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TIFF20

Rewriting the History Books: 1on1 with Tracey Deer (BEANS)

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I remember the Oka Crisis. Or, at least, I thought I did.

As a pre-teen, I vaguely remember hearing the stories of the Mohawk people who protested the building of a golf course. I remember seeing it on the news and hearing the testimonies of those who were worried that things would escalate. Because I was so young though, I didn’t understand what was really going on or issues such as media bias. Maybe none of us outside the situation really did.

Thankfully, in her stunning new film Beans, writer/director Tracey Deer offers some much-needed perspective on the events that took place that summer. Set against the drama that took place in 1990s Quebec, Beans (Kiawentiio Tarbell) is a young girl who lives on the Mohawk reserve of Kahnawa:ke. Staying with her loving parents (Rainbow Dickerson and Joel Montgrand) and her little sister (Violah Beauvais), Beans lives a life of innocence and safety on the reserve. However, when a proposed expansion to a golf course threatens their burial ground, an armed stand-off develops between the Canadian government and Mohawk population, exposing the racist undercurrents of the local population against the Indigenous population. Unprepared for the hatred that she experiences, Beans must re-examine who she is and transform herself into her own kind of warrior.

Although Beans itself is a fictional story, the film showcases many true events that took place during the events of the Oka Crisis. Having grown up during that time herself, Deer used her personal experiences to shape the characters and story.

“’The film is inspired by true events’ is how we phrase it because all of the events depicted of the Oka Crisis in the film did happen,” she explains. “But my family in the movie is a fictional family. Beans, my protagonist, played by the incredible Kiawentiio is the emotional through line. The coming-of-age journey that she goes on is very much my coming-of-age journey. But I have placed the character in these various historical events [and] I wasn’t at all of them myself. Some of the things that she does and her experiences are not identical to my own, but the emotional through line, the feelings and the growth and the shattering of innocence, all of that, is pulled directly from my own coming-of-age summer.”

While Oka was a massively important event in Canadian culture, Deer notes that history has only ever told it from one side. However, Beans allowed her the opportunity to tell a more complete picture of what really took place and the damage that it caused her family.

“[Voice] is so important. It’s one of the big reasons it was so important to me to make this film,” says Deer. “The way the media [covered] that event 30 years ago did not at all jive with the experience I was having of it. The way they would talk about the Mohawk protesters. These were my neighbors, my cousins, my uncles, my aunties, and to call them terrorists and send the army in against them, it didn’t make any sense. So, it was important to me to show the other side of it—the inside out view of it—so that people could see what it was really like… For so long, the policy of the powers that be [in] the government is to squash us, divide and conquer and take. Oka was really that watershed moment where Indigenous people stood up and said ‘no more’. I’m so proud that we did that. I learned so much about our strength and our resiliency from that summer. I learned so much about the importance of voice and to have my voice heard.”

“I learned a lot of negative things [and] devastating, destructive things that almost destroyed me. I was suicidal at 15 because of all of that rage and all of that hatred was just living inside me. That was that sense of innocence. That sense of safety, the ability to dream, all of that was stolen from me that summer. And I don’t want that stolen from any more indigenous children. So, it’s important that we tell the story like it is and Canadians step up to right the wrongs of history and make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself.

Embedded within Beans lies a powerful question about the nature of resistance. Torn between her father’s more aggressive stance and her mother’s insistence on integrity, Beans must wrestle with what it means to stand up against injustice. By showing this tension, Deer wanted to highlight the value of both perspectives but also show the damage that hatred can do to the soul.

“It’s really the tight rope that I have walked my entire life,” she considers. “I would say certainly as an Indigenous filmmaker, I firmly believe that violence is like a disease. Hatred is a disease. When we put it on to others, it then grows in others and then it’s put in and then it continues. I say that because I know that that was my experience. I learned to hate that day when those rocks were thrown at us, when the back window was burst open and my sister got cut with glass. That is the moment that I learned to hate. Unlike Beans, who lashes out quite a bit in the movie, I wanted to show what that hate looks like. But, for me personally, that hate lived inside me and it started tearing me up.”

“We have to have a line that says violence is never the answer. We need to stand up for ourselves and we do need to be strong. As her mother says, you need to be able to stand up for what’s important to you. And I believe, for me, that is the line that there is a way to stand up and not feed the cycle. And I feel you see that in the scene where the women deescalate the violence. There are ways to do that and we have to get much better at doing that. I think we’re a society that turns to violence and turns to retribution and vengeance way too easily.”

Through Beans’ childlike lens, Deer remembers how these events affected her own childhood and reshaped her understanding of the world.

