ᑐᓴᕐᓂᑐᑦ TUSARNITUT! Music Born of the Cold: Royal Ontario Museum exhibit running until September 24. Celebrate Inuit art, song, and dance at this very special exhibition.Showcasing the creativity of a range of visual artists, musicians, dancers and performers, this exhibition will offer an incredible exploration of artworks inspired by the vital role of music in Inuit culture. Spanning centuries of Inuit life, ᑐᓴᕐᓂᑐᑦ TUSARNITUT! (which translates literally as “sounds that please the ear”)  reveals the range and diversity of musical expression in the visual and performing arts of the Arctic. Featuring over 100 sculptures, prints, drawings, and installations themed around music by renowned artists including Karoo Ashevak, Mattiusi Iyaituk, David Ruben Piqtoukun, Kananginaq Pootoogook, Jessie Oonark and Niap (Nancy Saunders), among others. The artworks will be presented alongside an array of instruments, photographs, musical recordings, and archival footage. The exhibition is arranged by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

Sunrise Ceremony at Nathan Phillips Square on June 21. This beautiful early morning ceremony invites people to come together to give thanks and to offer prayers. Visitors present will be invited to form a circle as a traditional smudging ceremony will be offered to help those who wish to cleanse their spirit in this sacred ritual. There will be singing and drumming as well as the offering of strawberries and water. Strawberries, also known as the heart berry for its shape is known to be an important fruit and medicine of the Indigenous people. It’s considered a connection between the mind, body, spirit and emotions. It is a reminder of our continued work towards reconciliation and the importance heartfelt relationships. Learn more here.

Indigenous Arts Festival: June 17 & 18 at Fort York. This annal community-focused and family-friendly event with traditional and contemporary music, dance, artisan and culinary experiences of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Turtle Island. On Saturday, June 17, experience a Traditional Pow Wow hosted by Na-Me-Res Native Men’s Residence with drummers and dancers. On Sunday, June 18, enjoy the Indigenous Arts Festival’s full-day live concert featuring contemporary and traditional Indigenous musical performers.

Hot Docs Cinema Indigenous filmmakers and storytellers: through the month of June,free screenings of Ever Deadly and Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun on National Indigenous Peoples Day: Wednesday, June 21.

TIFF Screenings and events: TIFF Cinematheque presents the uplifting first feature from Jub Clerc, Sweet As, on June 15, about a Nyul Nyul/Yawuru woman from the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Programmed by Jason Ryle, International Programmer, Indigenous Cinema at TIFF, the film first premiered at the Festival in 2022, and was inspired by the filmmaker’s own childhood. Silver Screenings will also be hosting a free screening of Clerc’s tender coming-of-age film on June 16. Accompanying the screening, Sarah Lewis, an Anishnaabe Kwe (Ojibwe and Cree) award-winning spoken-word artist, will join TIFF for a live performance and a moderated discussion about her career and art practice.

David R. Maracle & Friends: Sergeants Mess Hall, Base31 in Picton, June 9.Maracle will perform an ambient evening of Indigenous World Fusion Music. He will be accompanied by Saleek Brant on electric guitar and Ray Farrugia on drums + percussion. David R. Maracle is a community member from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, an Activist for Indigenous Rights & Culture, and an International award winning multi-instrumentalist musician/composer, and has released over 17 musical compilations over his multifaceted career. David has received two Gold Records from the Recording Industry Association of America, RIAA, for his world ambient melodies of the Iroquoian Love Flute, and his multi-instrumental fusion of rare world instruments. David’s accolades also include numerous Canadian Indigenous Music Awards and has performed his beautiful ambient music all over the world.

Anishinaabe Cultural Experiences (Wikwemikong Tourism) are nature-based and cultural experiences from an Indigenous perspective on Manitoulin island and Killarney, Ontario, Canada. Experiences range from soft adventure to wilderness eco-adventures, reconciliation and educational interpretive tours. Daily cultural experiences are perfect outings for individuals and families looking to engage their senses and gain a better appreciation for the local Indigenous culture. Tours available from May through November.

We encourage everyone to take a step forward together and learn more. You can also learn and discover the stories directly from the community through the Reconciliation: A Starting Point app available to  download on smart devices to learn about Indigenous Peoples in Canada, key historical events and reconciliation initiatives.

The post National Indigenous History Month Happenings in and around Toronto appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

It’s Coming offers audiences a truly riveting experience and begs the question, do ghosts exist among us? The film brings viewers into the home of Ashley and her young family as they explore entities, both demonic and ethereal, who are only visible to the family and their clairvoyant guests. The film broaches topics of intersectionality, generational trauma, spirituality and stigma. Ashley speaks in a candid manner throughout the film about the stigma of seeing or interacting with spirits and otherworldly entities. Ashley expresses experiencing a level of stigmatization, as a Black woman, when she speaks on her encounters from an early age communicating with ghosts; it compels viewers to question their reality. The film delves further into encounters with Ashley’s children, primarily her son, Javier, who is now in the midst of his ongoing engagement with a variety of poltergeists. With Ashley and Javier both the focus of the apparitions, fear, anxiety and suspense, make for enthralling continuity in this story. The narrative allows audiences to ponder what role supernatural forces can play in their lives and forces viewers to see the world in terms beyond what our natural senses ascribe.

