2010 Program
2010 Festival Program notes are below.
2011 program will be much smaller as we concetrate on the very best from the U of T Community.
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2010 University of Toronto Film Festival
March 13, 2010
100 Films, 15 Countries, 12 Rooms, 1 Day
All events take place at Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle
All Events FREE except where indicated
Special Guest: Babak Payami
Festival Highlights:
- Rare double-bill with director Babak Payami in attendance
- Discussion and debate on freedom of speech and censorship
- Provocative student shorts from U of T, across Canada and Brazil, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Iran, Israel, Poland and Slovakia.
- An animation playground and installations throughout Hart House promise a house-wide film extravaganza.
1:00 Yek rouz bishtar (One More Day) by Babak Payami – Feature – Farsi with English Subititles – Hart House Theatre – $5/8 from UofTTix.ca
with Darkhish (The Rake) – Short Drama – Farsi with English Subtitles – Hart House Theatre
2:00 Hart House Film Board Gala – 9 Shorts – Music Room – 18+
2:00 Our land, my people: The struggle of the Lubicon Tree – Short Doc - Committees Room
2:00 Canadian Students Program One – 9 Shorts – Debates Room
2:00 A Soft-core Peephole – Installations and Tittilations – All Day – 3rd Floor – 18+
2:00 Installation Art all day – Chapel and Alcoves
2:15 Untitled (Germany Film) – Short Art Doc from Toronto – in German with English subtitles – South Dining Room
2:30 Cameraless Animation Demonstration - Map Room
2:45 A Place Called Chiapas – Feature Doc - Committees Room
3:00 Ron – Short Drama from Israel – in Hebrew with English Subtitles - South Dining Room
3:30 Canadian Students Program Two – 6 Shorts – Music Room – 18+
3:30 Be it Resolved that Freedom of Speech includes the Right to Offend – Formal Debate and Discussion - Debates Room
3:45 Out in the Cold – Short Drama from U Regina – South Dining Room
4:30 Raised to be Heroes – Feature Documentary - Committees Room
4:30 Clouds Fly West – Short Documentary from Bulgaria – with English subtitles - South Dining Room
4:30 Cameraless Animation Demonstration – Map Room
4:30 York U Super 8 Memory Mash-up – 11 Shorts - Music Room
5:00 CSIF Super 8 Flashback – 6 Shorts - Music Room
5:00 Canadian Students Program One – 9 Shorts (Repeat) – Arbor Room
5:00 Deal Me In – Short Doc from U of T - South Dining Room
5:30 Occupation 101 – Feature documentary - Committees Room
5:30 Iran – Cracking the Walls of Censorship – Presentation/Discussion - Debates Room
5:45 Mixed Shorts Program – 10 Shorts - Music Room
6:00 Stolen Lives – Short Doc about child labour in Pakistan – South Dining Room
6:00 Canadian Students Program Two – 6 Shorts (Repeat) - Arbor Room – 18+
6:45 4 TED talks – Music Room
7:00 The Father – Short Drama from Slovakia – in Slovak with English Subtitles – South Dining Room
with Apucikam Megyunk haza, Short travellogue about Hungary – South Dining Room
7:00 Spotlight on Cinema Studies Students – 10 Shorts, inc. Shitty Film Contest – Arbor Room – 18+
7:15 You are on Indian Land – Feature Documentary – Committees Room
7:30 Sokoote beine do fekr (Silence Between Two Thoughts) by Babak Payami – Feature – Farsi with English subtitles – $5/8 from UofTTix.ca -
with: Behind the scenes footage – Hart House Theatre
8:00 Keith Cole: 15 Minutes Still Not Up – 5 Gay Shorts – Debates Room – 18+
8:00 Reveries and Rocketships – Short Drama from BC – South Dining Room
8:00 Aristide and the Endless Revolution – Feature Documentary – Committees Room
8:30 Hart House Film Board Gala – 9 Shorts (Repeat) – Arbor Room – 18+
8:45 Dead Man’s Coughing – Short Drama from Poland – Polish with English Subtitles – South Dining Room – 18+
with The Chance and the Butterfly – Short animation from Brazil
8:45 Ron – Short Drama from Israel – In Hebrew with English subtitles (REPEAT) – Music Room
9:15 Out in the Cold – Short Drama from U Regina (REPEAT) – Music Room
9:30 Babylon 2084 – Short Drama from Germany – South Dining Room
9:45 A Mind’s I – Short Drama from Denmark – Music Room – 18+
10:00 Awards Reception - East Common Room
11:00 Blurred Vision – Live Concert and Video Festival Premiere - Arbor Room
Room-by-Room Detailed Program Notes
from the ground up
Sub-Basement
HART HOUSE THEATRE
Babak Payami Double-Bill
Director in Attendance
Film director Babak Payami in person to present a rare double-bill: Yek rouz bishtar (One More Day) and Sokoote beine do fekr (Silence Between Two Thoughts).
Babak Payami learned filmmaking at the University of Toronto’s Hart House Film Board before returning to Iran in 1998 where he founded Payam Films Institute, a production and post-production training facility. After his 2003 arrest and the confiscation of his film Silence Between Two Thought, he has endeavored in making films outside of Iran in order “to avoid entanglement with certain elements in the Iranian government whose sole purpose is to intimidate and hinder the independent arts community in Iran.”
