IN DOG’S WORDS/ MUNDO CÃO (Directed by Marco Jorge) ****

               A one-of-a-kind plot with comedic and serious segments

Despite this low budget film, this action driven plot really gets to you. Santana is a great guy who catches dogs for the local neighbourhood animal shelter in a barrio of San Paulo. A Rottweiler is caught but his owner never claims it. The law says after three days it must be put down. He's a with a big heart who loves dogs and his family. 

Suddenly Babyface, its owner turns up, but it’s too late. Babyface is a loan shark who kidnaps Santana’s 10-year-old son to avenge the death of his dog. But the two share a love of the same soccer team, and they actually bond.

Ransom is demanded and Santana is forced to sell his beloved drum set. 

He not only loses it, but his wife is  fatally hit by a bus. Babyface must pay. Great acting, great situational moments and good focus. There are some unique side angels in characters behaviour that absolutely enhance this totally entertaining film which was screened at Montreal’s Brazilian Film Festival at Cinéma du Parc.

FIRE AT SEA (DIRECTED BY GIANFRANCO ROSI) ****

Lampedusa, a small island off Sicily has become the destination savior for hundreds of thousands of African and Syrian refugees piled like fish in smuggler boats that dangerously have diesel fuel flowing onto decks that burns the flesh. But many arrive dead; those that don’t, fall into the loving hands of the island’s key doctor and a team of rescuers who boat out to these death boats carrying human cargo.

A young boy on the island is always aiming his self-made slingshot at birds, or an imaginary machine gun at the port. He’s adorable, but will he become an adult who trades his toys for the real thing?

The island has its own way of survival, which involves fishing, religion, old Italian love song requests via radio and tight family cohesion. Survival on the island requires being comfy with the sea as well.

 

The heartbreaking scenes of young men gasping for their last breath as they are loaded onto a rescue boat tears at your guts. When will the rest of the word accept these refugees? If Lampedusa can, why not every land step up.  As the film's good doctor says:  “It’s our duty to help these people.”

 

                         This film opened up Montreal's Documentary Film Festival (RIDM)

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HACKSAW RIDGE (Directed by Mel Gibson) *****+

This is the most moving yet brutally raw film I have ever seen.  It graphically explodes with unbearable suspense during one long war scene shot from various angles the savagely ruthless fight that took place in Okinawa Island. The hellish slaughter of hundreds of American soldiers trying to take the island from the Japs was poignantly real if not heroic.

 At the centre of this film is the highly religious medic, Desmond T. Doss (played with fitting humility by Andrew Garfield) who refuses to even touch a gun – let alone carry one.  Before going to battle, Desmond’s fellow fighters beat him up, even ostracized him for his pacifist stance. He was about to be court marshaled but his father was able to get that charge dropped. So off his son goes to the top of Hacksaw Ridge unarmed and with his fellow soldiers to enter a bloody hell that exacted countless lives on both sides. Up there he tends to the wounded, risks his total sacrifice, and once the soldiers finally win the protracted fight, Desmond stays behind to recover the wounded and tie them up to a rope one by one to slip them over to safety down the ridge as he holds the rope in his hand, burning his hands and risking his life to save 75 terribly wounded men. 

 I cried in this film. I was so emotionally moved by this true story that showed how Desmond’s bravery and unswerving belief in the Bible led to saving the lives of men who ended up idolising him.

        

 Desmond received the Congressional Medal of Honour. 

What a miraculous man!

What a miraculous movie!

 

                          

Legislating Language is Unfair

 A while back, you may have seen those lovely looking people on Montreal bus panels - their faces smiling over this message: “La langue française, c’est la langue Quebécoise” – something like that – with a ‘vrai’ in there; or,  written on French classroom walls saying, Le francaise, c’est la meilleur langue.”

It also appears on local French TV stations using a seductive voice-over in an haut-art ad, showing contented, successful people in several professions and trades (note that very few ‘Québecois’ blacks or Asians are presented). Both of these ‘enlightened’ ads are sponsored by l’Office de la langue française. I find it all deceptive. Everyone looks so happy and carefree. The ad with its soft, diffuse lighting looks like it was created by a cinematic art director. But what lies beneath the glow? The Office is actually sending a succinct message, telling all native-born Anglophones and thousands of immigrants that French is the magic bullet. It’s clever subliminal advertising.

