CONFESSIONS (English title: Confessions of a Hitman)(Canada 2022) ***1/2
Directed by Luc Picard
Starring and directed by Luc Picard, CONFESSION, based on the novel, is the no-nonsense story of Quebec's most notorious hit man Gérald Gallant. It plays like a biopic but the titles at the film's start are quick to emphasize that this is a fiction film based on true characters.
Gallant is one of the most prolific hitmen of our time, a paid assassin who worked for the biker gangs of Quebec from 1978-2003. Yet with twenty- eight murders and 12 attempted murders across 25 years, Gérald Gallant surprised and confused. How did a stuttering “average Joe” with fragile health and a modest IQ, living a conventional lower-middle-class life with a deeply religious wife in a quiet neighborhood, manage to outsmart both the most hardened criminals and the smartest lawmen for decades while continuing to ply his “trade”?
Gallant (Picard) was brought up by a tough and severe mother (there is no other person I hate more in the world, Gallant says of her) who did not hesitate to belittle him in the eyes of everyone. The stuttering man in fragile health suffering from heart disease, now leads a peaceful existence in a quiet neighbourhood with his wife, Pauline. Gallant loves her but carries on a passionate affair with another woman, Yet this uneventful facade hides serious sins. Gallant’s roadmap includes no less than twenty-eight murders and fifteen attacks, mostly bikers and high-ranking mafiosos. Gallant also works in conjunction with the police and doesn't hesitate to sell out those around him. Picard portrays Gallant as a despicable personality with no oils lying about his guilt and everything else.
This is also Quebec’s history where biker gangs terrorized the streets, and society had moved away from the traditional constraints of the Catholic church. The banality of evil has never been more forcefully depicted.CONFESSIONS has the feel of a real gangster movie.
CONFESSIONS OF A HITMAN captured Best Director at the Whistler Film Festival and a trio of Canadian Screen Award nominations.
CONFESSIONS premiered in Toronto at Cinefranco 2022 and premieres on VOD and Digital December the 2nd.
2022 marks CINEFRANCO'S 25TH anniversaire. The Toronto French Film Festival returns to Toronto theatres at the Royal, Ted Rogers Cinema and the Scotiabank Theatre. Cinefranco celebrates French commercial films. It is only chance to watch French commercial cinema on the big screen and this year brings a big treat with many heavyweghts including Claude Lelouch (a doc on the legendary director of UN HOMME ET UNE FEMME), Patrice Leconte, Gerard Depardieu, Robert LePage and Josiane Balasko.
I had a chance to chat with Marcelle Lean, the directrice of Cinefranco during this year's TIFF. She expressed great pleaasure at obtaining the opening and closing night films, a doc about Claude Lelouch (she regrets it too costly for the festival to fly Lelouch over from France for the opening) and a Robert LePage tribute respectively.
“It’s hard to believe ‘my baby’ is 25 yr. old, said Cinéfranco founder and artistic director Marcelle Lean. As a famous mother said ‘it takes a village’ and I have so many dedicated colleagues, funders and sponsors to thank for their contribution to the growth of Cinéfranco and so much gratitude to our audiences who have stuck with us through thick and thin.”
Marcelle adds, “Cinéfranco 2022 is a particularly bittersweet anniversary as we celebrate without my dear colleague and friend Bernard Lecerf who passed away this summer. For 6 years, Bernard was the glue of Cinéfranco tirelessly and gracefully working behind the scene to make us look good. His Cinéfranco family misses him terribly as do I. Here’s to you mon cher ami, Bernard”.
