Film

Writers and scholars have long debated what makes for a great story, but Samsun Knight wanted to see whether there was a way to empirically determine which stories will be snore fests and which will leave audiences hungry for more.

Using a scientist’s tools, the novelist and economist found that “narrative reversals,” or peripeteias, were the key factor – lots of them and the bigger the better.

Samsun Knight (supplied image)

Commonly known as changes of fortune or turning points, where characters’ fortunes swing from good to bad and vice versa, Knight and his colleagues found that stories rich in these mechanisms boosted popularity and engagement with audiences through a range of media, from television to crowdfunding pitches.

“The best-written stories were always either ‘building up’ a current reversal, or introducing a new plot point,” says Knight, an assistant professor of marketing at the ��Ƶ’s Rotman School of Management.

“In our analysis, the best writers were those that were able to maintain both many plot points and strong build-up for each plot point across the course of the narrative.”

The research, co-authored with Matthew D. Rocklage and Yakov Bart of Boston’s Northeastern University, was recently published in the journal Science Advances.

For the study, the researchers analyzed nearly 30,000 television shows, movies, novels, and crowdfunding pitches using computational linguistics, a blend of computer science and language analysis. The approach allowed them to quantify not only the number of a reversals in a text but also their degree or intensity by assigning numerical values to words based on how positive or negative they were.

Movies and television shows with more and bigger reversals were better rated on the popular ratings site IMDb. Books with the most and biggest reversals were downloaded more than twice as often as books with the fewest reversals from the free online library Project Gutenberg. And GoFundMe pitches with more and larger reversals were as much as 39 per cent more likely to hit their fundraising goals.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle was the first to identify peripeteia as a key feature of a good story, with Oedipus Rex serving as a classic example. Other thinkers have since added their ideas, including American playwright and dramaturg Leon Katz, whose scholarship particularly inspired Knight’s research.

“[Katz] described the reversal as the basic unit of narrative – just as a sentence is the basic unit of a paragraph, or the syllogism is the basic unit of a logical proof,” Knight says.

In addition to helping psychologists understand how narrative works to educate, inform and inspire people, the findings may also benefit storytellers of all kinds.

“Hopefully our research can help build a pedagogy for writers that allows them to rely on the accumulated knowledge of Aristotle et al. without having to reinvent the wheel on their own every time,” says Knight.

That includes himself. With another novel on the way, he was recently working on a chapter with a big reveal.

“I realized that this drop might hit harder if I gave the character more positive moments before pulling the rug out from under them.”

Canada Post stamp honours the late Norman Jewison, one of the country's most celebrated filmmakers

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 13:00:56 +0000

Canada Post stamp honours the late Norman Jewison, one of the country's most celebrated filmmakers

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 08/27/2024 - 09:00

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(source photo by Peter Bregg for HELLO! Canada)

Joe Howell

Topic

Our Community

Alumni

Faculty of Arts & Science

Subheadline

A U of T alumnus, Jewison served as chancellor of Victoria University in the ��Ƶ from 2004 to 2010

Canada Post recently honoured acclaimed Canadian filmmaker – and ��Ƶ alumnus – Norman Jewison with the recent release of a commemorative stamp.

Jewison, who died in January at age 97, was one of Victoria College’s most distinguished graduates. He was nominated for best director three times at the Academy Awards: for In the Heat of the Night (1967), Fiddler on the Roof (1971) and Moonstruck (1987).

He also served as chancellor of Victoria University in the ��Ƶ from 2004 to 2010, with the Jewison stream of Vic One, the award-winning first-year program at Victoria College, named in his honour.

“As Canadian as maple syrup, as Canadian as a Prairie sunset, and now we have as Canadian as Norman Jewison on a stamp – which may be the winning entry,” said comedian Rick Mercer during an unveiling event on July 24.

The event was hosted by the hosted at the Canadian Film Centre (CFC), which was established by Jewison in 1988 and serves as an incubator for Canadian film talent.

Mercer, who was joined at the launch by director and U of T alumnus David Cronenberg, later told CBC News that Jewison was a “class act” who “believed in young people.”

Cronenberg, meanwhile, told the audience that, “When saying goodbye, [Jewison] would always say ‘stay strong,’ because he knew how much strength you needed to do what we did.”

Paul Gooch, a professor emeritus of philosophy who was president of Victoria University during Jewison’s time as chancellor, was among the attendees at the unveiling.

“It was quite joyful because Norman was such a wonderful guy and people wanted to tell stories about his life,” said Gooch. “All of the speakers referred to the fact that he was a storyteller and didn’t want to preach, despite being very concerned about social justice issues.

“He was great on human follies and the prejudices that we have.”

Gooch recalled Jewison’s remarkable support of young people. “As chancellor, he loved to interact with the students,” said Gooch. “He had something he did occasionally called ‘chat with the chanc,’ where he would have a group of students over to his place on Gloucester Lane and just sit around talking.”

Professor Emerita Pauline Thompson and Professor Emeritus Paul Gooch (supplied image)

Jewison is the fourth Victoria College graduate to be recognized with a stamp by Canada’s postal service in recent years, joining Margaret Atwood, Northrop Frye and Donald Sutherland. He was closely involved with the stamp’s creation and personally chose the image, which was taken at the CFC in 2007 by Peter Bregg for HELLO! Canada.

