Genies poised for magic hour

With the recent Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television's announcements that films Nuit #1 won the Claude Jutra Award and Starbuck won the Golden Reel Award, it now definitely feels as though the 32nd Genie Awards presentation broadcast is right around the corner.

According to the Academy's website for the Genies (http://www.genieawards.ca/), the Claude Jutra Award "honours outstanding achievement by a first-time feature filmmaker. It was established in 1993 in honour of the late Quebec director Claude Jutra, best known for Mon Oncle Antoine." Previous winners include J'ai tué ma mère (2009), Away from Her (2007), and Atanarjuat (2001).

The Golden Reel Award, cites the site, "is presented annually to the Canadian film that earns the highest domestic box office in that year." It was established in 1979, with its list of winners including Bon Cop, Bad Cop (2007), Les Boys (1999), and Strange Brew (1984).

This year's Genies actually are just around the corner. It's slated for next Thursday, at Toronto's Westin Harbour Castle hotel. CBC's broadcast of the ceremony is the same evening, March 8, at 8pm, hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos and Andrea Martin. It ran for an hour last year, when the Genies were hosted by William Shatner at the NAC here in Ottawa.

So, here's a quick round up of the Canadian flicks nominated for Best Motion Picture of 2011 by the Academy, including their additional nominations and corresponding Internet Movie Database link:

A DANGEROUS METHOD (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1571222/)
11 nominations
BEST MOTION PICTURE, ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN, ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN, ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION (Best Director), ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING, ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC - ORIGINAL SCORE, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE, ACHIEVEMENT IN OVERALL SOUND, ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING, ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS

CAFÉ DE FLORE (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1550312/)
13 Genie nominations
BEST MOTION PICTURE, ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN, ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY, ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN, ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION (Best Director), ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE, ACHIEVEMENT IN OVERALL SOUND, ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING, ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY, ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS

MONSIEUR LAZHAR (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2011971/)
9 Genie nominations
BEST MOTION PICTURE, ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY, ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION (Best Director), ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING, ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC - ORIGINAL SCORE, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE, ACHIEVEMENT IN OVERALL SOUND, ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

STARBUCK (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1756750/)
6 Genie nominations
BEST MOTION PICTURE, ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC - ORIGINAL SONG, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE, ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

THE WHISTLEBLOWER (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0896872/)
6 Genie nominations
BEST MOTION PICTURE, ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION (Best Director), ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC - ORIGINAL SCORE, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE, PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE, ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

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SAW Video cuts loose (again)

Public Domain, local SAW Video's touring project featuring footage culled from Ottawa-based Library and Archives Canada, continues to hit the road with screenings beyond the capital. 

"With the support of a grant from the Canada Council Media Arts Commissioning program, in 2009 SAW Video commissioned seven accomplished media artists working in Canada to create new video works using public domain films and videos footage in the Film/Video/Sound Collection of the Library and Archives Canada. The result is Public Domain, a programme of six new videos which premiered in Ottawa in 2010 and has toured in 2011 across North America and the United Kingdom." - http://www.sawvideo.com/event/public-domain-tour-2012-0

Showcasing work by artists Sara Angelucci (Toronto), Maureen Bradley (Victoria), Gennaro de Pasquale (Montreal), Steve Reinke (Chicago/Toronto), Ryan Stec and Véronique Couillard (Ottawa), and Suzan Vachon (Montreal), Public Domain stopped at the Cambridge Galleries in Cambridge, Ontario in February 2012, continuing this March at the Zeitgeist Multi-disciplinary Arts Centre in New Orleans, Louisiana and the Eyedrum Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, before ending this year's tour at Toronto's Ryerson Art Gallery December 5th.

Public Domain Video for SAW Video by RS and VC from Ryan Stec on Vimeo.
Video by Ryan Stec and Véronique Couillard
Soundscape by If Then Do
Commission for the Public Domain project by SAW Video
Funded by the Canada Council for the Arts

http://vimeo.com/channels/inthepublicdomain

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Oscar Wild? Pity.

Unless you haven't been paying attention for a while, there's a fairly big awards ceremony taking place in a couple of days.

No, not the Academy Awards. I said big. Meaning, relevant, locally.

