Year: 2019

Film Review: ASK DR. RUTH (USA 2018) ***

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Ask Dr. Ruth Poster
Trailer

Charting the incredible life of Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a Holocaust survivor who became America’s most famous sex therapist.

Director:

Ryan White

Stars:

Leora Einleger, Miriam Westheimer, Ruth Westheimer

Dr. Ruth Westheimer seems to be the perfect subject of a documentary.  Dr. Ruth was famous as a sex therapist, a TV personality and an American icon.  She has a good sense of humour and is a good sport.  She is still alive and healthy enough to provide candid interviews in this doc on her life.  She also has a colourful past the makes the doc more personal as well.

Ryan White’s (THE KEEPERS, THE CASE AGAINST 8) Ask Dr. Ruth traces the incredible life of Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a Holocaust survivor who became America’s most famous sex therapist.  With her diminutive frame, thick German accent and uninhibited approach, Dr. Ruth transformed the conversation around sexuality.  As she approaches her 90th birthday and shows no signs of slowing down, Dr. Ruth revisits her painful past and her path to a career at the forefront of the sexual revolution. 

  Ryan’s film covers all the details following Dr. Ruth as she travels from New York (where she’s lived in the same apartment for 54 years) to Switzerland (where she was sent to a Jewish orphanage at age 10 from her native Germany, never to see her parents again) to Israel (where she trained as a sniper).  Two highlights will bring tears to viewers’ eyes.  (1) A sweet meet up with her childhood boyfriend.  (2) The discovery of her parents’ fate.

  Dr. Ruth’s childhood is recalled through her own diaries, with storybook animation (as opposed to clumsy re-enactments) filling in the gaps.  The film also shows lively excerpts from her hit radio show Sexually Speaking and her TV appearances with the likes of Arsenio Hall and Johnny Carson.  “Is it all right to make noise while having sex?” asks one man to Dr. Ruth in one of her open sessions.  “Only of you do not wake up the wife,” she answers.  Her shows are always humorous if not insightful – sex-wise.

  After two early marriages, Dr. Ruth’s third – to her beloved Manfred Westheimer – lasted for over 35 years until his death in 1997.  The day he died is the only time their daughter ever saw her mother cry.  The film includes interviews with her grown up children.

But why has Dr. Ruth done wrong?  Nobody is perfect.  The only instance White looks at the other side of Dr. Ruth is when he interviews an expert psychologist who claims Dr. Ruth is impulsive and should study more of her patients before dishing out advice.  Dr. Ruth claims tat she has helped countless people overcome their sex problems when they never before dared to talk about the subject of sex.  True, she also became a champion for causes like homosexuality, fighting to educate AIDs in a time that nobody dared to speak up.

White has assembled quite the exhaustive footage on his subject resulting in an informative and entertaining documentary.  The film premiere at Hot Docs to favourable reviews.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTLwBeyjPWI

Film Review: THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM (USA 2018) ***1/2

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The Biggest Little Farm Poster
Trailer

Documentarian John Chester and his wife Molly work to develop a sustainable farm on 200 acres outside of Los Angeles.

Director:

John Chester

Writers:

John Chester, Mark Monroe

Stars:

John Chester, Molly Chester

THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM traces the difficult life of a couple as they leave city life to establish a farm that are and grew.

As the song in the famous TV series goes: “Green Acres is the place to be; farm living is the life for me; land spread out so far and wide; Goodbye Manhattan just give me that countryside.”  

These are the words pretty much in the minds of the couple, John and Molly.  They attribute the change from city to farm life to their barking black dog who cannot keep quiet when left alone.  The only option, besides putting it down is to move to a farm.  They settle on one an hour north of Lo Angeles, which they fondly name Apricot Farm.

John the subject is also an Emmy Award winning director.  In the doc, they establish 

that like the comedy Green Acres, everything can also go wrong from the wild California fires to drought and flooding but they always somehow get back on their feet.  One must give the couple  top credit for perseverance.