“After the photo appeared in Hello!, Norm called me up and asked if he could use it elsewhere,” said Bregg. “I said, ‘Yes,’ with pleasure. For three or four years after that he’d send me a litre of maple syrup from his farm as a thank you, which I found quite sweet, no pun intended. I’ve seen the photo everywhere since then.”

“Because the launch event was held at the CFC, the post office had the idea to let people recreate the original photo,” added Bregg. “You got a five-by-seven-inch print of yourself in Norm’s seat taken from the same angle.”

Jewison’s commemorative stamp is now available online and at Canada Post locations across the country.

Reel impact: How a U of T alum brought free films to Toronto parks each summer

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 14:54:03 +0000

Reel impact: How a U of T alum brought free films to Toronto parks each summer

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 08/16/2024 - 10:54

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U of T alumna and TOPS founder Emily Reid, right, poses with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow during a TOPS screening this summer (photo by Rebecca Tisdelle-Macias)

Topic

St. Michael's College

Subheadline

'There are times when I get caught up in the planning and the numbers of it all – but that goes away at showtime. When I look out and see such an impressive crowd, it's very touching and I feel enormously proud of it'

For more than a decade, the Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (TOPS) has been a staple of the city's summer scene. Whether it’s a cultural touchstone film or something more obscure, the screenings bring thousands of people together.

And it’s all thanks to ��Ƶ alumna Emily Reid.

“TOPS exists at the intersection of community, culture, cinema, public spaces, accessibility and affordability, providing programming that is available to everyone regardless of financial means,” says Reid, who is the artistic and executive director of TOPS.

The venture began humbly in 2011, just a few months after Reid earned her master of arts degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science’s Cinema Studies Institute.

The first screening billed as, “Movies in Christie Pits”, was a small, potentially one-off event, but Reid was determined to tap into something the city craved.

“I think there is such a strong desire for gathering and fostering cultural experiences together,” she says.

Within a few years, however, the park was packed every Sunday night – so Reid added more shows at more locations. After rebranding as Toronto Outdoor Picture Show and registering as a not-for-profit, Reid started running TOPS on a full-time basis.

“I didn't expect it to pay much, and I was right about that. It took quite a long time to take a salary,” says Reid. “And there are times when I get caught up in the planning and the numbers of it all – but that goes away at showtime. When I look out and see such an impressive crowd, it's very touching and I feel enormously proud of it.”

TOPS registered as a charity in 2020, which helped secure new government grants and sponsorship opportunities. This growth made it possible for Reid to hire more full-time staff and purchase better AV equipment to make the organization nimbler and more autonomous.

Thousands of people flock to Toronto parks every summer to catch Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (photo courtesy of TOPS)

Lights, camera, education

Growing up in the 1990s in small-town Quebec, the only movies Reid could watch were the ones she rented from the local video store. Her favourites included A League of Their Own and Strictly Ballroom.

Reid was infatuated with film but realized she wasn’t a born filmmaker. Her true calling was in film curation and supporting other people’s artistic goals. She knew U of T could open the right doors and give her the experience she needed to make an impact.

“Toronto always sounded like a mythical place to be,” says Reid. “I knew its reputation as a city of cinephiles and a city of festivals; I’d never been to the Toronto International Film Festival.”

For the practicum requirement of Reid’s master’s degree, she worked at Toronto’s historic Revue Cinema, where she pitched and curated her first film series. She also learned the ins and outs of film sourcing, marketing and event production – all essential skills for her future startup.

U of T played a pivotal role in expanding Reid’s industry network. She formed close bonds with the 13 people in her cinema studies cohort, some of whom later became her collaborators at TOPS.

Felan Parker, associate professor, teaching stream, in the Book & Media Studies program at St. Michael's College, is a TOPS co-founder who has served several terms on the board of directors and regularly contributes to festival programming.

“Emily is the driving force behind TOPS, having taken it from humble beginnings to what is easily the biggest and best outdoor movie event in the city,” says Parker. “She is probably the most fastidious person I know, and community-oriented public arts is her passion and vocation.”

There’s a strong connection between U of T and TOPS, which draws more than 30,000 movie-goers each year (photo courtesy of TOPS)

Parker and Reid have teamed up to build strong ties between U of T and TOPS. The organization has hosted numerous for-credit undergrad interns.

Isabella Brown, for example, is a U of T graduate who joined TOPS as an intern and is now the organization's program administrator.

Despite TOPS’ success, Reid is tasked with overcoming existential threats year in and year out, citing underfunding of the arts. She says government grants are shrinking while inflation is rising.

“We lost all our sponsorship funding in the first week of the pandemic. And most of that has never returned, even though our festival is so much bigger, so much more successful than it was in 2019,” says Reid.

But Reid is hopeful that TOPS will continue hosting outdoor film screenings for many years to come. She knows the value it brings to the city she now calls home.

“When we hear that some arts entity is calling it quits, that doesn't mean something else won't come in its place. But it takes at least a decade to create something impactful. And we don’t live in a time where there are many resources available to create new things,” she says, adding that TOPS is grateful to the patrons who keep the festival running summer after summer.

“We need to preserve what we love and what we value as the cultural fabric of this city.”

