Without even realizing it, I’ve created a new tradition. For the third year running, I will be spending a few days in Montréal seeing films at the Festival des films du monde. The Montréal World Film Festival, as it is known in English, is celebrating its 35th edition with a wide-ranging program of almost 400 films from more than 70 countries. The festival takes place from August 18th through 28th, though I’ll only be there from August 19th through 23rd. Here are some films that are catching my eye so far:
- A Boatload of Wild Irishmen (Ireland/UK, 2011, Director: Mac Dara Ó’Curraidhín): An exploration of the life and work of Robert Flaherty (1884-1951), one of the pioneers of documentary filmmaking.
- She Monkeys (Apflickorna) (Sweden, 2011, Director: Lisa Aschan): Sexual rivalry between teammates on an equestrian vaulting team, good notices out of Berlin and Tribeca.
- Brand (Austria, 2011, Director: Thomas Roth): Brand, an author, falls in love with his terminally ill wife’s nurse and blunders into a dangerous spiral of passion and jealousy.
- Calvet (UK, 2011, Director: Dominic Allan): The story of Jean Marc Calvet’s transformation from violent criminal to acclaimed artist.
- Dirty Hearts (Corações Sujos) (Brazil, 2011, Director: Vicente Amorim): Tensions arise in Brazil’s Japanese community after Japan’s surrender in World War II.
- Only Son (Fils Unique) (Belgium/France/Luxembourg, 2011, Director: Miel van Hoogenbernt): A man is forced to live with the father he hasn’t spoken to in 10 years, bringing back painful childhood memories.
As always, tickets are a bargain (10 ticket booklets are still just $65!) and it’s a perfect appetizer for TIFF.