The film preaches the natural order of things – how the eco-cycle should not be broken.  There is a sad scene of a coyote being shot at one point in the film with John’s voiceover lamenting the deed.  John is sad at what he had done.  He had sworn it would never have come to any sort of killing.  But John reveals eventually how nature performs her miracles.  The ducks devour the snails that were destroying the crop; the coyotes eat up the gophers that were eating the face crops and at one point, the coyote population was diminished due to lack of food, thus increasing the gopher population (poor cute creatures) that were again taken down by snakes,

The film turns too preachy at the end even telling the audience to go to the website to continue their story.  But at least the message is worthy enough that the preachiness be overlooked. 

THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM is a crowd pleasing documentary. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival.  It had its second screening at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was named second runner-up for the People’s Choice Award: Documentaries.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfDTM4JxHl8

Film Review: PETERLOO (UK 2018) ***** Top 10

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Peterloo Poster
Trailer

The story of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre where British forces attacked a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Manchester.

Director:

Mike Leigh

Writer:

Mike Leigh

Stars:

Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Neil Bell

Mike Leigh’s PETERLOO (named after the Battle of Waterloo as this other massacre took place at Peter’s Field) is described in the press notes as a historical drama that portrays the epic events surrounding the infamous 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter’s Field in Manchester turned bloody.  British government forces charged into a crowd of over 60,000 that had gathered to demand political reform and protest against rising poverty.  Many protestors were killed and hundreds more injured, sparking a nationwide outcry.

The outcry was made known by the Guardian newspaper thus re-defining a moment in British democracy.

It is a 150 minute film which builds up to the last 30 minutes when the bloodshed begins.  The audience is aware of what will happen, but it is a climax of the film the audience dreads.  The build up is nothing short of brilliant, resulting in an expected brilliant from an equally brilliant writer/director who has delivered great films in the past – both of historical epics (MR. TURNER) and personal dramas (VERA DRAKE, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, SECRTS AND LIES).

  The film is bookended with the presence of a young, handsome soldier dressed in red coat, who at the start of the film is seen surviving from the Battle of Waterloo.  This is Joseph (David Moorst) who returns to his loving but poor family in Manchester.  In contrast, the Duke of Wellington, the victor of Waterloo, is rewarded with a staggering £750,000 from Parliament.  Joseph cannot find a job, his mother trades pies for eggs, and the rest of his family works in the cotton mill for pittance.  With no voting privileges, bad harvests and a restriction on corn imports, the labouring classes of Northern England are in a bad way.

Finally the poor and oppressed decide to make their say and plot out a plan for change.

They enlist an initially reluctant but charismatic orator Henry Hunt (Rory Kinnear) from
London to speak at a big rally in St. Peter’s Field.  Dressed in their Sunday best, thousands of men, women and children come to hear what Hunt has to say.  Joseph and his family are among them. 

There many reasons to see this historical epic.  The most important one is to listen (and hence appreciate) the well written and spoken oratorical dialogue delivered by the actors in glorious English that is seldom heard in films.  Hearing the speeches reminds one of the oratorical debates that used to take place in ones schools.

PETERLOO encompasses both the historical epic with the tragedies of personal drama.  The film is full of scenes wth crowds of the poor, with dingy clothes and bad teeth, often dirty and unwashed but then putting other Sunday best for the St Peter’s gathering.

  Cinematography is by Dick Pope (10 Leigh films), who creates a film resembling an Old Master painting.  The film is written and directed by Mike Leigh, who grew up in Greater Manchester, just a short walk from St. Peter’s Field. 

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhSv5-frnxk

Film Review: TOLKIEN (USA 2019)

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Tolkien Poster
Trailer

Tolkien explores the formative years of the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school.

Director:

Dome Karukoski

Writers:

David Gleeson, Stephen Beresford

Stars:

Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney

J. R. R. Tolkien (pronounced tol-keen, as Tolkien’s professor’s pronunciation is corrected), the LORD OF THE RINGS / HOBBIT famous author whose books have been made even more famous by the Peter Jackson films is the subject of the new bio-pic of the same name.  The film traces the story of the author’s life and includes the influences on the books.  Those familiar with the books will find the film more fascinating than others, who might treat the exercise as another period piece bio-pic.  TOKIEN is a handsomely mounted period piece production though be it a dull one at that, the film often trudging through the narrative just Tolkien the soldier makes through the mud of the trenches on the western front during World War I.

