In The Seats with...

It's tough to have those "difficult conversations" when the topic of one of them is in the room....On this episode we dive into a unique little piece of Canadiana which is now available on VOD and confronts the hard issues about hard questions to your loved ones..  It's time for 'Bystanders'.It's reunion time as a group of old friends (now in their 20's) reunite at the traditional spring getaway for the weekend.  We have Kyle who is Justin's brother, Zeke who is Justin's roommate, Lily who is Justin's biggest fan, Sophia who is Justin's worst critic and Ayda who is Justin's first love.  However there's an elephant in the room in confront, they've just heard something horrible about Justin....and he's just walked in the door.Bystanders is really an interesting character study and slice of life from conversations that have and undoubtedly will continue to happen with groups of friends and loved ones out there as we become more and more aware of how we need to treat each other in this world has human beings.We had the unique pleasure of sitting down with co-writer/director Koumbie to talk about the origins of the story and so very much more....Bystanders is available on VOD platforms now.

Life....finds a way....On this very special episode we dive into a unique comedy that had it's premiere at TIFF last year but has been under wraps until it opens this coming Friday in select theatres across North America.  It's time for 'Biosphere'.In the not-too-distant future, the last two men on earth must adapt and evolve to save humanity.This is really a fun character study that manages to straddle the line between some genuine social commentary and just being flat out hilarious. It's easily one of our favorite films of the year and it opens this Friday July 7th at select screens across North America.We had the unique pleasure of sitting down with the stars of the film; Mark Duplass (who also co-wrote the film) and Sterling K Brown to talk about the unique nature of the material, working together and so very much more.Biosphere is in theatres Friday July 7th.

Even a full blown pandemic can't stop the music....On this episode, we've got a song in our hearts as we track the story of a band that refused to let the global pandemic let them connect with their audiences.  It's time for 'July Talk: Love Lives Here'.The COVID pandemic of 2020 forced everyone to hit the pause button and take stock of their lives, even if they didn't want to.  That meant that a band like July Talk who built their fan-base and reputation through their high-energy shows had to postpone an upcoming tour....but that wasn't going to stop them.  This film chronicles the journey of band members Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis as they plan a one-of-a-kind drive-in theatre show in August 2020.This one isn't just for fans of the band, but it's a testament to the drive and the creative spirit to keep creating and keep developing revenue streams where ever and when ever you can.  We talk with writer/director Brittany Farhat about how she got involved with the band, chronicling the show and so very much more....July Talk: Loves Lives Here is available on all VOD platforms now,

Diving into the headspace of one of the masters will always be a different experience....On this very special episode we're talking about one of the very best to have ever gotten behind the camera and told stories on the big screen.  It's time for 'Kubrick By Kubrick'A rare and transcendent journey into the life and films of the legendary Stanley Kubrick like we've never seen before, featuring a treasure trove of unearthed interview recordings from the master himself.In his own words, we get a truly unique look at the canon of films by the one and only Stanley Kubrick.  Available on all VOD platforms now, we had the unique pleasure of sitting down with the writer/director of the film; Gregory Monro.  We talked about the challenges of assembling a project like this, the legacy of the man and the myth of Kubrick and so very much more.'Kubrick By Kubrick' is available on VOD platforms now.

There are somethings in life that we quite frankly never want to see end....On this episode we dive head first into one of the more delightful and relatable comedies that had a great run in theatres and is now available on VOD platforms everywhere.  It's time for 'The End of Sex'.A couple feeling the pressures of parenting and adulthood, send their kids to winter camp for the first time and embark on a series of sexual adventures to reinvigorate their relationship.From director Sean Garrity we get one of the most unexpectedly delightful comedies of recent memory and we had the unique pleasure of sitting with the star of the film Emily Hampshire (who you may know from the hit show 'Schitt's Creek' and her co-star who is also the co-writer of the film, Jonas Chernick.We talked about the origins of the story, the grounded nature of the comedy and managing to be heartfelt and sincere while being drop dead funny all at the same time.'The End of Sex' is available on VOD platforms now.

The unnecessary shame around mental health can take people to some very weird places....On this episode we get into the pitfalls around the social media age and announcing personal successes before they actually happen.  It's time for 'Millie Lies Low'.Millie, an architecture student from Wellington, New Zealand, has landed a competitive internship with a prestigious firm in New York. After telling everyone she knows about the opportunity, she suddenly suffers a panic attack as her plane is about to take off, and misses her flight. In a desperate pivot, Millie decides to save face by hiding in plain sight around Wellington, suitcase in tow, using Instagram and the power of denial to depict a trip to New York City that never happened. Trapped in a spiral of hilariously uncomfortable self-inflected scenarios, Millie will have to dig deep to restore her mental health and her dignity. This story owns the anxious missteps that we all make from time to time, and this hilarious and ultimately honest piece of cringe comedy is hard to look away from as 'Millie Lies Low' opens today in New York and in additional markets across the US.  We had the unique pleasure to sit down with writer/director Michelle Savill to talk about the origins of the story and so very much more....