“That’s exactly what my adolescence felt like. It was a really carefree, fun childhood up until that summer,” she remembers. “That summer really, really shattered that when I realized that who I am is not welcome in the wider world. There’s no place for me. When those people threw those rocks at me, they told me I was worthless. They considered me and my family worthless. So, how as a child, how do you process that? How do you understand that? Okay, I am so worthless that they are allowed to throw rocks at me and the cops stand by and let that happen.”

“This film takes place during the backdrop of the Oka crisis, but incidents like this are happening across the country to this day, right?,” she continues. “Our children are being told by our society, by our country that they are not welcome. And we are told every day that it is not safe for us in the wider world. That is really what I wanted to get across, because I think that sense of entitlement and sense of safety is something that the majority of Canadians take for granted. It is a given that with the right motivation and the will, you can pursue your dreams. You have a tonne of examples of people just like you, who were doing every single thing in the world. So, if they can, why can’t you? You can do it. I want people to understand that that’s not the country that they present to us. If your child was Beans, and this is what she was going through, how would you feel about that? I believe we all have the ability to make a difference. We all have our personal sphere of power, so we can all do something about this. I want people to see this devastating journey that Beans goes on and leave the theater wanting to do what they can to prevent it from happening to any other young indigenous child.

Having said this, the obvious question remains whether or not things have changed in Canada since then. Considering the horrors of abuse that have taken place against the Indigenous children continue to lead the headlines, there remains a great deal of work to be done to heal the pain that has been caused. Even so, Deer also says that she believes some progress has been made.

“The film is a historical movie, you know. It took place 30 years ago but, as you said, the themes are all incredibly current,” she contends. “That makes me really sad and it makes me really angry because, on many levels, I don’t think we’ve come very far as a country in the way that the country handles Indigenous issues. I don’t think the country and the leadership are very good at listening to Indigenous people. I think that’s one of the big things that has to happen for change to happen is [that] Canadians need to become much better listeners and not be so quick to judgment or so quick to think that they know what the solution is. I think it’s just about listening and then doing, based on what you’ve heard.”

“Now, on the other hand, the thing is [that] I don’t want to be all just doom and gloom and dire. I do think there has been progress on some levels. I see it right now. I see that there’s an openness in this country to be hearing from us. There’s a willingness to take down those walls. It’s hard to take down those walls because those walls protect you from feeling implicated[and] responsible, but you are. This is your country, and these things are still happening across the country. The coming of age story for our indigenous kids is still incredibly similar to the story that you see in Beans. So, more work needs to be done. I do think that I am encouraged. I am an optimist, and I always look for ways to be helpful. And I am hopeful. I want to believe in this country and believe in Canadians because I need to. I need you all to do the work. It’s not on us to make things better for things that we didn’t because it’s up to Canadians to do that. So, my answer is twofold. We have not come far enough, but things are happening that are giving me hope.”

Beans is now available in theatres.

To see our complete conversation with Tracey Deer on YouTube, click here.

To hear our conversation with Tracey Deer, click here.

Lift Like a Girl: The Power of Lifting Up

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In a world dominated by men, it’s powerful to see young people lift like a girl.

Directed by Mayye Zayed, the new documentary Lift Like a Girl follows a female weightlifting community in Egypt. As one of the nation’s most renown trainers, Captain Ramadan spends his days training young women on the streets of Alexandria. One of his prize students is Zebiba, a 14-year-old girl with the potential to make the Olympic team. Over the course of four years, Zebiba is shaped by her relationship with the Captain as he walks with her through multiple victories and defeats.

There’s a fire within Lift Like a Girl that makes it riveting to watch. As we peer into lives of these young girls, we do not see young people with limitations of gender or social status. We see potential titleholders with an eye on the Olympics.  Without glossing over their flaws, Zayed depicts these youth as untapped potential who are often ignored. Led by Captain Ramadan, these ‘Champions of the Street’ work, lift and fight to win, regardless of the labels placed on them by a culture that may see them as lesser.

By following Zebiba over her four years of training, we not only see a young girl grow and mature. We also witness the positive effects of the Captain’s role in her life. As a result, although Zebiba may be the film’s primary subject, much of its soul belongs to Captain Ramadan. Having coached the nation’s most famous weightlifters, the Captain is relentless in his pursuit of success. Each day, he challenges his students to do better and focus on their goal. While the way he speaks to the youth isn’t always positive (especially after a loss), he always remains determined to see them succeed. To many of these girls, the Captain has become their father figure. He offers love, challenges them to do better and sees them as more than the culture.

But this is where Captain Ramadan becomes even more important.