The film’s core has Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult) sick with trench fever fighting in World War I at the Battle the Somme.  Tolkien holds the rank of lieutenant.  With the aid of a faithful soldier, a diminutive Sam (Craig Roberts) who helps him search for a friend of his TCBS (Tea Club and Barrovian Society)  club fellowship.  The film cuts to Tolkien’s life from childhood, living and playing the lush green English countryside (in the Midlands) to his schooling and friendship with four others fellow artists that they swear ‘to change the world through art’ together. Tolkien also falls in love with Edith Brett (Lily Collins), but is prevented from seeing her by his Guardian, Father Francis Morgan (Colm Meaney).  It is a choice of education over romance that the Father decides for Tolkien but the couple’s bond of romance remains strong.

While Tolkein’s life unfolds, director Karukowski constantly reminds the audiences of the influences on his writing.  These includes his war experiences, his brotherhood (hence ‘The Brotherhood of the Rings’), Sam, Tolkien’s friend in the trenches is like Grodo’s best buddy in the books and the beauty of the countryside akin to the beauty of the shire where the Hobbits live.  But the film is a slow march, the film often lingering at the landscape, scenery and sets tab on the emotions of the characters.  The film’s war segments which transforms into fire as breathed out from the mouth of dragons s in the Lord of the Rings stories look a desperate attempt at connecting the author’s experiences to his writing.  Tolkien’s aptness at the creation of his own unique language takes enables him to complete his Oxford studies under Professor Wright (Derek Jacobi) is yet another influence,

Finnish director Dome Karukowski, one of the most famous directors of his country has been chosen to do this bio, as he has done bios before, most notably TOM OF FINLAND his previous film that was Finland’s entry for the Best Foreign Film Academy Award though it did not make the short list.  It was not a very good film, short of passion and inspiration which the director has ensured does not happen again in TOLKIEN.  Still, Karukoski fails to engage his audience, due primary from the uncomfortable intercutting of the world War scenes with the rest of his story.  Just when the audience is drawn into the story, the film shifts to the trenches.

Irish actor Colm Meaney (who usually plays comedy) delivers a solid and serious portrayal of Father Francis Morgan who restricts Tolkien’s freedom.  His character is reminiscent of one of directors Karukowski’s previous character in THE GRUMP, one of his other films that made North American distribution.

The film is ultimately properly concluded with titles that summarize what director Karukoski had been attempted to do with his film.  Too bad all that all these should have been made clear without the titles.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ1vn85iQRE

Film Review: TIFF CINEMATHEQUE Presents – Files from Iceland

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TIFF CINEMATHEQUE Presents – Files from Iceland

The title of this new series on Icelandic films is Wayward Heroes: A Survey of Modern Icelandic Cinema because that is calling the series what it is.  Those who are fortunate to have traveled to Iceland (myself included) will reminisce of the amazing natural beauty of the island as they watch these films, many of which celebrate the landscape and beauty of the country,

The total of 10 films showcase the diversity of genres explored by Icelandic filmmakers, from Baltasar Kormákur’s Nordic noir Jar City to Ágúst Gudmundsson’s deadpan comedy Golden Sands, Gudný Halldórsdóttir’s absurdist Under the Glacier to Baldvin Z’s post–financial crisis drama Life in a Fishbowl.

The series will also feature introductions by three of the directors included in the retrospective: Fridrik Thór Fridriksson, who is considered to be the modern godfather of Icelandic film; Kristín Jóhannesdóttir, known for her masterful use of magical realism; and Róbert I. Douglas, whose satirical looks at Icelandic society premiered to substantial domestic box-office success in the early ’00s. 