One of Canada’s most eminent filmmakers, Sarah Polley receives U of T honorary degree

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 20:35:44 +0000

One of Canada’s most eminent filmmakers, Sarah Polley receives U of T honorary degree Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 06/17/2024 - 16:35

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(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Scott Anderson

Topic

Our Community

Convocation 2024

Faculty of Arts & Science

A celebrated actor, director, author and Academy Award-winning screenwriter, Sarah Polley has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s most thoughtful and influential filmmakers. She explores themes of intimacy and memory, loss and resilience, and uses her platform to speak up against injustice.

Today, for her prodigious talent in the arts and her steadfast commitment to equity and fairness, Polley will receive a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the ��Ƶ.

Born in Toronto in 1979, Polley began her career in entertainment as a child actor. At age eight, she was cast as a lead character in Terry Gilliam’s The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. But the experience – which she says involved working 18-hour days and at times left her frightened and in tears – influenced her acting journey: it soured her on big Hollywood productions and led her to focus on smaller, often Canadian projects. “Baron Munchausen really defined me in terms of never really wanting to be on huge films ever,” she told the New York Times in 2007.

Polley came to widespread attention in 1990, starring as the lead in the CBC series Road to Avonlea, for which she was nominated for three Gemini Awards. Simultaneous with the success, though, came profound loss: shortly after the show’s debut – and just two days after she turned 11 – her mother, Diane Polley (also an actor), died of cancer. A few months later, Polley developed scoliosis, leaving her wearing a brace and undergoing an operation.

After a lengthy recovery, she continued acting but was uncommitted to it as a career. (She once called it a “frivolous thing to do with your life.”) By age 17, she dropped out of high school and left the entertainment industry to devote herself to political causes. Already involved with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, she became a member of the Ontario NDP.

(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Within months, she felt her singular focus on activism was making her, as she said in the New York Times interview, “boring, dogmatic, narrow,” so when director Atom Egoyan offered her the lead role in The Sweet Hereafter, she accepted, thinking it would provide a short break from her advocacy.

But the film was a critical success – and Hollywood came calling. She took roles in Go and Guinevere, then dropped out of Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous during rehearsals, feeling like she had taken the part by mistake. “Every day, it felt less and less like something I could pull off,” she told the New York Times.

She took some time to consider her next move and then, in 2001, at age 22, enrolled at the Canadian Film Centre, where she directed two shorts. The experience set in motion a transition from acting to writing and directing.

Polley’s debut feature, Away from Her (2006), adapted from an Alice Munro short story, tells the affecting story of an elderly couple whose marriage comes under strain as the wife develops Alzheimer’s disease. It earned Polley an Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay and established her as a force in filmmaking.

Her next two films, Take This Waltz (2011) and the documentary Stories We Tell (2012) cemented her reputation as a director with a deep empathy for her subjects. Stories We Tell delves into Polley’s own family history, using interviews and re-enactments to reveal a long-held family secret.

In 2019, Polley was approached to adapt and direct a film version of the novel Women Talking, by Miriam Toews, inspired by a true story about the horrific sexual abuse of women and girls in a Mennonite colony. She said in a New Yorker interview that the hardest part of the Women Talking shoot came during a scene when one of the characters talks about how men in the community got the women to doubt themselves. “That came from the experience of talking to so many women, and that feeling of being made to seem, or feel, crazy.”

In 2023, the film won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay and was nominated for best picture.

Polley continues to support causes that are meaningful to her. She has used her platform to speak up about income inequality and sexual abuse in the entertainment industry, and to argue for filmmaking that is informed by feminist principles. In her Oscar acceptance speech, she alluded to the need for change in the male-dominated film world: “I just want to thank the Academy for not being mortally offended by the words ‘women’ and ‘talking’ put so close together like that.”

At today’s convocation for the Faculty of Music and Innis College, Polley told graduates about her experience recovering from a severe concussion and shared the life-changing advice she had received from a doctor to “run towards the danger.”

She encouraged graduates to face their fears as a way to move past them. “Have a beautiful life and don’t always avoid the edges,” she said. “Ask for help. Admit your terrors to someone you can trust. Don’t assume you aren’t equal to what you want. It’s okay to be scared, and to feel like a fraud – most of us do. Go try to do it all anyway. And if your anxiety tells you that you can’t? Thank it for trying to protect you, and tell it that it’s allowed to come along for the thrilling ride – it’s just not allowed to block the driveway.”

Over her nearly four-decade career in entertainment, Polley has received numerous high-profile honours for acting, writing and directing. She is also an Officer of the Order of Canada and a recipient of the National Arts Centre Award.

Learn long and prosper: U of T’s Fisher Library becomes ‘eternal archive’ on Star Trek: Discovery

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 17 May 2024 20:51:35 +0000

Learn long and prosper: U of T’s Fisher Library becomes ‘eternal archive’ on Star Trek: Discovery

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 05/17/2024 - 16:51

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Hy'Rell (Elena Juatco) leads Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) through the Eternal Archive and Gallery in an episode of Star Trek: Discovery that was filmed in U of T's Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library (photo by Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

Topic

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

U of T Libraries

Subheadline

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library was chosen as a filming location for the latest episode of the sci-fi series because of its unique architecture and "commitment to preservation and the pursuit of knowledge"

The team behind Star Trek: Discovery didn’t have to venture too far into the final frontier to find the perfect venue for a boundless library containing all the knowledge of the universe.