Yek rouz bishtar (One More Day), by Babak Payami (1999) 75 minutes, drama, colour, Farsi with English subtitles
Admittance: $5 students / $8 other, from UofTTix.ca
An urban love story that takes place in modern-day Tehran unfolds as a prisoner on day leave and a hospital nurse meet every day at a bus stop. Premiered at the 2000 Berlinale, Panorama Special program. Winner, Best Artistic Contribution, Tokyo, 2000 and Special Jury Prize, Torino, 2001.
Director in attendance.
Preceded by:
Darkhish (The Rake), by Narges Kalhor (2009) 10 minutes, drama, colour, Farsi with English subtitles.
In a deserted cellar vault stands the so called Egge, a machine that punishes convicted prisoners by carving the commandment they had disobeyed into their bodies. The only possible escape from this procedure is death – there is no chance of defense, since “guilt is always without doubt“. Based on Franz Kafka’s short story, “In the Penal Colony”. In striking contrast to Kafka’s model, her protagonist, however, revolts, stops and destroys the machine – and with it the system for which it has stood.
Darkhish (The Rake) had its world premiere in the Fall 2009 Nuremburg Human Rights Film Festival where it received media coverage, bringing it to the attention of the government of Iran, who previously did not know anything about the film or her attendance at the Festival. As the Festival was nearing its end she learned that she was in personal danger if she returned to Iran and is currently seeking political asylum in Germany. Ironically, Narges is daughter of Mehdi Kalhor, himself a filmmaker who acts as media and cultural advisor to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
North American premiere.
Sokoote beine do fekr (Silence Between Two Thoughts) (2003), by Babak Payami, 95 minutes, drama, colour, Farsi with English subtitles
Admittance: $5 students / $8 other, from UofTTix.ca
In a remote village, a young woman is spared from execution. An executed virgin will go to heaven. Urging on the completion of the task, a local spiritual leader weds the virgin to her eventual executioner. As the director was putting the finishing touches on this film all the original material was confiscated by government authorities in Iran. He was taken into custody while no warrant and/or explanation was produced for his detention. Later he managed to reconstruct the film from computer files he could salvage from the raid of his offices in Iran. Premiered at the Upstream Competition of Venice 2003, Winner, FIPRESCI Prize, Tromso, 2004
Followed by:
Behind the scenes footage from the making of Sokoote beine do fekr
Director in attendance.
Basement
ARBOR ROOM
Short Films and Live Music
Canadian Students One (55 Minutes) (REPEAT from 2:00 in the Debates Room)
A selection of some of the best shorts we received from Canadian students, film and otherwise.
Shades of Grey by Miles Jay, Ryerson University – Film Studies – 6:30, Documentary
After battling chronic emphysema for over 15 years, 74-year-old Bill Beeton is now tethered by a 30 ft tube to an oxygen tank in his modest Toronto home. Shade of Grey is a glimpse into the remarkable mind and talent of “picture maker” Bill Beeton during his final days.
Work (in progress) by Chavisa, York University. Environmental Studies – 12:00, a hand-drawn text-based video
This video is a text-based narrative about incurring a significant workplace injury in Canada. This underrepresented experience is articulated through an autoethnographic account, which draws on political economy structures and social determinants of health. Art-informed research merges visual arts with theory to ask pivotal questions and reach broader audiences.
Where is the Support? by Ilona Abramovich, University of Toronto – 4:09, Documentary
Approximately 25-40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ. Countless youth are kicked to the streets for coming out. This film provides a glimpse into the experience of being young and queer in a city that offers little support, with the hope that this will share knowledge and create change.
NIYA – A Search of Self by Anca Matei, Kayla Song, Man Wah Yeung, Sajid Malgi and Ahmad Kahn, University of Toronto – 4:47, Experimental
A young Aboriginal woman embarks on a journey of self-discovery, seeking to express who she is. She rejects her Aborginal identity and tries to align to mainstream standards of beauty, only to then
rebel against them. Eventually, she surrenders and accepts herself as she is.
Breath by Nicole Bazuin, Tina Lytle, Ryerson University – Film Studies – 3:25, Experimental Dance
Collaboration between filmmaker Nicole Bazuin and Dancer/Choreographers Tina Lytle, Nicolas Melymuk and Melissa Morris, “Breath” explores the relationship between dancers and the breaths that fuel their movements, the rhythm of breathing turned into a desperate panic to hold on to life.
Sarah and Jim by Martin Edralin, U of T Alumni – 13:00, Comedy
A free-spirited panhandler and an office worker discover a mutual loneliness through their chance acquaintance. Sara & Jim explores the brief but special connections people make.
Le Petit Prince by Jessie Curell, Ryerson University, Media Production – 3:00, stop motion animation
A very loose adaptation of “Le Petit Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Prince finds his planet crowded by a new arrival, leaves, and visits the Earth, has an existential crisis, and returns home.
Twenty Looks Good On You by Kelsi Dewhurst, York University, Film & Video and Communications Studies – 3:00, Drama
Rose’s husband, Richard, has passed away and as she tries to write his eulogy, she finds herself ridden with guilt from her obsession with how she is aging.
Optimistically Ended by Natasha Ivanco, University of Toronto – 4:52, Animation/Drama/Comedy
Optimistically Ended features a girl who was formerly terrible, hygienically neglectful and socially questionable. Preferring long walks in dark alleys and setting fire to peers, she is condemned to tragically unsanitary surroundings. Upon being freed, the girl vows a non-revenge and undergoes a careful reform full of devoted worrying.
