The Westdale Theatre partners with Hamilton’s House of Adam and Steve
Reel Queens is a recurring night of queer film and art. A drag show, followed by a camp movie, featuring audience interactions and dance breaks. It is an event regulars of the Westdale Theatre have come to expect and love.
Reel Queens chose to celebrate Pride this year with a screening of camp classic Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, including a performance of the titular character’s interpretive dance live alongside the screen.
The minds behind the show come from Hamilton’s own House of Adam and Steve, a group known for organizing queer events around the city. The organization and its co-founder, Steven Hilliard, has touched everything from drag brunches to trivia nights to cabaret shows. But pairing drag with a movie in a smaller space has drawn out audiences constantly for years now.
Hilliard believes that the Westdale Theatre has been a proactive contributor to the expansion of Queer culture in Hamilton and discussed the initial conceptualization of Reel Queens.
“[The Westdale Theater] wanted people to know that the Westdale was a spot that does support the local 2SLGBTIA+ community,” said Hilliard.
Hilliard also spoke about how drag events were an eye opener to queer culture and identity as younger person.
“When I was a kid, the only place I could see drag was in a club,” said Hilliard. “I was struggling with my gender, my sexuality and I didn’t know where I fit in. I saw a drag artist for the first time and it really changed the way I thought about myself.”
Putting drag in a largely student and family community like Westdale Village is one of the reasons Hilliard considers Reel Queens to be so important.
“The Westdale providing this stage is really special because queer art saves lives… I feel like there’s not a whole lot [in the Westdale Village] that is overtly as queer as Reel Queens,” said Hilliard
Hilliard and the House of Adam and Steve aim to create a low-pressure outlet into queer culture through Reel Queens.
“It’s a great way to expose yourself to that sort of culture you might not get in small towns . . . you can come and relax and have a good time and not be afraid to be yourself. And, you know, be as queer as you want to be,” said Hilliard.
Hilliard recalled a time when queer culture was not as safe or openly celebrated, describing a time when there were “five gay, queer spaces. And they all but disappeared, all at once. It was a scary time to be queer in Hamilton.” In the last decade, organizations such as the House of Adam and Steve have worked with queer artists and allies to create their own safe spaces.
Hilliard emphasized the amount of queer safe spaces that are now available today in Hamilton and their importance to the community. “Not only do you have events and spaces where you can go and feel safe and feel welcome, but there’s an abundance of them . . . we’re no longer segregated to one spot in the city, or one bar. We’re not hiding behind closed doors,” said Hilliard.
Reel Queens events are hosted throughout the year at the Westdale Theater, hosted and put on by a variety of drag performers. Students interested in attending can find upcoming schedules and announcements at the Westdale Theatre or through the House of Adam and Steve.
With the Academy Awards just behind us, here’s how to further explore your interests when course selection rolls around
By: Scarlett Sapieha, Arts and Culture Contributor
The 97th Academy Awards nominees for Best Picture explore a variety of fascinating subjects, and McMaster has an extensive catalogue of electives that dive deeper into these interests. Here are the courses to take next year, based on your pick for Best Picture.
Frequently described as an “American Cinderella story,” Anora is a film about a sex worker who marries a Russian oligarch. CMST 2H03: Gender and Performance explores how gender and sex inform different performance texts through feminist lenses, leaning into the themes of the film about autonomy and sex as a transaction rather than pleasure.
The Brutalist tells the epic saga of a Jewish architect escaping Europe during the Second World War to start a new life in America. Though Adrien Brody’s character specializes in the brutalist style, GKROMST 2BB3: Constructing the Ancient World is your chance to learn about the fundamentals of architecture that still influence design today.
Timothée Chalamet’s performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown wowed audiences with the research and detail put into the role. MUSIC 2II3: Popular Music in North America and the United Kingdom: Post-World War II is your opportunity to learn about the musical greats of the era at the same critical level. Study everything from Chuck Berry to Madonna—record labels to production studios.
Visually stunning and technically masterful, Conclave follows the College of Cardinals as they vote to elect a new pope. It dives into what values a Catholic figurehead should have and how they shape the global politics of the church. Gender, race and sexuality have all historically been loaded concepts in religion—explore why and how in SCAR 2RD3: Religion and Diversity.
Dune: Part Two continues the story of Paul Atreides on the desert planet of Arrakis. ANTHROP 3SS3: Sacred Journeys is a study of pilgrimages and secular relationships. With a film about false prophets, manipulation and a whole lot of walking, it’s hard to find a better companion course.
