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HotDocs

My Old School: School Days and Second Chances

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Set in 1993, My Old School tells the story of Brandon Lee, a 17-year-old fifth year Canadian who became a student at Bearsden Academy, a high school near Glasgow. Brandon was a model student who was on the way to becoming a future doctor. However, in reality, everything about him was a lie. Strangely, Brandon’s real name turned out to be ‘Brian McKinnon’, a 32-year-old man who was not from Canada at all.

When the story broke, ‘Brandon’ quickly became worldwide news. After all, why would a grown man want to pose as a teenager unless something sinister was behind it? My Old School details the life of Brian (played here by Alan Cumming), as he attempts to relive his glory years by becoming the popular kid once again. More than this though, his hope was to achieve his dream of enrolling in university for medicine, something that Scotland will not allow anyone over 30 to do. Directed by Jono McLeod, School interviews present school faculty, classmates and, of course, ‘Brian’ himself for their perspective on the story.

More importantly though, the film offers a unique look at what a lot of us would love to have in our lives: a second chance at life. With age and experience, few people would pass up a chance to redo everything that they know now. In the case of Brian, he was able to do just that. Even though he was living a lie, Brian was able to have cool friends, get the grades he wanted, play lead in the school show, go on the vacations he wanted and even get into the University of Glasgow to study medicine.

Overall, My Old School has a sense of sadness about it, especially for Brian. Whereas one might judge him for his actions, it seemed that he truly only did what he did in order to make something his life. Liked by those around him, his classmates still have a fondness and admiration for him to this day. 

My Old School is screening at HotDocs ’22. For screening information, click here.

HotDocs ’22: The Smell of Money

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Alas, somethings rotten in the state of North Carolina. And it’s not just the pig waste.

Directed by Shawn Bannon, The Smell of Money takes the viewer into the depths of the American pork industry. Processing tens of thousands of pigs per day, Smithfield Foods remains the lead powerhouse in the North American pork industry. However, through their willingness to ignore the waste created by their own farmers, they have also become a toxic influence on the local communities. From the unbearable smell to health risks such as pfiesteria, Smithfield’s negligence has resulted in massive environmental damage that threatens the viability of its community and reveals their willingness to sacrifice the living conditions of the average person for their own gain. 

Powerful and moving, The Smell of Money is a shocking look at the neglect of big business and the lengths that they will take to secure their investment. (Not to mention the fact that Bannon’s journey into the world of the pork industry is far more harrowing than one might expect.) Through brutal corporate tactics, Smithfield Foods continues to show a total disregard for the health and well-being of those around them. While they’re more than willing to hire those to create their product, the pig waste they produce is not their problem. With an eye on their financial returns, Smithfield Foods does everything they can to maintain business-as-usual while absolving themselves of responsibility for those in the local community.

In other words, profit outweighs people. 

Interestingly, however, what sets Money apart is the way that it moves beyond mere corporate neglect to explore its undercurrents of race and abject poverty. With a neighbourhood consisting mostly of people from the Black community, Smithfield’s recklessness shows little care for the people of the area as most of them too poor to stand up against them. (In fact, one judge even suggests that, ‘if these conditions affected areas of affluence, they would’ve been dealt with much more quickly than they have been.’)

Remarkably though, the community bands together to fight back. With every legal battle and victory, residents such as Elsie Herring and her fellow activists send a message that their lives matter. Despite the terrifying pressure that Smithfield applies, this community refuses to submit to their corporate bullying. Powerful and empowering, Money serves as an encouragement to the oppressed and challenges them to fight for their rights, even if the odds remain stacked against them.

The Smell of Money is now playing at HotDocs ’22. For screening information, click here.

HotDocs ’22: Images of a Nordic Drama

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Directed by Nils Gaup, Images of a Nordic Drama introduces the world to Hakkon Mehren, an art collector who stumbles across the undiscovered works of Norwegian artist Akesl Waldemar Johannesen. Hidden away in a barn for over 70 years, Mehren is ecstatic of his discovery and proudly presents the vast collection of paintings to the National Museum. However, Joahannessen’s unorthodox style threaten the accepted norms of Norway’s artistic elite and they refuse to acknowledge the importance of his work.