Canadian Students Two (55 Minutes) 18+ (REPEAT from 3:30 in the Music Room)
A selection of some of the best shorts we received from Canadian students, film and otherwise.
Hairdresser on Fire by Lee Filipovski, Ryerson University, Image Arts- Film Production – 10:21, Comedy
Life is a struggle for the essential, and most important thing of all- the perfect haircut. Who has it, who gets it, who will miss out?
Casey Come Back by Mark Delotinville, Queen’s University – Film and Media – 13:23, Musical Comedy
The story of Paul and Casey and their seemingly unbreakable bond. When Casey betrays his friend, it appears that the bro’s friendship is jeopardized beyond repair. Will Casey be able to go the unusual length to win back Paul? Will Paul accept his apology?
Sandwiches and Salad on a Sunday Afternoon by Sean Grounds, York University, Film Production – 6:00, Comedy, EXTREME VIOLENCE AND GORE
A man eats a sandwich.
A Beard Film by Ian Robertson, Queen’s University – Film and Media – 1:40, Comedy, animation
An animation about abnormal ablutions.
On the Fringe by Phil Moniz, Evan Landry and Mike Koras, U of T Cinema Studies and McGill U Business Program – 11:00, mockumentary, COARSE LANGUAGE
A mocumentary following a small band of local career criminals.
Gotta Poo by Sean Grounds, York University, Film Production – 9:09, comedy/romance, NUDITY
A man finds true love in the face of adversity.
Spotlight on Cinema Studies Students (57:00) 18+
The best shorts from students in the Cinema Studies Program at U of T, sponsored by CINSSU
The Bus is Coming by Peter Kuplowsky – 2:00, Action/Adventure
Johnny got lobotomy… He hasn’t been feeling too well. The Bus is Coming!!!!
Freakers by Brian Robertson, Michel Moon, Daniel Schmaltz – 14:00, Drama
A pair charlatan-tourists appear at Maria’s doorstep. After a night on the town in the city of Rome, the cultivated duo shed light on Maria’s relationship with their old friend Paul, Maria’s current live-in boyfriend. New meaning is taken from an old adage, “you can’t freak a freaker”.
On the Lamb by Adam and Luke Kuplowsky – 7:30, Neo-realism
Two thieves encounter a mysterious stranger. Their lives will be forever changed….
M.A.M by Katrina Lagace and Jean Marc Ah-Sen – 5:14, Docu-Fantasy
A woman recounts her story of living alone in the world for three months and considers the possibility of her psychosis.
Phantom of the Library by Tanya Hoshi – 2:51, Musical
A girl goes to the library to sign out a book. During her search for a book she notices that a mysterious man is following her. She eventually realizes that she has become the victim of the library’s phantom.
The Blizzard by Charlie Hoppner – 12:39, Comedy/Drama
Full of angst and a little too much liquor, Don ditches his hip friends’ New Years party and runs off into the woods. Some bad weather, a concerned friend, and an unlikely shot at romance combine in this overnight odyssey.
Brain on Drugs by Alan Jones – 1:30, Experimental
This is your brain on drugs. Or not. Whatever.
Lucidity by Svebor Pavic – 2:07. Experimental/Surrealist
Step into the surreal through a series of uncanny photographs.
Finding Toilet Paper by Tasuya Ojiro, Akane Kumakura and Akira Nakamura – 6:50, Comedy
There are certain things that we must need in our life. However, we forget how precious they are until we lose them.
3rd Annual Shitty Film Contest Winner
The Coke Deal by Adam, Luke and Peter Kuplowsky – 1:46, Documentary
A deal gone wrong and a fast talking baby lead to a “guys’ night out” of misery and loneliness.
Hart House Film Board Gala (77 Minutes) 18+ (REPEAT from 2:00 in the Music Room)
An annual juried competition of the best shorts from our very own Hart House Film Board members.
The Audience by David Eng – 6:00, Comedy
Luke joins his girlfriend Janis at a movie but as the slow art-house quality becomes clear to him, he embarrasses her with his increasing impatience and complaints.
Raw Milk by Rachel James – 4:49, Documentary
David learns to milk a cow at 61 years of age.
Just a Love Story by I-Fu Chen – 12:36 Drama
An unexpected love story happens in an elevator.
Site 41: A Quarter Century Fight to Preserve Clean Water by Todd Harris – 7:00, Documentary
A short documentary film on the long fight to stop the building of a dump site in the North Simcoe County Region of Ontario, and preserve clean water for local farmers, First Nations people, and cottagers and summer enthusiasts in the Georgian Bay area, including Wasaga Beach and Tiny Township.
A Bottle of Whiskey, 112 Swears, and a Raincoat by Kevin Claydon and Phil Moniz – 22:00, Comedy, COARSE LANGUAGE
The story of two young hit-men embarking on their first jaunt into the world of organized crime. These two friends quickly learn that conflicting personalities can often be the least of their troubles.
An (un)original Love by Aisha jamal – 4:19, Experimental
Inspired by the book “A Lover’s Discourse” by Roland Barthes, this five-minute experimental film reflects the contradictory nature of love, it’s uniqueness and, as the title suggest, the strange unoriginality of this love that is so unique, yet reflected so clearly by the words of another
Her Wings: Monique and Susie by Judit Kenyeres – 5:00, Experimental Art
Women taking flight on a Time Machine called The Swing – each one with her unique rhythm and mood, dances through Time and Space.