With a film about false prophets, manipulation and a whole lot of walking, it’s hard to find a better companion course.
Emilia Pérez follows a cartel leader who fakes her death to have gender-affirming surgery. The film has been criticized for poor writing, its use of AI, a transphobic narrative and racist depictions of Latinx communities. SOCIOL 3U03: Sociology of Sexualities examines how sexuality and identity have been shaped by historical and social contexts.
Based on a true story from life in the Brazilian military dictatorship, I’m Still Here centres on the forced disappearance of Rubens Paiva and the struggles his family faces in the aftermath. POLSCI 1AA3: Government, Politics, and Power examines how power shapes political structures and the ideas and events that have shifted modern politics.
Shot almost entirely from a first-person perspective, Nickel Boys is an impressionistic film that captures a feeling more than a linear narrative, pairing well with IARTS 1PA3: Perspectives A: Arts in Society: Social Constructions of Class, Race and Gender. This course examines how art shifts narratives around social issues and how artists communicate through different mediums.
The Substance follows Demi Moore as an aging actress pushed out of the industry, who finds an experimental drug that will split her consciousness in two—one as she is now, and one as her so-called best self. Examining sexism and ageism in entertainment, GENDRST 3BB3: Gender and Visual Culture explores how gender is expressed and interpreted in visual mediums.
A critical study of how so-called villains are made, Wicked gives audiences a backstory for the iconic Wicked Witch of the West and how she became so despised. GERMAN 2FT3: The Fairy Tale (Taught in English) studies the history behind the fairy tales we love, starting with the Grimm Brothers and pushing forward to myth and modern folktales.
Regardless of their wins and losses at the Oscars, these films introduce relevant themes that stand strongly on their own. What better way to discover a new interest and inspire your studies than through cinema?
Regardless of their wins and losses at the Oscars, these films introduce relevant themes that stand strongly on their own.
OPIRG hosts movie screening for McMaster alum's documentary about the history of student activism at McMaster
On Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, the film peace love (unicorns) & communism had its on-campus premiere. McMaster’s Ontario Public Interest Research Group Outreach branch, formerly known as the McMaster Social Issues Network, hosted a free screening of the film for students in the Burke Science Building.
McMaster alum Adeola Egbeyemi wrote, produced and directed peace love (unicorns) & communism. Egbeyemi is a 2022 McMaster graduate and one of the founders of Climate Justice McMaster, formerly known as MacDivest.
The film explores the activism and struggles that marked her time at McMaster, but also that of past generations. Egbeyemi is particularly passionate about climate activism. "When I learned Mac was investing in fossil fuels . . . myself and a couple of housemates started [what is] now known as Climate Justice McMaster but formerly MacDivest and that was the start of a long journey of organizing stuff and not winning it,'" said Egbeyemi.
Jiya Rawal and Nimra Atiq, the co-presidents of OPIRG Outreach, discussed OPIRG’s involvement in both the production and screening of the film on campus. “OPIRG Outreach really wants to help social injustices within our community and help to bring awareness about that, especially about student-led change,” said Atiq.
“A good portion of the documentary is funded through OPIRG McMaster. We also gave her other support,” said Rawal.
Egbeyemi discussed the documentary's reflection of the broader university student experience. “I feel like it’s a documentary that tries to not only talk about university issues, but it also feels like you’re in university where so much info is hitting you at so many corners. Where you’re kind of overwhelmed but you’re like, "Okay, this is what it’s like,"” said Egbeyemi.
I feel like it’s a documentary that tries to not only talk about university issues, but it also feels like you’re in university where so much info is hitting you at so many corners. Where you’re kind of overwhelmed but you’re like, “okay, this is what it’s like."
Adeola Egbeyemi, McMaster graduate
producer, writer and director of peace love (unicorns) & communism
The documentary features powerful testimonies from students and activists who over the past 20 years worked hard to create a safer, more inclusive environment on campus. “It was cool to be able to now, looking back, document what — at the time when I was in middle school — people at Mac were doing to make the campus safer for people like me eventually when I would get there,” expressed Egbeyemi. “I think one really important thing they tried to make better is just making campus safe for women.”
It was cool to be able to now, looking back, document what — at the time when I was in middle school —people at Mac were doing to make the campus safer for people like me eventually when I would get there.
Adeola Egbeyemi,
producer, writer and director peace love (unicorns) & communism
As the writer, producer and director of the film, Egbeyemi had to juggle many different roles, each demanding a different set of skills. She credits her experience working on student musicals at McMaster with helping her learn how to manage a large, complex project.
