The Royal Canadian Movie Podcast

This week - a giant treat! We’re talking to iconic Canadian filmmaker BRUCE MCDONALD about his film Dreamland and his storied career!

Where do you start in describing a movie like Dreamland? Maybe starting with reassembling the team behind the spectacular “Pontypool” - writer Tony Burgess, the inimitable Stephen McHattie and the charming Lisa Houle. Then it adds the scenery of Luxembourg and Belgium, Vampires, child-brides, gun-toting gangs of children, and totally unhinged performances by Henry Rollins and Juliet Lewis. Then maybe, just maybe, you can start to understand what you’re in for when you sit down to watch Dreamland.

Don’t worry, we make sure to ask a few more burning questions - like what’s going on with those Pontypool sequels and has Bruce seen “Crime Wave”?

Dreamland is available to rent/buy right now on iTunes or stream on VOD from your local cable provider.

Continuing in our Hot Docs at Home series, we’re speaking with documentarian Michèle Stephenson about her thought-provoking “Stateless”.

There’s plenty to chew on in this film about a young attorney named Rosa Iris, and her battle against electoral corruption when citizens of the Dominican Republic are having their citizenship stripped away - leaving them stateless.

Simultaneously a nuanced and powerful portrait of a specific social crisis in the Dominican Republic and Haiti and a reflection of thoughts and issues going on right now across the world when it comes to immigrants and nationalism - don’t miss Michèle Stephenson’s conversation stimulating film.

Stateless is part of the Hot Docs at Home Festival 2020! Enjoy right now by visiting the link right here:

We’re kicking off our Hot Docs at Home coverage with a film about a Canadian documentary icon - Peter Wintonick. Today, we’re speaking to Mira Burt-Wintonic about her deeply moving “Wintopia”.

Tasked with finishing her celebrated father’s film about Utopia after his passing, Mira sorts through around 300 dusty video cassettes her father shot on his years of global travel as he searched for “Utopia”. What she assembles may not be what her father intended, but it’s something, heartfelt, personal, and deeply relatable.

Wintopia is part of the Hot Docs at Home Festival 2020! Enjoy with those you love by visiting the link right here:

This week, Becky sits down with noted documentarian Liz Marshall to discuss her latest thought-provoking feature documentary "Meat the Future”

Meat the Future was meant to be screening at this year’s Hot Docs festival, but due to extenuating circumstances, you can now watch it on CBC Gem FOR FREE as part of the HotDocs at Home series.

And boy do we recommend it - Chronicling the birth of an industry, Meat the Future is a close-up and personal look at the visionaries who are risking everything to innovate and produce real meat without slaughtering animals and without environmental destruction. Follow Dr. Uma Valeti and his team at Memphis Meats as they face challenges in regulation, ethics, and the very limits of scientific knowledge as they pursue the next frontier of food-based innovation that could change the world for the better.

Regardless of how you feel about genetically engineered food - Meat the Future is sure to inspire conversation and deep thought.

You can watch Meat the Future on CBC Gem right now.

This week, Becky sits down with writer/director Joey Klien to discuss both Denis Villeneuve’s Polytechinque as well as his newest film Castle in the Ground - which will be available to rent or stream starting May 15th

We’ve covered Joey’s work before back in 2016 when we talked about his challenging drama The Other Half and we’ve discussed Polytechnique from a more technical perspective with producer Don Carmody last year. We had wanted to revisit the film in more detail and Joey, with his thoughtfulness and empathy was the perfect person to do that with. He’s also excellent at discussing how plots come together, how to keep the conversation going about social issues and topics, and how to give love back into the world.

A quick content warning. This episode deals with topics like addiction, mental health, and mass shootings and may not be suitable for all listeners.

A message from Becky

This week, it’s part 2 of our interview series as we speak with CEO Jonathan Gross and VP Distribution and Marketing, Kerry Kupecz of Unobstructed View!

We’re often complaining on the show about how difficult is to find Canadian film - and distribution company Unobstructed View is partnering with some of the best folks in the business to bring you the content you crave - including previously hard to find Can Con.

This week, we have two documentary films - Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World (2017) and This Changes Everything (2015). Both of these films fabulous. Rumble is a spectacular romp through the history of indigenous people’s influence on Rock & Roll and popular music. With big named guests, like Martin Scorsese, Iggy Pop, Robby Robertson and Buffy St. Marie, and killer archival footage - this is a definite must not miss.

The Second film is This Changes Everything (2015) from filmmakers/activists Naomi Klein and Avi Lewis. A companion to Naomi’s climate change book of a similar title, the film addresses how climate activists around the world are starting grassroots movements to challenge the status quo.

All films are available to watch right now on iTunes or buy the physical media on the Unobstructed View Website!

https://www.unobstructedview.com/

Enjoy!

This week, it’s another two-parter and we speak with CEO Jonathan Gross and VP Distribution and Marketing, Kerry Kupecz of Unobstructed View!

We’re often complaining on the show about how difficult is to find Canadian film - and distribution company Unobstructed View is partnering with some of the best folks in the business to bring you the content you crave - including previously hard to find Can Con.

This week, we have two fictional films - Face Off (1971) and The Grey Fox (1982). Both of these films are must watches. Face Off is Art Hindle’s film debut and is a wild ride - filled with actual NHL hockey players and vintage footage as well as a bananas “Love Story” plot. We loved it.

The Grey Fox is vital to Canadian film - and kickstarted the film boom in BC. Based on the story of “The Gentleman Bandit” this film was previously unavailable but has been fully restored by Kino Lorber and is coming out soon. It features Richard Farnsworth and our favourite - Jackie Burroughs!

All films are available to watch right now on iTunes or buy the physical media on the Unobstructed View Website!

https://www.unobstructedview.com/

Enjoy!

This week, a real treat as we’re joined by Canadian Icon, Actress Lynne Griffin! Canadian film fans will know and love Lynne from Black Christmas, Strange Brew and of course Curtains! We get into all of it - her time working with Bob Clark, the weird stuff that went on during the filming of Curtains and of course, trying to keep a straight face on the set of Strange Brew.

Lynne has some spectacular stories and we invite you to join us as we get a delicious slice of Canadian Film History from of it’s glittering stars.

Find out more about Lynne’s work at her Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/thegirlinthebag/

This week, we have the CEO and founder of Buck Productions, Sean Buckley to discuss producing films in Canada and the new release and film festival darling, “Astronaut” from 2019.

This is a different perspective than we’ve had on the show before as Sean walks us through the challenges and advantages of making movies in Canada, as well as our position on the international stage in terms of how we make movies.

Find out more about Buck Productions and their full slate of offerings at their website.

http://buckproductions.com/