Opening Night Film – Tourner pour vivre / Shoot to Live
A true celebration of French cinema through the eyes, words and work of acclaimed French director Claude Lelouch who’s still directing films at age 84 yr. His 60 features over a 60+ year career includes such classics as “A Man and A Woman”; “Far from Vietnam”; “Les Misérables”; “Live for Life” Philippe Azoulay’s documentary captured Lelouch working over 7 years and features Anouk Aimée, Sandrine Bonnaire, Johnny Hallyday, Karl Lagerfeld, Christopher Lambert, Quentin Tarantino and Jean-Louis Trintignant
Closing Night Film – Les 12 Travaux d’Imelda
Adapted from Quebec director Martin Villeneuve’s shorts trilogy and inspired by his grandmother’s life story, Robert LePage, Ginette Reno and Villeneuve star in this feature film opening in Quebec Oct 28 2022. Imelda is not at peace and wants to settle things with family before her 100th birthday.
Starring and directed by Luc Picard, CONFESSION, based on the novel, is the no-nonsense story of Quebec's most notorious hit man Gérald Gallant.It plays like a biopic but the titles at the film's start are quick to emphasize that this is a fiction film based on true characters. Gallant was brought up by a tough and severe mother (there is no other person I hate more in the world, Gallant says of her) who did not hesitate to belittle him in the eyes of everyone. The stuttering man in fragile health suffering from heart disease, now leads a peaceful existence in a quiet neighbourhood with his wife, Pauline. Gallant loves her but carries on a passionate affair with another woman,Yet this uneventful facade hides serious sins.Gallant’s roadmap includes no less than twenty-eight murders and fifteen attacks, mostly bikers and high-ranking mafiosos. Gallant also works in conjunction with the police and doesn't hesitate to sell out those around him.Picard portrays Gallant as a despicable personality with no oils lying about his guilt and everything else.CONFESSIONS has the feel of a real gangster movie.
Trailer:
EN ROUE LIBRE (FREESTYLE) (France 2021) **1/2
Directed by Didier Barcelo
One morning, Louise (Marina Fois) , 45, is suddenly unable to step out of her car. If it sounds too weird and unbelievable, the film makes a big effort to convince the audience that this situation could happen from a panic attack and psychological point of view.Sweats, anxieties, palpitations... she is having an inexplicable panic attack. She is tetanized and simply cannot set foot outside.Louise starts hysterically driving around with no goal. That’s when Paul (Benjamin Voisin), 20, breaks into her car with one obsession : drive to the ocean at Cap Ferret (a visually stunning place, opposite the more popular le Dune du Pilat, that many like myself have visited, near Bordeaux. The credibility of the story is the film’s main problem though director Barcelo almost gets away with it from the energy he infuses to his character and incidents of the story.
L’HOMME PARFAIT (France 2021) *** Directed by Xavier Durringer
The film begins with the typical chaotic family, lawyer wife Florence (Valerie Karsenti) who has it all together, a lazy plump out-of-work actor husband (Didier Bourdon) and two fighting kids, a son and younger daughter. The house is a mess, she is overworked and the husband is not helping either. Florence decides to buy a humanoid robot, UMAN -3 Deluxe, the h’homme parfait, with a perfect physique. The robot meets all her expectations: maintain the house, take care of the children, and more. By maliciously disrupting their daily routine, the robot also arouses the jealousy of her self-centred careless husband, Franck, who suddenly realizes he must make some efforts not to lose the love of his wife. The robot, Bobby, with blond highlights and beautiful blue eyes, charms the family but can he also charm the audience? Pierre-Francois Martin Laval plays the robot with gorgeous grace, able to deliver scrambled eggs doing the moonwalk. L’HOMME PARFAIT is the typical CineFranco type of commercial comedy directrice Marcelle Lean loves to program for her fete du cinema. The film works with a parfait blend of comedy and little family drama - no sex but lots of implications of it, no foul language, and entertaining and charming the way French comedies usually are.