"One aspect that I really feel like I gained was the spaces that are still there that foster skills in the arts . . . and one of those being McMaster’s faculty musicals in which I was able to learn what it means to be responsible for so many moving pieces in a musical and then to transfer those skills outside of Mac to a film," said Egbeyemi.
For Egbeyemi, the film represents more than just a personal project. It’s an expression of the collective student effort that has shaped McMaster over the years. She reflected on the powerful role that activism has played in transforming the campus. “They are the documentary. It’s almost hard to say this is my documentary because so many people contributed to it,” expressed Egbeyemi.
While peace love (unicorns) & communism showcases only McMaster’s campus, its themes can resonate and extend to student activism globally. The film touches on universal themes of social justice, environmental activism and the ongoing struggle for equity and inclusion. If you missed this documentary screening, keep an eye out for future upcoming screenings on the film's Instagram page.
This Halloween, The Westdale screened the 1975 cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with an extra special drag pre-show with Hamilton drag performers
By Naomi Moshe, Arts & CUlture contributor
The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been drawing in audiences worldwide for over 45 years for a reason. The cult classic film is not only jam packed with fun, but it is also a landmark piece of cinema for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The film exudes the message of radical self acceptance, and being unafraid of the hidden desires that live deep within all of us––a sentiment that the queer community of the mid 1970’s desperately needed to hear. As a result, midnight screenings of Rocky Horror became safe spaces for the queer community to socialize and connect with one another at a time when simply existing as a gay person in broad daylight was a dangerous act.
When I heard that The Westdale was screening Rocky Horror on Halloween night, including a special drag pre-show with local Hamilton drag performers Jessie James and Karma Kameleon, I knew I needed to go. Besides, is there any better way to spend Halloween night than heckling profanities at a giant screen surrounded by hundreds of other people?
The atmosphere at The Westdale was, in a word, electrifying. Of course, crowds of people dressed up as characters from the movie. But more importantly, people were genuinely excited for the show, even though most people in attendance probably have seen this film more times than they could count on both hands. The energy was infectious––the entire theater was buzzing with anticipation.
The drag pre-show, hosted by Jessie James and Karma Kameleon, was a blast. Karma and Jessie performed campy lip syncs of songs from the movie’s soundtrack, including “Dammit Janet” and “Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me.” The highlight of the night for me was Jessie’s incredible live vocal performance of “Sweet Transvestite.” I had the pleasure of speaking with Jessie shortly after the event to get some insight on the importance of nights such as these for Hamilton’s queer community.
“Visibility is so important. I didn’t see myself growing up, and I struggled a lot with that. Being able to put on public events where people can come see us be explicitly queer, it’s the first step in having a conversation about [queerness.] It demystifies the queer experience. It brings a lot of joy into it,” explained Jessie.
When asked about her personal highlight of the night, Jessie said that it was when the whole theater got up and did the Time Warp with her and Karma. “To look out into the audience and see everyone standing up and dancing along…There [are] very few words I could use to describe the energy you feel from that. It’s almost addictive in a weird way,” said Jessie.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show continues to bring together people from all walks of life, even 45 years after its release. And, for Hamilton’s LGBTQ+ community, events like these create space for authentic self expression and unapologetic queerness.
McMaster Film Production Club co-presidents, Amanda Dam and Hala Jaber, discuss what their new club has to offer students
Breaking into the film industry can be an uphill battle, especially as students, who often have little to no connections within show biz and lack any previous experience to qualify for opportunities in the present. Upon realizing this collective struggle among their peers, two McMaster University students, Amanda Dam and Hala Jaber, looked for a way to bridge this gap between theory and practice. Now the co-presidents of the newly ratified McMaster Film Production Club, Dam and Jaber sat down to talk with the Silhouette about how the club came to be, the production for the club’s first short film, what students can look forward to and the importance of fostering young filmmakers.
Before we start, could you tell me a little bit about yourselves and what you were doing before MFPC?
Amanda Dam: I’m currently a fourth-year student enrolled in the Arts and Science program combined with Media Arts program.
Hala Jaber: I’m in my fourth-year pursuing an honours degree in Media Arts. Amanda and I first met during our second year of university as coworkers and instantly bonded over our mutual passion for film and media production.
Why did you start MFPC and when did it go from idea to conception?