We all know that French is the operative language in the province. Isn’t this a platitude, so why did ‘le Grand Frère’ spend lots of money on such an ad campaign? You don’t see in Argentina - where there is a massive mix of languages and cultures – an ad saying: “Espaňol, es la lengua de la Argentina; nor in Germany, Greece, Spain, France or Turkey.’. So what’s up? 

I believe  any "Speak French" ad is a highly visible attempt to remind all ‘outsiders’ that the ‘acceptable’ language is French. Unfortunately, this inference contains a subtext of exclusion: the ad devalues and even debases all other languages and their speakers. If you don't speak it, you don't belong here.

What I find appalling is the fact that this is the same kind of insidious knee-jerk reaction we get in racism. I say we ought never to judge a person by the colour of his/her skin or the language he or she speaks. This is not the way to go. It’s time we went past this. Intolerance is as easy to promote as lighting a match. Clearly, the intrinsic message in the ad is insensitive, and a tad incendiary, since it subliminally and subtly encourages us to think that we ought to disdain those who don’t use French every day in their lives here. It’s high time we begin to use our brains and a tempered heart to seize and appreciate every individual’s uniqueness. This is what defines humanity’s progress. Why can’t we have this message: «Le Québec, c’est la province ou chaque culture et chaque langue sont célébrées: un québécois traverse le monde ici; utilsant le français, ça va plus vite.» (The last part of this line is my conciliation to Bill 101).

When I was 16, I roomed with a francophone while studying Québecois French at Laval University one summer – a great experience. The following summer, I went to Glendon College to study ‘Continental French’. I learned French varies - not just the accent, but expressions here and overseas. My Haitian friend Marie from Snowdon claims that her French is the ‘real’ one; she’s a ‘vraie’ Quebecer.

I was nominated for a Mr. Christie award for my children’s book, ‘Les Cinq Sens en Folie’. Bilingual, even degreed to teach, I taught French in Ontario. My first job was in French here. I even taught drama and ESL at the French School, École Mont Royale, many years ago. But an incident taught me that exclusion is not based on language. I was invited by the Quebecois publisher to celebrate at a party. I made a comment (in French) that this is the way it should be: Anglophones and francophones having fun together, though I seemed to be the only anglais there. The cute fellow I was talking to yelled at me I would never be a Quebecer, I wasn’t wanted here. I persisted as I laid into a litany of my ‘French’ accomplishments, including my education, employment and Ottawa friends who were francophone. But I was a tête carrée according to this fellow. He had also written a kid’s book so I thought we had something in common – something to share. I felt rejected and discouraged, and left the party as an outcast. Maybe this incident was an anomaly, but this chap was refined, ‘educated’- Quebec’s pride.

Maybe l’Office needs a second ad that states: «La langue française, on vous admire pour l’apprendre, mais d’être accepté, ça c’est autre chose.»                  

Please Quebec, it’s time you started educating your own about tolerance, since you do have a generous immigration policy here (though the agenda smacks of ‘francisiation’: in numbers there is strength).  

Quebec is uniquely great because of its diversity. Legislating culture and language threatens the most priceless language of all: democracy.

NEON BULL (Directed by Gabriel Mascaro) bomb

Rodeo man Iremar, co-worker Galiga, her 10-year-old daughter Cacá and fat guy Ze travel around  Brazil living alongside their white bulls, horses and trucks. It’s a filthy life that is hopeless and without merit.  Porn and the mistreatment of animals is explicit in this raw but boring film that borders on cruelty and some perversion. Screened at Montreal's Brazilian Film Festival.

CINEMANIA DELIVERS A GORGEOUS PROGRAM OF FRENCH FILMS

                    

                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                                       
Variety in Film Viewing… with English Subtitles

Cinemania is 22 years young!! It’s the most exciting French language film festival in Canada, and the largest of its kind. At this year's press conference - held at Montreal's sleek Sofitel Hotel - Maidy Teitelbaum – Cinemania’s founder and director proudly presented an enormous program that for 11 days takes the audience on a whirlwind adventure with films from France, Belgium, Senegal French Polynesia, Switzerland, Algeria which also includes co-productions with partnering countries. More than 50 films including 40 premieres, 16 celebrities and VIP guests will expose the creativity of the francophone film world as it unfolds its cultural and geographic diversity.

