Canadian filmmaker Sudz Sutherland and his wife Jennifer Holness
- Congolese Native Rachel Mwanza
The award-winning documentary “A Small Act” tells the story of Kenyan Chris Mburu, a UN Human Rights lawyer who founded the Hilde Back Education Fund scholarship program in honor of the Swedish stranger who helped him many years ago. Mr. Mburu attended the screenings at the Isabel Bader Theatre.
“Burn It Up Djassa” (Cote d’Ivoire). Produced by Phillipe Lacote, the film depicts three siblings who get caught up in the street life. The film was shot in 11 days in the Wassakara district of Abidjan after facing and overcoming many challenges. Lacote, who formed Wassakara Production in 2005 said, “This film is part of our life in Ivory Coast. “We wanted to put cinema in the street”. His company came together after an uprising in the country to tell true and fictionalized stories of what was happening. Cinematographer Delphine Jacquet brought her own camera and gear to film in the district – one of the city’s poorest before they finally secured approximately $15,000 to produce the film in Paris where she and Lacote do some of their work. Cote d’Ivoire has virtually no film industry, there was no funding in the beginning and there are very few movie theatres. The country has been involved in political violence for much of the last 10 years and Lacote saw the tragedy in his home country as an opportunity to make a difference. “Burn It Up Djassa” stars local actors including Abdul Karim Konate who said he learned how to act by watching films on TV and from being involved in theatre at school. He and other cast members supplied original music and songs for the film. After facing so many challenges in making this movie, it is amazing that the debut at TIFF was even possible. “Burn It Up Djassa”, thanks to TIFF exposure, is receiving a warm welcome in North America and Lacote feels that the exposure gives his team credibility that will provide the opportunity to show their film at other festivals including the upcoming one in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Although there is no set plan on how to market the film in Ivory Coast, Lacote is working on it. He says it is important to show the movie “back home” in the hopes the youth (75% of the 1.5 million people in Wassakara are under 15) will embrace the message in the film and not consider street lifestyles.
Congolese Native Rachel Mwanza
“Rebelle”: Written and directed by Quebec filmmaker Kim Nguyen,” Rebelle” (War Witch) tells the story of Komona, a child soldier in an unnamed African country. Congolese native Rachel Mwanza plays Komona who endures all the horrors and sorrow of the war-torn country all by the age of 14. Occasional happiness cuts through the tragedy of her day-to-day life. “Rebelle” is Canada’s candidate for Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar at the Academy Awards. Sixty-five countries are expected to submit films in the category and Telefilm Canada has expressed confidence that Rebelle will come away the winner. Rachael Mwanza has already won Best Actress honors at the 2012 Tribeca and Berlin festivals for her performance.
Canadian filmmaker Sudz Sutherland and his wife Jennifer Holness faced many challenges when their film “Home Again” was accepted at TIFF. They were on vacation with their three children when they got the news. Sutherland directed the movie, Holness is its producer and right up to when “Home Again” was shown September 12-14, the couple worked non-stop, tweaking here, editing there. The film, which was shot in Trinidad, evolves around three Jamaicans who were deported back to their country after living elsewhere for several years. Although it depicts the non-welcome they received, leading them to Kingston where crime is rife, Sutherland felt it was too dangerous to actually film there so they took advantage of the Trinidad & Tobago government’s tax incentives and scouting assistance. The family moved to Trinidad and enrolled their children in Catholic schools for the duration of the filming. The remainder of the movie was shot in Canada with a follow-up trip to Jamaica for exterior shots.
Hot Docs Festival: Danisha Prendergast, the eldest granddaughter of Bob and Rita Marley, traveled the world to discover the origins and far-reaching influences of the Rastafari religion. The result of her journey is “Rasta: A Soul’ Journey”, a documentary directed by Toronto-based Stuart Samuels which was shown September 17 & 18 as part of the annual “Bloor Hot Docs Film Festival held at Bloor Cinema.
The story of Lovers Rock, a UK film directed by Barbados-born Menelik Shabazz made its Canadian debut at the 7th Caribbean Tales Toronto Film Showcase at Harbourfront Centre. The film blends excerpts from the 2008 Lovers Rock reunion concert with archival footage, interviews and comedy sketches. Shabazz says the music in the film is not as hardcore as in Jamaican music. “We found our own sound” which was not in competition with Jamaica.” The Caribbean Tales Festival featured eight features, 16 shorts from Haiti, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, French Guiana, Cuba, and Antigua.
R&B Diva Comes Home: Torontonian Deborah Cox co-stars in the new touring production of Jekyll & Hyde which will open at the Ed Mirvish Theatre November 14-18. Cox has an impressive resume – numerous platinum albums, six top 20 Billboard R&B singles, 11 #1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Chart. She appeared on Broadway in Elton John’s “Aida” and plans to portray the legendary Josephine Baker on Broadway in 2014. Her co-star in Jekyll & Hyde is American Idol participant (top 6th in the 4th season) Constantine Marouis who played Broadway in Rock of Ages (2009) earning a Tony nomination for his work. Tickets @ mirvish.com or 416.872.1212
