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Writing the Future with Astronaut, An Interview with Shelagh McLeod

The themes writer/director Shelagh McLeod explores in Astronaut are many, and to balance between the concept of sending an elder into outer space to the challenges he faced meant figuring out what the film must focus on.

In theatres July 26th
Please check local listings

Not everyone would have been able to attend the North American premiere of Astronaut last week at the 2019 Fantasia Film Festival. Fortunately, hot off the heels of this event are theatrical showings starting tomorrow in major cities of this very fine film. The themes writer/director Shelagh McLeod explores are many, and to balance between the concept of sending an elder into outer space to the challenges he faced meant figuring out what the film must focus on.

For readers not aware of your work, could you please introduce yourself and the work you feel you are best known for.

My name is Shelagh McLeod, I was born in Vancouver. My family left Canada when I was six years old and we moved to the UK. I have been an actor for nearly forty years and have worked all over the world. I guess my career really started with a TV Film called ‘Cream in my Coffee’ written by the great, late, legendary writer–Dennis Potter. I played the younger version of Dame Peggy Ashcroft’s character–Jean. I did theatre, film and many TV series. One of which was Peak Practice—a lovely heartwarming series that went on for many seasons.

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Independent Film Shows Taking it “Easy” is Hardly That

Life is never Easy for anyone, ever. Isidoro (Nicola Nocella) had a chance for doing great things, but in whatever happened in his early career from transitioning from a champion go-kart racer to Formula One, it all came crashing down.

Easy

Life is never Easy for anyone, ever. Isidoro (Nicola Nocella) had a chance for doing great things, but in whatever happened in his early career from transitioning from a champion go-kart racer to Formula One, it all came crashing down. This detail is important and gets explored in the comedy-drama simply known as Easy. This film’s title is also the nickname given to this protagonist

He could have cut the calories earlier, but since he has become too big boned for his own good, he believes a lot of opportunities were lost. He’s become destitute and alone. Hints of clinical depression suggest he’s never gotten the help needed for a happier life. Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki shows that life at home is not as simple either. His mom fawns over his sibling brother and his room is like a mausoleum. All he remembers is his former glory and has little to look forward to in his adult life.

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Soldier of War, A Movie Review

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

* Spoiler Alert

Arriving on VOD March 3rd with a DVD following on April 9th

Soldier of War may seem like a misleading title, but this horror crime drama has a lot of terrific layers of backstory to examine. Anyone wondering about what the world might be like should the Nazis successfully invade England or curious about the experiments going on by either side to turn the tide of war is encouraged to check out this film written by John and Peter Adams.

This film is not simply about what gets unleashed from a lost military bunker in Shafton Forest. When the kills come swiftly, I was not disappointed at the Jason Voorhees wannabe. This character was military, and a human. Just what he is now … that’s hard to say when considering how he gets defeated.
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The Victoria Film Festival Celebrates 25 Years! Picks of the 2019 Season

Victoria Film Festival 2016 Logo The Victoria Film Festival is celebrating 25 years! While I could swear this local event has gone on longer, but oh how time flies. I covered this event in some form (limited or otherwise) ever since I saw Edison and Leo back in 2008 (for a college paper) and Chef of the South Polar tickled my taste buds in 2011. This movie taught me a thing or two about how to make do with limited supplies for good food and in what defines the taste in ramen. I was a starving student back then and now I’m a starving artist. This year offers a film about the said noodle dish as my number one must see. As my eclectic tastes are as diverse as the selection, Mirai of the Future (未来のミライ) flies high. This anime is getting screenings! Curiously, no hardcore sci-fi, horror or fantasy is listed this year. The diversity is more on creative and inspirational films than always be genre-specific.

This year sees the Victoria Conference Center offer a larger space for their Opening Gala film, Sink or Swim (Le Grain Bain) on Feb 1st at 6:30pm. This French comedy technically debuted last year at Cannes and is making waves cross borders. It’s about how a group of men well past their prime in the quest to achieve self-esteem. They become a synchronized swimming team, and the teamwork involved to beat to the drum is tough, but are we here to laugh at them and perhaps reflect upon our own lives. We have all been there at some point–stuck in some quagmire until that one moment helps us realize we’re alright. This film encourages the latter and that’s entertaining enough!

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[Web-series] The Quest for Esluna: The First Monolith, A First Look

The world of Esluna has ancient technology strewn about, and the orbs are just one example of the past still being used today to power technology and interest in this film’s vast mythology.

Halfway into the YouTube animated series Esluna: The First Monolith, Bataar (voiced by local Victoria Fringe Festival favourite Shawn O’Hara) may well have the means to go home. He’s from another world and unless he gains allies to help him, he’s stuck in a strange land populated with robots and ruled by a power-hungry warlord. The way he arrived suggests he’s been spirited away than simply teleported over. An ancient artifact of mystical power called The Monolith brought him here and nobody operated it at the time. When it’s in the hands of Queen Leda (Tara Pratt), who wants to use it for other purposes, returning will not be easy.

Anyone who controls this device holds the fate of Esluna in their hands. Maeve (Grace Chan) knows of what it can do. She’s a relic hunter who will prevent any lost artifact from going to the wrong people. Many years have passed, and the story picks up when Bataar is older. He feels resigned to his fate and eventually hope picks up.

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Hey Ricky, Oh Lucy! is not What You Think … A Movie Review

oh_lucy By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Atsuko Hirayanagi’s Oh Lucy! is an indie film which can easily evoke feelings of self-pity for those believing they are in the same boat as her. When life tears you down, you are middle-aged and have nothing great to look forward to in life, just what can you do? Some people will get a handle on it and add excitement. Others feel resigned to their fate. They stop trying. I know of a certain person like that and can only feel sorry for him. All I can hope is that one day he will wake up, and achieve happiness. In my experience, that’s not easy to do unless chances are made, and risks are taken.

In this film, I wonder if Setsuko (Shinobu Terajima) even has people she can call true friends. This actress is terrific at creating a deadpan attitude and to go into that place to convey what looks like eternal sadness. She’s simply trying to survive life in the concrete jungle known as Tokyo. After witnessing a suicide in the subway, her reaction and lack of empathy make me wonder how rough can life in the city be? I lost a good buddy decades ago. He had the pressures of living up to family expectations and the Japanese societal norm. We had good times hanging out when he was still in Canada, but when the family decided to go back to Japan, things changed.

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