                              Maidy Teitelbaum

  

Nicole Garcia

Nicole Garcia – one of the world’s great actors and directors with 69 films to her credit (not to mention her television and theatre career) will grace the stage with the latest film she directed. On November 3rd, she will be presenting her film, From the Land of the Moon – Cinemania’s opening film. Also present will be Jacques Fieschi who co-wrote the screen play with Mlle Garcia. Based on the novella, Mal di Pietre, by Sardinian author Milena Agus, this fabulous work that’s set in the 1950s in the Alps is full of  drama and love's torments and twists. It’s an enthralling saga where the heroine is a brazen as she is sensual. Starring Marion Cotillard, the film will also be screened at 1:15 on November 5^th at Cinema Imperial.(See my review below).

Equally dazzling is the fact that  the beautiful  actor Virginie Efira will be another festival guest. She’ll be with Cinemania from November 10^th to the 13^th to present her newest films: Elle, Up for Love, and In Bed with Victoria (the closing film on November 13^th). Not only we will see her live just before she introduces these films, but she stars in them!  Rich in tone, each one offers a distinctive tone for its genre: a romantic comedy,  a thriller and  a light-hearted.. Judging by the many amazing features which includes 40 North American and Quebec premieres, the 11-day outstanding film festival offers.

Virginie Efira

     

Historical dramas, such as A Woman’s Life, adapted from a Guy de Maupassant novel; art biopics – Cezanne and I; and WW11 dramas based on true stories – Fanny’s Journey, and The Poisoning Angel – are only part of the poignant potpourri of the delicious films set to tease your senses, stimulate your mind and move your emotions during these turbulent times.  Remember, though, Cinemania is exhilarating and entertaining. This festival is about quality, brilliance and films that audaciously raise the bar on the world’s greatest cinematically savvy festivals. 

                                                             

Maidy and me

                                                                                                  

                                    

     Maidy and her team await you.

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Reviews follow

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MAL DE PIERRES - Directed by Nicole Garcia

From The Land Of The Moon ***

Without a doubt, Marion Cotillard superbly plays a demented woman desperately living in the country in the 1950s with her parents and younger sister. Gabrielle is desperately searching for love, so much so, that she’s eager to take her clothes off to achieve it in front of those who really have no use for her. Nothing is as she would like it to be. She is clearly an unstable woman, full of passion and self-pity. She’s heading for an unfulfilled life, until she goes to the Alps and meets the man of her dreams.

                        

Despite Mlle Cotillard’s extraordinary acting, she can neither save her character nor the film. There is too much spent on Gabrielle’s suffering. Still, the film is a marvellous showpiece for her talent.

The plot is somewhat weird, and contrived, but the acting is so good; and the ironic twist at the end of the film makes up for the slow almost melodramatic moments.When her mother marries her off to  Jose, one of the workers, she treats him with loathing, but he is relentless in taking care of her, despite her emotional fits and attacks of physical pain.

He puts her in a treatment centre in the Alps after she is diagnosed with the “stone disease”. The doctor declares she will never conceive, but doctors have been known to be wrong – just as Gabrielle finds out. She discovers how her delusions can mix her up so much that she is blind to true love. Still, somehow, love has a way of telling the truth to the one in need of feeling its beauty and experiencing it, even if it takes many years to do so.

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MÉDECIN DE CAMPAGNE (Directed by Thomas Lilti) *****

This director actively injects such authentic characters, plot and dialogue, you simply feel part of the endearing yet dramatic scenarios that occur in the country setting of this French community that relies on one doctor – Doctor Jean-Pierre Werner. He visits his patients in their houses, and practices as well in his house. But the good doctor has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Still, he refuses to stop or cut down on his work load. 

Enter Nathalie, a cracker-jack freshly graduated emergency doctor – who also was a nurse. She arrives to assist him, but he puts her into near impossible situations to test her mettle, and she passes with flying colours – especially when she darts through the farm life that would instantly impede any visiting doctor from reaching the door to the patients.

The film shows the dire situation patients must endure in the impersonal French medical system -especially for those living in villages and rural settings. Will Natalie and the good doctor ever see eye to eye on anything?  After a medical conflict, the climax finds its own healing way, and sometimes it does involves line dancing, a meat grinder and spots on an X-ray that can’t be ignored. Doctor Werner finds his worst patient ever, and it’s looking at himself in the mirror.  

François Cluzet and Marianne Denicourt are marvelous together. Superb acting with on-screen charisma and credibility. A wonderful film of humour, human stubbornness and good old fashioned values.

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