For a complete program, ticket pricing and descriptions of each film in the series check the TIFF website at: 

tiff.net

Capsule Reviews of Selected Films:

CHILDREN OF NATURE  (Iceland 1991  ) **** 

Directed by  Fridrik Thór Fridriksson

The only Icelandic film ever nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Fridrik Thór Fridriksson’s CHILDREN OF NATURE is the story of two seniors who escape their old age home because they’ve nature.  The film begins sadly with Thorgeir (Gísli Halldórsson) biding a silent farewell to the farm he has devoted his life to as he hoots his dog and prepares to move in with his grown married daughter in Reykjavík.  He is eventually put into a retirement home, where he is unexpectedly reunited with an old flame, Stella (Sigrídur Hagalín).  Stella’s words to the retirement home’s attendants: “You have no right to decide for me,” is indeed very sad and moving and has the audience rooting for her.  They flee the home, stealing a jeep to travel back to their country home while the baffled police gather the clues.  Extremely well put together and one of the most effective dramas about old age I have ever seen.  The film also celebrates the countryside beauty of Iceland.

JAR CITY (Myrin) (Iceland/Denmark/Germany 2006) ***1/2

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur

As Detective Erlendur (Ingvar E. Sigurdsson) investigates what he calls a messy and pointless murder where the culprit does not even bother to hide the evidence, he uncovers a three decade long crime involving a rape and some genetic dis-order.  Erlender is one tough cop and unafraid to go all out to solve the murder.  Director Kormákur (he made the Hollywood film ADRIFT and is now remaking Hollywood version of JAR CITY) ups the angst in this gruesome mystery by making the atmosphere so foul (Erlendur is shown eating  sheep’s head; he uncovers a rat infested wrapped body among the pipes) that one can almost smell the stench and rot. At the same time, another story of pathologist Örn (Atli Rafn Sigurdsson) embarking on a parallel odyssey searching for the cause of his little daughter’s incurable hereditary disease is intercut with the murder mystery.  The two stories are neatly tied together in one of the most satisfying and grossest mystery thrillers seen in a while.  The film also makes extensive use of the Icelandic landscape which makes this film a must in the Icelandic Films series.

UNDER THE GLACIER (to be reviewed and posted Saturday)

WHEN THE RAVEN FLIES (Iceland 1984) **

Directed by Hrafn Gunnlaugsson

WHERE THE RAVEN FLIES is the first of Gunnlaugsson’s epic Viking trilogy.  The story unfolds in a straight forward fashion, opening as a young Irish boy witnessing the slaughter of his parents and the kidnapping of his older sister by marauding Icelandic warriors.  The film quickly moves years later, the now grown boy (Jakob Thór Einarsson) now arriving in Iceland with vengeance on his mind.  He systematically sows discord among the Viking clan that killed his family, secretly murdering some and playing off their suspicions of one another as he works his way towards their leader.  The film takes its time to establish any interest as the start of the film looks cheesy and cheap due to the music and badly staged set-ups.  The film eventually picks up with a bit of violence and Icelandic flare.  The film has promise but could have been better.

Film Review: THE HUSTLE (USA 2019)

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The Hustle Poster
Trailer

Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson star as female scam artists, one low rent and the other high class, who team up to take down the men who have wronged them.

Director:

Chris Addison

Writers:

Stanley Shapiro (screenplay by), Paul Henning (screenplay by) | 5 more credits »

Stars:

Anne Hathaway, Rebel Wilson, Alex Sharp

THE HUSTLE (original title NASTY WOMEN)is a remake of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (Michale Caine and Steve martin) which is a remake of  the sophisticated comedy, BEDTIME STORY (Marlon Brando and David Niven)  One can see the casting of Anne Hathaway who looks posh and refined playing the suave con-artist in opposition to the Rebel Wilson’s con-artist.

The film is set in one of the smaller Riviera towns in the south of France.  The town is not big enough for two con artists.  The posh one, Josephine (Hathaway) plans to get the crass one, Lonnie (Wilson who also produced the film) out of the town so she can do all the cons herself.  But Amy, crass as she is still succeeds in her crooked endeavours.

Though the film can hardly be described as good, one must give credit to both Hathaway and Wilson for trying hard.  Wilson tries the hardest, putting her figure often to ridicule to get a few extra laughs while Hathaway uses her posh exterior to inject any class into the movie.  If Wilson is the sort of comedienne that annoys you, best stay away from THE HUSTLE as they are lots and lots of her comedy.  