Freakers by Brian Robertson, Michel Moon, Daniel Schmaltz – 14:00, Drama
A pair charlatan-tourists appear at Maria’s doorstep. After a night on the town in the city of Rome, the cultivated duo shed light on Maria’s relationship with their old friend Paul, Maria’s current live-in boyfriend. New meaning is taken from an old adage, “you can’t freak a freaker”.
2nd Annual Sweding Contest Winner
‘Sweding’ is a word for ‘film parody’, courtesty of the feature Be Kind, Rewind.
How to make a movie in 38 minutes: A Lord of the Rings Parody by Kevin Claydon and Phil Moniz – 2:51, Comedy, COARSE LANGUAGE
An extremely cheesy parody of one of the iconic scenes from the first Lord of the Rings film.
Blurred Vision: Live Music Concert and Video Festival Premiere
Blurred Vision, founded by brothers Sepehr and Soheil, will be performing a special concert featuring their debut single, “Another Brick in the Wall – Hey ayatollah, Leave Those Kids Alone”. The band has the backing of Roger Waters to release the Pink Floyd cover.
The music is produced by legendary rock producer Terry Brown (Rush, Procol Harem). The video is directed by internationally-acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Babak Payami and produced at Hart House.
It doesn’t take much to bring clarity of thought when two Iranian Canadian musicians are confronted with the atrocities their compatriots face in their country of birth. Media and fans seem to agree. The music video has generated 100,000+ views on YouTube within 10 days of its posting, plus a grass-roots groundswell of attention, including Front page NME (UK), FYI (Canada), a cover feature in Cashbox Magazine and tons of accolades from Floyd fans & sites plus early radio play from the original pirate radio ship, Radio Caroline.
Not for the faint-hearted, the track highlights the realities of a relentless, universal drive towards freedom, while documenting the world’s first electronic revolution. The video punches through the traditional boundaries of highly-polished visual styles in to a brave new realm of raw, organic and mixed formats.
“Rarely in the history of rock ‘n’ roll does a cover version come along that actually dares to exist at the right reactionary time. By cleverly updating Pink Floyd’s 1979 iconic protest anthem “Another Brick In The Wall” exactly thirty years to the month that it was originally released, Blurred Vision are wielding their activist music as an irresistible force irrevocably set in motion to shake up the staid conventions of repressive regimes and show solidarity with common street soldiers everywhere. Thanks to Blurred Vision, the revolution will be downloaded.” — Jeffrey Morgan, authorized biographer of Alice Cooper and The Stooges.
The track is now available for download online, and released on C12 Records, distributed by EMI Canada.
www.blurredvisionmusic.com
www.C12Records.com
1st Floor
WEST END (HUB)
Pianists
2:00 – 8:00 pm
Student pianists performing.
1st Floor
EAST ALCOVE
Busker Shadow Show
2:00 – 6:00 pm
Buskers play with light.
1st Floor
EAST COMMON ROOM
Festival Central
2:00 – 12:00 pm
Greetings
Information / Trailers / Holograms
Food Kiosk from 2
Cash bar after 6
The main awards are cash prizes for member of the the Hart House Film Board. We try to muster up a few prizes to give to our general entries and this year, we’ll see.
MAP ROOM
Animation Playground
2:30 & 4:30 pm
At 2:30 and 4:30 filmmaker Tracy German will be conducting demonstrations of camera-less animation (painting, drawing and scratching on clear 16mm film) and participants will have the opportunity to make and screen their own films in this FAMILY FRIENDLY event.
CHAPEL
Installation Art
2:00 –11:00 pm
Felix Kalmenson and Kaitlin Till-Landry
2nd Floor
CHESS ROOM
Refreshment Kiosk
2:00 –8:00 pm
Hot and cold drinks and snacks for sale.
2nd Floor
EAST ALCOVE
Installation Art
2:00 –11:00 pm
Kathleen Reichelt & Wesley Rickert
2nd Floor
MUSIC ROOM
Short Films All Day
Hart House Film Board Gala (77 Minutes) 18+ (REPEATED at 8:30 in the Arbor Room)
An annual juried competition of the best shorts from our very own Hart House Film Board members.
The Audience by David Eng – 6:00, Comedy
Luke joins his girlfriend Janis at a movie but as the slow art-house quality becomes clear to him, he embarrasses her with his increasing impatience and complaints.
Raw Milk by Rachel James – 4:49, Documentary
David learns to milk a cow at 61 years of age.
Just a Love Story by I-Fu Chen – 12:36 Drama
An unexpected love story happens in an elevator.
Site 41: A Quarter Century Fight to Preserve Clean Water by Todd Harris – 7:00, Documentary
A short documentary film on the long fight to stop the building of a dump site in the North Simcoe County Region of Ontario, and preserve clean water for local farmers, First Nations people, and cottagers and summer enthusiasts in the Georgian Bay area, including Wasaga Beach and Tiny Township.
A Bottle of Whiskey, 112 Swears, and a Raincoat by Kevin Claydon and Phil Moniz – 22:00, Comedy, COARSE LANGUAGE
The story of two young hit-men embarking on their first jaunt into the world of organized crime. These two friends quickly learn that conflicting personalities can often be the least of their troubles.
