relations in the USA. www.LOUDHOUSEMUSIC.com

Make A Movie Like Spike by Jamil Walker Smith, this documentary/mockumentry  self portrait had so much promise at the very beginning and then seams to lose its way near the middle and end of the film right at the climax of the film. The title is a bit misleading unless they mean early spike lee who made she’s got to have it and not the one who made miracle on st Anna street.

www.LITTLEPLOWFILMS.com  

You want to see a very raw documentary about the relationship between mothers and daughters then try and find Gang Girl  A

Mother’s  Journey to Save her daughter, by Valerie Goodloe.

This doc explores Raw truths why girls are joining gangs in America. Valarie takes you into her and her daughters life that is an emotional roller coaster in truth.  

COVERUP@ca.RR.com

Not Just A game : Power, Politics and American sports  by Jeremy Earp an interesting essay on athletes and politics mix and don’t mix, most of the references are from the past not to much from this century which begs the question is this generation of athletes all about $$ and nothing else? Plus having no Canadian references made the film a bit American centric and not including hockey on the list of sports tells me the writer of the book and filmmakers is playing into the stereo type we have about each other.

www.mediaed.org

Two Indian’s talking  by Sara McIntyre what it means to be native on reserve vs off the reserve. This movie is no Blackstone TV show but it does a nice job glossing over the big stuff. it’s like  the play waiting for Godot were the focus is on 2 of the main characters in the movie simultaneously educate aggravate and challenge each other and  our perceptions of aboriginals as well. Great precursor to get the discussion ball going on native rights.

kissdustpictures.com

Shorts This year were Hodge podge collection of movies that will hit any ones  fancy . Birthday by Villing Chong is about rape and short term memory  so it’s a spoiler alert. stranger in the night  very dramatic the music helps to keep the story interesting.  villingchong@yahoo.co.uk

Outstanding International short winner Dirty laundry by Stephen Abbott. Location and the exaggerated scenarios make this short stand out the fact that so many stories are told  in 15 min is amazing feet of writing. www.stealthdonkey.com

If you are into musicals then I’m in the Mood for Love by  Jason Karman  is for you it should not matter that the love interest is about two male gay couples, Love is great no matter what the package it comes in.  www.rosettaenertainment.com

Canada’s outstanding short is Savage by Lisa jackson it is the short history on Canada’s residential school system. I wanted more and can’t wait till someone does a full length of this film.  http//lisa.jackson.ca 

I saw another short that made this budding film maker jealous since I did not think of the story my self,  Subway Harmonies by Leah Cameron Don't’ you  ever wish you could jam with the subway buskers singing in the subway corridors that’s What a character does in this ingenious 8 min short. alexandermolenaar@hotmail.com 

Sven by David Randall is everything you need to learn about high-school these days and the fact that sounds of Drake AKA Aubrey Graham’s  music performance make this short quite hip.  www.bobbydelrio.com

The last of shorts is The Authority/La Autoridad by Xavi Sala international film about what would happen if you were in  driving in a foreign country and was stooped by the Police? Scary 10 min comedy. http//promofest.org

The one  form of torture for me is the Official Music video night,  11 years and still waiting for the torture to end. Only 2 video’s

sparked my interest and matched the songs Oh Canada! by Cazhmere  and 4 Tha Ghetto by Jron again directed by Cazhmere she is one talented female director can’t wait to see what  she can do with making films, move over Spike Jonze.

Reel world 2011 ended with some great emerging Canadian Talent and Tony Lee Williams  Founder and Executive Director is our hidden treasure  just like Norman Jewision and the work being done at CFC How do we get her on Canada's walk of fame?

Hot Docs 2011

Opening Night Of Hot Docs Film open up with a product placement and the search for the great white hope UFC style.

Morgan Spurlock's Satire on advertisement in the Movies is called the POM Wonderful presents the greatest Movie ever sold a Doc buster financed entirely by product placement and that's how far the Doc goes regarding product placement in movies/and could it be done in Documentaries as well, he proved it in his doc but not in a serious doc like Hannah's suitcase . So the question I did not ask during the Q & A of this opening night film why make the doc in the first place and not to mention that this was just an anthropology assignment, where the Punchline is limitless..  Some comments I've overheard about both screenings is this movie is not as good as super size me and I don't believe Morgan Spurlock can not achieve that level of investigative self reporting,  and why should he ? Audiences seem to understand what they are getting when they go to see a Morgan Spurlock Documentary, and should not expect any thing too serious the only other Documentary film maker in the league with Spurlock of course is Micheal Moore... Both Men have revolutionized what documentaries use to be too serious for it's own good or peril .