In a male-dominant culture, the Captain also has exceptional views regarding gender equality. For the Captain, gender is no restriction from greatness. Fighting for his girls with a progressive voice, he refuses to let them view themselves as any less than their male counterparts. What’s more, he even argues with passersby who verbally cut down his students simply because of they are girls. Whereas many view gender or social status as a barrier, all that matters to the Captain is whether or not his students can achieve greatness and he empowers them to do so. 

In this way, there’s a beauty within Lift that beats with a heart of justice. For the Captain, the only barrier to winning comes from our own perceptions and he passes that wisdom on to his students, no matter who they are or where they come from. With an eye focused on their training, Zayed highlights the emotional journey that these young women take as they fight through various wins and losses. However, at the same time, it also highlights the fact that lifting someone up is ultimately even more powerful than lifting the weights themselves.

Lift Like a Girl is available in select theatres across Canada now and will be available on VOD as part of the Impact Series on July 20th, 2021.

The Father: The Pain of Slipping Away

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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. Adapted from Zeller’s own 2012 play of the same name, the film feels as claustrophobic as a theatrical stage itself. Told almost entirely within one location, Zeller makes good use of his space, adjusting set designs and lighting based on Anthony’s mental awareness. By rotating cast members and characters, Zeller blurs the lines of reality and creates a cloud of confusion around Anthony that points to the anxiety that he’s experiencing himself.

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. Wildly fluctuating between childhood innocence, flirtatious humour and impulsive fury, Hopkins showcases the pain that he brings to those around him yet he never loses the soul of his character in the midst of his struggles.

In The Father, Anthony is a man who is constantly loved yet causes chaos within the home. Painfully watching as her father slowly slips away, Anne is willing to do whatever it takes to support him. However, despite her best efforts, the increasing speed of his dementia slowly eats away at her. Though she defends his behaviour as simply ‘his way’, every moment that he forgets her name or viciously lashes out drives a wedge into their relationship. She badly wants to continue to show him grace yet, as the situation denigrates, her soul begins to shred apart. As such, she becomes conflicted between caring for the man she has loved her entire life and the inner destruction he is causing within her life.

However, 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. Told almost entirely from Anthony’s point of view, the film’s rhythm can be jarring at times yet that is absolutely intentional. Like the watch that he can never seem to locate, Anthony is quickly losing all sense of time (and may even feel as though it’s being stolen from him). For him, multiple points of his life appear to be converging at once in a way that never truly allows him to settle into one particular moment. As Anthony’s connection to the world ebs and flows with his mental state, we too are meant to feel his sense of loss and confusion. In doing so, though he never excuses Anthony’s behaviour, the film gives the viewer a unique perspective of his experience so that they too might sympathize with him in the midst of his pain and fear. 

Honest and heartbreaking, The Father is an incredible example of what love looks like on the ground in the midst of struggle. Make no mistake. For anyone who has witnessed the onset of dementia first hand, the film is a harrowing journey to take. Even so, 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 will be released in theatres and on demand on Friday, March 26th, 2021.

Shadow in the Cloud: In-Flight Entertainment

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It fairly safe to say that 2020 has been… memorable.

From the pandemic to marches for social justice, the year that was has provided enough drama to last a lifetime. As such, there’s no question that it deserved an appropriate cinematic send-off.  As the 1st film of 2021, it’s possible that Shadow in the Cloud may have managed to be that film.

But in this case, that’s not a bad thing.

Directed and co-written by Roseanne Liang, Shadow in the Cloud tells the story of Flight Officer Maude Garrett (Chloe Grace Moretz), a female pilot in WWII tasked with travelling with top-secret documents on a B-17 Flying Fortress. Though ordered to make the trip by a superior officer, Garrett’s presence is seen as unwelcome by the male crew and she is left to endure the flight in the lower bowels of the plane. Angered by their sexist behaviour but committed to her mission, Garrett accepts her position and takes her seat. However, when she notices a mythological evil on the outside of the plane, Garrett must attempt to convince her male counterparts of the ensuing danger before it’s too late.

A feminist echo of the classic Twilight Zone episode, ‘Nightmare at 20,000 ft’, Shadow in the Cloud is a wild mish-mash of styles that may be disjointed and over-the-top but still manages to entertain. Though the film starts out slowly, Liang’s story of a young military woman trying to protect her top-secret package is an absolute blast by the end, celebrating womanhood and feminine strength with enthusiasm. As Garrett, star Moretz has much of the film placed upon her shoulders yet offers the right amount of courage and power to bring the character to life.

So, why the comparison to 2020? There are actually a couple of reasons. 

