Festival Files: International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO), Pt. 1
Films I watched at the 5th edition of the International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO) + What I've been streaming at home lately 🎬 📺
This past Sunday was the final day of the 5th edition of the International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO). As opposed to last year, when I only dragged myself out of the house to view one movie during the festival, this year I was able to get out to a handful of screenings, and I even did a little bit of volunteering.
I love that the IFFO festival programmers paired a Canadian short film with most of the feature films throughout the festival. In his opening remarks on Wednesday, March 12th, Canadian Film Institute (CFI) Executive Director Tom McSorley quoted the late Peter Harcourt, founder of Canadian film studies, saying:
Canadian cinema is invisible cinema, it exists but it isn’t seen.
The IFFO programmers are certainly doing their part to make sure that more Canadian films are seen, and I applaud them for that.
For someone who loves movies, it’s embarrassing how few film festivals I’ve attended, and I’d love to change that fact. To help this goal along, I’m starting this new series, “Festival Files”, where I‘ll list the films I see at festivals, share short reviews, and highlight how they made me feel.
I also have some TV series recommendations for you this week — scroll down to see what I’ve been streaming at home lately.
Festival Files: International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO), Pt. 1
perfectly a strangeness (2024)
Directed by Alison McAlpine | Director of Photography: Nicolas Canniccioni
I sat in awe of the wildly beautiful donkeys on the screen, transfixed by the close-up shots of their eyes and ears, and the gentle clip-clop of their hooves. I was impressed by how this film says so much without a single word spoken, and how it grabbed the audience’s attention immediately with its gorgeous opening shot of a desert sunset.
How this film made me feel:
empathetic
curious
astonished
Fun Fact: The donkeys in the film have names: Palomo, Ruperto & Palaye.
For more about this short film, I recommend this article.
Can I Get a Witness?
Written & Directed by Ann Marie Fleming
Set in the not-too-distant future, this film explores questions about what the world might look like, and what we as humans might have to do to save the environment and the generations that come after us. Spoiler alert: if you’re close to age 50 (or past it), this film will likely affect you differently than if you’re still in your 20s or 30s. Set in beautiful Powell River, B.C., and with a touch of whimsical animation, Fleming’s film is thought-provoking, touching, and it stars Sandra Oh and two promising young Canadian actors, Keira Jang and Joel Oulette.
How this film made me feel:
sad
nostalgic
Fun Fact: During production, Fleming and her crew made decisions based on the Albert Score — a carbon footprint measure for filmmaking. They moved vehicles up by boat, washed their dishes, saved items from the landfill, and used second-hand items for props and as part of the production design.
Brother
Written and Directed by Clement Virgo | Based on the Novel by David Chariandy
Using deep colours, beautiful, dramatic lighting, and an emotional score, celebrated Canadian Director Clement Virgo tells the story (based on the novel by David Chariandy) of two Jamaican-Canadian brothers, sons of a single immigrant mother, who are navigating life in Scarborough against a myriad of internal, external, and systemic challenges. With brilliant, powerful performances by Lamar Johnson, Aaron Pierre, and Marsha Stephanie Blake, Brother will draw you in from the opening scene and have you feeling emotional, and thinking deeply about the Black immigrant experience in Canada.
How this film made me feel:
privileged
self-reflexive
deeply emotional
Clement Virgo quotes I was able to capture from his Canadian Masters Q&A at IFFO:
“Brother is a personal story based on my background.” — Virgo came to Canada from Jamaica as a child.
“I’m an addict, and my drug is cinema.” — Virgo began his career in his twenties, primarily directing films. Over the years, to make a living, he started directing TV, and he did so for approximately 8 or 9 years before pausing to make his film, Brother. His impressive TV directing credits include (but are not limited to): Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Greenleaf (for the Oprah Winfrey Network), The Wire, The Book of Negroes, and The Madness starring Colman Domingo.
