2014 Winter Season
Due to a late start in planning for this season, the only dates available for a festival conflict with the Olympics and February long-weekend. So, instead of having a film festival this winter we will be adding 3 screening dates to our winter line-up, and using some Canadian films as a ‘theme’ for several winter/spring season screenings.
Our fall line-up had a focus on writing, featuring a Shakespeare theme and closing with a Woody Allen film, Blue Jasmine. For our winter season, we will focus on how characters react when placed in different situations.
Enough Said
January 8th, 2014
Dir. Nicole Holofcener | 93 mins | 2013 | United States | English
To open the winter season, we feature the late James Gandolfini and the return of Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Enough Said. Two lonely characters in similar life situations form a connection and discover some chemistry which comes through in their warm and honest performances.
All is Lost
January 23rd, 2014
Dir. J.C. Chandor | 106 mins | 2013 | Canada, USA | English
For our 2nd film of the winter season, we feature the amazing talent of Robert Redford, still an amazing acting force in his late 70′s. This situation of a man in trouble at sea is a timeless theme, and the performance is rich and entertaining on many levels.
Inside Llewyn Davis
February 5th, 2014
Dir. Joel Coen & Ethan Coen | 105 mins | 2013 | USA, France, United Kingdom | English
For the 3rd film of the winter season, we again feature a complex and layered film by the amazing Cohen brothers. This character expresses himself through music, always a strong element of the Cohen’s films. T-bone burnett again supplies the soundtrack to a dark and reminiscent film about the underlying sadness and beauty of the Grenich village pre-Dylan folk music scene.
The Crash Reel
February 12th, 2014
Dir. Lucy Walker | 147 mins | 2013 | USA | English
The Olympics is a world-wide phenomenon that is difficult to compete against. So, as the saying goes – if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! Director Lucy Walker was nominated for an Academy Award for her last documentary – Waste Land – about artistic creativity.
Here is a brief description:
‘An uplifting feature documentary highlighting the transformative power of art and the beauty of the human spirit.’
This year, Lucy Walker brings us something completely different, in a documentary where Lucy turns her attention to the world of extreme sports with this deeply moving portrait of champion snowboarder Kevin Pearce as he struggles to get back on the slopes following a near-fatal accident.
This documentary on a very differnt topic than her previous work is again short-listed for an Academy Award, and features the amazing true-life story of the passions and dangers, the ups and downs of life as an Olympic athlete.
Dallas Buyers Club
March 5th, 2014
Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée | 117 mins | 2013 | USA | English
Canadian Director Jean-Marc Vallée, who brought us Crazy, and Cafe de Flore creates another gem with Matthew McConauhey and Jared Leto, who both won Golden Globes for this film for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. They are both also nominated for Academy Awards for their roles, as well as the film itself is nominated for Best Picture.
In 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is himself diagnosed with the disease. The movie asks some controversial questions, but the main one is one of survival, as the tag-line suggests: Dare to Live. As such, it is a perfect fit to end our Winter theme.
2014 Spring Season
This spring is dominated by a Canadian and International film ‘theme’, which began with our last film of the Winter Season – Dallas Buyers Club and will continue for 2 of our Spring Season screenings – specifically April 9th and April 16th are Canadian feature films. The remainder of the films are international films that have received wide-spread acclaim. This allows us to bring you some variety within our Canadian film focus for this spring.
The Lunchbox
March 26th, 2014
Dir. Pedro Almodóvar | 128 mins | 2009 | Spain | Spanish, English
The long-awaited premiere of The Lunchbox has finally arrived! Two lonely characters in similar life situations begin to form a connection through nearly impossible odds, but can the connection be maintained?
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Cas & Dylan
April 9th, 2014
Dir. Jason Priestley | 90 mins | 2013 | Canada | English
To continue our ‘Canadian film’ theme started with director Jean-Marc Vallee’s Dallas Buyer’s Club we feature some of the beautiful scenery of Canada in Cas & Dylan a road film with a difference, starring Tatiana Maslany and Richard Dreyfouss in the directorial debut of Jason Priestly.
The Auction (The Dismantling)
April 16th, 2014
Dir. Sébastien Pilote | 111 mins | 2013 | Canada | French
Gaby raises lambs on his farm, the Gagnon & Sons farm. Except that he doesn’t have a son. He has two daughters he has raised like princesses and who live far away, in the big city. One day, his older daughter asks him for a loan to save her from losing her home. The Dismantling (French: Le Démantèlement), also released in the United States under the title The Auction.
Gloria
April 30th, 2014
Dir. Sebastián Lelio | 110 mins | 2013 | Chile, Spain | Spanish
An aging divorcee (Paulina García) embarks on an intense affair with a man (Sergio Hernández) she picked up at a disco.
Like Father, Like Son
May 14th, 2014
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu | 120 mins | 2013 | Japan | Japanese
We finish our season with this thoughtful and provocative Japanese film – Like Father Like Son – about the debate between nature and nurture, and the nature of fatherhood.
Watermark
June 6th, 2014
Dir. Jennifer Baichwal & Edward Burtynsky | 90 mins | 2013 | Canada | English, Spanish, Hindi, Bengali, Mandarin
A documentary on how water shapes humanity.
2014 Fall Season
Algonquin
September 25th, 2014
Dir. Jonathan Hayes | 101 mins | 2013 | Canada | English
When Jake goes to his late father’s cabin in Algonquin Park to finish his father’s adventure travel book, he discovers more material than he expected.
Chef
October 1st, 2014
Dir. Jon Favreau | 114 mins | 2013 | USA | English
Our 2nd Adventure on film of the Fall – CHEF – features Jon Favreau as the Writer, Director and Lead Actor of the film. An all-star cast is assembled for a fun and down to earth adventure about a unique combination of food, family and the search for happiness.
Tracks
October 15th, 2014
Dir. John Curran | 113 mins | 2013 | Australia | English
The film features the incomparable Mia Wasikowska in the lead role in a film based on a true story. A young woman goes on a 1,700 mile trek across the western Australian desert with 4 camels and her faithful dog.
Boyhood
October 30th, 2014
Dir. Richard Linklater | 165 mins | 2013 | USA | English
Our 4th Adventure on film of the Fall – BOYHOOD- is one of the best reviewed films of the year. This moving epic took 12 years to film! It is written and directed by Richard Linklater, creator of the `Before` series as well as many other generation-defining films.
Magic in the Moonlight
November 5th, 2014
Dir. Woody Allen | 98 mins | 2014 | USA, France | English
A romantic comedy about an Englishman brought in to help unmask a possible swindle. Personal and professional complications ensue.
Trick or Treaty?
December 3rd, 2014
Dir. Alanis Obomsawin | 120 mins | 2014 | Canada | English, Cree
Following recent evens such as Neil Young’s ‘Honour the Treaties’ tour last year, followed by David Suzuki’s ‘Blue Dot’ tour this year, and some recent land-mark legal decisions this film is a must-see! It explains a lot of the background and implications of the treaties, as well as other important native issues and considerations. Director Alanis Obomsawin has been a well regarded Canadian artist and documentary film-maker for over 20 years. She will be in attendance for the screening and a Q&A session following the film. We have partnered with the Aboriginal Initiatives department of Nipissing University, and the Near North Media lab to help bring this important film to North Bay.