The ��Ƶ’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library stars as a complete repository of cosmic wisdom in the latest episode of the sci-fi series, titled “Labyrinths,” which premiered this week and is available to stream on Paramount Plus.

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library (photo by U of T Communications)

With its tiered stacks of timeless tomes, the Fisher library – a brutalist architectural marvel – serves as more than a retro-futuristic TV setting, says Michael Cassabon, director of advancement at U of T Libraries.

“I think the university is trying to imagine an ideal future and bring it into the present … whether it’s working on inclusion, diversity and equity, or science and exploration,” he says.

“The Star Trek future represents a lot of what we’re trying to materialize.”

A self-proclaimed “Trekkie,” Cassabon says he had to set his fandom aside when reviewing the request to bring the USS Discovery to Fisher Library, which holds about 800,000 volumes and 5,000 linear metres of manuscripts.

Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham in Star Trek: Discovery (photo by Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

The Toronto-based production has previously filmed at various U of T locations. However, camera crews rarely gain access to Fisher Library’s valuable stacks and a shoot of this scale was unprecedented, Cassabon says.

The deciding factor? The pivotal role Fisher Library would play in the run-up to the series finale, offering the galaxy a glimpse of the rich trove of knowledge preserved within its walls.

“It was exciting that Fisher Library wouldn’t just be a backdrop,” Cassabon says. “It was like the library itself was a character – a very important character – in the story.

“The Fisher Library is a national treasure, and we thought this was a really good way of making it known to a lot of folks out there.”

The fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery sends the crew on an interstellar scavenger hunt to uncover a hidden ancient power. The final clue lies in the “eternal archive,” an infinite library safeguarding the secrets of the universe.

As soon as Star Trek: Discovery location manager Melissa Warry-Smith read the site description, she says only one place came to mind.

“Not only does [Fisher Library] look like it is from the future and could in fact have been plucked directly from the Star Trek universe, but the library’s commitment to preservation and the pursuit of knowledge is intrinsic to the core values of Star Trek,” Warry-Smith says.

Larry Alford, right, university chief librarian, observes filming from a director's chair (photo by Michael Cassabon)

“The library is a stunning example of what we can achieve when we care deeply about preserving and sharing knowledge, and commit to coming together to use that knowledge for a shared vision of a better future for all – and what could be more Star Trek than that?”

This respect for the preservation of knowledge shaped the production team’s approach to shooting the scenes, says Cassabon.

Filming took place overnight to minimize disruption to readers and researchers. The crew worked with Fisher’s librarians and archivists to implement strict protocols to protect its precious collections, including using heat-free lighting to prevent damage to delicate materials.

Cassabon and Larry Alford, university chief librarian at U of T Libraries, were on set for part of the shoot.

For Cassabon, meeting the show’s cast and crew was a fanboy moment.

“It was super surreal for me,” he says. “These are my childhood heroes.”

Filming took place overnight to minimize disruption to readers and researchers`(photo by Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

Cassabon adds that many researchers, professors and students have drawn inspiration from Star Trek as they look to tackle some of the greatest challenges in the world – and beyond.

Many of the show’s themes are reflected on campus, he says.

For example, the episode’s search through the “eternal archive” echoes the work of a U of T-led international research collaboration that’s using new techniques to unearth long-hidden stories lurking within Fisher Library and other collections, Cassabon says. And he notes that Star Trek has a nearly six-decade history of breaking new TV ground when it comes diverse representation and inclusivity – another one of the university’s core values.

“So much of Star Trek is imaging a world where … the things that label and divide us have faded away,” Cassabon says. “The university is all about trying to create a more inclusive and just world. It’s all about working together in harmony toward progress.”

Both U of T and Fisher Library are credited in “Labyrinths,” which is dedicated to “librarians everywhere, dedicated to the preservation of artifacts, knowledge, and truth.”

U of T producers set to make their Cannes debut with two films

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 14 May 2024 13:19:49 +0000

U of T producers set to make their Cannes debut with two films

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 05/14/2024 - 09:19

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Weijie Lai, left, and Elizabeth Wijaya, right, have two films premiering at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Subheadline

Weijie Lai and Elizabeth Wijaya are co-founders of the development and production company E&W Films and teach in U of T Mississauga's department of visual studies

The ��Ƶ’s Elizabeth Wijaya and Weijie Lai are headed to the French Riviera to see not one, but two films debut at Cannes.

The two scholars – Wijaya is an assistant professor in U of T Mississauga’s department of visual studies, Lai is a Cinema Studies instructor – co-founded the company, E&W Films, that led the production of Mongrel, which is set to premiere as part of the Director’s Fortnight, an independent section that runs in parallel to theCannes Film Festival and is organized by the French Directors’ Guild.

The film, which marks the feature debut of co-directors Chiang Wei Liang and You Qiao Yin, tells the story of Oom, an undocumented migrant who works as a caregiver in the mountains of rural Taiwan.

Meanwhile, director Trương Minh Quý’s Việt and Nam will compete in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard category, which is dedicated to non-traditional stories and styles. The film, also produced by E&W, follows two lovers, one from the north and the other from the south, on a mission that explores the dreams and trauma of the southeast Asian country’s children.

