ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Steve Norton

Benedict Men: Bold Brotherhood

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Currently airing on Quibi, Benedict Men is a documentary that delves into the lives of the students at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey. Led by Father Ed Leahy, St. Benedict’s is structured around its foundational belief in community and mutual accountability. As the school’s basketball team drives toward its latest championship, the youth are challenged to learn the meaning of brotherhood in all aspects of life.

Executive produced by Stephen Curry, Benedict Men is a powerful and heartfelt look at the impact that sports culture can have on the lives of the players both on and off the court. Engaging and sincere, Benedict Men is thoroughly engrossing from start to finish. Capturing the innocence of youth as they grow and mature behind the backdrop of sports, each episode examines the lives of St. Benedict’s players and the issues that affect them and. By tackling topics that range from their ‘emotional noise’ to race and religion, Father Leahy and his staff fully recognize that life outside the game matters more than what happens on the court. (If anything, the only issue with this series is Quibi’s commitment to episodes of no more than 8-9 minutes. While that’s fine for some stories, each episode here simply feels too brief and even slightly shortchanged, not because of any lack of quality but because of the network’s style.) 

As they follow the players of St. Benedict’s, this series emphasizes not only their quest for another championship but the overall impact of a school culture on the lives of its students. Each youth, regardless of race, religion or gender, is offered social and spiritual support in an effort to prepare them for the challenges that lie outside the school’s walls. In one of the most impressive leadership structures that I have seen within a school setting, Father Leahy and his staff work towards creating students who are strong emotionally and spiritually, as well as physically.

However, what’s most unique about St. Benedict’s is the way that they infuse mutual respect and relationships into every aspect of their school culture. Founded on the belief that ‘What hurts my brother, hurts me’, the school attempts to create an atmosphere of healthy community where everyone’s voice matters. With an emphasis of empowering youth while teaching them to be accountable to one another, St. Benedict’s invests into every aspect of their students’ lives. Coaches offer strong praise for their players yet are also willing to call them out when they need to take ownership of their mistakes. Rather than offer announcements from the office, students run their own morning meetings together in their own style and voice. In moments such as these, the staff of St. Benedict’s partner with the students to create a culture of encouragement and freedom of expression that pushes the students to excel yet allows them to be themselves at the same time.

As the series opens, Curry states that ‘this is a basketball story’. Even though he’s technically correct in that Benedict Men focuses on a particular set of players, this comment is far too narrow in its focus. The truth is that Benedict Men is about so much more than the game of basketball. Though it’s set in the sports world, this series is ultimately about what it means to grow and prepare for a world that is more than willing to crush their spirits.

To hear our conversation with St. Benedict’s Father Ed Leahy, click here.

Benedict Men is available on Quibi on now with new episodes every weekday until October 2nd, 2020.

LX 2048: Searching for the Digital Soul

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The very best science fiction always looks at the technological issues of the day and expands on them to explore how they’re changing us. Having said this, Guy Moshe’s LX 2048 seems to take relevancy to an entirely new level. Though the film was developed and made pre-pandemic, LX 2048’s depiction of self-isolation and dependence on digital communication is not just timely. 

It’s downright eerie. 

Set in the near future, LX 2048 depicts a world where the ozone layer has been decimated to the point that humans cannot be outside in the daylight without wearing hazmat suits. As a result, from work to school to socializing, most people spend the majority of their time in the virtual realm. However, Adam Bird (James D’Arcy) still insists on engaging the ‘real world’. He goes to work and fights to keep his humanity in a world of artificiality. This becomes more difficult though when he learns that his heart is mysteriously failing and that he has been scheduled to be replaced by a cloned upgrade. In response, Adam fights to survive in a world where he has been deemed ‘unnecessary’.