The good folks behind the Ottawa-Gatineau theatre community's Prix Rideau Awards are set to announce its 2011 season nominations on Monday, Feb. 27, 5pm, at Le Petit Chicago in Gatineau.

Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Performance - Female, Outstanding Performance - Male, and Outstanding Production are among the categories. This is the sixth year for the awards, with its 2012 presentation gala slated to be held Apr. 22 at the Shenkman Arts Centre.

Find the full info here: http://www.prixrideauawards.ca/home/2012/1/28/announcing-the-2011-nominees.html

And, if this blog entry just left you jonesing even harder for anything Oscar, here's a laugh from Funny or Die (http://www.funnyordie.com):

Oscar Etiquette from Mike Myers

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"Zombie" digs for loverly hand

Death looms for prolific independent horror filmmaker Brett Kelly's indiegogo.com campaign to raise funds for his local production company's latest big scream project, My Fair Zombie.

Slated to feature Sacha Gabriel as Eliza and Lawrence Evenchick as Henry Higgins, My Fair Zombie is clearly inspired by the same source as was eight-time Oscar winning 1964 musical My Fair Lady starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison that first appeared as a stage play on Broadway featuring Julie Andrews and Harrison in 1956: George Bernard Shaw's 1912 play Pygmalion.

According to myfairzombiemovie.com/ "MY FAIR ZOMBIE will be the biggest independent film to ever hit the City of Ottawa. Featuring songs, comedy, period costumes, blood and guts and a cast of over 100 Ottawa actors including background performers, (MY FAIR ZOMBIE) is going to knock the masses for a loop!"

The story involves the attempt by a professor of phonetics to teach a zombie woman to be a proper English Lady.

Checking the San Francisco-based fundraising site's page for this newest Capital gorefest (http://www.indiegogo.com/MY-FAIR-ZOMBIE), the goal is to raise a meaty $5000 by Mar. 9, 2012. To date, Kelly has dug up $1104 from fans and supporters through that website.  Indiegogo's fee is 4%, taken from the total funds donated once the dire deadline comes.

Contribution perks range from the $20 USD "Brain Muncher" that gets you a DVD of Kelly's first movie The Feral Man, the "Zombie Squad" grab bag of his movies for a $100 USD donation, to garnering an associate producer credit for coughing up a grand in cold US currency as "Zombie King or Queen".

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Black For Reel screening

I had the fortunate chance to check out Canadian independent filmmaker Tasha N. Waldron's impressive short film Devil's Candy at an IFCO screening a while ago, so I'm pleased to see Waldron is returning to Ottawa next weekend to speak and screen at IFCO's Black For Reel spotlighting her and two of her films - including Devil's Candy. 

"In celebration of Black History Month Ottawa, IFCO presents an artist talk with visiting filmmaker Tasha N. Waldron (...) Ms. Waldron was recently awarded a coveted internship as part of The Telefilm producer trainee program administered by the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), and is presently interning at Conquering Lion Pictures (Toronto) under renowned Canadian producer Damon D'Oliveira, and internationally acclaimed, award-winning Canadian filmmaker of colour, Clément Virgo (RUDE & Lie with Me)." - http://www.ifco.ca/indi.html

A total of six indie shorts are slated for screening Saturday, Mar. 3, 2012, starting at 7pm, at the Mercury Lounge in the ByWard Market. Free admission.

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Reels rock Limestone City

Film fest season marches on with news that the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (http://www.kingcanfilmfest.com/) is gearing up for its 12th season in a couple of weeks.

Director Guy Maddin's Keyhole starring Jason Patric and Isabella Rossellini, The Samaritan starring Samuel L. Jackson and Tom Wilkinson, and Edwin Boyd - about one of Canada's most notorious criminals - starring Scott Speedman and Kevin Durand join Genie noms Monsieur Lazhar, Starbuck and Café de flore found amongst the approximately 20 features being screened along with this year's shorts program, workshops, a Nell Shipman seminar, and more.

According to its website, "The mission of KCFF is grounded in the belief that Canadian film and filmmakers are distinctive and vital to our country’s culture. We seek to develop an audience for our national cinema by promoting, celebrating and showcasing Canadian film and by supporting and encouraging Canadian film production."

Advance ticket packages are available online. The Kingston Canadian Film Festival runs Mar. 1 - 4, 2012.