The basic premise of the original films is kept in THE HUSTLE while a few updating touches are made.  The target is also tech savvy and has acquired his wealth from owning a lot of stock from his own company.  The enmity between the two con-artists is still present as the wager of a sum of money that will be won based who gets to bed the prized catch.  The lead con-artists have been switched from male to female for the main reason as to update political correctness with more female oriented films.  The reason given in the film is that females make better con artists than their male counterparts is that females are smarter and can prey on man’s weakness for the opposite sex.  As such the male prize in the story looks rather unattractive as a male specimen, looking nerdish and immature.  In real fact, the two female con artists do not do anything really smart either.  The main plot takes a while before settling in, allowing Wilson (this is clearly her vehicle) to do her own thing and her own comedy. 

Whether based on the two previous films or not, the story comes off as entirely predictable, right up to the very end.  When the credits finally roll – what a relief, what transpires is yet another tired and unnecessary make of the the 2 films that could be re-watched instead of this blatant and dull affair.  The only ones that turn up hustled are the audience that pay good money to see what has been advertised as a comedy.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j5hwooOHVE

Film Review: SHADOW (China 2018) ***

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Shadow Poster
Trailer

Life and intrigue in an ancient Chinese court.

Director:

Yimou Zhang

Writers:

Wei Li (screenplay), Yimou Zhang (screenplay)

Stars:

Chao Deng, Li Sun, Ryan Zheng

Chinese director Zhang Yimou has made beautiful period films like RAISE THE RED LANTERN and JU DO, my two personal favourites.  But often the beauty of the films take over the narrative resulting in pretty empty pieces like his foray into martial art epics.  Martial art epics should be excited with fast and furious executed action segments, not moving in slow motion showing the choreography of the moves.  Films like HOUSE OF THE FLYING DAGGERS end up like empty pretty vessels.  Yimou’s SHADOW again is a beautifully shot period pieces set in ancient China, but thankfully has a stronger plot with little martial arts.

The story concerns a king and his commander, the commander’s wife and the king’s sister.  It is a four-handler set in a period epic.  In an empire ruled by thus wild and dangerous young king (Zheng Kai), the court is a hive of politicking and treachery.   The monarch’s brave military commander (Deng Chao) has cultivated a secret weapon to aid his survival: a “shadow,” (and hence the film title) a lookalike who can fool both his enemies and the king himself as the commander prepares for a dangerous final assault against the forces of a rival kingdom.   There is no real villain in the film.  The Yangs of the rival Kingdom could also be the good guys and the Pei Kingdom the bad guys – interchangeable.

One wonders about the soundtrack and score.  If at first to denote tension, the soundtrack works.  Overuse of the same in repetition in this case in the film renders the soundtrack really annoying after a while.

Most of the actors are unrecognizable in North America but are all quite the good lookers, both male and female.  The production sets particularly the Pei Palace and the costumes are also a feast for the eyes.  The young actors are not very good, overacting or looking as if they are trying too hard half the time.  What the film is lacks is an effective dramatic content that connects the audience with the plot.

The film is quite male oriented that might defend the other gender.  The sister mistreated as second class, offered as a concubine.  The commander’s wife has little say in things and has to suppress her romantic emotions.

For a fight film, the action sequences do not make up the majority of the film nor are they particularly exciting.  Do not expect an action packed film from this director.  A few action sequences though not that many, are still executed in slow motion. But the fight segments that include special effects, especially fo the steel umbrellas and their blades are impressive.

Yimou had been the Chinese director to watch when he first came on the scene with his muse Gong Li.  His newer works including SHADOW have never reached the heights of films like JU DOU, RED SORGHUM, RAISE THE RED LANTERN or even the lesser THE STORY OF QIU JU. 