Coming at a time when the world exists primarily in a digital realm under the blanket of a global pandemic, Moshe’s work could not seem more relevant. Written over a period of nine years, it’s frankly stunning to consider how accurate his vision of the future seems to be. While admittedly, the film takes a while to get going, Moshe’s script picks up as the film goes and and features some truly fascinating dialogue on what it means to be human in a digital world. In addition, D’Arcy’s work as the ever-shaken Adam is solid, especially when [spoiler] his clone arrives on the scene. [spoilers end] 

In a world where kids attend school virtually and everyone works remotely, Adam is a man who insists on being present physically at work. As the electronic revolution grows, most people have become content to digitally ‘chip’ themselves away into immortality. Even so, despite the digital playground (and workspace) that has engulfed everyone around them, Adam recognizes that reality is tangible. For him, humanity and the physical world are intimately linked. Though others have ‘improved’ themselves through the art of cloning, Adam recognizes that there is something deeply powerful about living with our flaws. Admittedly, he may not like much about himself (or has been made to feel inferior by others) but he still believes that he matters. 

Similarly, relationships have shifted dramatically in this vision of the world. Though he has three children with his wife Reena (Anna Brewster), Adam’s home feel particularly lonely. Because of the shift to the digital world, their engagement is primarily online as everyone exists in their own space with VR headsets covering their eyes and ears. Though they live together, their physical presence is no longer required. In fact, speaking to someone in-person feels invasive and individual space is coveted. Even the act of sex has become a primarily individual experience as they engage through digital and technological stimulation. (However, somewhat ironically, it’s worth noting that sex also still demands monogamy here. This unspoken moral code is apparent when Adam’s wife becomes infuriated by his willingness to have sexual fantasies with a digital adulteress yet she refuses to be with him physically herself.) 

For Moshe, Adam still wishes to be that ‘first man’. Not the only man, mind you. Adam wishes that others would also break the trends. Even so, Adam recognizes that there remains something intrinsically pure within human life, despite its brokenness and blemishes. He recognizes that relationships without presence lack intimacy and that cloning to ‘perfection’ doesn’t necessitate a soul. In this way, Adam’s great loss seems to be that the world around him is pressuring him to follow them blindly into the digital abyss. Though he yearns for personal intimacy, no one—not even his own family—is willing to join him. 

In essence, Adam can no longer find an Eve.

Engaging and powerfully prophetic, LX 2048 serves as a reminder of how we desperately need one another in the physical realm. As Adam fights to retain the soul of humanity, he understands that the digital realm ultimately provides an empty substitute for the real thing. Coming at a time when our socially-distant lives have been taken over by digital platforms, Moshe offers something truly unique and important that calls us to remember who we are behind the screens. Because, for Moshe, who we are is not determined by our profile pics or avatars.

For Moshe, true humanity connects our bodies and our souls.

To hear our conversation with writer/director Guy Moshe, click here.

LX 2048 is available on VOD on Friday, September 25th, 2020.

Tesla: Alternating History

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As one of the more iconic voices in scientific history, the impact of the work of Nikola Tesla has been felt for generations. Without question, his discovery of alternating current and the connection between energy and matter were far ahead of their time. As a result, the mere mention of his name seems to suggest creativity and innovation.

But how well do you really know him?

In Tesla, Ethan Hawke plays the visionary 19th Century inventor, Nikola Tesla. After having first discovered electricity by petting his cat as a young boy, Tesla sought to reinvent the way that we understand electric current. Initially working with Edison himself (Kyle MacLachlan), Tesla’s views caused tension between them, eventually leading to their parting ways and competing against one another. As Tesla’s notoriety grew, he continued to push the boundaries of science on a never-ending quest to create worldwide wireless energy. However, in doing so, he also puts himself into serious financial difficulty and created more conflict with the scientific community along the way.

Written and directed by Michael Almereyda, the film feels like somewhat of a fever dream, blending fantastical and theatrical elements into their vision of reality. As a historical figure, Tesla remains someone of a mythic presence with very little specifics known about him. (The film notes that, by Googling him, you’ll likely only find three pictures repeated over and over.) As such, Almereyda’s use of non-traditional cinematic devices shroud the man in mystery. Standing rather obviously in front of a green screen removes him from reality yet furthers the narrative. In addition, by bathing him in colour (or shadow), Almereyda places his subject in an alternate reality. Whether Tesla is having an ice cream fight with Thomas Edison or bursts out into a performance of Tears for Fears’ ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’, Almereyda is unafraid to push the boundaries of historical biographies in an effort to blur the lines between fact and fiction.