Jaber: After our second year, we felt that McMaster lacked a community for students interested and passionate about film production. We shared this vision of having a film or media production club that could unite students interested in film and provide a platform for collaborative projects. The idea had always been there, but we started taking it seriously during the summer of 2022 while we were sitting in a dessert restaurant.
Dam : And when we presented the proposal in December 2022, the response was incredible. We had around 100 students sign up, and that’s when we knew that our idea was becoming a reality. Since then, MFPC has been a club that works towards bringing together passionate students and fostering a vibrant creative community on campus.
That’s amazing to hear. For students who may still be hesitating, what can they expect from joining?
Jaber: Joining MFPC as a team member means gaining hands-on film production experience and collaborating with other McMaster students on the creation of a film throughout the academic year. Students are given the chance to be involved in various film production stages, including script writing, cinematography, sound design, and post-production.
Dam: The club also aims to give members the chance to contribute to all of these stages. It provides an excellent opportunity for students interested in the film industry to gain resume-worthy experience while also connecting with others who share similar interests.
Why do you think it’s important to support young filmmakers and creatives?
Jaber : We believe it is important to support independent and student-made films and creatives, as it gives the opportunity to promote diversity, different perspectives and representation of various issues.
Dam : It is also important to support fellow students and to listen to what they have to say. Student-made films foster a supportive community of those who share the same passion.
To become a MFPC member, check out a club membership here and visit the club’s Instagram page @McMasterFilm for the latest updates.
As the Hamilton Film Festival returns for its eighteenth year, Executive Director Nathan Fleet reflects on its history
There’s a very fine line to walk when curating a film festival. You want to support local filmmakers and artists, but you also want to include big titles to appeal to the masses. For Hamilton Film Festival’s Executive Director, Nathan Fleet, the best festivals should have room for both.
Currently in its eighteenth year, the Hamilton Film Festival remains on par with some of the best. At HFF, local shorts made by students and stop-motion Lego home movies are given a seat at the same table as award-winning actors and critically acclaimed directors.
As the festival continues to receive rave reviews, Fleet reminisced on how much the festival has grown and the strength of community that made it all possible.
“In our first year, 2004, we didn’t have a way to have movies submitted to us, so I just started asking people and friends saying, “Hey, do you want to show a movie? We’re going to run a film festival in Hamilton,”” explained Fleet.
Through word of mouth, the festival’s reputation grew and began to attract more submissions. And according to Fleet, the festival had filmmakers from Toronto flocking to Hamilton to get their movies screened by 2008.
Fleet believed the festival’s accessibility also helped account for this increase in submissions as well. While bigger festivals at the time would only accept submissions made with actual film, a material that came at a heavy cost for filmmakers, Hamilton willingly accepted DVD and VHS formats.
“Suddenly, it became accessible to indie filmmakers. You didn’t have to spend thousands of dollars to convert stuff. Just burn a DVD off your computer and bring it down to the theatre,” said Fleet.
“Suddenly, it became accessible to indie filmmakers. You didn’t have to spend thousands of dollars to convert stuff. Just burn a DVD off your computer and bring it down to the theatre,”
Nathan Fleet, Hamilton Film Festival Executive Director
The festival continues to wear its heart for the Hamilton community on its sleeve today, especially for its youth. With the inclusion of emerging filmmaker showcases and local short film galas, the Hamilton Film Festival is dedicated to supporting the next generation of Canadian filmmakers.
Especially considering today’s highly curated digital world, Fleet encourages students to get into the practice of going to festivals to experience something unexpected for once, as the movies are not algorithmically selected for each audience member.
“The movies are not tailored to what you just looked at on YouTube. There is always something fresh and brand new and you have no idea what to expect. I always say, it cleanses the creative palette. You just sit down and trust what you’re going to see for the next 90 minutes,” explained Nathan.
“The movies are not tailored to what you just looked at on YouTube. There is always something fresh and brand new and you have no idea what to expect. I always say, it cleanses the creative palette. You just sit down and trust what you’re going to see for the next 90 minutes,”
Nathan Fleet, Hamilton Film Festival Executive Director
The eighteenth Hamilton Film Festival runs until Oct. 29 and is currently being held at four different venues across Hamilton, including the Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, The Westdale, The Playhouse and The Staircase. To purchase tickets or view the full program, visit the Hamilton Film Festival’s official website.