You can now spell Adult Swim with a capital 'Eh'....On this very special episode we are diving into the some home grown talent and the first ever Canadian produced show to end up on Adult Swim.  It's time for 'Psi Cops'.This new animated comedy series follows unjustifiably bold and unnecessarily creative coworker friends forever (CFFs) Kydd (Chris Nielsen) and Felixx (Bart Batchelor) who are top detectives at the paranormal agency Psi Cops. Crammed into a shady office complex and helmed by true believer, Chief Beef, this rag-tag group of "experts" head out in the field as they investigate alleged sightings of aliens, ghosts, demons, and other hocus-pocus nonsense. Their intention is to solve mysteries and supernatural crimes using their overly competent incompetence.A hilarious slice of the absurd which is airing now on Adult Swim and is available on demand via STACK TV is more then worth your time.  We had the unique pleasure to sit down with stars and creators Bart Batchelor and Chris Nielsen before the premiere to talk about the origins of the show, the absurdity of it all and now eventually releasing it into the universe.'Psi Cops' is airing on Adult Swim Canada and is on demand via STACK TV now.

We can never quite know what it's like to walk a mile in someone else's shoes....On this very special episode we are diving into a very personal and very beautiful piece of Canadiana from a filmmaker and friend of the show.  It's time for 'So Much Tenderness'.So Much Tenderness, is a story about a Colombian environmental lawyer who flees her native country after her husband is murdered.  As a refugee forced to start over, Aurora (Noëlle Schönwald) rebuilds her life in Toronto with her daughter (Natalia Aranguren), only to risk losing everything when her traumatic past re-surfaces.While we've seen stories about the immigrant experience before, what writer/director Lina Rodriguez does here is let us simmer and appreciate the quieter moments rather then hit us over the head with any kind of political statements and lets us appreciate the human experience.We had the pleasure of sitting down with Lina to talk about the origins of the story, the personal nature of it all and how it expands to how she shoots the film and so very much more... 

It's pretty difficult to actually show and externalize trauma and PTSD,  but that's why cinema is such a powerful thing.On this episode we are talking about a mental health issue that is running rampant in our veteran communities today.  It's time for Here.Is.Better which is on all VOD platforms now.Here.Is.Better follows four of these Veterans, each with diverse backgrounds and service experience, as they undergo the most clinically effective, evidence-based trauma psychotherapies for PTSD. Individuals featured in the film include former presidential hopeful Jason Kander, who shocked many when he left the Kansas City mayoral race in 2018 to seek treatment; a Vietnam War Veteran still haunted by events that occurred over 50 years ago; and the voices of so often overlooked women Veterans, all seeking the keys to unlock their places of hurt and pain.  With unprecedented access to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Here.Is.Better. interweaves these inspiring stories of men and women Veterans overcoming the debilitating effects of PTSD with treatments that can work, bringing hope to millions. We had the unique pleasure of sitting down with director Jack Youngelson, and producer Sian Edwards-Beal to discuss the issues that surround PTSD and the unique way they made 'Here.Is.Better'  

If we don't learn about our history, we are doomed to repeat it....On this very special episode we dive head first into a part of Canada's shameful past that we collectively just don't know enough about.  It's time for 'Coming Home'.Coming Home (Wanna Icipus Kupi) reveals the impacts of the Sixties Scoop and explores Indigenous resilience through narrative sovereignty; as lived by the Little Bird series’ Indigenous creatives, cast, crew & community members. The documentary delivers a hard-hitting reality check for viewers unfamiliar with the Sixties Scoop, providing insight into the policies that were created to separate Indigenous children from their heritage, and the systems that continue to dismantle Indigenous families today. Coming Home is the feature directorial debut from Cree/Ojibway filmmaker, Erica Daniels of Peguis First Nation.  Done in concert with the Little Bird; Coming Home is really a fascinating and vital glimpse that gives context to the stories of the Sixties Scoop and puts us as viewers into the difficult realities of the moment for our indigenous population but also allows us to celebrate the importance of indigenous creators and storytellers sharing these vital stories for us all.We had the pleasure of talking with Erica about the making of the film, the challenges there in and so very much more.Coming Home debuts tomorrow Jun 30th on APTN and CraveLittle Bird is on Crave now