Once

Richard took me to see Once - a beautiful little movie featuring Glen Hansard, lead singer of Richard's favourite band The Frames. The movie is lovely and romantic. Two unlikely people connect in Dublin and experience a real electricity and then decide to return to the regular paths of their lives. Touching and sentimental, this is a perfect date movie. Or at least a perfect soundtrack. I think R has already bought his download at e-music. Two enthusiastic thumbs up from Roeper and guest AND from us. Here's another interactive Once website. The songs are a revelation.

IDC at Dokufest

Good news - we just heard the IDC Finalists Showcase of 12 films that screened at hot docs has been accepted into Dokufest, a documentary film festival in Kosovo. The festival takes place this August. I won't be planning a summer visit but it's nice to know.

Also - all 84 films submitted to the competition are currently being reviewed by several broadcasters and distributors. Keep your fingers crossed!

Festival de Cannes & Sarah Polley

Well it really is Sarah Polley's year. Accomplished, award-winning actress turned director with a critically acclaimed movie in theatres AND she's on the 2007 Cannes Festival Jury with President Stephen Frears. Unbelievable.

And she's only 28 years old. WOW!

Back to Cannes. Such a scene - wish I were there again (I was actually a passholder at the 1984 Cannes Film Fest while I was taking a summer course. It was colder than I expected in May but definitely exciting). Lots of great shots on the website.

http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en

Memory lane

Got this shot of our old apartment on a walk home from work one day. "This is where we used to live" as the Bare Naked Ladies would sing. The balconies were just redone which looks good but not as good as the AMAZING work Richard has done on our place during his recent 2-week vacation. Hard to believe we've been at our home almost 5 years now.

My resident super trouper spent his entire 2-week vacation fixing up our place. Week 1 he installed 19 halogen pot lights in the basement (holy ambient light batman) and week 2 he painted our main floor living room/dining room (bringing Deacon's Bench to our corner of the world). Stay tuned for shots of the new paint colour...

New School Doc Premieres

My friends at the New School Documentary Certificate Program in New York are screening their end of year 30-minute documentary projects in June. I wish I could go down and support them but my parents will be visiting TO from Winnipeg for a very important occasion: my Dad's 80th Birthday!

To everyone on Team Blind Faith - Congratulations on completing your docs! Wish I could be there but we'll have to catch up at your next screening - no doubt at an international festival in some exotic location! WAY TO GO FILMMAKERS!!

P.S. There is a beautiful photo on Ted's blog of 3 of the New School Doc grads. Great shot Laura!

My Friend Ted is an Internet TV SUPAHSTAH

My friend Ted Fisher (one of our fellow competitors in the New School Doc Certificate team at IDC) appeared on an ABC News Nightline segment about digital technology's effect on the family album. Ted is interviewed by Kate Snow for Sign of the Times and shows her how to digitally alter some of her old family photographs.

It's a short piece (less than 4 minutes) but it annoys me that I have to watch a Slimfast commercial first and can't fast forward to get to the segment. Also interesting that the web anchor is Martin Bashir who did the in-depth Michael Jackson interview a while back. Guess this is his new gig.

Ted - Congratulations on the piece! I think you look and sound terrific. I also think you remind me of Steven Page of the Barenaked Ladies (but with darker hair). Read more on Ted's blog at (http://actualities.blogspot.com/ or find the direct link in my Links menu to the right.

Seven Wonders of Canada

You are invited to vote on the short list of 52 nominees for the Seven Wonders of Canada! It's so cool to see the list of what was nominated and think of how many you know or have seen. I smiled to see the Montreal Bagel and Grand Beach, Lake Winnipeg on the list. Of course I'm voting for the Rockies and the Manitoba Legislative Building since I was a tour guide there in the summer of '83 (hard to believe it was that long ago...) Yay Golden Boy!

Check the list and start planning your summer vacations!!! I want to know your picks...

The only footnote is: I wish we could vote on 7 man-made AND 7 natural or ancient wonders of Canada - and have more winners! (like the beautiful mosaics in the lobby of the Empire State Building - check the virtual tour)

Spiritual Cinema Circle

A friend at work put me in touch with this website. Spiritual Cinema Circle is a non-profit foundation created by two Hollywood producers who - after a flash of inspiration during meditation - came up with the following idea:

"There are wonderful, inspiring movies being made by creative filmmakers all over the world, but hardly anybody is getting to see them because Hollywood isn't distributing them... Why don't we scout the film festivals, find the great spiritual-themed movies Hollywood is ignoring, and bring them to people at home on DVD?"

Why don't they indeed! Check out their website - http://spiritualcinemacircle.com
I think we should send them a copy of Marathon Women

Sante Wine Festival

Sante Wine Festival
Awesome Pangea food with
Le Sommelier wines

Enjoyed a delicious dinner at Pangea Restaurant on Saturday night as part of the Sante Wine Festival. Exquisite food by chef Martin Kouprie and delicious wine pairings from 3 wineries available through Le Sommelier: Diemersdal from South Africa, Nichols from Paso Robles, California and our perennial favourite Dog Ridge Vineyards from McLaren Vale, Australia. Had lots of fun at the table talking with visitors Richard and Patrick from Ohio. See you all again next year!

Facebook

Last week my employer made the news for banning the use of Facebook at work. I'm still chuckling. Read what Don Tapscott - author of Wikinomics - has to say.

And I now have 20 friends on Facebook, so there.