To start, Shadow takes its conversations surrounding social justice seriously. While the film is far from subtle, the message of female empowerment and equality lands effectively as Garrett steps up against the men who seek to hold her down. Left in the bottom turret of the gunship, Garrett is positioned below the male officers both literally and figuratively. Struggling to survive in a world of (extremely) toxic masculinity, Garrett sits patiently the belly of the plane and waits for her agonizing experience to be over. However, as things begin to spin out of control, there’s a feminine fire in her eyes that’s unleashed as she fights her way through the aircraft’s quickly disappearing fuselage in order to keep her mysterious package safe. In this way, like 2020 itself, Shadow wears its heart for justice on its sleeve by highlighting the lack of respect that women experience in the midst of a male-dominated society. 

Further, just like the year that was, what starts out as relatively non-descript, quickly devolves into utter mayhem. Half monster madness, half 40s fighter film, Shadow is a wild ride that embraces its crazy circumstances with absolute glee. In the midst of its serious social commentary, this is a film that leans into the pulp and bizarre so much that you can’t help but enjoy yourself along the way. Echoing films like Tremors or Snakes on a Plane, Shadow often relishes its absurdity as much as it invites you to join them for the ride. In fact, the more the film leans into the insanity, the more entertaining it becomes. (For example, without giving away any spoilers, it could possibly be the first film that you’ll witness a person explodes into a plane…) After a year that featured alien videos, murder hornets (remember those?) and more, Shadow’s joyful penchant for creature carnage fits very nicely into 2020’s own utter lunacy.

Admittedly, if taken too seriously, Shadow in the Cloud has glaring flaws that could kill the viewer’s satisfaction of its exploits. However, the film embraces its reckless abandon with such enthusiasm that it’s hard not to strap in yourself and enjoy the flight. Fun and fervent, there’s little question that Shadow in the Cloud is far from a perfect film.

But it may just be the perfect film to close out 2020.

Shadow in the Cloud is available on VOD on January 1st, 2021.

7.06 Carrying Home with You in NOMADLAND

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With her latest film, Nomadland, director Chloe Zhao tells the story of Fern (Francis McDormand), a woman in her 60s who loses everything in the Great Recession and embarks on a journey through the American West as a modern-day nomad. This week, we welcome back TO Film Files’ Jolie Featherstone and ScreenFish’r Julie Levac to talk about the nature of freedom of a Nomadic culture and the difference between being homeless and ‘houseless’.

ou can stream the episode on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

7.06 NomadlandDownload

TIFF20: Black Bodies

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Directed by Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, Black Bodies is a short film on what it currently means to be black in America. Told through spoken word, the viewer experiences the major issues affecting the black community as a result of centuries of systemic discrimination, including police brutality and the disadvantages they have solely based on the colour of their skin. As a result, Black Bodies is a powerful film with a strong message that could not have been timed better.

Set in what appears to be a small prison complex, surrounded by murdered black bodies, the film immerses the viewer in the uncomfortable feeling of what it’s like to be Black. The spoken words describe the centuries of oppression brought on by their ancestors’ slavery at the hands of their white slave owners. Despite being “freed” not too long ago, it is no secret that black people still feel powerless and are still oppressed due to racist governing powers like the police. The film ends on a strong message, as the poet gets shot and a black woman is left powerless to help.

These intense visuals show not only the lack of power black people feel that they have, as but also how accustomed to pervasive racism and police brutality the community has become. Living in a society embedded with systemic racism, some members of the black community have accepted their place as a lower-class citizen and simply accepted they will be treated, not only less important than white people, but even human garbage due to the color of their skin. Black Bodies also shows the absurd amount of power police officers have in America, with a ‘license to kill, with no repercussions’.

Personally, I enjoyed Black Bodies greatly as it definitely felt much needed at this time. Over the course of this summer, we have seen many riots for police brutality on Black Americans. Highlighting the fear and how unsafe it is to be black in America, the film sums up some of this year’s major events, including Breonna Taylor’s murder in her sleep and Eric Garner’s famous last words, ‘I can’t breathe’. The film’s last scene also brings up how the “Black Lives Matter” movement current feels within the general public. Much like the woman who leaves the poet after mourning, Black Lives Matter feels like it’s lost momentum. After not being able to defund the police, they have accepted the racial system in place and unfortunately lost hope, even from its own communities.

Overall, Black Bodies is able to express the incredible struggle of how it feels to be Black in America. Highlighting the history of systemic racism on the Black community and how it’s still affecting black Americans to this day, Bodies is an effective piece that offers perspective to anyone who doesn’t understand the current Black Lives Matter movement and why it is so necessary.

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.

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.