My Courses

One of my earliest memories of watching something on-screen was seeing reruns of the Canadian children’s television series “The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon” on television throughout the day. In it, Graham Greene plays Mr. Crabby Tree, a wisecracking tree who, while frequently in a bad mood, eventually comes around to the incessant questions of…

Since 2015, with 2020 skipped on account of COVID, I’ve been honored to participate in the Biennale College panel. Every year, after going through over a thousand proposals, the College awards 250,000 Euros to, in this year’s case, four filmmakers. Or eight, rather—directors and their producing partners. After workshopping in Venice for a spell, they…

There’s something about Norman Jewison’s 1985 film “Agnes of God,” which just turned 40, that sinks deep into my bones. It brings on a feeling like being stunned. It happens again and again throughout the film, every time I watch, every time Meg Tilly is on screen as the titular Agnes. In one scene, she…

Consider this a preview for not just the films you’re going to see in months to come, but reviews you’re going to read on this site over the next ten days. All 20 of these films have been assigned to our TIFF team, including Marya E. Gates, Zachary Lee, Jason Bailey, Monica Castillo, and yours…

Joe Hunting’s documentary “The Reality Of Hope” is the kind of inspiring story of friendship and the goodness in people that I think many of us need right now. A few months ago, the film “The Life of Chuck” gave some moviegoers a reason to go to the theater and feel good about life again.…