“I would say both films this year are heavy, but they have very distinct artistic visions,” Wijaya says. “With everything we work on under E&W Films, we look out for that sense of directorial vision or artistic voice.”

A still from the movie Mongrel (Image courtesy E&W Films)

Wijaya and Lai met in an undergraduate philosophy and film course at the National University of Singapore. They launched E&W Films for practical reasons: they needed somewhere to hold funds while raising money to make Lai’s thesis film project. Later, E&W Films produced a short project for an undergraduate schoolmate: director Kirsten Tan. Next, the pair moved on to produce Tan’s debut feature Pop Aye, which won a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Fast forward to today and E&W Films now has more than a dozen productions under its belt.

Wijaya generally defines her roles as development, strategy and co-ordination while Lai is more hands-on, helping facilitate everything from ideation and scripting to fundraising, production, sales and distribution.

A still from the film Việt and Nam (image courtesy Epicmedia Productions Inc.)

The couple’s dedication to film media, as well as their teaching and scholarship, has enriched U of T Mississauga’s department of visual studies, where they’ve built the UTM Asian Short Film Collection (accessible to anyone with a U of T library account) and organized the UTM DVS filmmaker-in-residence program, which has welcomed international talents such as Davy Chou, Pimpaka Towira and Anocha Suwichakornpong to campus for workshops, lectures and screenings.

Two projects currently in development by E&W Films have also received U of T Mississauga funding: an eco-horror project directed by Gogularaajan Rajendran was awarded the Black, Indigenous, and/or Racialized Scholar Research Grant, and The Sea is Calm Tonight by filmmaker Lê Bảo was given seed support by the Research and Scholarly Activity Fund.

The opportunity presented by the Cannes’ platform is enormous, the producers say.

“It's the biggest international market in terms of the number of attendees,” Lai says. “The most number of critics internationally are there. The most number of distributors are there and sales agents and things like that … So if you're there, in theory, more people will watch your film.”

While E&W Films has had a presence at the festival for years, this is the first time its work is set to be screened at Cannes.

“I think I’m excited just to see the first reactions,” Wijaya says.

Lai, too, says he’s looking forward to the experience.

“By the time we get to the world première, you've seen the film so many times that you’re actually bored stiff,” he says. “But for some reason, when you're sitting there with a fresh audience during the world première … the feeling is always different. You feel the energy of the audience, and fingers crossed the energy is good.”

U of T prof takes home award at Sundance Film Festival

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 18:06:40 +0000

U of T prof takes home award at Sundance Film Festival

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 02/13/2024 - 13:06

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Brett Story, an assistant professor at U of T’s Cinema Studies Institute, says it was the first time she had a film premiere at the Sundance Film Festival (photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Sean McNeely

Topic

City & Culture

Cinema Studies

Faculty of Arts & Science

Film

Subheadline

Brett Story co-directed Union, which follows a group of workers who successfully organize the first labour union at online retail giant Amazon

The ��Ƶ’s Brett Story recently returned from the Sundance Film Festival, where the documentary she co-directed about a group of unionizing Amazon employees won the festival’s U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art of Change.

Union follows a group of current and former Amazon workers in the New York City borough of Staten Island as they attempt to organize an independent labour union at the online retail giant.

An assistant professor at the Cinema Studies Institute in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Story recently spoke to writer Sean McNeely about the film, her time at Sundance and the lessons she’s passing on to her students.

What is Union about?

Union is a documentary chronicling the organizing efforts of a group of Amazon workers in Staten Island, N.Y., who organized the first ever successful union campaign at an Amazon facility. We were there from day one and we filmed for almost three years documenting their efforts to form an independent union without institutional affiliation. When they won their election, they became the first Amazon union in America. But it’s not just a film about employees versus the employer, it’s really a film about how hard it is to organize people.

And we didn't know they were going to win. In fact, the decision to make the film – that it was worth documenting their process – was made independent of any kind of real evaluation of whether or not they had the capacity to win. It didn't seem like they could win. This was basically a small group of people outside, under a tent, who are trying to unionize a workplace that even the Teamsters deemed unsuitable.

Union, co-directed by Brett Story and Stephen Maing, won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art of Change at Sundance (image supplied)

How was the experience of being at Sundance?

It's got the aura of a very glamorous festival, but it takes place at a very high elevation in Park City, Utah, which is a ski town. It's very snowy – so instead of red-carpet glamour, everyone's wearing snow boots and sweaters.

But it's so exciting, especially the first weekend. There's tons of press – all the critics are in the room, all the buyers. Part of the hype around Sundance is that it’s a big market. So it's not just the prestige, it's also knowing there's an opportunity to get distribution. A lot of independent films, including my own, that go to Sundance don't have a distributor, so we don't know where anyone's going to be able to see this film outside of a festival.

The hope is that at Sundance, you can get someone to distribute it. That didn't happen for us yet. We're still waiting to see if anyone's going pick it up. It's a bit of a hot-button film. Obviously, Amazon isn't going to buy it.

But, realistically, when the media landscape is dominated by media-tech companies, one has to ask whether any of them want to touch a film about a scrappy labour movement that took on one of the world's biggest companies. We’re optimistic that someone will pick it up because it’s an exciting story and we think we did it cinematic justice in our film.

How was the screening of your movie?