The family ultimately seeks the assistance of real life ghost busters, Religious Demonologists Chris and Harmony DeFlorio. The DeFlorios created the New York Demonic Investigations, a ministry which offers investigative demonic services. With the potential for possession looming, Ashley connects with the DeFlorios as a last resort to save Javier from his growing connection with the apparitions in their ancestral home.

This unique documentary is unlike any other and will leave you questioning how reliable your senses are in detecting the supernatural forces at play around you.

The post It’s Coming: Poltergeists Beware appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

When Einstein passes away in April of 1955, Harvey was in charge of the autopsy which to him was a big pat on the back. He thought of it as a huge honour and took great pride in being the doctor in charge of Einstein’s body.

But then he did an odd thing: rather than just discovering the cause of death, he opened up the skull and took out the brain. He handled the brain with great care, dissecting it into different parts and preserving it in formaldehyde. And instead of keeping this a secret, he told the press, saying that it would be a great travesty if we were to not study the greatest brain that ever lived.

He was even successful at convincing Einstein’s family that this would be the best thing to do with the brain. And so, starts the story of The Man Who Stole Einstein’s Brain.

The movie depicts Harvey’s life with the brain, through interviews with family members and old footage and photographs of different scientists who got to study different parts of the brain. And though you are very certain that Harvey was a bit of an oddball, you are also certain that he had a great deal of respect for Einstein and his brain.

By the end of the film, it becomes apparent that Harvey wasn’t actually crazy for taking the brain and I’m kinda thankful that he did.

The Man Who Stole Einstein’s Brain is part of the Hot Docs Film Festival and is playing again on May 5^th, at 5.30 pm at Isabel Bader Theatre. It can also be seen online through their streaming service between May 5-9.

The post The Man Who Stole Einstein’s Brain Film Review appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

The film fest was started in 1993 by the Canadian Independent Film Caucus (now called the Documentary Organization of Canada) as a way of celebrating Canadian documentaries. It quickly grew to include films from all over the world, as the audience expanded to 150,000.

It now boasts 214 films from 72 countries, along with a Podcast Festival Showcase where five outstanding podcasts record their shows live. The Podcast Festival Showcase runs from May 4^th to 7^th at the Hot Docs Cinema and features popular podcasts such as The Happiness Lab, On With Kara Swisher, Scamfluences, and Radiolab.

It also features a night of storytelling by some of the most popular CBC podcasters such as Anna Maria Tremonti and Gavin Crawford. This special event is being put on to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Fest, so get your tickets quickly as they are sure to sell out.

With a few hundred films to see, it might be hard for you to decide where to start. Here are a few films you might like to take in:

The Man Who Stole Einstein’s Brain | Directed by Michelle Shephard, 78 min.

In April of 1955, the pathologist performing the autopsy on Einstein, covertly steals his brain, with hopes of uncovering the secret to his brilliance. The film depicts this story and what happens in the aftermath.

Wed. May 3 – 6 pm – Hot Docs Cinema

Fri. May 5 – 5.30 pm – Isabelle Bader Theatre

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie | Directed by Davis Guggenheim, 95 min.

Canadian icon recounts his improbable rise to Hollywood alongside his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease at the age of 29.

Mon. May 1 – 6.30 pm – TIFF Bell Lightbox (TBLB)

Fri. May 5 – 6.30 pm – TBLB

Sun. May 7 – 10 am – Hot Docs Cinema

The Lebanese Burger Mafia | Directed by Omar Mouallem, 103 min

The Burger Baron franchise, popular in Alberta is the subject of this film. The filmmaker captures the trials and tribulations of Arab immigrants while uncovering the saga of a fast-food chain with mysterious origins.

20 Days in Mariupol | Directed by Mstyslav Chernov, 94 min.

A journalist and his colleagues get trapped in Mariupol for 20 days while the Ukrainian War rushes on around them. This Sundance award-winning film exposes the unspeakable horrors of the Russian invasion and its propaganda machine.

Sat. April 29 – 2.45 pm – TBLB

Thu. May 4 – 5.30 pm – Isabelle Bader Theatre

Seven Winters in Tehran | Directed by Steffi Niederzoll, 97 min.

In 2007, 19-year-old Reyhaneh Jabbari was convicted of murdering the man who raped her. After being sentenced to death by hanging, her protest made her a symbol of resistance and women’s rights.

Mon. May 1 – 1.45 pm – Isabelle Bader Theatre

Sun. May 7 – 3.15 pm – Scotiabank Theatre

The Longest Goodbye | Directed by Ido Mizrahy, 87 min.