In doing so, Tesla can be a jarring experience that never allows you to get too comfortable within the story. Even so, it can also be fascinating to watch, primarily due to Hawke himself. As with every role he takes on, Hawke immerses himself in Tesla, imbuing the character with quiet energy. Amidst Almereyda’s wild images, Hawke portrays the wild visionary as a man out of time. Though he would affect the future, he was not always able to interact well with the present. Despite the fact that he was far from a recluse, Hawke highlights the obsessive nature of his personality in such a way that he seems unable to fully connect with those around, always thinking about his research in the back of his mind.

As it unravels (or reinforces) the mystery that is Nikola Telsa, Almereyda’s film also speaks to the flawed ways that we tell our stories. Told primarily through the perspective of Tesla’s ex-paramour, Anne Morgan, the viewer understands that her experience of him shapes her re-telling of history. Though there are moments where he is held in high regard, Tesla’s flaws are also exposed in such a way that we know that both have been shaped by her attempts to understand him. 

Similarly, Tesla takes the story of its subject and recognizes that our view of history is always filtered by our perspectives. Without more information or personal experience, Tesla himself will always remain somewhat of an enigma in our minds, filtered through our view of him as either innovator or madman. Should Tesla be known as the man who revolutionized the scientific world? Is he the eccentric that believed he’d spoken with people from Mars? Or a messy combination of both? Regardless of our position, our personal biases will filter our opinion of him.

Though I would be hard-pressed to say that Tesla is electrifying, Hawke’s performance is suitably charged up enough to maintain your interest. Through his use of unexpected cinematic devices, Almereyda’s film is as unique as Tesla himself, playing with reality as much as it wants to share the truth with you. This is a film that seeks not to dispel the legends of a mysterious man but to allow that mythology to shape your understanding of his life and impact.

Tesla is available on VOD now.

TIFF20: 76 Days

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At a time when everyone is looking for answers, it can be frustrating when you don’t get the ones you’re looking for.

Thankfully, 76 Days is a reminder that we may be asking the wrong questions.

Directed by the team of Hao Wu, Weixi Chen and Anonymous, 76 Days captures the madness surrounding the onset of this year’s global pandemic in Wuhan, China. As ground zero of the COVID-19 outbreak, Wuhan was thrown into chaos, forcing the government to put the city of 11 million people into a lockdown that lasted 76 days. As hospitals began to fill and panic gripped the infected, health care professionals worked long hours in dangerous conditions in an uphill battle against the mysterious and deadly epidemic.

Some may be surprised—or even disappointed—to know that 76 Days neither offers any new insight into the creation of the virus nor does it discuss any of the global effects of the pandemic. But what it does offer is far more compelling. Instead of investigating facts and data, 76 Days shows the utter terror on the ground of Wuhan at the time of lockdown. Patients demanding care at the hospital entrance are reminiscent of the chaos of a zombie apocalypse film. Hospital workers seal themselves into PPE gear with duct tape to prevent their exposure. With each new infection, tensions continue to rise as doctors and nurses scramble wildly to care for a mysterious virus that they know very little about.

In taking this approach, 76 Days may not address the harsh truths that so many are asking for. Instead, it presents the pandemic in a way that feels more personal and intimate. By not emphasizing issues of blame or painting wild conspiracy theories, 76 Days is freed up to honour the people of Wuhan that fought so hard for the sake of their people. Like so many health care professionals around the world, these staff worked tirelessly in extreme conditions to give proper treatment to their sick. 

Admittedly, for many people in the West, Wuhan may have seemed like little more than name on a map prior to these events. In this way, 76 Days reminds the viewer that whether or not the virus originated in Wuhan is irrelevant. The people of Wuhan have had their lives upended by COVID like all of the rest of us. 

As we all know, COVID does not differentiate.

Following stories of a couple separated from their newborn daughter, an elderly man who simply wants to go home and a grandmother who takes a turn for the worse, the film highlights the stories that connect us all. Like us all, these are not merely statistics but people with families who love them. 

People who matter.

76 Days lasers in on local wards and lets the stories of both the professionals and the infected take centre stage. As everyone struggles to suppress an outbreak that has begun to grip the world, we are reminded of the value of all human life and how fragile it truly can be. Powerful and poignant, 76 Days takes an event that has shaken the world and highlights the damages that have been caused to a very small percentage of families. In doing so, though the narrative may zero in on a few small stories, we understand that these same stories could be (or have been) our own.