MAIGRET (France 2021) **** Directed by Patrice Leconte
Two heavyweights in this Cinefranco entry makes this film the best of all the films screened at the French festival.A total delight of 90 minutes that teases, amuses and finally astounds.The first heavyweight is Patrice Leconte who for the second time adapts the Belgium sleuth writer George Simenon’s novel.Leconte remade the totally entertaining MONSIEUR HIRE in 1989 with Michel Blanc adapting the Micehel Simon 30’s film LES FIANCAILLES DE M. HIRE.With MAIGRET, he teams with star Gerard Depardieu who plays the title character adapting Simenon's novel MAIGRET ET LE JEUNNE MORTE.Maigret investigates the death of a young girl.There is nothing to identify her, no one seems to have known her or remember her.He meets a delinquent, who strangely resembles the victim, and awakens in him the memory of another disappearance, older and more intimate…MAIGRET is Simenon’s famous commissioner of the Quai des Orfèvres.Leconte demonstrates that the investigation and solution of a murder involves all parties of the police force withdoggedly determination and stakeout.A period piece, the film also points a finger at the nasty practices of the wealthy and privileged who believe they can get away with anything.
MES TRES CHERS ENFANTS (Bad Parenting) (Franc 2021) **** Directed by Alexandra Leclere
Chantal and Christian live a peaceful retirement. But since their children Sandrine and Stéphane left the nest, they no longer give much news. Opportunities to get together as a family are becoming increasingly rare... When the offspring announce that they won't be coming to celebrate Christmas, it's too much for Chantal and Christian! They then decide to make them believe that they have hit the jackpot (le lotto).If the film’s premise sounds lame, it is a bit, but the film surprisingly turns out to be the funniest film I have seen this year- a laugh out loud moment every minute, thanks two the two stars, Josiane Balasko and Didier Bourdon who play the parents.(Be patient and let the first so-so 15 minutes play out.)Balasko is a Toronto favourite with her films arriving at TIFF regularly.She is a master at comedy.Bourdon who also appears in this year's Cinefranco’s L’HOMME PARFAIT is also a delight, the two making a winning pair and a hilarious film.This film can be obtained online.Go to the cinefranco.com site to order.
ROSIE (Canada 2022) ***
Directed by Gail Maurice
ROSIE follows the trail of an orphaned Indigenous girl by the name of Rosie (Keris Hope Hill). Her mother’s sister, Frederique (Melanie Bray) is forced by social services to look after her. Fred has her own plate full, being evicted and out of a job. She can hardly care for herself less than one else. The story does not sound fresh or like anything new. In fact the story is rather predictable. But first time Metis director Maurice shoots her film as if it is totally fresh material injecting humour and spirit in a 80’s Montreal setting, with English, French and a little Metis spoken. This is also a seondary story of poor people surviving on the fringe. Two of Fred’s friends are drag queens Flo (Constant Bernard) and Mo (Aex Trahan) who spice up the proceedings. Director Maurice also adds a bright note to a homeless Cree (Brandon Oakes) who shows kindness to the child. ROSIE is an entertaining and insightful debut from Gail Maurice.
LA VRAIE FAMILLE (France 2021) **** Directed by Fabien Gorgeart
Anna, 34, lives with her husband, her three young children, seen at the film’s start as a happy family enjoying quality time at an amusement park) including Simon, a child placed with them by Social Assistance since the age of 18 months.Simon is now 6 years old.One day, Simon's biological father expresses a desire to regain custody of his son.It is heartbreaking for Anna, who loves Simon, as does her entire family.She cannot bear losing Simon though she understands the deep feelings for the father as well as the strong emotions Simon has of his father and his current family.Director Gorgeart’s film isreal winner that pulls at the heartstrings while being totally charming at the same time - getting my vote as the most charming film I have seen this year.The film works because there is no easy target in the equation. Simon’s father has a real reason for giving up the child and wanting him back.Anna understands and is sympathetic for his situation as well.With no villain in the film, the audience is sympathetic to both Anna and the father.Simon is also totally adorable as a child, one that no one can dislike.A real life drama that could happen to any family that is delicately handled making LA VRAIE FAMILLE a totally entertaining delight.
