Paired with this week’s classic dance musical West Side Story, Boredom is a choreographed contemporary dance piece which explores feelings of boredom and aimlessness. Juxtaposition is a major feature driving the film as a tension is created between stillness and motion, participation and indifference. This play with dance and rivalry makes it a perfect companion film for West Side Story, a film renowned for its tensions and rivalries.
For our next iteration on our Eyes on the Prize theme, we present an evening of three Canadian films about child competitors. The Cuber is a charming micro-documentary about Eric Limeback, a Toronto student who is most notable for being able to solve a Rubik's Cube blindfolded. In Dear Scavengers, a scavenger hunt marks a lighthearted generation clash between a shopkeeper and a kids camp. These shorts will be paired with the feature film of the evening, Bee Nation, a heart-warming and thought-provoking tale of First Nations children in Saskatchewan aiming to win the first ever First Nations Provincial Spelling Bee. All three films are perfectly paired as they follow remarkable young children vying for a crucial win. These empowering films will warm your heart and leave you inspired.
This week’s films all feature quirky characters in unconventional competitions. Just like the characters in this week’s feature Best in Show, these shorts all depict people who are unique, determined and proud. Their enthusiasm for their respective competitions are infectious and you’ll find yourself rooting for them, too. Enter the cut-throat world of pottery making in Pottery Wars, experience how a cowboy boot can convey a social message in Bootwmn, and engage with the showmanship of choreographed swimming in Sink or Swim.
Women lead the show at this week’s screening of our Eyes on the Prize series. Complementing this week’s feature film Speed Sisters - a film about Palestinian female race car drivers - are two powerful short films which also feature outstanding women in exceptional situations: documentary short Underdog depicts a female dog-sledder in the Yukon vying to win a the longest race in its type in the world, and Boxing uses contact sport to showcase physical catharsis of a woman suffering from recent trauma.
Femme fatales, detectives in fedoras, secrets behind every corner, and a most elusive prize - Patrick Jenkins has created a perfect pairing for this week’s feature, film noir classic The Maltese Falcon, starring the legendary Humphrey Bogart. With an inventive use of colour and a unique form of glass-animation, in short film Phantom City Patrick Jenkins has captured the atmosphere one expects from a good noir: shadows, paranoia, mystery and deceit. Read on to learn about Patrick’s ingenious style, and discover his surprising source of inspiration.
Tensions run high in Ivy Yukiko Ishihara Oldford’s short film Duelo de Duendes. Two mothers battle it out on a train platform, as their young daughters look on, using only dance as a form of communication. Despite having no words, the rivalry is made clear between the two women. Set in Japan, with an ingenious use of sound, this film proves that the language of flamenco is universal. Paired with this week’s feature film Strictly Ballroom (Baz Lurhmann, 1992), Duelo de Duendes is the perfect companion to this week's dance-themed competition films.
Shot on 16mm, Squeaky Shoe is a charming “silent” comedy, written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Richard B. Pierre. As our protagonist attempts to fix his titular squeaky shoe that has alienated him from society, it becomes clear that the shoe is not the problem. A short, light-hearted commentary on life in the city, Squeaky Shoe is about finding your place and making friends. Afterall, if the shoe fits… wear it!