76 Days is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival.

The Nest: A House but Not a Home

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Written and directed by Sean Durkin, The Nest is a powerful and unflinching look at the emotional termites that can eat away at the foundations of a marriage. After bursting onto the scene with his Sundance darling Martha Marcy May Marlene in 2011, Durkin has remained relatively quiet as a filmmaker. With The Nest, Durkin yet again proves his skill at delving into the psychology of his characters, especially as they begin to unravel. Stars Carrie Coon and Jude Law are simply incredible as a couple who watch as the intimacy that they once enjoyed together gradually erodes at the hands of selfish ambition and pride.

Set in 1986, The Nest follows Rory (Law) and Allison (Coon), a married couple who love their kids and enjoy a solid relationship built on intimacy and trust. Living in a New York suburb, they are the picture of middle-class success. Even so, when Rory receives an invitation to take a higher profile (and potentially higher paying) job back to his hometown of London, he convinces Allison that this will be best for them all. Renting an extravagant English country manor, everything starts out well for the family as they are excited to start their new lives. However, as time marches on and debt piles up, Rory and Allison’s unspoken frustrations begin to bubble to the surface and threaten their entire relationship.

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Though the emphasis of the film is on the marriage between Rory and Allison, their elaborate English manor plays an equally important role within the film. Set in a 16th century home, the titular ‘nest’ is an exquisite piece of historical architecture that is stunning to behold yet ominous to be in. Decorated with an endless amount of ornate decor, Durkin manages to make the manor’s spacious walls and landscapes feel suffocating and claustrophobic. The home’s imposing structures and endless lines of crown molding and windows feel increasingly like a prison. Increasing shadows and filtered light gradually swallows them whole. Due to Durkin’s use of set design, every backhanded compliment between Rory and Allison seems to make the manor grow colder and more threatening.

At the heart of their conflict lies a power struggle over personal ambitions and unfulfilled dreams. While Rory may say that he believes that returning to his home country will provide greater opportunities for them all, he is ultimately more concerned about his next big deal than his family’s well-being. Constantly overspending, he lives for a paycheque that never seems to arrive. Convinced that his financial gain will translate into happiness, Rory immerses himself into his work, gradually creating an identity of success based on self-delusion. Meanwhile, the formerly empowered Allison struggles with the gender inequality that has seeped into her home as a result of London’s circles of high society. Though she goes along with things at first, her spirit slowly begins to die as her life feels increasingly empty. Eventually, Allison retreats emotionally from her marriage and family, seeking solace with her beloved horse.

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In much of Durkin’s work, the most terrifying aspect of his stories is how naturally darkness lurks under the veil of innocence. In The Nest, Rory and Allison’s marriage begins as one of intimate love and support. However, as things unravel between them, both Rory and Allison lose sight of that humility and attempt to fill the void within them with power and dominance over one another. (One particular dinner at a restaurant where the two attempt to order for each other is particularly uncomfortable.) Like many couples that lose their spark, Rory and Allison focus increasingly on themselves and their own interests and steadily lose hope that they’re family will survive. However, by choosing to bookend his film with similar images, Durkin reveals that there is an eb and flow to all relationships that may offer some comfort to those who choose to fight through their struggles.

In only his second (!) feature, Durkin yet again demonstrates his remarkable skill at creating honest windows into the soul of his characters. As he slowly eats away at the foundation of Rory and Allison’s relationship, Durkin shows how good intentions can quickly turn to vanity when left unchecked by humility. When that happens, any relationship can feel as lonely as an empty house, regardless of how many people live within its walls.

For audio of our conversation with writer/director Sean Durkin, click here.

The Nest is available on VOD on September 18, 2020.

TIFF20: I Care a Lot

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I Care a Lot follows Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike), a highly successful legal guardian who takes responsibility for the elderly and then exploits them for their vast fortunes. Sensing a huge potential windfall, she takes on a seemingly innocent new client named Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), immediately placing her in a nursing facility and strips her of her financial assets. However, when Jennifer’s ruthless benefactor Roman (Peter Dinklage) hears of her plight, Marla and her partner (Eiza Gonzalez) must go to war to protect their investments and potentially, save their lives.