Watching it with an audience was a really special, beautiful experience. People laughed and cried, and we got a big standing ovation. For me, part of the joy of making a film is watching how other people respond to it. It's then out of my own mind and into the imaginations of others.

Were participants in the movie at the screening?

Yes – not everybody, but we brought eight people. You’re not always able to do that. It's very expensive and people have complicated lives. But it was important for us. The film honours their hard work. They showed a lot of vulnerability, allowing us into their lives.

And it's only fair that the rewards of making a film – like getting applause, or having people tell you that it's amazing – don't just accrue to the filmmakers. Those should be felt by the people who are in the film.

What was your reaction to Union winning an award?

This was the first time I'd ever had a premiere at Sundance, so it was a big deal. I tend to not have expectations about these things – that keeps me from disappointment. But it's a huge honour to even be at Sundance. We only finished the film six days before the festival started.

From left to right: Brett Story and Stephen Maing hold the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art of Change at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival (photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

How does your filmmaking impact your teaching?

The great thing about having taught last term was that I could tell students, in real time, what I was struggling with regarding the construction of the film. At one point, we couldn’t decide on our opening and my co-director and I were having this artistic disagreement, so I could talk to them about that process and show them the different possible openings. I think it was fun for them to see me go through that and complete the film.

What’s your advice to students who are thinking of making a movie?

It's important to understand that failure is part of the process. The only way to learn how to make a film is to actually make one. If there isn't the possibility that what you try might fail, then you're not actually trying anything at all.

A lot of the exercises I'm doing in my class right now are about limitation. We just did an exercise where the students made a film but were only allowed to use one shot. Their next exercise is to make a sound film in which they're not allowed to have any images. There's something about these kinds of limitations that helps them understand the tools a little better and hopefully take risks.

One doesn’t just “become” a filmmaker overnight. It is a practice like any other and the most important thing is to not let yourself get discouraged. I got a film in Sundance and won a big award. It's huge for my career. But this is my fourth feature film and I've been making films for over 15 years. I could have given up after my first film didn't get into Sundance, but I didn't and I learned from it.

Can you show Union to your class?

Right now we're on a festival rollout. I won’t be able to have a public screening until we have a festival screening. I hope to report soon on where the film will play in Toronto. It makes a difference to watch something with a big audience, so I will probably show them scenes but will wait until the film is playing in a theatre to invite them all. And then, yes, absolutely, we will hopefully show it at Innis (College).

Remembering Norman Jewison, one of Canada's most celebrated filmmakers

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:50:38 +0000

Remembering Norman Jewison, one of Canada's most celebrated filmmakers

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 01/23/2024 - 15:50

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(supplied image)

Sally Szuster

Topic

Our Community

Alumni

Faculty of Arts & Science

Subheadline

The acclaimed director was a U of T alumnus and former chancellor of Victoria University in the ��Ƶ

The ��Ƶ community – and film fans around the world – are mourning the death of alumnus Norman Jewison.

One of Canada’s most celebrated filmmakers, Jewison received many awards and accolades for his artistic vision that challenged the status quo and brought a deep humanity to the characters and stories he told.

Jewison, who graduated from U of T in 1949 as a member of Victoria College, served as chancellor of Victoria University in the ��Ƶ from 2004 – 2010. One of U of T’s most distinguished graduates, he also received an honorary doctorate from U of T in 1985 and from Victoria University in 2001.

The Jewison stream of Vic One, the award-winning first-year program at Victoria College, is named in his honour. There is also a Norman Jewison Fellowship in Film Studies at Innis College.

Norman Jewison (photo by Peter Bregg)

“Norman Jewison embodied a dazzling sense of curiosity and creativity that is such a big part of the Vic U ethos,” says Rhonda N. McEwen, president and vice-chancellor of Victoria University in the ��Ƶ, which is planning to lower its flag to half-mast to honour Jewison’s legacy.

“He was an inspiration to others while he was a student on campus and continued to evoke a sense of awe in generations of students, alumni, staff and faculty who watched as he went on to make films that are now an indelible part of our cultural landscape.

“He showed his gratitude for his university experience with generous donations to Victoria University throughout his life. I had the pleasure to meet his son and granddaughter recently and we enjoyed recounting his Vic U adventures. He will always be remembered here.”

Victoria University Library (E.J. Pratt Library) holds a large collection of Jewison’s photographs and publicity materials, papers and correspondence, shooting scripts and schedules primarily for films directed or produced by Jewison between the years 1975 and 2003. Materials related to the films Fiddler on the Roof, …And Justice for All, A Soldier’s Story, Moonstruck, The Hurricane, The Statement and others are held in this collection.

As a student, Norman Jewison was involved in various theatrical productions, including the Vic “Bob Revue,” Canada’s longest-running collegiate sketch comedy show (supplied image)

As a U of T student pursuing a bachelor of arts degree, Jewison was involved in writing, directing and acting in various theatrical productions, including the All-Varsity Revue in 1949 and the Vic “Bob Revue,” Canada’s longest-running collegiate sketch comedy revue, which was founded in 1874.

Ira Wells, director of academic programs at Victoria College, wrote the biography Norman Jewison A Director’s Life in 2021.