You will have to catch this Doc when the wide release comes out because both screening's have gone by.

Next Hot Doc was FIGHT VILLE  throwing the converted and not so converted into the world of Ultimate Fighting Championship and it's competitors. Yes the Doc was beautifully shot and the directors Micheal Trucker and Petra Epperlein told a compelling story about 3 amateur hope fulls , their Zens coach and the side of an up and coming Promoter . The Question or should I say comment,  I have to say about this Movie is until UFC finds themselves a Muhammad Alli type athlete who can talk about some thing else other than how one just trains hard to become a champion then UFC= Ultimate Fighting Championship AKA mixed martial arts will never get the respect it so desperately seeks .

You can Catch the Doc again Tues May 3 at the Cumberland theater.  

Day one party was at the Design Exchange  not one the great parties that Hot Docs is known for..

fun at nxne past

Notes from I use to be a Dj on the radio..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkKkSiZSs2gThe Undesirables do exile on main street.

Let's talk about tribute bands vs tribute albums.

Tribute bands who look like the original and do all the songs of the original band but is usually off kilter by the lead singer does not sound like the original.

Tribute albums is well established singers or bands doing some one dead or alive stuff and with their own twist to it.

So why can't well done karaoke with a band be a tribute to band?





Well, I saw a concert where a band did the whole entire album of the band and between each set gave the audience a reason for doing it.

The Band The rolling stones the album Exile on Main street..

It was different to say the least and cool sound.

TAO OF THE SHARP TONGUED GODDESS: TAO OF THE SHARP TONGUED GODDESS: A fond farwell

TAO OF THE SHARP TONGUED GODDESS: TAO OF THE SHARP TONGUED GODDESS: A fond farwell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4XUSizbhPQ

TAO OF THE SHARP TONGUED GODDESS: A fond farwell

TAO OF THE SHARP TONGUED GODDESS: A fond farwell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4XUSizbhPQ

A fond farwell

I was very sad to learn that Steve Kulash passed away. He died in a tragic fire yesterday. Steve was a taxedermist from Vancouver and was featured in R3TV's"Mascots." fifteenth episode

TAO OF THE SHARP TONGUED GODDESS: who knew grannie: a dub aria

TAO OF THE SHARP TONGUED GODDESS: who knew grannie: a dub aria

who knew grannie: a dub aria

who knew grannie: a dub aria

written and directed by ahdri zhina mandiela

Starring:

Miranda Edwards, Ordena, Joseph Jomo Pierre,

Andrea Scott and Marcel Stewart & Music by Amina Alfred

March 13 - April 4, 2010

(Official Opening March 18^th)

Factory Theatre

125 Bathurst St.

(1 Blk N of King at Adelaide)

Tickets: Call 416 504 9971 or www.factorytheatre.com

"u can’t run/run/run


From the roots u need to redeem for a future"

Four cousins return to Jamaica in remembrance of the woman who raised them all.
A lyrically powerful new play in dub by award winning artist, dub poet and theatre artist Ahdri Zhina Mandiela.


March 13 - April 4, 2010
8 pm & 2 pm Matinees

$15 Previews
$25 Sunday - Thursday
$35 Friday & Saturday
$5 off all tickets for Seniors/Students/Artists/Groups of 10+
Take advantages of our excellent rates for groups of 10 or more. As an added bonus, for every 20 tickets you will receive 1 on a complimentary basis. Call Sedina Fiati at 416 877 0599 or email app@obsidian-theatre.com for group sales.

Win free tickets & prizes !

TAO OF THE SHARP TONGUED GODDESS: Going Back To Camp

TAO OF THE SHARP TONGUED GODDESS: Going Back To Camp

Going Back To Camp

Going Back To Camp
by Paulette Andria Hamilton

On Saturday June 6th 2009 I was invited to Play tennis at Havergal College courts at Lytton Park Tennis Camp. Shawn Reynolds the Tennis director introduced me around to what the camp offers. I witnessed kids barely 4yrs old playing with Nerf balls and Tennis rackets really practising their swing through games of "What time is it Mr. wolf" and "Jail break". Lytton Park Tennis camp is not like any another Camp for kids, I was expecting to see John McEnroe type instructors but what I found was Jimmy Connors, and Chris Everett or for you younger viewers, William sisters and the like.

