Film Night International

Several Film Circuit groups have moved to screening their series and festivals online this year. If you are missing some excellent programming, here is a virtual festival to check out from Hudson, Quebec.

Legendary actor Christopher Plummer has passed away. The award-winning actor was best known for his roles in 'The Sound of Music,' 'Beginners,' and 'Knives Out.' Rest in Peace.

Some streaming ideas

Here is a useful, time saving website: https://www.justwatch.com/ca To find out whether or where a film or TV series is available to watch online in Canada, enter the title of the film or series in the search bar and the names of streaming sites providing that title will be listed. Gives lots of other info about your selection as well. Much easier than searching each site separately.

This Friday, December 4 CBC and CBC Gem will be screening FUNNY BOY the new Canadian film by Deepa Mehta which has been submitted as Canada’s entry for Best International Feature Film at next winter’s Oscars. It will then be distributed internationally on Netflix. This is a coming-of-age story about a young boy who, despite coming from a wealthy Colombo family, is doubly oppressed in Sri Lanka for being gay and Tamil.

Fans of MAUDIE should check these out!

Looking forward to seeing this one!

Full Circle Theatre is presenting their own movie version of their musical PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE. They have adapted a movie into a stage musical, then back into a movie. There are three more screenings: tonight, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:00 p.m.

A Canadian petition is now making the rounds: help save theatres in Canada! "This isn’t the plot of a horror movie. The COVID-19 pandemic has put movie theaters... across Canada in real-life danger of closing forever." Link: http://saveyourcinema.ca

While watching the unfolding of the tragedy in Beirut, I have been remembering some of the excellent films from Lebanon that we have screened over the years. All are available at your library. Capernaum, although it is not one we were able to fit into our schedule, is also available at the library.

One of the films on our shortlist for the fall 2020 series (now cancelled) was ARAB BLUES, a comedy about a psychoanalyst who deals with a cast of colourful new patients after returning home to Tunisia to open a practice.This France/Tunisia co-production is now streaming on Kanopy but not available for libraries to purchase yet..

Today TIFF is launching dTBLB! (Digital TIFF Bell Lightbox), another way to show your support for this not-for-profit cultural organization as their building remains closed. It will continue to feature films, talks, and interviews until August 14. The digital platform will then be prepared for Festival films and experiences. In mid-October, year-round presentations of films and events will resume with the addition of new digital platform features. For more information on the platform, available films, account creation and rental fees, follow this link: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/ While we had to miss our spring films due to COVID, we hope dTBLB provides an opportunity for you to experience the power of film through this new online platform.