Written and directed by J Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed), I Care a Lot is an energetic dark comedy that commits to its wicked machinations and never looks back. Bursting with fire and entertaining from start to finish, Blakeson’s script pops with devilish glee as it highlights the malicious nature of corporate greed at the expense of the poor and oppressed. 

By unleashing its inner darkness, I Care allows greed to become the soul of Darwinian business practices. Ferociously attacking each other’s livelihood, both Marla and Roman exemplify the very nature of ‘survival of the fittest’. 

Though the heart of I Care a Lot may sound bleak, the film’s style and enthusiasm are hard to resist. Featuring solid performances across the board and a brutally fun script, Blakeson’s film breathes satirical fire that demands attention. As the stakes continue to rise and the inner darkness of his characters is unleashed in all its fury, Blakeson never loses sight of the damages caused by their carelessness.

Even if they seem completely unaware.

I Care a Lot is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival.

TIFF20: Good Joe Bell

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Directed by Renaldo Marcus Green, Good Joe Bell tells the true story of Joe Bell (Mark Wahlberg), a loving husband and father from the American Heartland. The picture of traditional manhood, Joe’s conservative worldview is threatened when his son, Jadin (Reid Miller) tells him that he’s gay. After Jadin is bullied mercilessly at his high school, Joe sets out on a mission across America to speak to school groups, communities or anyone who will listen about the corrosive dangers of bullying. However, as he sets out on his journey, Joe must also confront his own inner demons in an effort to be fully transformed by his experience. 

Good Joe Bell is a timely look at what means to be truly changed from within. By telling the story from Joe’s perspective, the film effectively delves into inner biases that create a dangerous culture of oppression, as opposed to merely citing examples. Known for action blockbusters and comedic roles, Wahlberg is not generally known for subtly within his work yet his performance as Joe feels both personal and authentic. As Bell, Wahlberg offers an honest portrait of a man searching the very depths of his soul for new understanding. 

For this reason, the beauty of Good Joe Bell is that it feels so much larger than Joe himself. Structurally, the story may be a tale of one man’s attempt to confront his own prejudices out of love for his son, it also serves as an example of a Conservative culture in dire need of doing the same. Moving and sincere, Green’s story of a man who understands the need for change within his own life comes at a time when Joe’s voice needs to be heard.

After all, though his walk is his own, Joe’s journey to redemption could be anyone’s.

Good Joe Bell is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival.

TIFF20: Trickster

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Trickster follows Jared (Joel Oulette), an Indigenous teen who lives his life from one disaster to the next. Whether he’s dealing with his wild-child mother (Crystle Lightning) or supporting his father (Craig Lauzon), Jared struggles to get through the day, especially financially. When his part-time job selling drugs comes to an end, he feels lost within his own unstable, yet familiar, life. After he meets a mysterious stranger, Jared’s world is shaken as he begins to see talking ravens and doppelgangers. At first, Jared is able to write them off as wild, drug-induced hallucinations. However, as he explores the meaning of his visions, Jared soon discovers that the answer may lie in a tradition that he has long ignored.

Directed by Michelle Latimer (ALIAS), Trickster is a dark and mysterious ride through mythology as it collides with the modern era. While the series falls neatly into the ‘supernatural sub-genre’, Trickster‘s style and celebration of Indigenous culture keep the series fresh and engaging. Through her use of colour and tone, Latimer visually interweaves the mundane with the mystical, seemlessly blending the interaction between them. Featuring solid work by its entire cast, the series also crafts some truly unique characters that bring the world to life. (Crystle Lightning, in particular, is an absolute joy to watch as Jared’s free-wheeling but loving mother.)

In this way, Latimer has created a world that intrigues as well as challenges. Fun and mysterious, Trickster is an entertaining ride that draws you in through its premise but entices you to stay through its strong characters and storytelling. What’s more, while it thrives in its celebration of Indigenous traditions and folklore, it also serves as a humbling reminder of what can be lost when we misjudge our own place within the universe.

Trickster is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival and premieres on CBC on Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 at 9:00pm.

TIFF20: The Father

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In The Father, Sir Anthony Hopkins plays Anthony, an elderly but wealthy man who cannot admit that he can no longer care for himself. When his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) informs him that she intends on moving to Paris, she attempts to bring in a home care nurse, Laura (Imogen Poots). As his condition deteriorates, Anthony struggles to adjust to the changes with moods swings that range from charming to insulting and Anne is forced to consider that her father may be better off in a long-term care facility instead of his beloved London flat.