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Grand gala antes up

Could you use three grand? According to its news release posted at the end of last month, the Montreal World Film Festival (http://www.ffm-montreal.org/) is offering a $3000 prize to anyone who wins that long-running cinematic celebration's 2012 poster design competition.

"The goal of the Montreal World Film Festival (Montreal International Film Festival) is to encourage cultural diversity and understanding among nations, to foster the cinema of all continents by stimulating the development of quality cinema, to promote filmmakers and innovative works, to discover and encourage new talents, and to promote meetings between cinema professionals from around the world," cites this year's international event, founded in 1977.

More specs for the required 27" x 36" poster can be found at that site, and all submissions are due Mar. 30, 2012.

The 36th annual Montreal World Film Festival runs Aug. 23 - Sept. 3, 2012.

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A theme of choice cuts

The Clock by Christian Marclay
National Gallery of Canada, Feb 10 – 25 Mar 25 2012
"The Clock evokes the wonder and illusionism of more than a century of cinema through a captivating 24-hour looped video that plays in real-time. This remarkable production compiles thousands of film references to time and timepieces creating a compelling moving image illustration of the minutes of a passing day." - http://www.gallery.ca/theclock/



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp4EUryS6ac


Canadian Spaces with Chopper McKinnon
CKCU Radio, Feb 11 2012, 10 AM
"Chopper has invited Bruce White, owner of the wonderful ByTowne Cinema, to co-host this special edition of 'Canadian Spaces'. Bruce has selected songs that are connected with movies in some way. For example, Emm Gryner and Joel Plaskett both make musical appearances in the movie 'One Week', and Lynn Miles' 'Surrender Dorothy' was inspired by 'The Wizard of Oz'. - http://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/129/info.html


The 50% off promotion
SAW Video, Ends Feb 29 2012
"In the spirit of the New Year SAW Video is offering a 50% off promotion on all production equipment and editing suite rentals until Feb 29th, 2012! This is a great opportunity to save on access to equipment so take advantage of it while you can!" - http://www.sawvideo.com/news/50-sale-announcement

Membership Discount
Ottawa Film Society
"Reduced membership fee for the 2012 portion (January to May screenings) is $40 for Tuesday nights of the International Series and $40 for the Série française." - http://www.filmfilmfilm.ca/


Curtain Call (again)
Ottawa-Gatineau Film and Television Development Corporation
"In January 2012, the Board of Directors of the Ottawa-Gatineau Film and Television Development Corporation (OGFT) voted to dissolve the organization. The City of Ottawa recognizes the huge potential that the film, television and the rapidly growing global digital media industry represents and is ready to make considerable investment into increasing the number of productions in Ottawa and growing our local resources. In this vein, OCRI (soon to known as Invest Ottawa) recently hired a Commissioner, Geneviève Ménard Hayles, to lead Film, Television and Digital Media at Invest Ottawa." - http://www.ogft.com/news-events/


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Lazhar la zap

The film Monsieur Lazhar has been playing for what seems like a billion weeks in Gatineau, but a special night was organized to celebrate it here in Ottawa. Quebéc director Philippe Falardeau's drama was screened at an invite-only NAC shindig earlier this week, 25 years after Falardeau ended his stint there as a theatre usher.

Monsieur Lazhar has already been named Canada's Best Film of 2011 by the Toronto Film Critics’ Association and is on the fast track to winning at least one Genie Etrog and (possibly) an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film this year. Canadian films previously nominated for that Oscar are The Decline of the American Empire (1986), Jesus of Montreal (1989), The Barbarian Invasions (2003) and Water (2006). The Barbarian Invasions is the only nominee to win a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar - so far. 

The Genies have a little bit better track record of rewarding Canadian movies. Every year, pretty much. Lazhar faces off against A Dangerous Method, Café du flore, Starbuck, and The Whistleblower for Best Motion Picture in March (http://www.genieawards.ca/genie32/main.cfm).

Here's Monsieur Lazhar's synopsis from Telefilm Canada:

"While going through his own personal tragedy, Bachir Lazhar, is hired as a substitute in an elementary school after the abrupt death of one of the teachers. With great sensitivity and humour, Monsieur Lazhar depicts the encounter of two distant worlds: that of a 55-year-old Algerian immigrant and of a group of shaken but endearing kids. Together they will transcend their losses." - http://www.telefilm.gc.ca/en/catalogues/production/monsieur-lazhar

Check out the short video interview Falardeau did with CBC Ottawa's Sandra Abma (http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Canada/Ottawa/1305550861/ID=2193553667).

