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Adapted magnificently to the screen by the director Khoa Lê, the diptych serves both as an archive of research and creation work aborted by the constraints of an uncertain era and as a delicate and unique cinematographic object.
Director
Hot Docs will commemorate Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation with the commissioning of In the Name of All Canadians, a compilation of six short documentaries inspired by Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. From Indigenous rights to multiculturalism to the controversial ‘notwithstanding clause,’ participating filmmakers have each selected a specific aspect of the Charter to explore, looking at how it resonates in the stories of their fellow Canadians.
Director
The prophecy of Khoa Lê’s 93-year-old grandmother (bà nôi) burdens his unknown future and reflects the roots of his past. Born in Vietnam but raised in Canada, Lê’s homeland pilgrimage is measured parts self-portrait, ethnography and an ethereal quest for identity. His bà nôi is funny and forthright in a matriarchal manner, as one with little time to worry about what others think. Stark observations of her home life and family visits contrast visually stunning dreamlike sequences of fog-laced silhouettes and twilight vistas that echo an unpredictable path. As he celebrates New Year’s events with family traditions and rituals steeped in superstition, fortunes and horoscopes, it’s clear Lê is seeking signs of destiny as he poetically captures a soul floating between two worlds.
Director
Denis Gagnon, fashion designer, is putting the final touch on his latest collection. Confined in his basement, turned atelier, he instinctively assembles materials (glitters, Jersey, leather and silk). Denis returns to his home town of Alma (Lake Saint-Jean) where he meets up with family and old friends. During this visit home he shares his concerns, inspirations and perceptions as a creator. The "enfant terrible" of Canadian fashion is the subject of this new cinematic picture. Rather than solely focusing on the clothing, "My name is Denis Gagnon" is an intimate portrait of a complex character. Denis Gagnon presents himself as the artist behind enormous dark glasses.
Director
In Saigon, family culture carries on as it has for centuries, even when blood ties are broken. In a mosaic of intimate portraits that challenge and reinforce traditional concepts of family and community, Mother Saigon explores humanity’s universal desire for love, acceptance, connection, and belonging through the everyday lives of a group of individuals from the LGBTQ+ community.
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