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| Corey Lee. Photo taken from the production, courtesy of The NFB |
Amidst all this talk of festivals, I always like to keep you
updated when a festival favourite makes it to a theatre near you. Starting this
Friday, Toronto audiences can see the Hot Docs hit Legend of a Warrior when it opens as the inaugural film at the
newly branded Projection Booth Metro and will also be screening at its
successful sister cinema, Projection Booth East. Directed by Corey Lee, Legend of a Warrior is a touching story
of Lee’s attempt to reconnect with his father, Frank, a successful martial arts
trainer. As Lee enlists in his father’s classes and tries to bridge the
distance between them through sport, Legend
of a Warrior explores the father son/journey through a fix of archival
footage and funky comic book-style animation. In my review for Legend of a Warrior, I wrote, “Legend of a Warrior extends the story
beyond the ring and shows how training and preparation develop greater aspects
of character. Legend of a Warrior,
though, packs a bigger punch by avoiding a climactic round in the ring
altogether and by keeping the match between father and son. By offering such a
personal journey, Legend of a Warrior
excels because it knows that the greatest challenge is not the sport itself.” I
also gave the film my prize for Best Canadian Doc at Hot Docs this year, if one
needs another incentive!
Legend of a Warrior
is produced by Bonnie Thompson for the NFB, Susan Bristow for Corkscrew Media and
Corey Lee for enriquePoe
Moving Pictures. It begins its theatrical run in Toronto on September 21,
at Projection Booth Metro (677 Bloor Street West) and Projection Booth East (1035
Gerrard Street East). Please see projectionbooth.ca for showtimes.