“Norman Jewison was among the greatest film directors of his generation,” says Wells. “His films were animated by a profound social conscience and commitment to civil rights and human dignity – and by a belief in the integrity of film itself. He believed that film could change its audience, even in a small way.

“Mr. Jewison was fond of saying, ‘film is forever.’ His unwavering support for Canadian talent through the Canadian Film Centre, and for Victoria College and ��Ƶ students, made concrete differences in the lives of many. His abiding belief in the power of cinema will inspire generations to come.”

U of T 'Horror Film' course keeps students on the edge of their seats

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 15:20:29 +0000

U of T 'Horror Film' course keeps students on the edge of their seats

rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 10/31/2023 - 11:20

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The "Horror Film" class offered through U of T’s Cinema Studies Institute examines movies spanning several decades, including early horror pictures (photos by LMPC via Getty Images, Movie Poster Image Art/Getty Images)

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Faculty of Arts & Science

Subheadline

“Horror provides a structured, formal space to explore experiences like death, decay and monstrosity that may otherwise be dangerous, hidden or off-limits"

When Carrie Reese turned 10, she invited friends to her house for a sleep-over birthday party and chose a special film to mark the occasion.

Equipped with plenty of pillows to clutch and hide behind, she and her friends nervously pressed play and began watching Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic 1963 horror film, The Birds.

Carrie Reese (supplied image)

It was the beginning of a lifelong interest in scary movies that she is now sharing through her course, Horror Film, at the Faculty of Arts & Science’s Cinema Studies Institute (See a list of Reese’s picks for Halloween viewing below).

The course examines horror films through a critical thinking lens, exploring key elements such as gender and genre as well as notions of space, the home and ownership. That extends to discussing ways that horror connects to emotion and experience, and how emotions like fear and dread can be visualized.

“It's about getting students to learn through images and to understand the value in studying images,” says Reese, a sessional instructor who holds a PhD in cinema studies from U of T. “Rather than talking about whether a film is good or bad, we’re critically investigating it and seeing how it helps us to understand different modes of being.”

The class studies movies spanning several decades including modern films such as Us (2019) and Candyman (1992), to classics such as Jaws (1975), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and early horror pictures such at Cat People (1942) and the original Frankenstein (1931).

(Photo by Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty images)

Reese says she loves the fact that every student’s approach, interest and reaction to horror movies is unique, and she feeds off this wide spectrum of experiences and perspectives.

“I encourage students to come to horror movies in different ways and through their own interests,” she says. “It's been rewarding to see students who maybe have never taken a cinema studies class before and are able to have their first experience with the discipline through horror.”

Part of the course requires a deep dive into the films’ stories, and the techniques and methods used to evoke a fearful response.

“One of my favorite things to look at in horror is editing,” says Reese. “If there's something that's edited in like a jump scare, why are we responding to that? Because it's put in at a time that’s not expected. So we’re breaking those things down and talking about our reactions, but also examining how this is created on screen – how there are patterns in horror that we come to expect, but nevertheless continually surprise us.”

When it comes to fearful responses, Reese sees them first-hand during her in-class screenings of the course’s movies as the crowd of students hold their breath together or sigh in relief.

“It’s absolutely delightful to engage in screenings as a community and I think it's such an important experience,” says Reese, adding that the screenings are paired with reflective discussions that follow.

“We’re looking at how these things are presented visually and stylistically, and I’m seeing firsthand the way these images have shifted ways of critically thinking about media, about emotion, and about politics.”

But why do we subject ourselves to being frightened?

(Photo by Movie Poster Image Art/Getty Images)

“This paradox, enjoying horror, has been studied in some of the canonical horror literature and it’s one of the things I had students explore in the first few weeks of the course,” says Reese.

“Horror provides a structured, formal space to explore experiences like death, decay and monstrosity that may otherwise be dangerous, hidden or off-limits. Part of the thrill is in seeing things we’re typically not supposed to see or experience. This is articulated in the ‘paradox of horror,’ or why we seek out and derive pleasure from frightening, horrific experiences, as articulated through the cinematic medium.”

Eric Kim, a second-year student and member of Woodsworth College with a double major in cinema studies and East Asian studies, says he is enjoying the class but admits he isn't a fan of horror films.

“I never really liked them growing up,” he says. “But over the past few years, I've really appreciated what directors like Jordan Peele (Nope, Us, Get Out) were doing with horror, and it made me realize what a strange blind spot it was in my understanding.

“What is it about a film that makes you want to scream in fear? I just wanted to dive into that question and confront that. And it's led to how I can start discussing my own anxieties through what I want to research in my other courses or what I create with my own stories and comics. Unknotting these emotions and finding a new creative perspective inside has been a delightful discovery.”

Addisa O’Brien Thompson, a member of Trinity College and a second-year student with a double major in cinema studies and international relations, says she adores horror films and being scared.

“I’m a fan of scary things,” she says. “Through this course, I’ve gained the ability to better analyze the variety of methods in which terror and disquiet are portrayed through film and instilled into the spectator. What I enjoy most about this course is how I have opportunities to explore the horror genre through these practical means.”

All of this analysis has inspired O’Brien Thompson to make a short film of her own for the course’s final assignment.

Similarly, Kim says he's inspired to create his own story. “It's forced me to reconsider everything I thought I understood about horror and encouraged me to start think about making one."

