 |
| Hailstorm. Photo: Rick O'Brien. |
The thriller Hailstorm, for example, from director/co-writer John Virtue, offers a taut psychological drama about the moral consequences of street justice. An angry radical named Hailey, played by a strong Melissa Hood, leads a group of eco-terrorists on a mission to get even with a dodgy factory that caused the death of several children through a lethal E-coli outbreak. A snapping pace ensures that Hailstorm is a gripping, edgy thriller thanks to the tight editing by Jane MacRae and atmospheric cinematography by Jackson Parrell. This stylish, layered thriller crackles a hefty moral spark right through to its explosive finale. It’s a solid production overall.
Equally impressive stylistically is Still, an ambitious
sci-fi film directed by Slater Jewell-Kemker that screened at the Toronto
International Film Festival earlier this year. (Review here.) Still, like Hailstorm, is a production from Toronto’s Canadian Film Centre, and
both offerings from this year’s Short Dramatic Film Program hint at lots of
potential with these ambitious and well-crafted shorts.
Also screening in “Next” is the two-hander drama Blow
Out from director Anthony Swan. Jim Watson and Kit Weyman star as two
brothers who confront the impending death of their sister in an intense and emotional
game of truth or dare. Whereas Hailstorm
and Still offer thrilling and
mind-bending escapes, respectively, Blow
Out hits close to home with the gritty realism of its direction and with
the authenticity of its performances. It’s a subtly affecting film.
 |
| The Journey |
Finally, The Journey gives the programme an
inspiring tale that shows what the Regent Park Film Festival is all about. This
reflective doc by Richard Fung examines how the arts offer an outlet for youths
and provide a viable alternative for growing, nurturing, and educating the
generations to come. The doc looks at the changes in Regent Park through the
eyes of several young adults who have experienced personal growth by fostering
their talents and finding their voices through the arts. The film offers an
honest and optimistic portrait of this Toronto neighbourhood as residents both
past and present reflect on life in Regent Park matter-of-factly. They explain
how elements of violence and poverty sometime label the community within the
grater perception of Torontonians, but they state with pride how Regent Park
has a tangible sense of community one struggles to find elsewhere in the city.
The participatory nature of The Journey
complements the positive atmosphere and sense of community of which the
participants speak.
The Journey takes
audiences into the community centres that are serving young people as the
community undergoes rapid development. Organized programs educate the youth by
giving them outlets for their experiences, but also education in the business
of art so that they may grow as professional performers. This handsomely-shot doc
is itself an invaluable snapshot of the benefits of local programming for the
arts, as its honest and inspiring portrait of a community is a fine feat of
self-representation.
“Next: Emerging
Directors’ Spotlight” screens at the Regent Park Film Festival on Wednesday,
Nov. 19 at 7:30 pm.
The night also
includes the “Talkback: Opening Night and RBC Emerging Artist Award” with
Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival,
and filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin, director of Trick or Treaty? .
Tickets are free and
may be reserved here.
Please visit www. http://regentparkfilmfestival.com
for more information.