As always, you can find where and when movies are playing here in Ottawa by checking out Google showtimes (http://www.google.ca/movies?near=kanata-ottawa&hl=en&view=map&date=0) found throughout the moviequips.ca site.

Thanks for checking in.

This Must Be The Place

That's actually the new Sean Penn movie recently screened at Sundance and slated for release in the States next month. Hopefully that last part means we'll be seeing This Must Be The Place here in Ottawa on the big screen soon, too. 

That's because this 118-minute comedy from director Paolo Sorrentino is probably going to be on my "must see" list - at least 'til I see it. Regardless of it losing the Palme d'Or to The Tree of Life at Cannes last year. 

Just because the thought of Sean Penn playing a retired Rocker returning home to hunt down a Nazi brings a smile to my face that only the promising end to a 30-year wait for the return of Ridgemont High's Jeff Spicoli or shades thereof could bring...

Here's a blurb from the Australian site of e-one:

"In This Must Be The Place, Sean Penn plays Cheyenne, a bored, retired, wealthy American goth rock star living in Dublin (and looking a lot like Robert Smith). He's a complex character, bumbling around town with friends and living in an enormous mansion with his down-to-earth wife of 35 years, Jane (Frances McDormand.) When he learns of the death of his father - who he has been estranged from for over 30 years - he returns to America to embark on a road trip that will change him forever." - http://www.hopscotchfilms.com.au/films/coming-soon/thismustbetheplace-movie/

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Split screens picture of fun

The Mayfair Theatre, Ottawa's oldest independent movie house, turns 80 on Dec. 5, 2012 and the celebration features your chance to check out some of the best films of that historic Bank St. landmark's life. And there's more. Just scroll down to the very bottom of the Special Programming page on its website (http://bank.mayfairtheatre.ca/) to find the following open invite:

"We’re celebrating the Mayfair’s 80th with eight months of the best films from the 1930s - 2000s - a decade every month - and we want your help picking the movies! That’s right, starting in May (best of the ‘30s), one film a month will be chosen by you, the audience, until we get to December (best of the 2000s)!"

Across town, it's only been a couple of months since that original's new three-screen sister, the Mayfair Theatre Orleans, opened on Dec. 2, 2011, but the Mayfair team at this comparably modern Centrum Blvd. dream palace isn't wasting any time in making you part of the cinematic fun either:

"For all students in grades 9 - 12. Submit your very own 3-5 minute movie (...) The winner’s film will be presented as part of the digital preshow which is played before each film at the theatre for the entire subsequent month." - http://orleans.mayfairtheatre.ca/coming-soon/

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Fund gets local boost

Just received a happy update from the Toronto-based Actors' Fund of Canada (http://www.actorsfund.ca) citing some of the good stage-related fundraising work being done nation-wide that's included local talent:

"Since December 10th 7 theatres have held benefits for the Actors' Fund of Canada, raising  $7,159. That amount does not include totals still to come from the National Arts Centre, The Vancouver Playhouse or Western Canada Theatre.

A big thank you to A Company of Fools, Centaur Theatre, Great Canadian Theatre Centre, National Arts Centre,  Red Sandcastle Theatre, The Vancouver Playhouse & Western Canada Theatre. Money raised at these events will go a long way towards helping Canadian culture workers in desperate situations."

This effort nicely coincides with a news item posted on the AFC site last week that gives a great big shout out to Ottawa's A Company of Fools and the GCTC for their recent involvement:

"A collaboration between two Ottawa theatre companies, A Company of Fools and the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC) has raised $2,687 for the Actors’ Fund of Canada. During the run of A Midwinter’s Dream Tale, cast members made curtain speeches, asking members of the audience to donate to the charity that supports Canada’s theatre community."

According to its site, "The Actors’ Fund is the lifeline for Canada’s entertainment industry. Over 10,000 professional members of the industry from all over Canada and in the fields of film & TV, theatre, music and dance have been helped by the Fund, which provides emergency financial aid to assist cultural workers in recovering from an illness, injury or other circumstances causing severe economic and personal hardship."

Check out the full article and find out more about the AFC at http://www.actorsfund.ca/archives/1186

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