C/O Westdale Cinema
The Westdale’s Film Talks invites people to remember the power of classic films through the Movies that Mattered and World Cinema Masterworks film series
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way we view film — microwave popcorn and Netflix have become staples to replace the in-person theatre experience, as countless release dates were pushed back and many major theatrical releases moved online. Now reopening its doors after extended closures, The Westdale is welcoming moviegoers back to the theatre and bringing magic back to classical movies with their new Film Talks series.
Located at 1014 King Street West in the heart of Westdale Village, the not-for-profit theatre is now back to running at full capacity after the most recent changes to provincial health guidelines.
The Westdale is excited to invite people back to partake in the communal film-watching experience. Neal Miller, The Westdale’s executive director, is glad they can be back to being a stage and a staple within the Hamilton community, where people can come to share in their mutual love of film and the arts.
“Movies are great to watch at home — they’re very convenient, you can press pause to use the restroom or let the dog out, but you can’t deny that something happens when you view [a movie] together, communally. You experience [the movies] in a different way when you hear other people laugh, take a deep breath or cry,”
Neal miller
Film Talks is a new series at The Westdale, where a selection of classic films are screened with a discussion and critical analysis of the film included as part of admission. Film Talks was born from the COVID-19 pandemic, when the theatre was in search of a way to move their operations to a virtual format.
“As soon as COVID hit in March of 2020, we understood that we didn’t have a venue anymore, so what we did was come up with Film Talks. We did them at first on Facebook live, where we selected a film, usually a classic, and then we would have [a film expert] talking,” explained Miller.
Given the success of Film Talks in a virtual space, The Westdale expanded the film series to include local filmmakers and artists though a Canadian originals series, as well as film noir and Christmas classics series. From Pulp Fiction to Lord of the Rings, the Film Talks series has a variety of films to choose from.
Film Talks now runs every Sunday at The Westdale, hosted by Fred Fuchs and Jeff Bender in discussions about the impact of films on the film industry and society. Fuchs is an independent film and television producer who hosts “Movies that Mattered,” a series in which he discusses films known for challenging audiences’ perspectives on topics such as sexism, racism, classism and xenophobia. Bender, a volunteer at The Westdale and film enthusiast, hosts “World Cinema Masterworks,” a series which highlights the work of international filmmakers.
“If you haven’t seen the movie before, I welcome people to come to the Westdale’s beautiful heritage theatre and experience something new for the first time. Share your ideas, your first instinct, your first thought or your first emotion. For those who have watched the movies years and years ago, take an inventory of how you feel seeing it the second or third or fifth time . . . It’s where it hits you in the heart and in the brain,” said Miller.
Whether it’s your first or fifth time experiencing a classic film, The Westdale invites people to come with an open mind and engage with the classics. From crane shots to sweeping soundtracks and important ideas, Film Talks is an opportunity to share and reflect on the power of cinema with a community of cinephiles.
The majority of the Film Talks showings are movies that can no longer be found on the big screen. The theatre invites students and community members to engage in film history, to talk, discuss, listen and share in the experience of watching good movies.
“The reception has been really excellent. We’ve gotten really good attendance and people are just happy to be out and having discourse in public [and] meeting with others . . . Get out and experience as much as you can, because you never know when you just have to stay home for two years. We all took for granted going to see a comedy show or a concert and then it got taken away. Time is fickle, so come out and experience something live and in-person,” said Miller.
The Westdale is operating in accordance with all provincial health guidelines. Moviegoers are required to reserve seating in advance of the screening and vaccine passports are currently required to enter the establishment. The theatre is also thoroughly cleaned between showings.
Moviegoers are invited to come with an open mind and experience the classics on the big screen once again. Now back as a Hamilton community staple, the Westdale’s Film Talks is a reminder of the power of film to change your perspective on the world.
The Westdale brings the film adaptation of award-winning book Monkey Beach to Ontario audiences
On Nov. 6, The Westdale will screen the Ontario premiere of Indigenous supernatural mystery film, Monkey Beach. The film is adapted from the 2000 novel of the same name by Haisla and Heiltsuk writer Eden Robinson. It follows Lisamarie Hill, a young woman with supernatural abilities from the northern BC community of Kitamaat Village, as she searches for her brother who disappeared at sea.
The film has been many years in the making. The movie’s director, Métis Cree filmmaker Loretta Todd, first heard about the book in the early 2000s, when someone brought to her attention that Eden Robinson’s style of storytelling is similar to her style of filmmaking. Eden, who aims to have all her adaptations handled by Indigenous filmmakers, quickly came on board when Todd approached her about making Monkey Beach into a film.
