Image courtesy of TIFF Dog Day Afternoon was my introduction to Attica. Al Pacino shouting "Attica, Attica!" in that memorable scene, referring to a riot I knew nothing about in my younger years. In the new Showtime documentary Attica, director Stanley Nelson speaks to former prisoners who survived the rebellion that September 1971, those who... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2021: Scarborough
Image Courtesy of TIFF A neighbourhood in Toronto is the center of the universe for three young kids in Scarborough. Bing (Liam Diaz), Sylvie (Essence Fox), and Laura (Anna Claire Beitel) are three kids growing up in a low-income neighbourhood in Scarborough, an east-end area in Toronto. Their situations are all different: Bing, a Filipino... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2021: The Gravedigger’s Wife
Image courtesy of TIFF The Gravedigger's Wife is an uplifting family drama that's sure to win over any audience. Guled (Omar Abdi) is a gravedigger devoted to his wife, Nasra (Yasmin Warsame). She suffers from a kidney infection that gets progressively worse, and Guled is desperate to make money for her treatment. They have a... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2021: Quickening
Image courtesy of TIFF Quickening covers a unique experience within a range of Canadian films documenting children of immigrants growing up in two worlds, and Haya Waseem’s feature debut firmly places itself in this realm. Sheila (Arooj Azeem), the eldest of three children, is a performing arts major at university. Her protective mother, Aliya (Bushra... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2021: Mlungu Wam (Good Madam)
In Mlungu Wam (Good Madam), archaic ideals take on a nightmarish role for a woman and her family. Tsidi (Chumisa Cosa) is estranged from her extended family after her grandmother dies. She leaves the family home to stay with her mother, Mavis (Nosipho Mtebe), a maid for an ailing, rich white woman named Diane (Jennifer... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2021: Night Raiders
Image courtesy of TIFF A prophecy holds the key to the future in Night Raiders. After a civil war in the not-so-distant future, minors are taken from their families to "The Academy," a state-run facility brainwashing young minds to serve "one country, one language, one flag." Nika (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers) and her daughter Waseese (Brooklyn Letexier-Hart... Continue Reading →
In Plain Sight: Candyman
The day has finally come. Gone are the moments of scrutinizing every second of the Candyman trailer, with the brilliant and unexpected use of shadow puppetry, the gorgeous face of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and the quick shots of that infamous hook. This week, we can finally see the greatly speculated, hotly anticipated reimagining of Candyman... Continue Reading →
In Plain Sight: Blood Conscious
Trust, family and race lie at the heart of Blood Conscious. Kevin (Oghenero Gbaje), his big sister Brittney (DeShawn White), and her fiancé Tony (Lenny Thomas) are heading to a vacation cabin to join their parents. When they arrive, they find the dead bodies of their parents and surrounding neighbours littering the nearby dock. Trying... Continue Reading →
Dachra
For a debut feature, Abdelhamid Bouchnak presents Dachra, a stylish addition to the folk horror cannon. Yasmine (Yasmine Dimassi), Belil (Belil Slatinia) and Walid (Aziz Jbali) are journalism students with a project due. Their professor wants a fresh and exclusive story, nothing run of the mill, and they have 15 days to complete it.... Continue Reading →

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