The debut film from director by Florian Zeller, The Father is an emotional journey into the heart of dementia and the how it affects those on the outside. Though the film features an incredible performance by Olivia Coleman as the caring but torn Anne, the film is truly anchored by Sir Anthony Hopkins, who may have turned in one of the best performances of his career. As the centre of almost every scene, Hopkins is simply remarkable as the fading elder, imbuing his character with both vibrancy and terror.

In The Father, Anthony is a man who is constantly loved yet causes chaos within the home. Even so, while we bear witness to the fact that those around him struggle with his health, we also feel torn for Anthony as he continues to misread situations and react accordingly with fear, humour and rage. Honest and heartbreaking, The Father is an incredible example of what love looks like on the ground in the midst of struggle. The film’s shift in perspective serves as a reminder that the real terror may be within the mind of the person we love and the need for grace in the midst of that understanding from those around them.

The Father is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival.

TIFF20: Akilla’s Escape

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Akilla’s Escape follows one night in the life of Akilla Brown (Saul Williams), a 40-year old drug trader who has decided that it’s time to get out of the game. Out on a routine hand-off, he is suddenly caught in the middle of a violent robbery. When he discovers that one of his attackers is , a fifteen-year-old Jamaican boy named Sheppard (Thamela Mpumlwana), he realizes that the young man is a member of the same criminal organization that he fell into himself as a child. As he attempts to help the him, Akilla must also confront his own upbringing as a youth (Mpumlwana again) in order to chart a new path for them both.

Written and directed by Charles Officer, Escape is a haunting experience that sits with you long after the film is over. Featuring bleeding colours and pulsating soundtrack, Escape visually creates two worlds and then blurs one into the next, highlighting the challenges of ever truly escaping the darkness entirely. Star Saul Williams—who also collaborated on the soundtrack with Massive Attack’s 3D—absolutely smolders onscreen as the elder Akilla, imbuing his character with confidence and humility. Not to be outdone, Mpumlwana is absolutely stunning as both the terrified Sheppard and the increasingly rage-fueled young Akilla. As a result of the film’s stellar cast and solid visuals, Akilla’s Escape is a gritty and visceral piece that serves as a tragic reminder of how difficult it can be to break free from our past yet Akilla’s journey also carries within it an admirable strength of character that feels hopeful. 

This is more than a film about gang life. 

This is a film with soul.

As he grapples with his own inner demons, Akilla’s journey is an example of what happens when our past collides with our present. Attempting to break the cyclical nature of violence and poverty, Akilla lives in a world that refuses to give him up. Ready to sell his profitable marijuana business, he believes the time is right to walk away, even if his business partners disagree. When he encounters Sheppard, Akilla’s personal journey feels as though it has come full circle. His desire to rescue the young man serves as both potential freedom for a youth heading down a dark path and redemption for his own lost childhood. (It’s worth noting here that Officer’s decision to cast the young Mpumlwana in both roles further highlights the fact that the elder Akilla sees himself in the young man.)

In many ways, Akilla’s father, Clinton (Ronnie Rowe), may be the subtle central figure of the film. Broken by his own childhood of violence, Clinton is abusive and filled with rage, passing on terrifying words of ‘wisdom’ to his young son. (“War is a matter of vital importance for the province of life,” he warns a wide-eyed Akilla.) Now grown himself, Akilla finds the words of his father ring in his ears, even as he kicks against them. Whereas Clinton pushed him towards violence, Akilla understands that hope lies beyond the barrel of a gun. For Akilla, his experience with Sheppard creates an opportunity to break the cycle and help someone take a new path, even as he carries his own scars with him.

As the credits roll, there is an intrinsic sadness within Akilla’s Escape that lingers. Though the film offers hope to its characters, this is a piece that shows the tragedy of generational pain and its affect on the future. As such, though Akilla’s past may be something he wishes he could forget, this is definitely a story worth remembering.

Akilla’s Escape is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre as part of the Planet Africa series during the Toronto International Film Festival. 

To hear our conversation with Saul Williams, Thamela Mpumlwana, Donisha Prendergast, click here.