An (un)original Love by Aisha jamal – 4:19, Experimental
Inspired by the book “A Lover’s Discourse” by Roland Barthes, this five-minute experimental film reflects the contradictory nature of love, it’s uniqueness and, as the title suggest, the strange unoriginality of this love that is so unique, yet reflected so clearly by the words of another
Her Wings: Monique and Susie by Judit Kenyeres – 5:00, Experimental Art
Women taking flight on a Time Machine called The Swing – each one with her unique rhythm and mood, dances through Time and Space.
Freakers by Brian Robertson, Michel Moon, Daniel Schmaltz – 14:00, Drama
A pair charlatan-tourists appear at Maria’s doorstep. After a night on the town in the city of Rome, the cultivated duo shed light on Maria’s relationship with their old friend Paul, Maria’s c
2nd Annual Sweding Contest Winner
‘Sweding’ is a word for ‘film parody’, courtesty of the feature Be Kind, Rewind.
How to make a movie in 38 minutes: A Lord of the Rings Parody by Kevin Claydon and Phil Moniz – 2:51, Comedy, COARSE LANGUAGE
An extremely cheesy parody of one of the iconic scenes from the first Lord of the Rings film.
Canadian Students Two (55 Minutes) – 18+ (REPEATED at 6:00 in the Arbor Room)
A selection of some of the best shorts we received from Canadian students, film and otherwise.
Hairdresser on Fire by Lee Filipovski, Ryerson University, Image Arts- Film Production – 10:21, Comedy
Life is a struggle for the essential, and most important thing of all- the perfect haircut. Who has it, who gets it, who will miss out?
Casey Come Back by Mark Delotinville, Queen’s University – Film and Media – 13:23, Musical Comedy
The story of Paul and Casey and their seemingly unbreakable bond. When Casey betrays his friend, it appears that the bro’s friendship is jeopardized beyond repair. Will Casey be able to go the unusual length to win back Paul? Will Paul accept his apology?
Sandwiches and Salad on a Sunday Afternoon by Sean Grounds, York University, Film Production – 6:00, Comedy, EXTREME GORE
A man eats a sandwich.
A Beard Film by Ian Robertson, Queen’s University – Film and Media – 1:40, Comedy, animation
An animation about abnormal ablutions.
On the Fringe by Phil Moniz, Evan Landry and Mike Koras, U of T Cinema Studies and McGill U Business Program – 11:00, mockumentary, COARSE LANGUAGE
A mocumentary following a small band of local career criminals.
Gotta Poo by Sean Grounds, York University, Film Production – 9:09, comedy/romance, NUDITY
A man finds true love in the face of adversity.
York U Super 8 Memory Mash Up (35:00)
From snow and sake to memories of a wild night out on the town, “memory and the passage of time” is the theme that Cinema and Media Studies (BA) students at York University’s Department of Film took on to create these accomplished Super 8 films. A mash-up of narrative, experimental and alternative film languages, the program highlights the beauty and relevance of shooting on film in a digital age. – Lynne Fernie
remembering the only time I tried to stop my heart from failing (and failed) by Nadia Litz, 2009 – 4:35 Alternative narrative
Snow. Sake. Cigarettes and a hotel room in Osaka. No matter how much you try, there is sometimes no stopping the failing of a broken heart.
Record by Jason Kogler, 2008 – 2:18, Alternative film
Artefacts and locations from the past trigger a man’s fragmented memory of childhood and his father.
Twenty Looks Good on You by Kelsi Dewhurst, 2010 – 3:00, drama
Rose’s husband, Richard, has passed away and as she tries to write his eulogy, she finds herself ridden with guilt from her obsession with how she is aging.
Gone Too Soon by OJ Obiorah, 2010 – 3:16, Drama
Photographs, flowers and the memory of love and laughter haunt a man whose girlfriend had to leave suddenly. Will he ever love again?
PUNCTUM by Ya-Yin Ko, 2005 – 2:17, Experimental narrative
For fear of a particular flashing light.
Dream Journal by Hanford Shum, 2010 – 3:00, experimental
Time runs forwards and backwards for a troubled young man trying to escape his problems.
Timeless Mirror by Arbnore Lumi, 2010 – 2:10, Experimental
Melancholy pervades this beautifully shot experimental film about a girl who tries to recall her childhood memories but can see only fragments and abstract images.
Foreword by Suneet Pabla, 2010 – 2:21, Experimental
An evocative autobiography that takes on a dreamlike state as the filmmaker explores family photographs and fragmented memories.
Reverse by Eleise Wilson, 2010 – 2:40, Drama
Deciding to drive after a night partying at the clubs could be the biggest mistake a man ever makes. There’s no reverse in life.
Reflections by Katherine Kwan, 2010 – 4:28, Experimental drama
Memories morph into beautiful dreams about love and anguished nightmares about rejection when a young man seeks sleep to escape the pain of breaking up with his girl.
Mindful, Remembering by Cameron MacLaren and Serge Khaled, 2008 – 4:40, Narrative film
As John loses his vision, he slowly comes to terms with the power of his memory to visualize the world around him.
CSIF Super 8 Flashback (28:30)
Six first-time filmmakers were trained at the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF) and supported by Calgary Arts Development.
Elevenses… by Lauren Grace Simms – 3:00, Experimental Comedy
A whimsical dark comedy about a girl, a tea party, and the forces that reveal her insignificance within her perceived universe.
3rd Law Billy: Reactive Space by Yaz Arima – 3:33, Comedy
A mock educational film using Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion and applying it to human interaction.
The Runner by Liz Pirnie – 6:42, Experimental
Three interrelated narratives and perspectives.