However, the journey to make the adaptation was long and mentally taxing. Todd spent many years pitching the film, with the support of people such as executive producers Fred Fuchs and Carla Robinson, a journalist who is also Eden’s sister. After many years of pitching, Telefilm Canada funded the film in 2018 along with a few other Indigenous films. Unfortunately, Todd still had to fight to tell the story the way that she wanted to.
“Like even with the storytelling, Loretta did have to fight really hard to get the story told the way she wanted to, in a nonstandard approach. And so, you can't just edit it the normal way and it’s going to take longer and it's going to take more resources. So she really did have to fight to get an adequate amount of resources . . . [You] definitely have to fight harder and convince people of the worth of a different kind of storytelling . . . [I]t was a battle in a lot of ways, but definitely, one that I think is worth it,” said Robinson.
[You] definitely have to fight harder and convince people of the worth of a different kind of storytelling . . . [I]t was a battle in a lot of ways, but definitely one that I think is worth it,” said Robinson.
The filmmakers continued to face challenges during filming and postproduction. For a supernatural movie filmed in a remote area, the budget was small. In addition, if they started filming any later, the movie may not have been able to shoot at the location.
[media-credit name="C/O Ricardo Hubbs" align="center" width="2560"]
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Towards the end of filming, it was announced that a liquefied natural gas pipeline would start building in the area, leading prices to rise almost overnight. As a result, Robinson described the film as almost a time capsule of what the area was once like.
However, regardless of this, filming in Kitamaat was always a priority for the filmmakers. Robinson noted that about a third of the budget went towards travel, but it was worth the cost because there was nowhere else that could capture the same emotions.
“[I]t's beautiful up there and it's unique. It's hard to get the same hauntingness or the same vastness, the same personality that the land gives . . . You know the animals, the characters, all of the characters have very strong storylines. It's not just the main characters, it's like [even] the land has a progression,” said Robinson.
“[I]t's beautiful up there and it's unique. It's hard to get the same hauntingness or the same vastness, the same personality that the land gives . . . You know the animals, the characters, all of the characters have very strong storylines. It's not just the main characters, it's like [even] the land has a progression,” said Robinson.
Filming on location fed the supernatural elements of the film. Not only did the land serve as the perfect backdrop but they also felt that the ancestors were helping them with the project. Even though they were filming in autumn, which is normally rainy and cold, they experienced extremely good weather that Robinson credited to the ancestors.
The challenges that the filmmakers’ overcame to make this movie mimics the journey of the main character, Lisamarie Hill. Lisamarie initially feels that no one is listening to her. However, much like the filmmakers who brought her to life, she persisted. The story acknowledges and highlights both the harm of the residential school system on today’s Indigenous peoples, but also demonstrates the resilience of these communities.
This is one of the reasons why the film is so important for Indigenous and non-Indigenous viewers alike. The important and universal themes in the film makes Fuchs, who is also the chair of The Westdale Cinema Group, so excited to bring the film to Hamilton. As many theatres in Ontario are currently closed due to COVID-19, the Westdale is going to be the only theatre in Ontario that screens the film.
“[T]he whole reason we bought [The Westdale] and restored it and it's a heritage-designated building was for exactly great movies like this. We want to showcase Canadian film, independent film, arthouse film and we want to provide as much diversity in terms of the films we select and be as inclusive as possible for all the different audiences,” explained Fuchs.
On the opening night of the film, singer-songwriter Gail Obediah will provide an introduction. After the premiere, there will be a question and answer session with Fuchs, Robinson and her daughter Leenah Robinson, who also stars in the film. There will be three screenings of the film from Nov. 6 to Nov. 8.
Fuchs thinks students should see the film because they will be able relate to the struggles of Lisamarie as she grows into adulthood. By watching this story, hopefully audiences will be able to tap into emotions that are better explained by art than by words.
The Art Gallery of Hamilton Film Festival moves online amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
By: Samantha McBride, Production Assistant
Every year film enthusiasts and creatives alike descend on Hamilton for the Art Gallery of Hamilton Film Festival. This event promises local and international feature films, short films, competitions and other programming. The festival is also an opportunity for the Hamilton community to support independent artists and engage with an international circle of storytellers.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s festival has undergone major changes. The festival is currently running from Oct. 16-25, 2020 and is entirely online using the platform, Eventive. Most of the films are available on-demand but there are also live online events.
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“It's very important for us to continue to support the creators as well as help the community to see new films that they might not see anywhere else . . . [Films are] a window into someone else's world and someone else's experience and it's an important medium for us to understand the world around us and the experiences other people have in our world,” said Art Gallery of Hamilton Film Curator Ryan Ferguson.