The film has a limited run at the TIFF Bell Lightbox and should be seen onto big screen.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubrquR6i0WQ

May 2019 – Read the best of SCREENWRITER Interviews

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Scroll, click, and read 18 Screenwriter interviews for May 2019 conducted by Matthew Toffolo:

Interview with Screenwriter Paul Nurkowski (CETACEANS)
Interview with Screenwriter Paul Nurkowski (CETACEANS)

Interview with Screenwriter Julia Sauder (DR. NEVES)
Interview with Screenwriter Julia Sauder (DR. NEVES)

Interview Screenwriter George M. Johnson (THE WONDER)
Interview Screenwriter George M. Johnson (THE WONDER)

Interview with Screenwriter Montgomery Burt (THE GIRL ON THE SKYTRAIN)
Interview with Screenwriter Montgomery Burt (THE GIRL ON THE SKYTRAIN)

Interview with Screenwriter Andrew Fisk (GEEKS: A LOVE STORY)
Interview with Screenwriter Andrew Fisk (GEEKS: A LOVE STORY)

Interview with Screenwriter Michael D’Ambrosio (Princess Pain)
Interview with Screenwriter Michael D’Ambrosio (Princess Pain)

Interview with Screenwriter Sean Sullivan (THE UPSIDE DOWNINGS)
Interview with Screenwriter Sean Sullivan (THE UPSIDE DOWNINGS)

Interview with Screenwriter Neal Doran (CHANGES)
Interview with Screenwriter Neal Doran (CHANGES)

Interview with Screenwriter James Greasley (THE EMERGENCE)
Interview with Screenwriter James Greasley (THE EMERGENCE)

Interview with Screenwriter Alice L. Lee (Purgatory: A Love Story)
Interview with Screenwriter Alice L. Lee (Purgatory: A Love Story)

Interview with Screenwriter Devone Jones (Pen and Pencil: Spring Break)
Interview with Screenwriter Devone Jones (Pen and Pencil: Spring Break)

Interview with Screenwriter Fujio Torikai (TO LIVE BEYOND HIS MEANS)
Interview with Screenwriter Fujio Torikai (TO LIVE BEYOND HIS MEANS)

Interview with Screenwriters Hank Biro & Kai Biro (Must Escape from the Slaughtercity)
Interview with Screenwriters Hank Biro & Kai Biro (Must Escape from the Slaughtercity)

Interview with Screenwriter Renate Grassmugg (FREE FALLING)
Interview with Screenwriter Renate Grassmugg (FREE FALLING)

Interview with Screenwriter James C. Peters (Soccer Babe)
Interview with Screenwriter James C. Peters (Soccer Babe)

Interview with Screenwriters Vicki Cargill, Adam Cargill (STEVE & OLIVIA)
Interview with Screenwriters Vicki Cargill, Adam Cargill (STEVE & OLIVIA)

Interview with Screenwriter Patrick Langille (BEYOND THEIR YEARS)
Interview with Screenwriter Patrick Langille (BEYOND THEIR YEARS)

Interview with Screenwriter Nick Perlman (A PORTRAIT)
Interview with Screenwriter Nick Perlman (A PORTRAIT)

May 2019 – Read the best of FILMMAKER Interviews

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Scroll, click, and read 8 filmmaker interviews for May 2019 conducted by Matthew Toffolo:

Interview with Filmmakers Lucy Joan Barnes & Ali Causon (FOR WANT OF A NAIL)

Interview with Filmmakers Lucy Joan Barnes & Ali Causon (FOR WANT OF A NAIL)

Interview with Filmmaker Barry Fahy (BOY RACER)

Interview with Filmmaker Barry Fahy (BOY RACER)

Interview with Filmmaker Myriam Kamel (MY BROTHER)

Interview with Filmmaker Myriam Kamel (MY BROTHER)

Interview with Filmmaker Annabelle Frost (G(R)O(W)ING UP)

Interview with Filmmaker Annabelle Frost (G(R)O(W)ING UP)

Interview with Filmmaker Samantha McDanel (PAGEANT PERFECT)

Interview with Filmmaker Samantha McDanel (PAGEANT PERFECT)

Interview with Filmmaker Lisa Le Lievre (SIRENS TANGO)

Interview with Filmmaker Lisa Le Lievre (SIRENS TANGO)

Interview with Filmmaker Melissa Lesh (PERSON OF THE FOREST)

Interview with Filmmaker Melissa Lesh (PERSON OF THE FOREST)

Interview with Filmmaker Joey Katches (SOCIAL)

Interview with Filmmaker Joey Katches (SOCIAL)

Interview with PR Director Suzanne Curry (RIDGEWOOD GUILD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL)

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Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival is in its ninth year of celebrating excellence in US and International independent films.