I’ll Never Let Go of Your Hand by Doreen Wood – 7:32, Experimental travellogue
A young man returns to Croatia, the land of his birth, 17 years after the siege of Debrovnik, to film a visual farewell to his dying father.
The Monks of Despair by Erika Walter – 5:00, Experimental
Beginning as a documentary-style film, focusing on interviewing homeless people in Calgary, this film changed to more of an art film set to a song by composer and singer Keisza Ellestad.
Wake by Kaitlind Brown – 2:35, Experimental
A story about dreaming and dissection. A motion collage of love and lunacy, operating rooms and raw meat. How do you know what’s real? And do you really want to know?
Mixed Shorts Program (46 minutes)
A miscellany of shorts from our open call.
First Impressions by Howie Woo – 1:00, comedy
One man has one minute to make a memorable first impression.
I want to be a Desi 2 by Allan Tong – 6:00, Documentary
DESI: South Asian immigrants and their descendants. This hard-hitting documentary asks: “What does a non-Desi have to do to become a Desi?” and “What does the word DESI mean to you?”
Abstract? by Alexei Dmitriev – 3:30 seconds, experimental / animation
An unhurried film dealing with the notion of the abstract.
What’s in Your Fridge? by Andrea Yip (University of Toronto) – 6:20, Documentary
This film profiles three young Torontonians and their refrigerators in order to explore issues around food choice, security, and relationships. This was produced for the Food4Health research project, Youth Voices Research Group, Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
Violent Arbour by Nicholas Kovats – 2:16, monopodism a la natural
I tried to envision a new hybrid of Tarkovsky-eske love of nature offset by sweeping camera movements shot in glorious Plus-X B/W Super 8 film. I call this technique monopodism a la natural.
A Curious Lurking by Amanda Ives, University of Toronto – 9:00, Drama
A typical girl, out for a run, wanders too deep into the forest. She encounters creatures that collect human artifacts and who lurk, curiously about, guarding the dwindling forest. At the end, the girl fears she will always be haunted by these ghostly beings.
Anatomy of a Kiss by Justina Szecsi – 1:00, experimental
The inspection of one single kiss and how its meaning changes depending on ones perspective.
Please Walk – It’s Faster! by Sarah and Annette Gagliano, University of Toronto – 2:18, Comedy
Would you take an elevator to get to the tenth floor of a building for an interview? In “Please Walk – It’s Faster!” this is exactly what the actress decides to do after a bit of contemplation. The journey is covered ‘step by step’ in this comedy.
Vitula by Amr Ahmed – 3:59, Experimental
A little girl`s love for the string instrument and her little Mickey Mouse.
Fixiology by Nicholas Kovats – 5:52, experimental narrative
A nostalgic celebration of the international brotherhood of bicycle messengers and their beloved steeds. Footage shot at the World Cycle Messenger Championships 2008 in Toronto on Ward Island.
Nothing by Kyle Whitehead – 3:48, experimental
7 full 24 hour days play back on 50ft of super 8 film
Four TED talks (85 Minutes)
TED is devoted to ideas worth spreading.
1. Bjorn Lomborg sets global priorities. 16:45
2. Bill Gates on energy: Innovating to zero! 27:49
3. Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity. 19:21
4. Willie Smits restores a rainforest. 20:39
TED started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Program, the new TEDx community program, this year’s TEDIndia Conference and the annual TED Prize. visit www.TED.com
TED program curated by Arnold Dominic Pereira.
Ron by Amnon Haas, Tel Aviv University, Israel, Film and TV Department - 24:59, drama (REPEAT from 3:00 in South Dining Room)
Ron is in love with Tamar, but for him to make the first move means to overcome barriers unfimiliar for most people.
Out in the Cold by Colleen Murphy, University of Regina – (REPEATED from 3:00 in South Dining Room)
On a night so cold it hurts to breathe, three First Nations men find themselves abandoned on the outskirts of town. This poignant and oftentimes humorous drama is rich in metaphor while exploring themes of loss, memory and disregard.
A Mind’s I by Lars p Arendt – 16:00, Experimental, 18+ VIOLENCE, NUDITY
Award winning short film inspired by Luis Buñuel’s “Un Chien Andalou”. It’s experiMENTAL.
2nd Floor
SOUTH DINING ROOM
Short Films All Day
Student Shorts from Around the World
Untitled (Germany Video) by Susan Kordalewski, Toronto – 30:00, Art/Documentary – in German with English Subtitles
This video work follows two visits, two months apart, between the English-speaking artist and her German-speaking Great Aunt. Across a language barrier, between bouts of silence and mumbled misunderstandings, they occasionally manage a shared moment.
Ron by Amnon Haas, Tel Aviv University, Israel, Film and TV Department – 24:59, drama – in Hebrew with English Subtitles (REPEATED at 8:45 in the Music Room)
Ron is in love with Tamar, but for him to make the first move means to overcome barriers unfimiliar for most people.
Out in the Cold by Colleen Murphy, University of Regina – 29:40, drama (REPEATED at 9:15 in the Music Room)
On a night so cold it hurts to breathe, three First Nations men find themselves abandoned on the outskirts of town. This poignant and oftentimes humorous drama is rich in metaphor while exploring themes of loss, memory and disregard.
