The Whispering Star marks an intriguing departure from filmmaker Sion Sono’s usual themes of hopelessness and hysteria. Languid, dramatically minimalist, and shot in crisp black and white, the film lacks Sono’s characteristic frenzied emotional pitch. Though its scanty narrative and creeping pace hindered my engagement with the film, The Whispering Star is a well-crafted addition to Sono’s […]
Film Festivals
TIFF15: Leanne Pooley discusses her animated war doc 25 April
Leanne Pooley’s boundary-pushing animated documentary 25 April follows six New Zealanders’ experiences during the World War I Battle of Gallipoli in 1915. The battle was an important part of New Zealand history because of how poorly the British treated their colonial forces: underquipped, under-supported troops were deployed in Turkey for what ended up being a pointless […]
Gillian Armstrong talks Women He’s Undressed
Director Gillian Armstrong discusses Australian costume designer Orry-Kelly and her gorgeous documentary about his life and craft — with a side of Cary Grant and Bette Davis.
Australian writer-director Sue Brooks talks Looking for Grace
Looking for Grace director Sue Brooks sat down at TIFF15 to discuss how she approached aesthetic, what inspired her to make the film, and the lack of funding for female-helmed films.
TIFF15: Johnnie To’s Office combines corporate intrigue with musical theatre
Johnnie To borrows from the conventions of theatre, especially in his set design, to craft a satirical corporate musical.
TIFF15 shorts showcase emerging female directors
According to the Data Visualization firm Silk, only 27% of the films screening at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival — 69 of the 400+ films — were directed by women. The numbers get worse if you exclude short films entirely. Worse, only 9% of the films in TIFF’s Discovery section, a program dedicated to […]