“It's very important for us to continue to support the creators as well as help the community to see new films that they might not see anywhere else . . . [Films are] a window into someone else's world and someone else's experience and it's an important medium for us to understand the world around us and the experiences other people have in our world,” said Art Gallery of Hamilton Film Curator Ryan Ferguson.
One of the more notable live events is the festival’s youth film challenge, an opportunity for anyone under the age of 25 to submit their short film to the festival. The youth challenge is a chance for young filmmakers to showcase their work to the community and beyond. One film from the category will be selected to receive the audience choice award for standout film. This year’s youth and family film challenges will be livestreamed on the last day of the festival.
The festival’s 21 short films are being offered at no cost in categories of six to seven films. These short films are eligible for the audience choice award, given to the film voted best by the audience.
The festival also includes a number of works from local and Canadian filmmakers. One of these works is the world premiere of La Toccata created by Hamilton interdisciplinary artist Radha Menon. La Toccata is set in Sicily and explores the Western obsession with youth and beauty. It is particularly fitting at this time when the pandemic has exposed the individual and systemic lack of care for the lives of elderly individuals.
“[I]t’s all about beauty so [the film is] made to look beautiful . . . because we are obsessed with beauty and it's that beauty that draws us in . . . [I]t has been created in our mind that the ageing process is something to be feared, mine included, everybody, it's so drilled into our psyche . . . [I]n my culture elders – well especially used to be, not so much maybe anymore because Western influences – were revered and the grey hair meant wisdom. But now, we shove our elderly behind closed doors, segregate them so we don't have to see them or be with them and it’s quite foolish because we could be learning from all the wisdom that they have,” Menon explained.
Menon was excited to premiere this work in the city that she calls home, even if it is only online. While she knows audiences will be missing the experience of being in a theatre, she thinks it is valuable to have the opportunity to see what creators are working on during this time.
Ordinarily, the festival is geared toward the Hamilton community but as it shifts to an online event, other audiences have the opportunity to partake in the diverse programming lineup offered by the AGHFF. The move to online creates a more inclusive festival for those who would not ordinarily be able to visit the Hamilton area.
“It's exciting for us to have the opportunity to share what we do every year here in Hamilton with people all over the province," said Ferguson.
“It's exciting for us to have the opportunity to share what we do every year here in Hamilton with people all over the province," said Ferguson.
Overall, the festival promises an interesting online experience for audiences with exciting ways to get involved. Although audiences are not together to watch the films, the community remains united by the stories told.
Four days, seven shows and one location. For the past five years, the Frost Bites theatre festival has created a space for non-traditional theatre in Hamilton. Frost Bites focuses on site-specific theatre, which means that the shows are created for a particular venue. Therefore, shows can only be performed in one space and at one time.
This year the festival is taking place in and drawing inspiration from the Hamilton Waterfront Trust. Claire Calnan, the Executive Director of Hamilton Fringe, explains that before they begin writing, artists are taken on a tour of this venue and asked to write shows inspired by the space, challenging the typical process of writing the script first and finding the venue second. The festival is run by Hamilton Fringe and was created to add a dash of fun, bite-sized theatre to the cold winter months, and to challenge local artists to create something that transforms a space.
“Site-specific work is really interesting for me because it can transform a location for you, so that whenever you go by that location in the future you will think about it differently, because you’ve seen something happen there, or you’ve thought about it in a different way. It kind of transforms a landscape, and it can transform the landscape of a city,” said Calnan.
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The festival also works with the Artistic Leadership and Entrepreneurial Training Program, a program run by Hamilton Fringe to develop new artistic leaders in the city. The youth that participate in the program assist with running Frost Bites, whether that be by helping to design the space or running the box office. In this way, Frost Bites not only fosters new theatre in the community, but paves the way for the future of the artistic community in the city.
One of the companies performing is DeVision, a collective of six McMaster Film and Theatre alumni: Adeline Okoyo, Maddie Krusto, Claudia Spadafora, Jamie Milay Kasiama, Brianna Seferiades and Yvonne Lu. Their show, Key Words Include, explores the complicated concept of femme bodies as marginalized and marginalizing. Krusto, now a Master of Arts student at McMaster in the gender studies and feminist program, says that the site-specific nature of the festival creates a unique opportunity to exercise their creativity.
