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Sid Adilman Mentorship Programme
Hey, TIFF fans! My name is Jake Howell and I'll be doing a few posts here on the TIFF website for the remainder of the festival. I got involved with the organization through a sponsorship called the Sid Adilman Mentorship Programme, which allows film or journalism students to cover the festival and work with the TIFF Communications department. So, here I am!
The unofficial greeting of film festivals seems to be "Seen anything good, lately?" Well, I certainly hope you have. But say you haven't — it's possible — I'm here to try and help. So, in order to help you see something good, here are a few movies that I've seen, and more importantly still have tickets available!
Make Believe
I feel like this is one movie that a lot of people will pass up, but they'll be missing out on something genuinely great. There was only one press screening, and it was in the NFB (a relatively small theatre), so it's not exactly a big name ticket. But that's okay: you're reading this, and you have the scoop. Make Believe is a documentary about teenagers aspiring to win the Teen Magic Championship in Las Vegas, and it follows 4 or 5 extremely talented teens that all want the title. Every teen the doc follows is interesting, photogenic, and loves to perform. They're also quite good at magic — if you added 10 years to their visage, you wouldn't be able to tell that they're only teens. I had a smile on my face the entire time, and you will too. This doc has universal appeal. Into more mature movies? Don't let the Sprockets name associated with it turn you away. See Make Believe. It's one of my favourites of the festival!
Make Believe is screening 6:30-8:00 PM @ TIFF Bell Lightbox 2 on Friday; 12:30-2:00 PM @ TIFF Bell Lightbox 2 on Saturday; and 12:00-1:30PM @ AMC2 on Sunday.
The Hunter
The Hunter is another tiny movie that should get some love here. Directed by Rafi Pitts, The Hunter is about an Iranian man who, after a tragedy, turns to random acts of violence to make sense of his profound loss. The Hunter is a slow burn, so don't be frustrated by the admittedly slow beginning, because it gets much better. It's beautifully shot, well acted, and the effective use of gunshots is really quite shocking. Check it out — it's worth your time, even if only for the terrific ending!
The Hunter is screening 9:30-11:00 AM @ TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sunday.
Red Nights
Red Nights is one strange movie, but if you're a fan of Midnight Madness fare, you will enjoy what's on display here. It's gory, sexy, and... fetish-y, though I'm not sure if my stomach could handle another viewing. The femme fatales in this flick use some particularly gruesome torture techniques. Funny story — I saw Red Nights in the media screening lounge, a room set up with several television / DVD player combos. My station was the one closest to the door and check-in, and the comments I heard from behind me were hilarious. Most people peering in had to turn away in disgust, but they kept coming back for more. Red Nights has that effect. Not for the squeamish, this film has scenes that are truly grisly. Check it out!
Red Nights is screening 2:15-4:00PM @ Scotiabank 2 on Friday, and 5:45-7:30PM @ Scotiabank 11 on Sunday.