As it follows Mehren’s journey to have the art recognized, Images of a Nordic Drama becomes a wild look at the prejudices of the artistic industry and the challenges that arise when those biases are challenged. Despite the confirmed authenticity of Johannessen’s work (and even the apparent support of famed contemporary Edvard Munch), the pieces still send waves of denial throughout the artistic world. 

The question is why?

As it turns out, in a culture that prides itself on clear representations of beauty, the emotional and erratic nature of Johannessen’s portraits disturb the status quo. Fueled by depictions of prostitutes, rage and poverty, these pieces wear their emotions on their sleeve as they explore the darker side of Norwegian culture. However, this passionate style challenges the established artistic norms that have been established in the National Museum and remain on the fringe. 

More importantly though, the discovery of Johannessen’s work sparks a debate about the nature of art and who defines our cultural stories. In a form of erasure, the denial of these paintings also allows the National Museum to steal an unique aberration in Norwegian artistic history. As a result, by ignoring the value of these pieces, so too does the artistic community accept a fractured view of history. In this way, Drama uses Johannessen’s paintings as a launchpad for conversation surrounding the importance of accepting everyone’s perspective in order to build a more thorough understanding of the historical narrative. Because of their unique vision of the world, Johannessen’s work offers an alternate view to the Nordic experience at the time. 

But those sorts of changes require humility from the powers that be. 

With each denial, so too does the Natural Museum refuse to acknowledge that their understanding of the world is incomplete. Their insistence that Norwegian art should only be viewed with certain lenses limits the opportunity to gain a more thorough understanding of culture and keeps their vision firmly in power. But in this Nordic Drama, Gaup reminds us that, by muting the voices of the past, we never have more than a fractured Image.

Images of a Nordic Drama is now playing at HotDocs ’22. For screening information, click here.

HotDocs ’22: The Quiet Epidemic

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It’s all in your head. Everything is going to be fine.

These sorts of belittling comments lie at the heart of The Quiet Epidemic, a searing documentary that explores the widespread suffering associated with Chronic Lyme Disease. Directed by Lindsay Keys and Winslow Crane-Murdoch, Epidemic follows young Julia Bruzzese and her father as they fight for answers to her mysterious symptoms. When they discover that she suffers from Lyme Disease, Julia and her father quickly realize that they are not alone in their battle to be taken seriously by doctors and insurance companies who seem determined to keep this epidemic quiet.

Terrifying and honest, The Quiet Epidemic is an unsettling examination of the effects of Chronic Lyme Disease and the attempts by those in power to sweep it under the rug. As patients continue to suffer, so too are they largely ignored by the medical industry. Following Julia and her father as they look for answers, Epidemic unravels the stories of countless others who are suffering the same fate. Discounted by doctors who believe that their disease is ‘in their mind’, these patients find themselves pushed to the side by those who refuse to believe their claims.

The question is why? 

With cases abounding, why would the medical community deliberately neglect such widespread trauma? Although Epidemic does explore potential explanations through its examination of the cost of treatment or vicious insurance companies, so too does it also seem to struggle to find a definitive response. In this way, the film recognizes the insanity of an industry that appears willing to do whatever it can to dissuade people of their disease. (For instance, in one particularly alarming scene, Julia’s father passionately asks for help while the CDC attempts to assure him that there is nothing more that can be done.)

What’s more, the relevancy of Epidemic increases when one considers the rapid response to the current global pandemic. Whereas COVID-19 was immediately addressed as a serious cultural issue due to its widespread symptoms, Chronic Lyme Disease continues to be something that is left on the margins by the medical community. While it could be argued that the effects of COVID were more immediately visible on a global scale, the filmmakers behind Epidemic still argue that the facts surrounding Chronic Lyme Disease deserves a response as well.

To them, it’s time that patients afflicted by this Quiet Epidemic to finally make some noise.

The Quiet Epidemic is now playing at HotDocs ’22. For screening information, click here.