This film follows the work of the NASA psychologist who is tasked with protecting the mental health of the astronauts who have signed up for the Mars expeditions. They will be leaving the Earth for three years and will need to prepare for this long-haul adventure.

Sun. April 30 – 3.30 pm – Hot Docs Cinema

Thu. May 4 – 7 pm – TBLB

Sat. May 6 – 6.30 pm – TBLB

Another Body | Directed by Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn, 79 min.

An engineering student investigates the intersection of deepfake technology and porn after seeing her own face on another body in an adult video.

Fri. April 28 – 8.45 pm – Isabelle Bader Theater

Sat. May 6 – 3 pm – Scotiabank Theatre

Someone Lives Here | Directed by Zach Russell, 75 min

A young Toronto carpenter starts to build life-saving shelters during the pandemic for people to escape the cold winter. His actions get international attention but major push-back from the city.

Sat. Apr. 29 – 5. 30pm – Hot Docs Cinema

Thu. May 4 – 4.15 pm – TBLB

***

These are just seven of the amazing films the festival has to offer, so if you don’t see what you want here, head over to the Hot Doc’s website to find out more.

Single tickets are now on sale for $19- $26 or you can get a package deal for as low as $99. For more information on tickets click here.

The post Hot Docs Film Festival is 30! appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

The documentary plays with your emotions. As a white woman who grew up in Canada, it was extraordinary to see these women living their lives under constant threat even before the Taliban took over again.

Zahra Elham and Sadiqa Madadgar are ethnic Hazara women and contestants in the 14th season of Afghanistan’s hit TV show Afghan Star. Zahra is born to a middle-class Afghan refugee family in Pakistan. Sadiqa is from the Ghazni province of Afghanistan; when her family fled to Pakistan during the worst of the war, she and Zahra met at school. During their time on Afghan Star, the two girls room together in the show’s guest houses. We follow their journey on the show, their other interests and goals, and their family’s support or condemnation.

Aryana Sayeed, an Afghan national and global singer was the building block for the documentary for Fazila Amiri when they first met in a restaurant; the project took off in 2018 with support from Telefilm. In Kabul, Afghanistan, Aryana began planning her dream concert at Ghazi Stadium, a prominent sporting venue previously used by the Taliban as an execution site. At the same time, she’s participating in Afghan Star as a judge and mentor to Zahara and Sadiqa. Aryana acts as the glue to the documentary. We see her on talk shows, news cycles, and posing for photos, all in the name of women’s rights in Afghanistan. Aryana’s views are so controversial, and her celebrity so influential that multiple Taliban warlords put a Fatwa on her – essentially a bounty for her death. Still, she persisted: AND STILL, I SING.

Watching these three women through their trials is captivating and inspiring. We watch Sadiqa biking around Kabul, studying Law at University, and training in MMA; Zahra and Sadiqa walk around without male escorts; they go bowling. And then we see them threatened and discriminated against; called prostitutes and whores. When Zahra wins Afghan Star, becoming the first female contestant to win, we see the father of the losing male contestant threaten to bomb the studio. The juxtaposition of it all is baffling.

I sat with AND STILL I SING director, Fazila Amiri, to discuss her film and what it was like for her. Fazila was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, but in 1996 when the Taliban regime seized power, her family fled and became refugees. She’s spent most of her life in Canada, getting her BFA in Film Studies from NSCAD University and her MFA in Film Production from York University. She travelled to Afghanistan frequently as a student, reconnecting with her roots. “During my travels, I realised the emergence of culture and music back to the city’s streets in Afghanistan and how women took part in the culture and art sector, and that was inspiring to see.” As Afghanistan was affected by the war, as always, the arts were the first to disappear, but “Music has very indigenous roots in the country and history, that’s the main source of entertainment: television and Music. It was interesting to see the diaspora singers return to the country to rebuild the music industry. And I was part of that generation who dreamed of going back, helping rebuild and tell stories through our narrative.”

Fazila had finished AND STILL I SING completely; she was about to start sending her film to festivals when the news broke that the Taliban had regained control over Afghanistan. Her first move was to try and help her Arghan subjects and crew out of the country, knowing there would be targets on their heads. Aryana could get to Turkey on a military plane; Zahra fled by land into Pakistan, but Sadiqa couldn’t get out; she was stuck in a refugee camp for nearly a year before being accepted into Germany. The film, however, ends with Sadiqa still in Afghanistan hiding from her family and the Taliban, left behind and hopeless. She told Fazila repeatedly that she knew she might die there. And this is the feeling Fazila wants the audience to sit with: the sense of abandonment, the universal feeling of women in Afghanistan right now.

AND STILL I SING opens theatrically at Hot Docs cinema on October 21st with a special Q&A at 6 pm with the director Fazila Amiri and Afghan singer Aryana Sayeed. Don’t miss it!

The post AND STILL I SING Review | Women, Music, Afghanistan, See It. appeared first on Toronto Guardian.