“As an artist, it’s really interesting to not only have this mandate of ‘Make a show,’ but to be able to come in and be inspired by things in the room. For example, when we came in for the venue tour and came into the room, there’s a big glass case, and we walked in and we immediately were like, ‘We could put people in there!’ and, ‘What can we put in there?’ and we were climbing into it, and it’s just really fun to explore what that space offers . . . in some ways it’s very liberating to get to explore first, and to play in this space, and think about what we can do,” said Krusto.
“As an artist, it’s really interesting to not only have this mandate of ‘Make a show,’ but to be able to come in and be inspired by things in the room. For example, when we came in for the venue tour and came into the room, there’s a big glass case, and we walked in and we immediately were like, ‘We could put people in there!’ and, ‘What can we put in there?’ and we were climbing into it, and it’s just really fun to explore what that space offers . . . in some ways it’s very liberating to get to explore first, and to play in this space, and think about what we can do,” said Krusto.
Each group brings their own unique focus and ideas to their performances. DeVision knew that they wanted their work to examine ideas of subjection and consumption, but working in the building helped to mold and shape their ideas, evolving to fit the space that they are performing in.
“We already knew we wanted to do a show that was something about the consumption of femme bodies, and the way that we’re being consumed, and so now the show has evolved into what is our relationship to the land, both when us as subjects and bodies being consumed, but we’re also settlers and consuming the land and contributing to settler colonialism. So what is that relationship when you’re both marginalized, but also marginalizing,” said Krusto.
Every show in the festival is performed in or around the same building, the Hamilton Waterfront Trust. But each show is dramatically different, offering different perspectives on the same building. Another performer is Annalee Flint, the creator of Flint and Steel Productions. She says that her show was entirely inspired by the venue.
“I specifically didn’t want to have anything in mind already, I really wanted to take advantage of the site-specific nature of it. So once I found out what the venue was I had kind of a little lightbulb about something that inspired me, and then once I actually got into the space I had that go further . . . So it really has been created solely with Frost Bites in mind and solely with this particular venue in mind,” said Flint.
Flint’s show is entitled amo, amas, amat, and it examines the meaning of love.
“It’s kind of an exploration of love, but using words and language, and maybe almost looking at what happens when you can have all of these beautiful, poetic words and declarations or statements about love, but you maybe can’t actually feel it or realize it for yourself . . . You spend your time focused on the beauty of language and the beauty of how love has been expressed by other people, but then you sort of neglect to figure out how to express it in your own world,” said Flint.
In order to fit multiple pieces into the same evening, shows are capped at 20 minutes, and are performed several times over the course of the evening. Amo, amas, amat has a run time of just 12 minutes. The multi-layered, complex meanings of the show are condensed down into bite-sized pieces, leaving the audience to construct interpretations of their own.
“[The show is] going to have all of [the meaning] behind it, but what actually is presented to the audience I think is something that everybody is going to take away a different meaning, or a different bit of wisdom, or a different emotion,” said Flint.
Frost Bites focuses on fostering relationships between different artists, encouraging artists to collaborate. Each night, audience members will be led into the main space, where there will be a special performance by Indigenous artist Rod Nettagog. On Saturday Feb. 1, choreographer Kyra Jean Green will be doing a dance collaboration with Nettagog. Audience members will not be the only ones seeing this for the first time, however; neither performer has ever met or worked with the other before — it will be an entirely unique and one-of-a-kind performance.
“It’s hard enough to create traditional theatre in the city and make it be successful, so then if you decide to create something a little bit off the beaten track, or a little bit unusual, or you want to put things in unusual places, it gets really hard to find an audience for that. I think that what I like about Frost Bites is that’s exactly what everybody that’s going to Frost Bites wants. They want something that’s a little bit different, a little bit weird perhaps, a little bit non-traditional; they know that that’s what the festival is about,” said Flint.
The Frost Bites festival happens in a new building every year, meaning that each performance is specific to its environment. The unique nature of the festival means that the artists have the opportunity to experiment and explore with different forms of theatre. Like the Hamilton Fringe Festival, artists that participate in Frost Bites are paid for their work. In this way, artists are able to hone their craft while still being supported by the community.
Frost Bites runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 at the Hamilton Waterfront Trust (57 Discovery Drive). Adult tickets are $25 and grant you admission to as many shows as you can manage in one night. If that does not work with your budget, it is possible to see a 1-3 of the shows on Jan. 29 as part of the preview, for free. For more information or to pre-book, email info@hamiltonfringe.ca with “preview night RSVP” in the subject line.
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