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The NFB at Sommets du Cinéma D’animation 2024

There’s a lot of amazing talent to find at Sommets du Cinéma D’animation and although I’m focusing on TheNFB, there’s much more to experience during closing weekend.

The NFB has an enormous presence at Montreal’s Sommets du Cinéma D’animation (May 6–11) with eleven productions and co-productions. With almost half being world premieres, it’s a good time to celebrate why filmmakers like animating their projects than go live-action. Sometimes, its due to what the visual arts can offer through direct symbolism.

And what I present are my takes on those works which impacted me the most. It was tough to nail a top five, so to break from the norm, I present my favourite three.

As this festival is all about celebrating why animation is wonderful. Sometimes what’s presented is heavy, and other times it’s light-hearted. There’s a bit of everything to enjoy, and for up-and-coming talents, who knows, they might find a job with a studio in town or somewhere in Europe next. Not everyone wants to work for specific studios, and to have a place to present their innovative works is important.

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It’s Okay to Have a Playing Card “Lost in the Shuffle,” But Don’t Let Your Eyes Stray During that Legerdemain

Just how the deck of playing cards evolved over time to become part of a magician’s bag of tricks is perfectly explored in Lost in the Shuffle, and you’ll wonder where your socks disappeared to as well!

Playing at Hot Docs
May 1 8:15 pm at the TIFF Lightbox 1
Toronto, Ontario

Everything that viewers want to know about how the deck of cards came to be, why it’s played in certain social circles and when stage magicians embraced it for their tricks is well covered in the documentary Lost in the Shuffle. Just when I thought it concerned revealing how a few tricks are done, there’s more to this stage prop than meets the eye.

Like Jon Ornoy, who narrates this piece, I was enamoured with the art. Not all of them have that boring patterned back, and some of the early designs are art pieces in itself! They turn out to be very collectable and have a hefty price tag to them. As for why that king, queen, and jack exist on the face, what’s revealed is apparently factual! As for why spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs exist, there’s even a tale behind that too. But why should that matter to a card trick master like him?

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When Red Fever Delivers an Honest Look at Indigenous Rights, What’s Revealed is Important

In what makes Red Fever’s cinematic discourse effective is that the filmmakers are able to touch upon a lot of issues without being too preachy.

Red Fever Documentary Poster — This documentary played at Hot Docs on May 1st, 5:00pm at the Ted Rogers Cinema May 3rd, 5:30pm at the TIFF Lightbox 1 Toronto, Ontario

Coming to Theatres June 14

Catherine Bainbridge and Neil Diamond’s Red Fever is a very eye-opening documentary about why Native American culture fascinates the world. The iconography is nearly everywhere. Whether that’s with certain fashion trends or because entertainment rarely properly looks at their way of life, not everyone is happy about it.

What this film does is to show how White man has misrepresented those motifs. I’m glad what’s revealed will have an effect on those watching this presentation, and what’s special is its historic significance. Some of it can be traced to matters of spirituality, and other aspects concern lineage.

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From Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret to The Sacred Cave, NYC’s Animation First is Headed to a Weekend of Cinematic Wonder

In addition to what’s reviewed and put on the spotlight at NYC’s Animation First Film Festival, there’s also Robot Dreams and The Siren–these adult themed works look worth checking out.

As Animation First in NYC winds down its week long celebration, there’s still plenty to see as the weekend approaches. Not only will there be a spotlight on the National Film Board of Canada‘s French made works, but also there’ll be more feature films making their debut. Regarding the former, there’s eleven shorts (list can be read here) to take pleasure in checking out, and as for what was made available for me to screen in advance, I offer reviews of the following:

Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret

This movie pays tribute not only to the early days of Disney animation but also becomes its own entity. That’s because the Hedgehog (voiced by Guillaume Bats) is drawn and animated much like how Mickey Mouse once looked, as created back in the Steamboat Willie days. While his interactions with the real world may well be a product of the title character’s imagination, what I got out of it is in how the two manage to help each other. The manifestation is right out of a storybook that Nina’s father would read to her every night.

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Top Genre Picks at the 2023 Chicago Critics Film Festival!

There’s lots to see at this year’s Chicago Critics Film Festival, and we offer our list of what must be seen during this year’s event!

Music Box Theatre
Chicago, IL
May 5-11, 2023

The Chicago Critics Film Festival offers a selection of well-loved and upcoming works that will no doubt amaze. What’s offered to showcases the best of the best. Not only is this event recognizing the art of cinema and film criticism, but also they celebrate milestones too! For example, The Right Stuff is getting an anniversary screening!

What I present here are my top picks. Reviews will be posted in the coming days of some of these. And for more information, please follow the CFCA and the festival on Twitter at @chicagocritics or Facebook.

A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE

Anyone who has wondered why a certain Star Wars Holiday Special was made way back when it will get some answers in this documentary by Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak. There’s no advance spoilers to mention here, as I’m just as curious as to who is truly responsible. It did set a tradition for the entire canon though, and Life Day is hugely celebrated in this galaxy far, far, away.

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Seattle’s The Museum of Pop Culture May Calender is Nearly All Hands On!

The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) in Seattle, WA recently announced the reopening of its popular hands-on Sound Lab exhibition, and their May schedule of events is huge!

The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) recently announced the reopening of its popular hands-on Sound Lab exhibition. This news is terrific because its a sign that the pandemic is abating, and they are welcoming visitors far and wide.

Also announced is the Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design exhibit will open June 18, featuring more than 60 works from films such as Black Panther, Do the Right Thing, Selma, Malcolm X, and more. Also coming are the following events:

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