TORONTO REEL ASIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2022
The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian), Canada's premier pan-Asian festival, announces its full 2022 programming lineup including its Opening and Closing Night Galas. From Canadian filmmaker Anthony Shim, Riceboy Sleeps (this year’s TIFF Platform Prize winner) and closing with Topline, created by this year’s Canadian Spotlight Artist, Romeo Candido, with a live musical accompaniment.This year’s lineup consists of 77 films from regions including Canada, the United States, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Australia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore. Taking place November 9 to 20, 2022, this year’s Festival will welcome audiences back to more in-person programming while continuing to offer digital programming to a wider audience across the country.For the full programming lineup and ticket information visit reelasian.com.
“There has been a creative explosion of Asian talent both on screen and behind the camera this past year, as our collective storytelling gets stronger,” said Deanna Wong, executive director, Reel Asian. “This year, we are incredibly fortunate to be able to share an abundance of outstanding films with our audiences and also expand our offerings to both in person and digital experiences as we continue our commitment to showcasing the best in Asian cinema.”
CAPSULE REVIEW OF SELECTED FILMS:
DREAM PALACE (South Korea 2022) **
Directed by Ka Sung-moon
DREAM PALACE is the name given to the new block of apartments the developers are hoping to sell.Into her new apartment comes a troubled Hye-jeong, a single mother and her son, but they face rusty running water that the developers refuse to solve.Hye-jeong had previously left a protest group of closely knit families, mourning the victims of an industrial accident, to which she also lost her husband. To move on with her life, she buys a sparkly new apartment with the settlement money, but things go awry when she notices the unit's construction defects that render her and her son without any usable water. When she attempts to get the problem fixed, an unexpected group stops her in the act: her new neighbours. Beyond being ostracized and called a traitor for accepting the settlement money, Hye-jeong must now stand up against her It take a while before director Ka lets the audience know what is going on.The film lasts almost 2 hours, and meanders around with Hye-jeong running all over the place like a chicken with its head cut off.One wonders what is the real aim or message of the film.Ka’s film is watchable as he got Asia audience to sympathize with his protagonist but he could have come up with a shorter and more effective story.
NOISE (Japan 2022) ***1/2
Directed byRyūichi Hiroki
This marks the Canadian Premiere of NOISE, a reflective and compelling drama, playing like a whodunit mystery set on a Japanese island community which is based on a manga by Tsutsui Tetsuya.The central family is the Kieto family who owns a fig plantation that employs most of the island’s aging community.The female mayor is all out to obtain funds to open a new hospital that will attract more residents while making her more famous.The mayor is a loud mouth lady who abuses those under her.When an accident takes place and a rehabilitating criminal is killed, Kieto and other islanders attempt a cover up.The coverup gets more and more complicated with more and more people involved as two mainland policemen uncover the real truth about what happened.The film occasionally feels like a satire on Japanese community.The mystery and interesting enough to keep the film going though it fizzles out at the end with the twist in the plot occurring a little too early.
(Nov 10 at 8:30 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox)
RICEBOY SLEEPS (Canada 2022) *** Directed Anthony Shim
A South Korean mother and son struggle with their new life in 1990s Canada and the growing rift between them, in Anthony Shim’s assured second feature. After losing her husband, So-young (Choi Seung-yoon) relocates to Canada with their young son, Dong-hyun (Dohyun Noel Hwang as a child, Ethan Hwang as a teenager) in tow. There, they must fight for acceptance and respect. Dong-hyun is brutally bullied by his classmates, and he isn’t helped by the timid, distinctly Canadian racism of his teacher and principal, who consider the family “troublesome.” At work, So-young battles loneliness and racist and sexist comments.There are many issues tackled in Shim’s film - racism; bullying; mother and son relationship; ancestry; mental health among others - but none so well resolved.The film’s best segments demonstrate the importance of family. In the film’s best scene, Dong is in Korea having drinks for the first time with his uncle and grandfather even though he is just 15.RICEBOY SLEEPS had its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival where it won the Platform Prize.
