In The Seats with...

The music NEVER stopped. On this episode we dive into one of the better pop culture documentaries that we have seen in recent memory in 'Disco's Revenge'. In the early 70s, the beat child of New York’s Black and LGBTQ+ communities was born on the city’s underground dance floor. Disco emerged as an exuberant musical genre, a vital social movement and a vibrant culture before enduring a vicious backlash nearly a decade later. In our collective pop-culture imagination, Disco's merely a fad relegated to soft-focus memories of  Saturday Night Fever and Studio 54.    It is a pulsating deep dive into the very soul of disco music and its enduring impact across genres and history, told by the people who created it, nurtured it, and in turn, discovered themselves on the dancefloor. The film asks: Why does disco matter and, in these divisive times, why does disco matter now more than ever?    Featuring interviews and performances by Nile Rodgers and Chic, Billy Porter, Nona Hendryx and LaBelle, Grandmaster Flash, Fab Five Freddy, Nicky Siano, Earl Young and The Trammps, Jellybean Benitez, Kevin Saunderson, Sylvester and Martha Wash and many others.  Never has a film really got as anthropological when looking at a slice of music culture and that's what makes 'Disco's Revenge' so damn special.  With sit down with writer/direcfor's Omar Majeed and Peter Mishara to get deep into the groove of it all. 'Disco's Revenge' is on all VOD platforms.

Paranoia crosses all cultural lines.... On this episode we dive into one of the better pieces of cinema to come out in recent memory in the Iranian gem; 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig'. Investigating judge Iman grapples with paranoia amid political unrest in Tehran. When his gun vanishes, he suspects his wife and daughters, imposing draconian measures that strain family ties as societal rules crumble. Filled with relatable family drama and political tension so palpable you could cut it with a knife and even at a herculean run time of 2hr and 46 min; 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' is hard to look away from. Shot in secret in Iran we had the pleasure of talking with writer/director Mohammed Rasoulof (with the help of a translator) about the origins of the story and so very much more, 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' is playing in Toronto now and rolling out across the country in the coming weeks.

New year brings new promises of entertainment... We kick off 2025 with a bang and a slew of new episodes and things to be talking about, especially what to start binging on these cold Canadian winter nights. 'Saint-Pierre' is the story of a hard nosed Newfoundland cop (Allan Hawco) who is exiled to the French Island of 'Saint-Pierre' to team up with a headstrong deputy and solve crimes that push the boundaries of the local idyllic facade. We had the pleasure of sitting down with the stars of the show Allan Hawco and Josephine Jobert about joining the show, its appeal and the magic behind the crime procedural. 'Saint-Pierre' is airing weekly on CBC and is subsequently available to stream on CBC Gem.

Those stories we wish we didn't have to be told, are usually the ones that need to be listened to... On this special episode we dive into 'Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner' which is doing the rounds and Academy Awards eligible.  With the 10th anniversary of Eric Garner’s death and no end in sight for this epidemic of police violence it’s more important than ever to share Gwen’s story. Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, has spent years seeking justice over the death of her son. At home, surrounded by photos of lost loved ones, she draws strength from cherished memories to keep fighting. Filmed over six years, this documentary marks the 10-year anniversary of Eric’s death. The film really does look at the idea of understanding the strength that can come out of tragedy and feels more relevant today then it ever has before. We had the pleasure of sitting down with director Brad Bailey to talk about getting the project in motion, the importance of being an 'oral historian' inside the documentary framework in a story like this and so very much more.

It's time for a perfect combination.... On this episode we go head first into the making of "Creepy Bits: Season 2" which just happens to available on demand with our friends over at Hollywood Suite; who just happen to be having their Annual free preview from Dec 1 through Jan 5th so if you haven't already signed up....go for it. 'Creepy Bits' is an excellent anthology series that supports burgeoning Canadian talent and is yet another example of what we are capable of as storytellers.   We had the pleasure of talking with creator David J Fernandes, and one of his directors on the series Ashlea Wessel who is beginning to carve out her own space in the genre storytelling world with a debut feature on the way.  David jumped in a little late because of his new born but we really had a great conversation with both of these unique talents.  Topics ranged from funding, genre films and everything else in-between.  Enjoy our talk with David and Ashlea and check out on 'Creepy Bits: Season 2' on Hollywood suite which is running their annual free preview right now