The Wolf of Wall Street

I watched 24 films in ten days at EIFF. My average rating of these films was virtually identical to my average rating at AIFF (just over ***+ out of ****), though there were more higher and lower ratings and fewer films in the middle. Of the nine films I watched at EIFF which were written and/or directed by women, an incredible five of those were in my top six. I watched five documentaries at EIFF (versus only one at AIFF) and three of those (all Canadian) were in my top seven (I watched a total of seven Canadian films at EIFF). My three favourite films were all made in Europe.

There were eight films at EIFF which received a rating from me of at least ***+ - ****, so the following highlights will include these eight films, or one-third of the films I watched (listed in reverse order, concluding with my favourite film; note that my favourite festival film overall was Nina Roza, which I watched in Halifax). 

8. Iron Boy - The only animated film I watched at the two festivals was a beautiful drama from France/Belgium (written and directed by Louis Clichy) about Christophe, an 11-year-old boy dealing with the challenges of wearing an iron brace 24 hours a day. As the family farm struggles to survive, and Christophe is unable to contribute, his relationship with his father grows ever more tense. But his new friends, Clara and the church organ-player, provide support. Filmed with a unique water-colour animation, which seems to provide a clearer sense of emotion than most animated films (aided by a terrific soundtrack), Iron Boy is a moving story about the power of music and friendship. And it looks gorgeous on the big screen. ***+ - ****

7. Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been - This Canadian documentary from Barry Avrich tells the story of how one of the most important singers of the 1960’s struggled to gain recognition thanks to her nasty producer, Phil Spectre. Full of honest reflections from Love as well as from her family and those who helped her eventually gain the recognition she deserved (including Bruce Springsteen, Nancy Sinatra and Cher), this is a moving, expertly-crafted film with an important story to tell. ***+ - ****

6. Don’t Come Upstairs - Another Canadian documentary, this one shares the personal story of Mike Lobel (the filmmaker), who grew up in Toronto in a household full of fear and anxiety because the father wouldn’t reveal what he did for a living (and neither will I - watch the film, which will probably be released on CBC Gem in the upcoming months). Brilliantly-structured, this haunting and suspenseful doc has lots to say about the trauma caused by family secrets. Lobel was present for a passionate 35-minute Q&A, which added to my appreciation of the film. ***+ - ****

5. Ceremony - Another addition to the amazing films made by Canadian Indigenous women in the past decade (this time it’s Banchi Hanuse), this documentary follows the struggles of the Nuxalk people of British Columbia as they try to protect the environment and reclaim land that was never ceded and has been their ancestral home for thousands of years. The story of the ooligan fish is beautifully told and the cinematography is gorgeous. This is another powerful and inspiring Indigenous film that all Canadians need to watch. ****

4. I Play Rocky - I’m not a big fan of the 1976 film (I hate boxing), so I didn’t have much interest in a film about how Rocky was made. But as happened with The Life of Chuck last year, some mysterious voice told me I needed to watch this film and that I would love it (at that point I knew nothing at all about the film). I admit that this gave I Play Rocky an unfair advantage, but I was still surprised by how much I liked it. Peter Farrelly’s film looks at the early years of Sylvester Stallone’s career as he struggles to become an actor and screenplay-writer. Anthony Ippolito’s resemblance to Stallone is uncanny and his performance is very good, as are the performances of the rest of the cast (too many to name). It’s an inspiring story full of heart - a wonderful crowd-pleaser. ****

3. The Fading Man - This quiet thoughtful film from Germany has old-fashioned but gorgeous camera work that highlights the rural settings where most of the film takes place. The Fading Man (The Lost Man in its German title) tells the story of a long-married couple (Hanne and Bernd, played by Dagmar Manzel and August Zimer) whose lives are overturned by the arrival at the door of Kurt (Harald Krassnitzer), Hanne’s ex-husband. Kurt has dementia and believes he’s still married to Hanne and living in that house. The acting by all three leads is extraordinary, giving the film an authentic wistful feel. The film rarely proceeds in a direction one would expect as it reveals the many challenges of such a situation. With his first feature film, Welf Reinhart, with the help of Tünde Sautier, has crafted a humanizing masterpiece. ****

2. La Gradiva - Shortly before graduation, a high-school class from France travels to Naples to study the ruins of Pompeii. There are the usual tensions among the students, each of whom has a unique personality and abilities, but as the days pass those tensions start to spiral out of control, causing one of the teachers (played perfectly by Antonia Buresi) to start burning out. The amazing natural performances by all of the young people involved makes you feel like you’re watching a documentary, adding weight to the developing tension viewers feel along with the students. Three students (Toni, James and Suzanne) are at the heart of the film and their compelling stories will haunt you. The writing and direction of Marine Atlan is superb. ****

1. All of a Sudden - In 2021, Japanese filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi made my favourite film of the year, Drive My Car, which I watched sitting beside Kathy the day before she died. Almost exactly five years later, I watched Hamaguchi’s new masterpiece, which is in French (it’s set in Paris). This long slow film shares the story of how two women meet and become close friends. One is Marie-Lou (Virginie Efira), a nursing home director trying to introduce a more humane way of caring for those in the home. The other is Mari (Tao Okamoto), a terminally-ill Japanese playwright. Thanks to the terrific performances, the endless dialogue between these women (reminding me of Linklater’s marvellous Before trilogy) never bores us and the writers (it’s co-written by Léa Le Dimna) even get away with being blatantly didactic. This humanizing film explores such themes as aging, death and society’s care options in the face of capitalism. It’s beautifully-filmed and has a great soundtrack. I do think the film could have been shorter, but that’s a small complaint. ****