Six films Carrie Reese recommends for Halloween:

Ringu (dir. Hideo Nakata, 1998)

“A notorious Japanese horror film that I love for its take on the monstrosity of media. You may have seen the American remake, but the original provides a texture to its treatment of video and technology that I think is lost in the Hollywood version.”

Rec (dir. Paco Plaza, Jaume Balagueró, 2007)

“A scary, fun found-footage horror film that is a gruesome and increasingly relevant commentary on illness and quarantine.”

Raw (dir. Julia Ducournau, 2016)

“This film is known for its audience response to gore, but I promise it’s not as bad as the press makes it out to be. A coming-of-age cannibal story.”

Goodnight Mommy (dir. Veronika Franz, 2014)

“This is a film that has stuck with me for both its style and unique treatment of themes in the horror genre, including doubles, imposters, and cosmetic surgery. Worth a watch for the opening alone.”

Blood Quantum (dir. Jeff Barnaby, 2019)

“Another brilliant take on the zombie film that uses the genre to explore Indigenous heritage. The title refers to laws used to determine indigeneity. Shot in Quebec and New Brunswick.”

Nanny (dir. Nikyatu Jusu, 2022)

“This is a surrealist horror take that I have been thinking about because of the ways it so seriously and beautifully grapples with migration, work and care.”

Alanis Obomsawin, one of the world’s most acclaimed Indigenous filmmakers, receives honorary degree

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 20:50:26 +0000

Alanis Obomsawin, one of the world’s most acclaimed Indigenous filmmakers, receives honorary degree Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 06/19/2023 - 16:50

Scott Anderson

Topic

Our Community

Convocation 2023

Faculty of Arts & Science

For six decades, the artist Alanis Obomsawin has held a mirror up to Canada. One of the most acclaimed Indigenous filmmakers in the world, she is best known for her tenure at the National Film Board of Canada and her catalogue of more than 50 films that elevate the voices of those who have been silenced or ignored in this country – particularly Indigenous Peoples.

Obomsawin is also internationally recognized as a singer-songwriter, storyteller, engraver and printmaker.

Today, for her work as a multi-disciplinary artist and a documentary filmmaker advocating for social justice, Obomsawin receives a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the ��Ƶ.

A member of the Abenaki Nation, Obomsawin was born in New Hampshire in 1932, but spent the first part of her childhood on the Odanak reserve in Quebec. Her father was a guide and a medicine maker, and her mother ran a boarding house.

When she was nine, the family moved from the reserve to Trois-Rivières, where they were the only Indigenous family in the neighbourhood. Obomsawin left Trois-Rivières at age 22 and spent time learning English in Florida before settling in Montreal in the late 1950s.

She began performing as a singer and a storyteller, making appearances on reservations, in prisons and schools and at music festivals.

In an interview with the CBC later in her career, Obomsawin recalled that she started singing as a way to teach children about Indigenous history. “My main concern was education,” she said. “I was very young and wanted to influence change of what they were teaching about the history of this country."

Associate Professor James Cahill hoods Alanis Obomsawin on stage with Chancellor Rose Patten and President Meric Gertler (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

In the mid-1960s, Obomsawin organized fundraising concerts to pay for the construction of a swimming pool on the reserve where she grew up after the nearby river was deemed too polluted. The CBC interviewed her about her efforts, and producers from the National Film Board who had seen the clip invited her to be an adviser on a film about Indigenous Peoples.

In 1971, she directed her first film for the NFB, Christmas at Moose Factory, and in 1977 she became a permanent staff member.

Over her expansive career, Obomsawin has covered a wide variety of subjects important to Indigenous Peoples – from fishing and treaty rights to residential schools and protests. In 1986’s Richard Cardinal: Cry from a Diary of a Métis Child, Obomsawin recounts the tragic story of a young boy’s suicide, which led to a government report on social services for Indigenous foster children in Alberta.

Her 1990 documentary, Kanesatake: 270 Years of Resistance, which she filmed during the standoff between Mohawk activists and the government, has been hailed by critics “one of the great acts of courage in the history of documentary filmmaking” and “a watershed film in the history of First People’s cinema.” She would go on to make three other films about the Oka crisis.

A deep belief in the need to educate Canadians about the concerns of Indigenous Peoples lies at the heart of Obomsawin’s work. “I think that the way we have taught the history of this country has been a crime. The way that it was designed to create hate towards our people for a very long time,” she told the Ottawa Citizen in 2015.

“I know that the films can change attitudes,” she added.

The seven films she made between 2010 and 2019 illuminated the lives and voices of Indigenous children, creating a useful context for discussing the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Listening, she told the CBC, is most important for her when it comes to documentary filmmaking. “If you go and you say, ‘Oh, I know the story, I don’t need to hear anymore,’ there is trouble there.” For Obomsawin, documentary filmmaking is a process of discovery.

In addition to her film career, Obomsawin has worked as an engraver and print maker, with exhibitions in Canada and Europe. She features mother and child imagery prominently in her work, as well as material from her dreams, animal spirits and historical events.

Obomsawin has received many honours, including TIFF’s Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media, and the Glenn Gould Prize. She has received multiple Governor General’s awards, a National Aboriginal Achievement Award and more than a dozen honorary degrees. She was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2017. Appointed to the Order of Canada in 1983, she was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada in 2019.