Best Short Film
Director: Anup Bhandari, USA
RT: 14:24 | USA | Language: American Sign Language w/ English Subtitles
Words, directed by Anup S. Bhandari, is a story about Juliet (Miriam Liora Ganz) and Owen (Russell Harvard), a deaf man, who meet at the iconic Bethesda Fountain in the snow covered Central Park. Their conversation begins awkwardly but over the next few days, she comes up with interesting ways to communicate with him. The friendship slowly appears to blossom into romance but the difference between silence and words may be more than it seems. The film uses American Sign Language and makes references to the works of popular deaf icons – Beethoven’s musical masterpiece “Moonlight Sonata” and Chuck Baird’s painting “Music for the eyes”. The characters names are a reference to Beethoven and his real life love Giulietta Guicciardi, to whom Beethoven dedicated the Moonlight Sonata.
Best Documentary Feature
Director: Igor Ochronwicz
RT: 70:00 | FRANCE | Language: International Sign Language / LSF w/ English Subtitles
Being deaf is not just about not hearing…Do we really know anything about deaf people? Who they are? Sandrine was born deaf. In this film, Sandrine has chosen to tell her own story and share with us her vision of the world. Through her memories, from birth until adulthood, we discover a world where nothing has been easy for Sandrine: the way people have looked at her, her schooling, how she had to learn, and then re-learn, and her socialization. Throughout Sandrine’s life, everyone tried to fit this little girl into a mold, to “repair” her into normalcy: To make her hear and speak. But what if there was something more, than just hearing and speaking? This film invites us to enter into a world where sign language is very much alive. Sign language: a bearer of identity, history and culture. “There are not two separate worlds” Sandrine tell us in the film, “Deaf and hearing people can live together and accept their differences.”
Best Drama
Director: Louis Neethling
RT: 27:00 | UK | Language: English / British Sign Language
A bittersweet modern day fairytale where three deaf women, Veronica, Karen and Sally, face three very different Christmases until an unexpected event throws them together. Veronica is just out of prison, Sallys sons have left home and Karen has to work through Christmas; what could they possibly have in common? When Veronica thinks she has killed her bullying mother on Christmas Eve she runs to Karen for help. When Sally decides to leave her husband on Christmas Eve she turns to Karen for help. However, dependable Karen is at breaking point; forced to work through Christmas to pay off her husbands debts and help keep the bailiffs at bay. It is the coming together of these old school friends that ignites a yearning for something more. Their former hopes and dreams are remembered and a wish to change their lives for the better. They realise that being with each other means that theyre not on their own and that they will always have a lifelong family together.
Best Comedy
Directors: David Ellington & James Banks, UK
RT: 27:00 | UK | Language: British Sign Language w/ English Subtitles
50/50, a light comedy, which tells the story of Jez (Hearing) and Andy (Deaf). Broke and living in a van, Jez dreams up the perfect get-rich scam, but is it a scam too far for Andy?
Best Short Documentary
“Deaf in Pink: 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk in San Diego”
Director: Laura Harvey, USA
RT: 23:38 | USA | Language: American Sign Language w/ English Subtitles
Seven Deaf women from San Diego, California, started a team called “Deaf in Pink” to support the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. They walked 60 miles through beautiful San Diego, camping at night in pink tents by the bay, and spending their days on the wild, festive, pink path created by hundreds of supporters who cheer participants along the way. The San Diego event is traditionally one of the biggest in the country and raises the most money. Funds are used for research to fight against this terrible disease, breast cancer, which has touched the lives of so many. The team almost all first-time walkers, who took up the challenge for their mothers, best friends and themselves. One of the walkers says it best “The walk is all about bonds—and a lot of humor!” Follow the Deaf in Pink group as they stride, laugh, cry, and triumph together.
Best Canadian Filmmaker
Director: Amanda Richer, CANADA
RT: 8:00 | CANADA | Language: English Subtitles
The lives of sisters Jennifer and Marianne took different paths when Marianne was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Even so, for 30 years, Jennifer has met her sister every Saturday morning to provide support and help Marianne keep her life functioning.