To join the conversation surrounding Lyme Disease, click here.

HotDocs ’22: Make People Better

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Directed by Cody Sheehy, Make People Better tells the story of Dr. He Jiankui, a Chinese geneticist who made waves by producing the world’s first genetically-edited babies in 2018. Although Dr. He’s work was feted at first by the Chinese government, the ensuing pandemonium over the ethical implications of his work quickly led to his disappearance. As the scientific community grapples with his boundary-breaking work, so too must they ask themselves whether or not there is a cost to their desire to make people better.

Anchored by testimonies from a whistleblower, multiple scientists and even Dr. He himself, Make People Betteris a gripping exploration of the boundaries of scientific achievements and the ethical questions that they create in the process. Under a veil of intrigue, Sheehy uses the conspiracy surrounding Dr. He’s disappearance to drive the narrative. In doing so, Better maintains the drama of a suspense thriller without ever sacrificing the most essential information. As geneticists unlock the secrets of the human genome, so too do they discover the seemingly limitless possibilities of preventing disease before it strikes. 

Even so, the most challenging questions within the film remains one of moral responsibility. Faced with the opportunity to eliminate disease and improve the human experience, Better asks whether or not we have truly considered the ethical questions involved in doing so. 

Are we leaning towards the next level of human evolution? Or are we simply playing God by altering the natural world? 

In this film, both arguments seem to be true. Delving into the murky moral waters, Better frequently takes a more balanced approach by acknowledging the challenges of leaning into the future. Without scientific advancement through genetic research, the human race may be passing up opportunities to bring much needed help to the global population. For example, because of their willingness to weather the storms of controversy, scientific developments through genetic research such as IVF now find themselves widely accepted. (As the film argues, ‘just because something is controversial, it doesn’t mean that it’s bad.’) 

At the same time, adapting the genome in this way almost feels as though we are playing with nature. Though the scientific community remains committed to achieving their scientific dreams, there is almost a sense of recklessness in their endeavors. In the same way that Dr. He pushed forward with his own research, many in the community work tirelessly to achieve without considering whether or not they should move forward. For every scientific victory, so too can that work be used for more nefarious purposes.

Exciting and sharply executed, Make People Better is a gripping thriller of one man’s achievement and the forces that work against him out of fear. Conversely, Sheehy’s film also holds a humility towards human life that counterbalances the drive for scientific and technological advancement.

After all, just because we can make people better, it doesn’t always mean we should.

Make People Better is now playing at HotDocs ’22. For screening information, click here.

HotDocs ’22: Don’t Come Searching

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Directed by Andrew Moir, Don’t Come Searching is an unflinching look at what it means to struggle with the oncoming view of death and the strength it takes to keep going. Committed to caring for his family in Jamaica, Delroy Dunkley’s financial situation demands that he leave them for six months each year for seasonal work in Canada. Excited to ask his partner Sophia to marry him upon his return, Delroy’s situation takes a dramatic turn when he’s diagnosed with terminal cancer. Sending shockwaves through his family and calling Sophia to take on the role of caregiver for her ailing love and children.

Although at first Searching tappears as though it’s going to focus on issues of economic uncertainty for migrant workers, the film quickly changes course with news of Delroy‘s condition. All of a sudden, the film takes on a deeper sense of urgency and credit must be given to Moir for his ability to handle each scene with grace and sensitivity. Delroy’s openness provides an honest and intimate portrait of a man whose primary concern remains his family. 

However, as the cancer begins to spread, the story gradually shifts from Delroy‘s illness to Sophia’s strength. With each passing day, Sophia is tasked to take up the burden of being a parent, doctor and caregiver. Even though she herself is struggling deal with her family’s situation, she must become the emotional bedrock of her family. Wrestling with questions of faith and financial stability, Sophia does her best to keep things stable within the home. In many ways, the film is a powerful portrait of love as Sophia never gives up on her partner, even as things continue to worsen. The weight of mortality weighs heavily on her shoulders as she must navigate the challenges of moving forward, even as her children have difficulty fully understanding the moment. 