Clouds Fly West by Vesselin Cholakov, Science and Math, “Nikola Obreshkov” High School – Burgas, Bulgaria – 22:30, Documentary – English subtitles
Global issues like Urbanization, Growing World Population and Migration raised by local conflicts. A film based on a true story about a man in unknown city, with no friend to talk to, with nothing to do for a living but to play the accordion… The director was 17 years old at the time that he made this.
Deal Me In by Will Pascoe, Aaron Champion, Nikita Andreev, Maria Coliviras, Dale Hardin, Leora Rahpael,University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health – 43:43, documentary
Deal Me In is a youth-driven documentary that takes a hard look at the possible impacts and experiences of gambling on this generation. Through personal stories and real-world youth impacts, Deal Me In gives youth a voice, helping to bring awareness and education to a socially acceptable and normalized pastime.
Stolen Lives by Rushna Khan – 41:00, documentary
A documentary made on child labor in Pakistan. kids under fourteen working on streets and shops.
The Father by Lukas Hanulak, VŠMU in Bratislava, Slovakia – Department of Film Directing – 43:25, Drama – in Slovak with English subtitles
The question of life and death is an ineffable phrase, almost impossible to grasp. The Father is a spiritual drama about an ordinary man who is losing his only child. The story tells us about useless conflicts in our lives, and shows the depth of human soul.
with
Apucikam Megyunk haza. (Poppa we are going home) by Nicholas Kovats – 7:46, experimental travelogue
I returned back to Hungary in the summer of 2008 after 27 years. My father’s beloved country had changed substantially. This is my impressionistic record. Visiting my grandparents historic home in Gyenesdias triggered intense nostalgia.
Reveries and Rocketships by Howie Woo, British Columbia – 28:00, drama
A wounded man embarks on an otherworldly journey to recover his memories.
Kaszel Umarlaka (Dead Man’s Coughing) by Krzysztof Borówka, WRITV University of Silesia, Poland, Directing Dept. – 22:00, comedy/drama – in Polish with English Subtitles – 18+ MATURE CONTENT
Ed, a cynical politician, comes to a village to solicit for votes and strike a dodgy deal with the mayor. Friendship with a pig and magical rites performed by mayor’s housekeeper and his daughter will change his live forever.
with
The Chance and the Butterfly by Tiago Americo, Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana, Brazil – Technology in Graphic Arts – 4:04, animation
The beauty of the butterfly flight may reside in its randomness. Now It appears to be erratic, with no destination. Then it seems to be endowed with incomprehensible goals to human rationality. So butterflies fly. So men go.
Babylon 2084 by Christian Schleisiek, Fachhochschule Mainz, Germany, Medien-Design – 30:00, drama
In the year 2084 the world has sunken into the sea. The rest of mankind lives in two towers which underlie a self-destructing constraint to grow higher and higher.
2nd Floor
BOARD ROOM
Hologram Display
2:00-11:00 pm
Student Holograms made for the course JOP210, “Holography for 3D Visualization”, Institute for Optical Sciences and the Department of Physics, University of Toronto.
2nd Floor
COMMITTEES ROOM
Documentaries All Day
University of Toronto Student Union presents The Cinema Politica Room
7 Documentaries on Colonialism: War and Occupation.
Our land, my people: The struggle of the Lubicon Tree, England, 2008- 30:00. Documentary
Since the late 1970s, the Lubicon Cree, an Indigenous people in Alberta, Canada, have seen the land on which they depend transformed by logging and large-scale oil and gas extraction. Despite a 1990 decision by the United Nations Human Rights Committee that the human rights of the Lubicon Cree are being violated by the impact of natural resource extraction, the Canadian authorities have failed to bring about a fair resolution of the long standing land dispute. Over $14B has been extracted from Lubicon land; the Lubicon have seen not a penny.
2:45 pm
A Place called Chiapas by Nettie Wild – 89:00, Documentary
In 1994, the Zapatista National Liberation Army, made up of impoverished Mayan Indians from the state of Chiapas, took over five towns and 500 ranches in southern Mexico. The government deployed its troops and at least 145 people died in the ensuing battle. Filmmaker Nettie Wild travelled to the country’s jungle canyons to film the elusive and fragile life of this uprising.
Raised to be Heroes by Jack Silberman – 53:00, Documentary
They will fight for their country, they will die for their country, but not in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. And although they act on conscience, they pay a steep personal price. Featuring haunting accounts from the front lines by the latest generation of Israeli soldiers to selectively object to military operations undertaken by their country.
Occupation 101 by Sufyan Omeish and Abdallah Omeish – 90:00, Documentary
A thought-provoking and powerful documentary film on the current and historical root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding the never ending controversy and dispels many of its long-perceived myths and misconceptions.
You are on Indian Land by Mort Ransen – 37:00, Documentary
A film report of the 1969 protest demonstration by Mohawk Indians of the St. Regis Reserve on the international bridge between Canada and the United States near Cornwall, Ontario. By blocking the bridge, which is on the Reserve, and causing a considerable tie-up of motor traffic, the Indians drew public attention to their grievance that they were prohibited by Canadian authorities from duty-free passage of personal purchases across the border; a right they claim was established by the Jay Treaty of 1794. The film shows the confrontation with police, and ensuing action.
Aristide and the Endless Revolution by Nicolas Rossier – 82:00, Documentary
Through investigative lenses the events that led to the removal of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, democratically elected President of Haiti filmmaker, Nicolas Rossier takes the viewer into a journey of political intrigues, armed criminals posing as freedom fighters and economic fiascos. What emerges is a young democracy being constantly tested and ultimately destroyed.
