You know what I’m talking about. 9/11. Twenty years ago today. Hard to believe it’s been that long. But I remember exactly where I was. Every detail. As clearly as if it was yesterday.
I was at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). I was seeing five films that day (I saw five to six films every day for 10 straight days). And on this particular day, Tuesday, September 11, I was just coming out of my first of the day, which had started at around 8:30.
Continue readingFor me, Labour Day has always been synonymous with TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). Well, maybe not “always,” but for at least as long as I’ve been living in Toronto — which is 34 years.
TIFF, for anyone unfamiliar with it, is a 10-day long extravaganza that takes place in Toronto every year right after Labour Day. What has made it unique in the world of film festivals, is that it’s always been accessible to members of the public, instead of just the film industry, the critics and the press. And for movie lovers like me it was one of the highlights of the year.
I say “was,” because I packed it in several years ago, after attending for close to 30 years. No matter Continue reading
Sunday was Mother’s Day. I’ve dreaded it ever since my mother passed in 2007. But this year was a bit different. I realized that the “official” Mother’s Day, the second Sunday in May, is just one of 365 days in every year when we can, and should, honour our mothers, thank them, appreciate them and love them.
Really, the only difference between Mother’s Day and any other day is, the florists and restaurants are super busy and Hallmark does a booming business.
I think of my mother every day. I miss her every day. I miss her belly laugh. The glint in her eye. Her sunny Continue reading
I’ve always been a movie lover and for years I attended TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). It was
something I always looked forward to — even the endless lining up.
Those 10 days every September were sacrosanct, I booked them off almost a year in advance and honestly, short of a disaster there was nothing — and I do mean nothing — that would have caused me to change my plans.
You’ll think I am totally crazy, but I used to buy the 50-movie pass. Yeah, I’d see five to six movies everyday, for 10 straight Continue reading
Like my mother, I’m a film lover and have been since childhood. I was in my glory when I 
moved to Toronto and realized that, for 10 days every September, it was home to TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival).
I’ve cancelled or delayed many a vacation in my time, but those 10 days were sacrosanct. I looked forward to the festival all year and I Continue reading
Last Saturday a friend and I went to see the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibit at the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario). We also signed 
up for, and attended, an all-day symposium on the artist, his work, his influence (then and now) and his legacy.
Other than an hour of walking around studying his art early in the morning, we essentially sat in one place from 10:00 a.m. to almost 5:00 p.m.
Well, most people sat. I fidgeted.
Not because I was bored, although the afternoon panel of speakers didn’t exactly enthral me (or anyone else, for that matter from what I observed). Except for Thelma Golden, Director and Continue reading
Ahhhhh … it feels SO good. A two-day break from movies. A two-day break from trying to fit client work, my blog and HotDocs into sixteen or so hours. It’s 
amazing how much time it all takes. How much time it takes up. How little time it leaves for ME.
I have to admit, I’ve been a bit stressed trying to get it all done. It’s not like I’m crazy busy. Writing a blog every day definitely does add pressure, but I love doing it. My client work load is certainly manageable. And I’ve only been seeing one, and occasionally two, docs a day. So what’s the big deal?
Well, by the time the cats are dealt with, my blog’s posted and I’m showered, fed and dressed it’s late morning. Until it’s time to leave for the theatre, I’m busy taking care of business. When the films are in the evening, even early evening, it’s not bad. But when they’re in the daytime, it really interrupts my day. And ends up putting pressure on me.
When you’re going to regular movies during the year, you just have to get there before they start. Even if you’ve got seconds to spare. But with festivals you want to get there at least a half hour prior; and, if you’re particular about where you sit (aisle seats, close or far away from the screen, etc.) you have to line up early. An hour or Continue reading
You remember I mentioned I’d be seeing ten films at this year’s HotDocs? Well, I’ve now seen three of them. “Ballerina”, “Anita” and “Tough Bond”. With the exception 
of Anita, I can’t say I loved all of them. But I am happy I saw them.
Does that make any sense at all? Probably not. It does to me, though. Because there was something in all three I found worth seeing.
“Ballerina” was, perhaps, the biggest surprise. Why, I’m not exactly sure.
Maybe because I’ve seen several films on dance and dancers over the years, so now I have pre-conceived notions. And a couple of years ago at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) I saw “Pina”, an absolutely magnificent Wim Wenders documentary about Pina Bausch, a famous German performer of modern dance, choreographer, dance teacher and ballet director.
Shot on 3D it has, for me, forever changed my expectations for this genre of film.
So maybe it just wasn’t ever going to be possible for me to love “Ballerina”. Maybe I was just unable to appreciate it, on its
Seems like it was just yesterday I was writing about how busy the month of April was going to be for me. And here we are. April’s just about over. Amazing. It has 
been a fully-packed month, both work wise and socially.
And “no”, I’m not complaining. It’s been terrific. I was sure, as I looked ahead, I’d be exhausted. But I’m not. I’ve had blogs and ads to write for clients, an event to plan, videos to shoot and, of course, my own writing to work on. There’ve been brunches, lunches, dinners, coffees and drinks. And a couple of nights out at the theatre.
Hot Docs (Canadian international documentary festival) starts tonight and lasts until May 5. A friend and I are seeing ten (culled from a choice of 205). So the month will end on as busy a note as it began.
Anyone who knows me well, will be surprised I’m seeing so few films. I always bought the fifty-movie pass for TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), which meant I was seeing five or six movies every day for ten days. Most people I told thought I was nuts. They never believed I’d remember what I’d seen. Continue reading
I’ve loved movies since I was a little girl. I came by it honestly. My mother loved them, too. I grew up hearing her stories of how, every weekend, she paid a nickel to
see a movie and a show, when she was young. A vaudeville act, a singer, a tap dancer, whatever.
Movies were her passion her entire life. In fact we were planning to go to a movie the afternoon she fell, and broke her hip. An event she never recovered from, unfortunately. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone to hear I could go to the movies every single day.
Which is why I can’t let the week go by without mentioning Roger Ebert.
In my opinion, he is as synonymous with the film industry as the 45-foot high Hollywood sign situated on Mount Lee, in the Hollywood Hills area of the Santa Monica Mountains, in Los Angeles. In my opinion, he is as synonymous with the film industry as the actors, themselves.
A phenomenon I bore witness to, every year at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). There he’d be, with his wife, holding hands as they walked from one theatre to the next. And wouldn’t you know, amid the hundreds and hundreds of critics, reporters and journalists who were also there, he’s the one who always stood out. He had as Continue reading
365 And Counting 