All the the instructors are OTA certified and know how to motivate 4yr olds right up the 16 years old teens which is hard in this day and age of playing Wii on Nintendo.

So how does this guy motivate Parents and their children to come to a camp that is partly about playing Tennis?

Lets go back in time a young man comes from Sudbury Ontario, Dreams about being actor is influenced with words of wisdom from his High school teacher Mr.Gabe Guzzo who gave Shawn Reynolds some sage advise especially being a small town boy moving to the big city.
The actor makes a transition from acting and finds his passion from playing tennis, he decides to open up a Camp a tennis training camp for kids at Avenue & Lawrence Rd , The Posh grounds of Havergal College private school for girls. He searches for instructors from the Ontario Tennis Association who think just like him or have a the same Philosophy about what a camp should be.

Shawn finds Jonathan Leizerovici his right hand man who helps to shape the camp. A place that is built on the premise that the process of learning should be both interactive and engaging.
I see kids playing warm up games before learning a mix of traditional skills building drills and non -traditional games designed to improve eye-hand coordination and stamina.

I ask Jonathan what made him come to teach at Lytton Tennis Camp and this is what he said. " I played tennis since I was 7yrs old and was pushed by a allot of instructors at different camps and almost quite the sport all to-gether, when Shawn called me to teach at the camp 2yrs ago he and I clicked and his philosophy and how I would want to be taught as a 7yr old about Tennis jelled. This camp was exactly what I would have wanted when I was growing up."

I watch him instruct some kids age 6-8 years old and the kids ask to switch around the lesson and play a game instead, instead of saying no Jonathan adapts the lesson plan into the game.

Shawn explains that the camp provides individual attention instilling a sense of play, passion and sportsmanship to all the kids and Tennis lesson's are Designed by the kids, the instructors , and parents all have a say in what they learn.

I ask a little boy who is running around collecting the balls what makes him come to the camp he tells me his mom after a little more probing he tells me he like his teacher and being outside with his friends.

A father is teaching his son to hit the ball speaking French I approach the mom and ask her why she chose this camp? She found the site on the internet and Shawn got back to her right away and spoke french he was able to find an OTA instructor who could speak french while her kids were just learning English why not Soccer I ask she explains that the camp was a warm environment and the staff made her whole family feel welcomed and the whole family is having fun and even I am taking Tennis lesson too.

Where's the dirt their must be some, well the only thing I could find is that Shawn sets aside 10% of all enrollment spots for disadvantaged youth, and all kids and families are treated equally. He such a savvy promoter that he is constantly talking to the parent, kids and instructor's spreading his passion and love of the sport of Tennis to all.

He reminds me of Darren O'Donnell of Mammalian Diving Reflex, Eat the Street program back in May 2009 were Park dale Public school kids were the critics of different restaurants.

I move over to the Teens in the group and ask 3 girls and one shy boy why would they come to Play Tennis so early in the morning instead of staying home to play tennis on their Wii.
The Fresh air and the chance to hang out with their friends and playing video games is not the same thing as the real thing.
After awhile I finally decide to join the younger kids in line and learn how to hit a ball the kids didn't laugh and even if they did I had dream of grandeur of becoming a late boomer and joining McEnroe in the old timers circuit.

Melissa Bura known to the kids she teaches as Mel explains that even though this is her first year as a teacher she will be coming back next year to teach again where else would you get paid to act like a kid and play Tennis.

Well I know of one place as an former Ece Teacher I was constantly singing songs and playing games with infants- 6 yr olds. The camp might not produce the next Daniel Nester, Nadal or Federer but as the website brochure states Camp participants will leave with improved
tennis skills, confidence, independence and new friendships.

Summer fun is that not what we all want during this economic downturn.
Escape to Lytton Park Tennis Camp

pah co host of Tao of the sharp tongued goddess
email: tao.sharp.tongued.goddess@gmail.com

movie I worked on 3

movie I worked on 2

movies of summer

pictures of interest