2nd Floor
DEBATES ROOM
Short Films, Debate and Discussion
Canadian Students One (55 Minutes) (REPEATED at 5:00 in the Arbor Room)
A selection of some of the best shorts we received from Canadian students, film and otherwise.
Shades of Grey by Miles Jay, Ryerson University – Film Studies – 6:30, Documentary
After battling chronic emphysema for over 15 years, 74-year-old Bill Beeton is now tethered by a 30 ft tube to an oxygen tank in his modest Toronto home. Shade of Grey is a glimpse into the remarkable mind and talent of “picture maker” Bill Beeton during his final days.
Work (in progress) by Chavisa, York University. Environmental Studies – 12:00, a hand-drawn text-based video
This video is a text-based narrative about incurring a significant workplace injury in Canada. This underrepresented experience is articulated through an autoethnographic account, which draws on political economy structures and social determinants of health. Art-informed research merges visual arts with theory to ask pivotal questions and reach broader audiences.
Where is the Support? by Ilona Abramovich, University of Toronto – 4:09, Documentary
Approximately 25-40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ. Countless youth are kicked to the streets for coming out. This film provides a glimpse into the experience of being young and queer in a city that offers little support, with the hope that this will share knowledge and create change.
NIYA – A Search of Self by Anca Matei, Kayla Song, Man Wah Yeung, Sajid Malgi and Ahmad Kahn, University of Toronto – 4:47, Experimental
A young Aboriginal woman embarks on a journey of self-discovery, seeking to express who she is. She rejects her Aborginal identity and tries to align to mainstream standards of beauty, only to then
rebel against them. Eventually, she surrenders and accepts herself as she is.
Breath by Nicole Bazuin, Tina Lytle, Ryerson University – Film Studies – 3:25, Experimental Dance
Collaboration between filmmaker Nicole Bazuin and Dancer/Choreographers Tina Lytle, Nicolas Melymuk and Melissa Morris, “Breath” explores the relationship between dancers and the breaths that fuel their movements, the rhythm of breathing turned into a desperate panic to hold on to life.
Sarah and Jim by Martin Edralin, U of T Alumni – 13:00, Comedy
A free-spirited panhandler and an office worker discover a mutual loneliness through their chance acquaintance. Sara & Jim explores the brief but special connections people make.
Le Petit Prince by Jessie Curell, Ryerson University, Media Production – 3:00, stop motion animation
A very loose adaptation of “Le Petit Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Prince finds his planet crowded by a new arrival, leaves, and visits the Earth, has an existential crisis, and returns home.
Twenty Looks Good On You by Kelsi Dewhurst, York University, Film & Video and Communications Studies – 3:00, Drama
Rose’s husband, Richard, has passed away and as she tries to write his eulogy, she finds herself ridden with guilt from her obsession with how she is aging.
Optimistically Ended by Natasha Ivanco, University of Toronto – 4:52, Animation/Drama/Comedy
Optimistically Ended features a girl who was formerly terrible, hygienically neglectful and socially questionable. Preferring long walks in dark alleys and setting fire to peers, she is condemned to tragically unsanitary surroundings. Upon being freed, the girl vows a non-revenge and undergoes a careful reform full of devoted worrying.
Be it Resolved that Freedom of Speech includes the Right to Offend
Formal Debate and Discussion
Members of the Hart House Debate Team will debate this sensitive question.
Post-debate Discussion to follow with:
Babak Payami, Film Director
Iran – Cracking the Walls of Censorship
Presentation/Discussion
Presentation and discussion on the walls of censorship and experiences cracking the walls.
With:
Ali Bangi, Iranian outreach officer for Psiphon, and
Pamela Shime, Founding Director of the Global Advocacy & Leadership Institute
Sepehr and Soheil from Blurred Vision, musicians behind viral video “Another Brick in the Wall: Hey Ayatollah, Leave Those Kids Alone.”
Babak Payami, Film Director
Behdad Esfahbod, Lotfan.org founder, Iranian blogger and activist
Nikahang Kowsar, political cartoonist
Keith Cole: 15 Minutes Still Not Up (90 Minutes) 18+
Five Gay Shorts by Keith Cole, in person, presented by the Hart House Film Board. NUDITY, SEXUAL CONTENT, COARSE LANGUAGE
Nancy Boy Versus Manly Woman, 1997 – 27:00, 16mm / colour
A mild mannered comic book illustrator truly comes to live. A foreign film
dubbed into English.
The Boys Next Door, 2001 – 12:00, 16mm / black & white
(co-director with Michael Caines)
Boys will be boys.
Coyote, beautiful, 2002 – 7:00, 16mm / black and white & colour
A short film featuring the most dangerous woman in European Cinema.
SUNFLOWER, 2004 – 7:00, 16mm / black & white
(co-director with Michael Caines)
A little sunflower finally sees the light of day.
Une Petite Mort, 2005 – 5:00, Video / black and white & colour
(co-director with Michael Caines)
Who would ever want to escape from happiness?
BICKERSTETH ROOM & BEYOND
A Soft-core Peephole
2:00-12:00 pm
Installations and music curated by Kate McEdwards. 18+
Artists:
Kathleen Reichelt & Wesley Rickert
Brad Tinmouth
Claro Cosco
Kaitlin Till-Landry
Felix Kalmenson
Jimmy Weaver
Arnold Frolics
Rick Palidwor
Kate McEdwards
