Tiff Day9 - Opposites

“And what made you choose this film dear?” asked an older woman of my male friend.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Oh my goodness!
My friend had no idea what film we were seeing.
And why is was so funny to me?
Because the film we were about to see was about the invention of the vibrator!

Set in the Victorian London Hysteria is ridiculous amounts of fun. The director of the film, Tanya Wexler is funny herself, introducing the film with tons of one liners. These are just a couple I remembered:

• You’ll come again and again
• It's always a happy ending

Based on true events, Maggie Gyllenhall and Hugh Dancy bring the story of the vibrator to life. As of Friday, the film had yet to been “picked up” for the North American market (of course, it has already been purchased for European markets). Come on North America! Stop being so prudish!

TIFF person, Director Tanya Wexler and her Screen Writers

To see a great trailer - check this out!

In contrast to the hilarity of Friday morning, the afternoon brought me to Last Days in Jerusalem. I had to admit, what drew me to this film was Jerusalem. The title evoked a sense of nostalgia for me and I imagined the film to be scene upon scene of the beautiful places in Jerusalem that I had once enjoyed while studying there years ago.

Instead, Last Days was about a Palestinian couple and their dysfunctional relationship as they prepared to leave Jerusalem and emigrate to Paris. Director Tawfik Abu Wael was present at this third screening with his main actress Lana Haj Yahia. The crowd was tough on the Tawfik, expecting the film to about occupation and Middle Eastern upheaval. Last Days was nothing of the sort and those who were bothered by it, just needed to get over it!




An old pic of me at Masada, Israel...

Updated rundown of films:

1. First Position - A ballet documentary makes you fall in love with 6 young aspiring ballet professionals.
2. Hysteria - the invention of the vibrator inspired by true events in Victorian London.
3. The Oranges - a really funny look at the collapse of two middle america suburban families when it shouldn’t be (funny). 
4. Las Acacias – Hate then love Ruben as he travels down the motorway with a woman and her very cute baby.
5. 360 - Travel around the world, watching people making decisions that have ripple effects on the others in the film. Best line in the film “If there’s a fork in the road, take it.” Jude Law made this film REAL easy on the eyes. 
6. Beauty - An intensely power film about a middle-aged gay man living in a very straight world. Shot in South Africa. A couple of scenes were definitely NOT easy to watch. 
7. Girl Model - A documentary about the modeling industry from the point of view of an ex-model turned model scout. Scouting little girls from Siberia and landing them in Japan.
8. Damsels in Distress - a satirical look at privileged youth with high vocabularies and a ridiculous sense of reality.
9. Last Days in Jerusalem - the dysfunctional story of a Palestinian couple period. Nothing more, nothing less. It just happens to unfold in Jerusalem.