Contact

 

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Suzanne Curry: We offer an atmosphere of comraderie and personal service. Our committee members strive to meet with every filmmaker. In many cases, we establish personal relationships with them. Some of them come back year and year, and we really enjoy watching them grow.

2) What would you expect to experience if you attend your upcoming festival?

Whether you are a filmmaker or a patron, you will get the opportunity to meet with the filmmakers. You’ll get to see a lot of great films at the cost of one regular movie ticket. You’ll see films you may not have had the opportunity to see elsewhere. For instance, this year we are showing Oscar-nominated Roma for free. We also have shorts that are premiering. We also have the premiere of a new movie called Hollywould, by Joshua Coates. It stars Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated actor Eric Roberts, who will be coming to the festival and the After-Party. Every year we attract Hollywould talent.

Oh, and anyone can pose on the Red Carpet!

3) What are the qualifications for the selected films?

We take the time to review every film that is submitted through Film Freeway. We judge each on it’s own merit, using the overall qualities that make a good film. Subjects do not matter, we strive to take a variety of genres and cover different subjects. Some years we wind up with films that have the same message. This year it seems several of our films have messages about the new social aspects of today’s society.

4) Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

We had more submissions than ever before. I think that every film festival looks for certain things. We wish we could have selected more but for a smaller festival like ours – and the big ones have this problem also – there is only so much screen time available! We like to take a variety of genres, and we also like to showcase local talent, especially students. I find it very enjoyable watching all of the films that are submitted. I get to hear new voices, experience new views and see what’s on the cutting edge of videography and cinematography.

5) What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

Our committee members are all volunteers. What we all have in common is that we love film. We love being a part of this world. We love giving new filmmakers a theater to show their work in.

6) How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

It’s an excellent platform.

7) Where do you see the festival by 2023?

Hmmm… well we are in our 9th year this year, and we are already planning our 10th. Each year we get more and more films and more people. By 2023, I hope we are still doing what we are doing and that more people look forward to the festival each year, without us having to spread the word so much! It would also be great if we went a third day at the theater, as we have more films than screen time. Sponsorships would help that, so by 2023 I hope we have added to our list of continuing sponsors.

8) What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Oh that’s an easy one, Love Actually followed by Home Alone. Actually – I think Home Alone may be the tops just because it is a movie I can watch with my whole family at the holidays. I am currently co-producer of a new film, A Case of Blue, that is being Executive Produced by Scott Rosenfelt, who produced Home Alone. So happy to be able to work with him. That film puts a smile on my face each time I watch it and is synonymous with the holidays with me family.

Rom coms are my favorite genre. I have my summer rom com viewing list and my winter/holiday list. I like to escape with movies and laugh. There’s enough bad news on every other channel these days. days.

9) In one sentence, what makes a great film?

What makes a great film? A film that you are so engrossed in, you don’t want to get up to go to the bathroom or get a snack (or that you put on pause even for a few seconds to get up), one that you can’t figure out the ending, get so emotionally involved in that you forget you’re not in the movie, and then, one that you want to watch again. I remember the first time I saw La La Land. I didn’t want to leave the theater… I couldn’t believe the ending. So I sat there with the girls half my age who were balling their eyes out and not getting up. I recall one Gen Z saying “That is the best movie I have ever seen.” A great film just hits you in your gut.

10) How is the film scene in your city?

We are near NYC, that will always be the the hub but many students at NYC schools live in Ridgewood and the surrounding towns, so there is a lot of talent here.

Link to our site: http://www.RidgewoodGuildFilmFest.com
 

Bio:
 
Suzanne Ordas Curry has owned her own PR firm but as of late has been in show biz, producing and marketing independent films and series. Because of her love of film, she volunteers as PR Director and a judge for the Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival. She also owns a site which covers films and young filmmakers, www.BehindtheScenezz.com.

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