ICYMI: My interview with an Ottawa filmmaker who had his short film in this year’s edition of IFFO:
My viewing activity is pretty eclectic, and what I watch is often linked to the mood I’m in, or how I want to feel — hence, the theme and title of this Substack. For example, when I need a light, entertaining watch that helps me escape the world for a while, I often turn to reality TV series — mostly those in the Bravo universe or entertaining competition shows, which explains why The Masked Singer is on this list! (Don’t judge it until you watch it!)
We all have our guilty pleasure shows — what are yours?
Tell me in the comments:
Here’s what I’ve been streaming lately:
Severance (Apple+) — You’re likely either already obsessed with Severance like I am, or you’re tired of people asking you, “Are you watching Severance?” Either way, this Apple+ Series has become deeply embedded in the cultural zeitgeist and is one of the few TV series that I’ve given a 10/10 rating to on IMDB. From writing to acting to cinematography to production design, and everything in between, Severance excels in every area of film production to bring to life this unique, excellent sci-fi/thriller/workplace dramedy TV series. I could go on forever — and the internet has already deeply analysed this show (just check out the Severance subreddit) — so I’ll simply say, Adam Scott’s ability to express multiple complex emotions at once on his face is astonishing, Cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné (who’s Canadian!) is so talented and creative, and series creator Dan Erickson has officially made it to my list of “5 famous people I want to have dinner with”1, just so I can find out what’s going on inside that brain of his. Not to mention Ben Stiller’s directing chops — have you seen Escape at Dannemora? I wrote about it in this post — check it out:
Adolescence (Netflix) — After seeing a few posts on social media with comments like “must watch”, “OMG”, or “10/10”, I knew I had to stream Netflix’s 4-part drama series, Adolescence. I went into it knowing nothing other than what I could glean from the show’s poster image, and I recommend you do the same if you haven’t already heard too much about it. I will mention, although this dramatic crime drama is gripping and emotional, it could trigger you if you’ve been through a trauma, so heed that warning and either save it to your “watch later” list or forego it altogether. That said, the acting is phenomenal, the way they chose to film it is unique, and the subject matter is important.
The Pitt (Crave w/HBO) — It’s no surprise that a medical drama from some of the same minds that brought us E.R. would be good, but what is surprising is how good it is. The Pitt is grittier and more graphic, provides non-stop action and storyline, and showcases emotional, naturalistic acting from its cast of characters, most of whom are relatively unknown. Leading the cast is Noah Wyle, who plays Dr. Robby (Dr. Michael Robinavitch), who is very different from but just as compelling as Dr. John Carter. Wyle not only displays his acting prowess in this new role, but he is also an executive producer and wrote 2 episodes of the series.
The Masked Singer (Crave) — One of my guilty pleasures, The Masked Singer is silly, over the top, fun, and just plain wacky. This, along with the wildly creative, intricate costumes the contestants wear, and the surprising celebrity singing voices that are discovered, makes it worth watching.
The White Lotus (Crave w/HBO) — This series is a slow burn on purpose, and sometimes I get a bit impatient with it (season 1 moved along at a better rate than Season 2 or 3), but I’m still watching. What keeps me tuning in is the ensemble of actors, most notably Parker Posey, Aimee Lou Wood, and Carrie Coon; and series creator Mike White’s funny writing.
Top Chef: Destination Canada (Amazon Prime w/Hayu) — I’ve been watching Top Chef since Season 1, and although I miss some of the earlier, less polished seasons, this show continues to showcase excellent chefs and innovative food. This season is set in Canada, and although there’s only one Canadian contestant to root for, I look forward to seeing what the chefs create, who the Canadian guest judges will be, and which Canadian cities will be featured.
What are you screening from home these days? Join me in the Paid Subscriber Chat or share in the comments below — I’d love to hear from you!
Happy viewing! If you liked this post, please tell me by clicking the little heart at the bottom of the post and share it with someone. Thank you!
~Heather
P.S. — Pt. 2 of the films I screened at IFFO is coming soon, along with more recommendations, a new review, and an interview with an NYC-based writer and director!
More film & TV recommendations:
Jeff Bridges is also on that list.