(Wed, Nov 9 • 7 PM • Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema)
SOME WOMEN (Singapore 2021) *** Directed by Sun Wong
SOME WOMEN is a film from Singapore that the government does not like as it showcases a seedier side of the island state with red-light transvestite areas like Bugis Street.Peter Bogdanovich’s film of a ex-soldier operating a brothel in the same area was banned in Singapore.Bugis Street has now changed as the film informs. I n this reflective documentary, director Quen Wong turns the lens toward the intimate and vulnerable in her own life as a trans woman in Singapore, making time and space to honour acts of looking and being seen, moments of being fearful and working to communicate, and reflecting on past decisions in order to make new ones. Though gentle and quiet, these gestures are powerfully earnest, and refreshingly honest.Against the context of a conservative nation-state, Some Women also uses dialogue and gathering to address a fuller spectrum of queer life on the island, threading Wong own story with recollections and perspectives from other generations of trans women, through the accompaniment of Sanisa and Lune Loh. These moments in the film archive and celebrate trans and queer folks’ evolving strategies for survival, protest, celebration, and continuance. A realistic and educational look at trans life in an otherwise unseen side of Singapore.(Note: This reviewer lived his first 17 years in Singapore.)
(Sat, Nov 12 • 2 PM • TIFF Bell Lightbox)
STAY THE NIGHT (Canada 2022) *** Directed by Renuka Jeyapalan
STAY THE NIGHT begins with a girl, Grace denied a promotion at her job, the reason given being that she is not outgoing enough.The following scene shows Carter Stone, a NHL player demoted.Both end up at the same bar in downtown Toronto.It does not take a genius to guess that what follows is a romantic comedy between these two very different persons. When reserved, late-bloomer Grace (played by KIM’S CONVENIENCE’s Andrea Bang) gets passed up for a major promotion at work, she tries to break out of her shell by pursuing a one-night stand at the club.Her choice in partner, Carter Stone (Joe Scarpellino), an NHL player at a crossroads, is having an equally rough night.After an initial meet-cute and disastrous attempt at a hookup, the two walk Toronto’s wintry streets, wandering from bar to skating rink to office, slowly but surely finding common ground as the night progresses.
STAY THE NIGHT bares some differences from the typical romantic comedy.There is no silly obstacle that is revealed, like a secret not told, that has to be resolvedso the couple gets back together.The familiar Toronto locations are immediately recognizable though the filmmakers appear keen on changing the names of bars or banks in the downtown area.Another variation is that the couple is different racially, as Grace is Asian.Grace is 27 and has never had sex, but the word virgin is never used as it putsstigma over her character.The two do make a workable chemistry.
The film opens in theatres in Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa on Friday, Nov 18th and then will be available across Canada on VOD on Dec 2nd
(MY SMALL LAND, though not in French, is a France/Japan co-production.)It is filmed in 3 languages in Kurdish and in the language where the family is from and where the family is currently residing.
MY SMALL LAND (France/Japan 2022) ***1/2
Directed by Emma Kawawada
MY SMALL LAND follows 17-year old Sarya (Lina Arashi), a 17-year old living with her Kurdish family in Japan.The family is seeking refugee status in Japan.
One of the first things noted in the film is the ignorance in Japan,of where Kurds come from.This is not really surprising as many in North America are also unaware as well as where Kurds come from.One might know of what is known as Kurdistan, but Kurdistan or "land of the Kurds”) or Greater Kurdistan is a roughly defined geo-cultural territory in Western Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, languages, and national identity have historically been based.Sarya’s father is quick to explain in one of the film's key scenes where Kurds come from - Syria, Turkey, Iran and Iraq.More accurately, Kurdistan generally comprises the following four regions: southeastern Turkey (Northern Kurdistan), northern Iraq (Southern Kurdistan), northwestern Iran (Eastern Kurdistan), and northern Syria (Western Kurdistan).
CAPSULE REVIEWS of Select Films will be posted once embargoes have lifted. Embargo dates listed.
DES PREUVRES A’AMOUR (Love Letters)(France 2025) ***½ Directed by Alice...
