THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE (Directed by Lone Scherfig) *****

In 1939, Poland –  the safe zoo and home for Antonina Zabinski and her husband, Dr. Jan Zabinski – suddenly turns into a nightmare. Their Warsaw Zoo has flourished under Jan's stewardship and Antonina's incredible love and care. When their country is invaded by the Nazis, Jan and Antonina are forced to report to the Reich's newly appointed chief of the zoo, Lutz Heck. He is a snake in the grass, and not the kind the couple wishes to have at their zoo that has now been turned into a pig farm where they can hide Jews in a clandestine plot: the committed couple covertly begin working with the Resistance and put into action plans to save the lives of hundreds from what has become the Warsaw Ghetto. This true story shows the fearlessness of the couple, the  Nazi horror, and how they were able to get Jews out of the jaws of these monsters.  In the end, they hid over 300 Jews, mainly children, and saw to their escape. 

An amazing film that once again shows the power of goodness over evil. The brilliant acting of Jessica Chastain is undeniable.

 

BROKEN (Directed by Lynne Spencer) *****

Simone Orlando, a magnificent principal dancer with ballet BC is about to discover

what it's like to give up everything she does and loves because of a dance injury during rehearsal. In denial about her pain and worsening state, she continues to dance, and her final bow is taken in her role as Blanche in “Streetcar Named Desire”. The film travels with her as she undergoes physic, two surgeries and unendurable mental stress as she comes to terms with the fact that her point shoes will forever be relegated to the closet. This film presents a professor from Oxford University who studies trauma in performers and what they experiences as the fall from grace. What we discover in this film is how cold and unsupportive Simone’s ballet troupe members are during her ordeal. No one visits her at the operation, and Ballet BC tries to hide the fact that their lead dancer has been injured. She never receives a formal adieu from the company. She eventually ends up as CEO and Artistic Director of Ballet Kelowna. Her hip replacement rids her of pain, but her left leg is longer than the other. She limps but still continues to choreograph. Finally she is able to resume a normal life of daily activities, but performance dancing is done. Dancers unfortunately are so wrapped up in masking pain and being the best that their self-absorption can be their very down-fall. Support is a two-way street.  She is sad and angry that no one seems to be in sync with her emotions, but then again, she never shared her pain with anyone. (Screened at FIFA)

BRAILLE MUSIC (Directed by Michael House) *****

An intensely fascinating look into the development of Braille as six blind musicians bring to life the poem “Hope” written by Emily Dickinson. The director travels to Paris and England to uncover the various schools that invented systems of reading for the blind. Valentin Haüy was the founder, in 1784, of the first school for the blind, the Royal Institution for the Young Blind in Paris.  In 1819, Louis Braille attended the prestigious institute. 

Now Braille has the name of the school there.

We meet all the artists and witness them talk about the effects of being a blind musician, and how the technological advances of Braille allow for inter-global sharing of music via the Internet and Braille music.  The immense legacy of Braille culminates in a work written by the clarinettist in the group in honour of the master. They learn the piece and record it the same day. This film is in 4 “bars” explores the development of teaching music to the blind, (House travels to discover how this started and where it ended up); meeting blind piano tuners, meeting the musicians, and following the challenges each has to bring “Hope” to its musical recording. An excellent documentary that all should see, and hopefully it will be transposed into Braille so that the blind can actually hear and “watch” this film too. (Screened at FIFA).

BUSTER KEATON, UN GÉNIE BRISÉ PAR HOLLYWOOD (Directed by Jean-Baptiste Péretié) *****

What a genius! His fluid movements, acrobatic antics incorporating trains, cars, falls out of windows and so much more mark Keaton as a perennial mime treasure. But when he abandoned his own production company that had unparalleled success to go to the giant Hollywood machine of Louis B. Mayer, he falls on hard times. He eventually is fired from Mayer’s company and becomes an alcoholic.  If only he had not caved over to the wrong side, who knows how long his creative genius would have impacted on us. A great film with oodles of clips from his films, including home movies. (Screened at FIFA)

UNE MAISON, UN ARTISTE – VICTOR HUGO, UNE ÎLE POUR EXIL (Directed by François Chayé) **

A great writer – Victor Hugo, but most don’t know that in May 1856, he fled Paris in search of peace and freedom. In Guernsey, he bought a stunning house and renovated it. The décor was full of antiques; walls were laden with tapestries and paintings and sculptures were in every nook. Dark and full of oak, the house became his inspirational spot for writing. He looked out at the seaside town and eventually responded to the poverty other than through his writing. He took in children and started a school. Hugo was a fascinating genius; his legacy lives on through his writing and this museum house. The film did not explain how he amassed his fortune, where he got these antiques, nor anything much about his writings. (Screened at FIFA).

LE VIOLONISTE DEBOUT (Directed by Sabastien Ventura)

The brilliant Montreal violinist, Alexandre Da Costa return to Vienna to play with the string section of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. He is a super talent who has performed all over Europe. At the age of 35, we learn about his dedication to his 1727 Stradivarius violin. We hear him talk about his reinterpretations of works by the masters and watch how he bonds musically with the string section. His ambition and clarity of where he wants to go with his own career is most impressive. (Screened at FIFA) 

CUT TO BLISS (Directed by Moree Wu) ***

Geometric  circles and sharply lined triangles frame fashion figures in an abstract manner. High colour accents the collage aspect of this 2-minute animated film.  A graduate thesis creation from the filmmaker. (Screened at FIFA)