Don’t Come Searching could have become a film about healthcare in the face of abject poverty, faith and loss or several other topics. However, ultimately, this is a film that struggles with the strength that it takes to support The one you love in the midst of the worst of circumstances.

To hear our interview with Andrew Moir, producer Michelle Serieux and Sophia Malahoo-Dunkley, click here.

Don’t Come Searching is now playing at HotDocs ’22. For screening information, click here.

HotDocs ’22: Beautiful Scars

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Directed by Shane Belcourt, Beautiful Scars delves into the life of former Junkhouse frontman Tom Wilson and the secrets of his past. As the son of George and Bunny Wilson, a blind war veteran and his overly-protective wife, Tom found solace in his music. With a gift for poetic language, Wilson’s fame came quickly yet put an incredible strain on his home life. What’s more, the discovery that his parents had been keeping a secret from him his entire life sent shockwaves through his system. With honesty and humility, Scars allows Wilson the opportunity to share his story onscreen, including the struggles that dragged him down and the difficult path to rediscovery.

In many ways, Beautiful Scars unpacks two very different but connected narratives. On the one hand, the film is a powerful testimonial of the damage that can be caused when we become obsessed with our own success. Although Wilson his dreams of music stardom, so too does it leave a trail of devastation at home. Fueled by drugs, infidelity and a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, Wilson’s personal indiscretions tore apart his marriage and created a rift between the star and his children. As such, through moving conversations with Wilson’s daughter, Belcourt allows the viewer to hear the heartbreak caused by Wilson’s transgressions. Even so, Wilson’s openness to discuss his rise from the bottom demonstrates the type of humility that it takes in order to bring healing to the wounds that one creates.

However, Scars also focusses on the pain of his lost heritage and the joy of rediscovery. Because the nature of his parentage had been kept a secret from him since childhood, there had always been a disconnect between his family and his soul. Using Super 8 footage projected onto the side of a trailer, Belcourt takes the viewer into the memories of a man who is attempting to put together the pieces of his own life. (In fact, by having Wilson observe the footage himself, Belcourt places some distance between the subject and his story, reinforcing the fact that he’s been uncovering secrets about himself along the way.) As the film explores the ties to his Indigenous heritage, Belcourt’s film also leans into the concept of erasure and the pain that ensues when lives are forced into anonymity. For Wilson, this is a journey into his personal history. Yet Scars also acknowledges that this sort of cultural deletion has happened to many other as well. 

In the end, Beautiful Scars is more than a beautiful story of reconciliation. It’s also a story of encouragement for those who yearn to move forward from the pain of the past and the healing that takes place when the pieces come together.

Beautiful Scars is now playing at HotDocs ’22. For screening information, click here.

HotDocs ’22: How Saba Kept Singing

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Some stories are never easy to revisit.

In How Saba Kept Singing, 94-year-old David Wisnia (affectionately called ‘Saba’ by his grandchildren) found it too difficult to explain what took place during his time in Auschwitz-Birkenau to his family . On the 70th anniversary of the camp’s liberation, his grandson Avi accompanies Wisnia on a trip to Poland. Along the way, Wisnia opens up about his experiences in the concentration camp, including the singing voice that pleased the guards and the love affair that gave him the will to live.

Directed by Sara Taksler, How Saba Kept Singing is a heart-warming and heart-wrenching story that takes the viewer inside the walls of Auschwitz with one of the more harrowing WWII tales in many years. Centering on Wisnia’s experiences, the film gives him the freedom to tell his incredible on his own terms and in his own way. Through his openness and honesty, the film draws the viewer into the barbed walls of Auschwitz to gain deeper insight into the traumatic events that he experienced. 

However, this is much more than a story of immeasurable evil. With humour and humility, Saba quickly becomes a story of love and finding hope in the darkness. Highlighting his relationship with Zippi, Taksler recognizes that their connection sparked life within them. Like a flower blooming in the desert, their relationship inspired their souls in a space devoid of life. The support and sacrifices made by the two lovers gave each other the strength necessary to survive.

