Podcast - Walker Percy's The Moviegoer

I recently had the pleasure of joining one of my favourite shows, the Catholic Culture Podcast, to discuss Walker Percy’s novel The Moviegoer. We discussed the protagonist’s search for meaning and some aspects of cinephilia which the book touches upon.

This was my first reading of a Percy novel and I was quietly touched by the intensity and compassion of its strange conclusion (which I won’t spoil). I was also struck by how Percy’s depiction of a kind of casual Americanized cinephilia (‘moviegoing’) had certain parallels with the more well-known, highly intentional French cinephilia which was well underway overseas and (by 1961, the date of the book’s publication) about to break into American culture.

Check out the podcast on Youtube, Apple, or wherever else you do such things. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Online Screening: 'Son In The Barbershop' at Cinema Spectacular

My 2015 short film Son In The Barbershop will be screening this Sun. April 18 as part of “Choice Cuts,” an online retrospective event by Cinema Spectacular. CineSpec was the first festival that SITB ever screened at back in April 2015, where it picked up the Audience Award. We’re screening with some terrific fellow Audience Award-winners from the last six years and participating in a live Q+A after the screening.

I’m very excited to be returning with a new 4K remaster of the film, recently completed by SITB’s director of photography and colourist, Devan Scott.

I also answered a few questions from CineSpec about the film’s journey; you can check out the interview here.

The event begins at 5pm PDT on April 18. Check out all the details on CineSpec’s site and RSVP on Facebook.

Podcast - Andrei Rublev (1966)

Once again, I had the pleasure of joining the hosts of Criteria: The Catholic Film Podcast to discuss a film from the Vatican’s 1995 list of outstanding films. This time, it happened to be Andrei Rublev (1966), my favourite film of all time (it’s in a perpetual neck and neck with The Tree of Life).

Our discussion includes:

• The most surprising difference between the 205 minute original cut and the 183 minute censored cut - I watched both versions in close succession for this recording and was astonished at what I found.

• The importance of giving yourself space to prepare for a first viewing of Andrei Rublev

• Andrei Tarkovsky’s profound respect for his audience and their ability to handle poetic cinema

• Whether the film’s modern theological outlook is of the film itself or simply a character trait

• Was the film’s use of nudity and mistreatment of animals justified?

This was a joy to discuss. We go long and meander a fair amount, but, speaking for myself, it’s hard to condense a film that has shaped my life as powerfully and consistently as this one has. I’ve seen the film about six times now, twice in its restored, censored 183 minute version and four times in its 205 minute original version. I hope you enjoy it, but even more so, I hope you make time to visit (or revisit) Andrei Rublev in the near future.

Check it out on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever your podcasts find you.

Cantus Firmus: The Music of Mark Emerson Donnelly

It’s my pleasure to finally share a project I’ve been working on for over a year: Cantus Firmus: The Music of Mark Emerson Donnelly.

Cantus Firmus is a short documentary (13 min) about Vancouver composer and musician Mark Emerson Donnelly. Set against the backdrop of an album recording in early 2020, it’s a glimpse into Mark’s lifelong journey as a musician, choir director, and composer of sacred music.

Over the last few of years, I’ve found myself falling into projects that bring me into contact with Catholic artists making sacred art, especially painting and music. I’ve never been especially interested in documentary filmmaking in my own practice - narrative cinema is where my heart is - but my background as a filmmaker for distance education programs has afforded me opportunities to grow those documentarian muscles, as well as cultivate my natural curiosity. From this basis I’ve come to develop a real fascination with artists and their processes. My desire in films like this is to give equal voice to the artistic work itself (in this case, polyphonic music) and the artist’s interpretation of their journey.

Even though we share the same faith community (and I’d been hearing his music for years in the context of the Mass), I didn’t really know Mark until he approached me in December 2019 to collaborate on a series of music videos with his choral ensemble, Offertorium. It’s been a true joy to get to know him and his family over the last year.

We shot all of the material in early February 2020, a few weeks before the pandemic and its effects arrived in British Columbia. Needless to say, it’s been a surreal experience to return to this footage over and over during the last nine months - an empty church was such a novelty on February 1! At the same time, both this project and Mark’s music have been a consolation to me during these long months of uncertainty and disruption.

I hope you enjoy the film. If its musical excerpts whet your appetite, be sure to check out the full music videos we released last year. Finally, a big thanks to all those who made this project possible - we couldn’t have done it without you.

Watch Cantus Firmus below or on YouTube.

Streaming: ‘It's Him’ by Sophy Romvari

Sophy Romvari's short film IT’S HIM (2017) is streaming today at The Future of Film Is Female online festival.

I had the pleasure of producing the film during the summer of 2016. I’ll never forget Sophy pitching it to me with the caveat “and we have four weeks to make it before I move to Toronto,” and off we went.

It’s a tender, tentative, heartbreaking work and to this day one of my favourite collaborative experiences. Thanks again to Sophy and our generous and amazing team.

Featuring Margot Berner, Theo Weirsma, Robyn Bradley, Stella Newton, and Chance Calvert.
Directed by Sophy Romvari
Cinematography by Devan Scott
Editing and sound design by Will Ross
Production design by Nataliya Fedulova
Makeup by Sam Cleland

Watch here.

La Cartographe now available on CBC Gem

It’s my tremendous pleasure to announce that La Cartographe is now available for viewing in Canada on CBC Gem. The film is playing as part of the Future of Film Showcase among a selection of Canadian short films by emerging filmmakers. Check it out here.

Once again, I want to extend my gratitude to my cast and crew. I’m so excited that our team’s hard work is now available on a national platform. I also want to thank La Distributrice de Films for the constant shepherding, support, and encouragement throughout the process of bringing this film to a wider audience. Finally, a huge thank you to the Future of Film Showcase team and to CBC for inviting the film.

Happy mapping!

La Cartographe - New Poster

I’m very, VERY excited to share the new poster for La Cartographe by Meaghan Iversen.

Ever since the film was completed in 2018, I’ve wanted something that represents it in a more tentative and warm way. Working with Meg over the last few months to arrive at this result has been a tremendous pleasure.

Meaghan is a Vancouver-based illustrator and art instructor. Check out more of her work at her website.

More exciting news about La Cartographe coming next week. Stay tuned!

Podcast - Dekalog: Three (1989)

I recently had the pleasure of returning to Criteria: The Catholic Film Podcast for another conversation (now with video!), this time discussing the third episode of Krzysztof Kieślowski’s DEKALOG, which loosely meditates on the Third Commandment: “Thou shalt keep the Sabbath holy.”

I’m grateful to hosts Thomas Mirus and James T. Majewski for having me back! Check it out on Youtube , Apple Podcasts, or where ever you get your podcast on.