Blogging Hot Docs: A Few Wise Words from Richard Leacock

Lifetime Achievement: In accepting his award, a self-deprecating Richard Leacock commiserated with his audience.

The most memorable moments at film festivals are often encounters with other filmmakers. Making non-fiction movies can be isolating, especially during the post-production phase. To emerge from that to re-discover an international community of like-minded artists can be very re-energizing.

One of the highlights of Hot Docs for me was a Filmmaker Dinner at the 5th Element Restaurant, sponsored by the festival and attended by Chris MacDonald and Sean Farnel, the festival's executive director and director of programming. About 20 or so filmmakers introduced themselves to each other before we sat down to an excellent meal.

I met Paul Rowley, an Irish filmmaker based in Brooklyn who made the movie Seaview about a former holiday camp in Ireland, which is now home to immigrant asylum seekers. The Irish Film Board supported Paul’s film. How did he manage that, being based in Brooklyn for so long? Well, he also has a production company in Ireland. As someone with strong Irish roots, that got me thinking…

Then I spoke to Astrid Bussink from Holland, who made the movie The Lost Colony about the demise of the largest primate laboratory in the world, set in the former Soviet Republic of Abkhazia. Apparently they tried to cross-breed humans and monkeys there! Astrid’s film was also financed by her government. In fact all of her films have been. In Holland, independent factual filmmaking can be a secure, well-funded profession.

This is such a contrast to the U.S. where even prominent filmmakers cannot support themselves by filmmaking alone. I had spoken to Steve James and Peter Gilbert (of Hoop Dreams fame) at a party the night before. They make commercials to support their filmmaking work. As does Academy Award-winner Errol Morris. Astrid had no idea this was the case and was very dismayed to discover it.

Now, before U.S. filmmakers start considering a move to Europe, choose carefully. I also spoke briefly to an Italian filmmaker named Massimo at a party later on. He recognized me from Cinemambiente, an Environmental Film Festival in Turin that I attended with my film Power Trip. He said that kind of government funding only happens in Northern European countries. The Italian government does not fund its filmmakers well. He also lamented the impending return to power of Silvio Berlusconi, helping me to understand his distress by comparing it to a 3rd term for George W. Bush.

Across the table from me sat filmmaker Tanaz Eshaghian. I had seen her movie Be Like Others that afternoon. It was an intense experience and we had a lot to talk about. Be Like Others is set in Iran where homosexuality is punishable by death, but sex change operations for homosexuals are encouraged. The story follows several characters before and after they make the traumatic decision to undergo the operation, so that they can live more freely. The effect is ultimately tragic, as one character admits that he would never “change what God has created” unless compelled to do so. After the operation, she is forced to make money in “temporary marriages” a form of legal prostitution in Iran. Her emotional breakdown is heart wrenching, and elevates her personal story to a universal statement that institutional oppression of homosexuals is a severe human rights abuse.

The following night I attended the awards ceremony. It was fun watching filmmakers get their awards, especially Geoffrey Wright for Best International Feature Documentary Award for his movie The English Surgeon.

The highlight was Richard Leacock’s acceptance of the Outstanding Achievement Award. A former combat photographer during World War II, Mr. Leacock is one of the pioneers of modern documentary through his participation in seminal, direct cinema films such as Primary and Monterey Pop.

After carefully making his way to the stage, the 86-year-old honoree marveled at “all the young filmmakers… It’s weird.” His humorous, entertaining remarks revealed that the digital filmmaking revolution provided “everything I dreamed of. I use the smallest camera there is. I edit at home. It’s fun, even if I can’t get my films on television. They hate them.” That got a great laugh, and broke some of the tension that all of us must have experienced this week, as we are reminded of the rewards of our efforts but also how hard the struggle is to find audiences for our films. There’s a sense of camaraderie realizing that the first-timers all the way up to the venerable veterans are facing the same challenges, but are fueled by the same passion.

The next day was the 2nd screening of BLAST! My whole family was in town as well as more of the scientists from the movie. We had a great screening at the Royal Cinema and filled the house despite the start of a transit strike. Another lively Q&A and it was fun to bring my little nephews up, who also appear in the movie. Most of the audience stayed and they had enthusiastic questions and the scientists are surprisingly entertaining. Very gratifying.

After dinner and drinks a few of us with some energy left took a 15-minute ferry ride to Ward’s Island. The “unofficial” closing party was being held in an incongruous, adorable village at the house of a local filmmaker. The party had a great DJ, dancing, a fire twirling show, and a big bonfire by the water with a spectacular view of the Toronto skyline.

I can’t think of a better way to wrap up Hot Docs.

Related Links:

Watch the trailer for Paul Devlin's BLAST!.

Watch the trailer for Paul Rowley's Seaview.

Watch the trailer for Astrid Bussink's The Lost Colony.

Watch the trailer for Geoffrey Smith's The English Surgeon.

Watch the trailer for Celia Maysles' Wild Blue Yonder.

Watch the trailer for Juan Carlos Pineiro's Second Skin.

Watch the trailer for John Walker's Passage.

Read Paul Devlin's posting on his film's world premiere in Toronto.

Read Devlin's posting on his thoughts the morning after his premiere. What's next?

Read Devlin's posting on the Toronto Documentary Forum.

Read Devlin's posting on his executive producer, Nick Fraser of BBC's Storyville.

Read Devlin's posting on the opening day at Hot Docs.

Visit the Hot Docs website.

Visit the BLAST! website.

Read about the process of making the film BLAST! at Artistshare.com.

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