One of the more unique aspects of Saba is its discussion regarding the saving grace of creativity Whether through song or painting, the arts are shown as therapeutic and life-giving. Held in captivity by the forces of darkness, the ability to create keeps Saba and those around him motivated to live another day. To them, it becomes a coping mechanism that breathes life, even if their world is crashing down around them. 

Even at the age of 94, Wisnia understands the importance of song, not only for himself but also to pass on the story to the next generation. With each performance, Wisnia helps his grandson to connect with their family’s history at a deeper level. By allowing him to gain a taste of the past, Avi becomes increasingly aware of the rise of anti-Semitism in today’s culture and inspires him to action. In this way, because Saba Kept Singing, the next generation has the opportunity to sing a new song today as well.

How Saba Kept Singing is now playing at HotDocs ‘22. For screening information, click here.

HotDocs ’22: African Moot

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I’m so proud of everyone in this documentary and I want to be friends with all of them.

Directed by Shameela Seedat, African Moot follows some of Africa’s top law students as they head to Botswana for the annual mooting competition, which is like a big debate meet. At this year’s event, the students meet to debate the refugee issue on the continent.

Before this film, I had no idea that moots were a thing, let alone that they happened every year or that students from my country had participated in this competition, but I am so glad to now be privy to this information. Like the documentary synopsis says, Moot follows these students and watches the thrill of preparing for the competition, debating each other and winning/losing different rounds. Even so, it is the hope that the film leaves you with that stands out to me. It’s amazing to watch the next generation of African human rights lawyers be so brilliant and care so much about the future of our continent and its people.

African Moot asks us the questions that its participants try to find answers to: what is Pan-Africanism? How do we care for one another? How do we protect our members of the LGBTQ community? How bad does someone have to be before we help them and how easy is that help to come by? And then, through the actions of its subjects, the film asks us, ‘how do you make something productive out of your experience, even if you don’t “win”?’

I’m African, and I know the general sense of hopelessness that sometimes comes with that, as if it’s too late for us to be anything better than we are right now. So, I think it’s incredibly powerful to see these incredibly smart people thinking about the good of the continent and not just themselves. It’s amazing to see them come up with solutions on how to make change, caring for, respecting and encouraging each other, even though they were competitors and competitive, and having the most amazing time doing it. African Moot lets me know our future is in good hands, and challenges me to make sure that two of those hands are mine.

African Moot is now playing at HotDocs ’22. For screening information, click here.

HotDocs ’22: And Still I Sing

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Directed by Fazila Amiri, And Still I Sing is set against the backdrop of Afghan Star, Afghanistan’s hottest televised singing competition. For the last thirteen years, Afghan Star has provided fresh faces on the pop scene—but all of the winners have been men. Even so, for young women such as Zahra, superstardom is emulated in Star’s judge Aryana Sayeed, Afghanistan’s controversial but most celebrated pop star. Yearning to be like her idol, Zahra enters into the competition with the unlikely dream of following in her footsteps.

Fueled by the battle between feminine courage and toxic masculinity, Still I Sing is a terrifying vision of a world where women matter little and are told to remain hidden in it on the sidelines. Although countless young women have set their sights on stardom, the film also points to the toxicity of a culture that has been dominated by men. Inspired by Sayeed, there is a growing call for women’s rights amongst the people of the nation. However, centuries worth of oppression have made this seemingly simple battle an incredibly treacherous one as artists find themselves subject to death threats and acts of violence. 

In this way, there’s a bravery that is shown within the simple act of performance. Although female performers such as Sayeed are consistently told to be silent, their performances take on a deeper political meaning. Whether it’s a televised performance or live concert, what would be considered in other nations as a night of entertainment becomes a dangerous act of rebellion. For example, as she plans an epic concert during Afghanistan’s upcoming celebration, Sayeed is faced with attacks of violence simply for the way that she challenges the status quo. With an air of empowerment, her voice and persona are representative of the freedom of women’s rights and kick against the darkness. As a result, these performances take on additional meaning by sending a message to the patriarchy that women will not be silenced any longer.

And Still I Sing is now playing at HotDocs ‘22. For screening information, click here.