Hot Docs Summary

My Hot Docs experience was limited. No Industry Pass, just a book of ten tickets shared between Dave and I and a few of our friends. Tonight, Heather joined me for Garbage Warrior which I had originally earmarked to watch with Hilary (who is in Kentucky selling leather boots.) Hilary still needs to watch this film. So does Louise. So does Ingrid. So does anyone who will take the lessons learned from that film and the other wonderful docs presented at this festival and use them to make the world a gentler place for our young ones to stretch their wings in and grow.

I felt like I chose wisely. My three films this season comprised of Garbage Warrior , Suicide Tourist and What Would Jesus Buy . You can read their synposes if you'd like, I'm going to follow-up below with the reasons why I felt I had selected well.

What Would Jesus Buy tells the story of a street performer who one day, living in Times Square, is spurred by the panic caused by the consumer frenzy that surrounds him, and takes on the persona of a preacher. In no time, he has founded the Church of Stop Shopping and a dedicated team of fellow performers (read: activists) become his choir. It is the story of a band on a road trip. Touring minstrels of a sort with a very important message to Americans - reign in the shopping addiction, stop and think before you buy. If you have been reading my blog at all (and I know that this is a very rhetorical environment, so I have no clue if anyone is reading this!) But if you are, you would know that I have been struggling of late with my love for shopping - for clothing in particular. This film really stroked my sensibilities in the sense that it was echoing my desire to become a more "conscious" shopper. My Facebook religion lists: Everything is connected. It is true. What we buy in North America has a direct effect on: the environment, the economy, and the lives of people around the world. Luckily, this film was a raucously funny ride and seldom does it drag in philosiphical mire. That's the brilliance of anything Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) touches.

The second film we saw, Suicide Tourist, spoke to a concern my sister Sonya and I have been discussing for the past few years. Assisted suicide, to me, seems like a basic human right. When our bodies turn the corner from being able to sustain health to clinging to life in a state of irreperable unhealth and desperate decline, then I believe that we should be able to settle our affairs with our families and loved ones, and do ourselves in. We'd spare the medical system, our families and friends the great favour of passing on with the least resistance and pain. That is, if such is the way we choose to go. This film follows two couples and their families and their relationship with an organization called Dignatas which works to legally assist with this last stage of life we all must face. It is a story of courage, of respect and compassion for human life. It is as lovely as it is sad. The score wavered at times, but at times also transcended this peice of filmmaking that could have been extremely uncomfortable into a poem. What I appreciated most about the film was that it demonstrated that death is taboo in our culture and we need to learn the language and behaviour to better treat it.

Garbage Warrior was inspirational in the best way - a kooky mad scientist with wild white hair. Only he's an architect. Building these dwellings he calls "earthships" in New Mexico since the '70's, he's learned a hell of a lot through trial and error of how to build self-sustaining communities completely off the grid. Beautiful bejeweled walls made with glass and plastic bottles was my favourite feature. So much to learn from one individual! I love these amazing, creative folks. See, we humans as fabulous as we are mad.

There is a solution for all the world's problems. Just a matter of fighting the good fight. Perseverence. Creativity. Well, you know the rest.