Hey, you know our weekly screening spotlight? Well, we’ve expanded it to include film festivals, because this city has so many of those that we figured the passionate programmers deserved their say as well. So here’s a chance to learn a little more about that cinematic event you’ve been meaning to check out.
THE FESTIVAL
Diaspora Film Festival, November 1 to 4 at the Ryerson University Library Theatre (350 Victoria) and the Carlton Cinemas (20 Carlton). diasporafilmfest.com
THE PROGRAMMER
Shahram Tabe, director of the festival. “I came to Canada as a political refugee and studied engineering, but I kept my passion for cinema,” he says. “I write film reviews and give invited lectures at different arts institutions. I’m also a human rights activist and find the Diaspora Film Festival a vehicle to promote those causes.”
WHAT’S SHOWING?
Now in its 17th year, “the DFF uses cinema to explore themes of migration, identity, and inter-cultural exchange,” Tabe explains. “It’s our hope to promote diversity, tolerance, and understanding among different cultures through visual storytelling. There are many film festivals that focus on one country or ethnicity, but DFF is the only festival of its kind that umbrellas many different ethnicities, religions and cultures.”
WHAT’S THE VIBE?
The DFF is contemplative but not grim, Tabe says: “We usually have one side event that complements the theme of the year. In the past we’ve had dance, music, photography, etc. This year, the theme is Promised Land and we have invited the renowned Lebanese-Canadian author Rawi Hage to read from his latest novel Beirut Hellfire Society, and be interviewed by the acclaimed filmmaker Atom Egoyan.” (That event kicks off the festival on November 1, 7 pm at the Ryerson Library Theatre.) “There will also be Q&A sessions with some of the filmmakers after the screenings.”
ANY RECOMMENDATIONS?
“It is difficult for me to single out one film as there are many greats and must-sees,” Tabe says. “The selection of films this year touches on important current issues, especially regarding women. From daily life in conflict zones (One of These Days November 3, 5 pm, Carlton) and rural areas in India (Lipstick Under My Burkha November 4, 8 pm, Carlton), to female vulnerability (Sextape November 2, 9 pm, Carlton), pre-arranged marriage (My Favorite Fabric November 2, 7 pm, Carlton), and a complicated relationship between a mid-age woman and a teenage boy (In Blue November 4, 1 pm, Carlton). However, one film, The Reports On Sarah And Saleem (November 4, 3:15 pm, Carlton), particularly aligns with the mission of the festival: it tells a love story, with all the complications, between a Palestinian man and an Israeli woman.”
movies@nowtoronto.com | @normwilner
