Monthly Archives: March 2008

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It’s a Wrap!

March 6 | A Love During The War, HRWFF Closing Reception | julie

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anpLun7lm5A[/youtube]

The 5th Annual Toronto Human Rights Film Festival wrapped last night with Osvalde Lewat-Hallade’s moving documentary A Love During The War. The screening was preceded by a reception at Bau-Xi Gallery and a heart-breaking speech by Sgt. Debbie Bodkin about her experiences working as an investigator with the United Nations Commission of Inquiry for Darfur in Sudan. (More to follow in the coming days on Sgt. Bodkin’s speech).

All in all this year’s festival was a rousing success with sold-out houses for all seven films. Highlights included the opening night film, Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame, which continues to grab accolades and awards at major film festivals throughout the world; Chop Shop, an amazing sophomore effort from director Ramin Bahrani; and These Girls for the best opening shot of the festival.

The festival was also honored to have director Alex Gibney in attendance just days after winning the Oscar for his documentary Taxi to the Dark Side. While in Toronto, Alex was interviewed by Anna Maria Tremonti for CBC Radio’s “The Current.” That interview has now been posted to the CBC Website and can be streamed as a Real Audio file. And for those of you who are fans of night-time talk show “The Hour”, Alex’s interview with George Stroumboulopoulous is also online.

Thanks to everyone who attended despite the chilly winter weather. We hope you enjoy the video clip (above), which was shot opening night at the Isabel Bader Theatre.

Tagged alex gibney, cbc, debbie bodkin, human rights watch

Chop Shop, Tonight @ 7:30 PM

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March 4 | Chop Shop | julie

Chop Shop is the second feature film from Iranian-American director Rahmin Bharani. Set in the the auto body junkyard stretch of Willet’s Point in Queens, Chop Shop tells the story of an entrepreneurial Latino orphan (Alejandro Polanco) who lives and works in the bustling locale, stealing and hustling to support both himself and his older teenage sister (Isamar Gonzales).

The film has already won Bharani the Film Independent’s “Some to Watch” Spirit Award and profile in Filmmaker Magazine, Premiere, and the New York Magazine.

Bharani says he was encouraged to take Chop Shop to schools by Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, who first saw the film at Cannes (pictured above). Egoyan opened this year’s Human Rights Watch Film Festival, introducing Hana Makhmalbaf’s Buddha Collapsed Out Of Shame, which also has children as the main catalysts of the story.

The 5th Annual Toronto Human Rights Watch Film Festival wraps tomorrow with Osvalde Lewat-Hallade’s documentary A Love During The War.

For those of you who missed last night’s Q&A with Oscar-winning director, Alex Gibney, you can now view his interview with “The Hour’s” George Stroumboulopoulous on the CBC Website.

Tagged ramin bahrani, united states

Taxi to the Dark Side, Tonight @ 7:30 PM

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March 3 | HRWFF Special Guests, Taxi To The Dark Side | julie

alex gibney, director taxi to the dark side

Director Alex Gibney will be in attendance for tonight’s screening of Taxi to the Dark Side at Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario. Gibney will introduce the Oscar-winning documentary, which he directed, wrote, produced and narrated.

Michelle Shephard, National Security Reporter for The Toronto Star and author of “Guantanamo’s Child: The Untold Story of Omar Khadr,” is the second special guest on the evening’s roster.

Earlier today, Gibney sat down with Anna Maria Tremonti of CBC Radio’s “The Current” to talk about the film. He will appear later tonight on “The Hour” with George Stroumboulopoulous. You can also visit the festival’s del.icio.us page for access to additional audio and video interviews.

Tonight’s screening is sold-out. Taxi to the Dark Side will have an extended run at the Carlton Cinema in Toronto, starting Friday, March 7th.

Tagged alex gibney, united states

Video: Interview with Tahani Rached

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March 1 | These Girls | julie

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

Tahani Rached is the director of These Girls, tonight’s film and one of seven outstanding features and documentaries screened at this year’s Toronto Human Rights Watch Film Festival.

Shot on the streets of Cairo, These Girls follows the lives of three girls, who despite their precarious living situations, emerge as vibrant and charming personalities.

These Girls screens at 7:30 PM at Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario. Tonight’s guest speaker is Anna Maria Tremonti, Host of CBC Radio’s “The Current.”.

Don’t miss tomorrow’s afternoon screening of We’ll Never Meet Childhood Again, an excellent documentary, which chronicles the lives of teenagers in Romania who have been living with HIV/AIDS all their lives.

Ellissa Beckett, Executive Director of The Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR) is the special guest for this screening, which starts at 2:30 PM at Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario.

Tagged anna maria tremonti, cbc, egypt, tahani rached