Best Directing
Director: Louis Neethling
RT: 27:00 | UK | Language: English / British Sign Language
A bittersweet modern day fairytale where three deaf women, Veronica, Karen and Sally, face three very different Christmases until an unexpected event throws them together. Veronica is just out of prison, Sallys sons have left home and Karen has to work through Christmas; what could they possibly have in common? When Veronica thinks she has killed her bullying mother on Christmas Eve she runs to Karen for help. When Sally decides to leave her husband on Christmas Eve she turns to Karen for help. However, dependable Karen is at breaking point; forced to work through Christmas to pay off her husbands debts and help keep the bailiffs at bay. It is the coming together of these old school friends that ignites a yearning for something more. Their former hopes and dreams are remembered and a wish to change their lives for the better. They realise that being with each other means that theyre not on their own and that they will always have a lifelong family together.
Best Art Direction
Director: Anup Bhandari, USA
RT: 14:24 | USA | Language: American Sign Language w/ English Subtitles
Words, directed by Anup S. Bhandari, is a story about Juliet (Miriam Liora Ganz) and Owen (Russell Harvard), a deaf man, who meet at the iconic Bethesda Fountain in the snow covered Central Park. Their conversation begins awkwardly but over the next few days, she comes up with interesting ways to communicate with him. The friendship slowly appears to blossom into romance but the difference between silence and words may be more than it seems. The film uses American Sign Language and makes references to the works of popular deaf icons – Beethoven’s musical masterpiece “Moonlight Sonata” and Chuck Baird’s painting “Music for the eyes”. The characters names are a reference to Beethoven and his real life love Giulietta Guicciardi, to whom Beethoven dedicated the Moonlight Sonata.
Audience Award
Director: Igor Ochronwicz
RT: 70:00 | FRANCE | Language: International Sign Language / LSF w/ English Subtitles
Being deaf is not just about not hearing…Do we really know anything about deaf people? Who they are? Sandrine was born deaf. In this film, Sandrine has chosen to tell her own story and share with us her vision of the world. Through her memories, from birth until adulthood, we discover a world where nothing has been easy for Sandrine: the way people have looked at her, her schooling, how she had to learn, and then re-learn, and her socialization. Throughout Sandrine’s life, everyone tried to fit this little girl into a mold, to “repair” her into normalcy: To make her hear and speak. But what if there was something more, than just hearing and speaking? This film invites us to enter into a world where sign language is very much alive. Sign language: a bearer of identity, history and culture. “There are not two separate worlds” Sandrine tell us in the film, “Deaf and hearing people can live together and accept their differences.”
Festival Information
Festival Booklet
Team
Catherine’s award-winning film “I’m Not From Hear” was shown at 20 different film festivals. (2003) She worked in many productions including short films, television, documentaries and feature films, as a producer, co-producer, production coordinator, consultant and director. As a performer, Catherine participated in Vagina Monologues, with Vanessa Vaughan, Rachel McAdams and Shirley Douglas as well as provided atmospheric vocals in a feature film “Silent Hill” starring Sean Bean, Radha Mitchell, and Jodelle Ferland. Her feature film as a Co-Producer “HAMILL” a biopic of real life UFC Fighter, Matt Hamill, starring Russell Harvard, Shoshannah Stern, et al, recently won a AFI Fest Breakthrough Audience Award in Los Angeles.
Her recent acting gig was in a comedy-improv show “Kenny vs Spenny”. She also performed with the ensemble, “Voices of Chornobyl”, a Co production of Deaf West Theatre and Anataeus Theater.Catherine was recently performed with an ensemble cast “ASImprov” at DeafWest Theatre led by Tyrone Giordano. Catherine is a co-founder and a Festival Director of Toronto International Deaf Film and Arts Festival. She is currently attached on a documentary “Rise From the Ashes” with co directors, Renny and Bellamie Harvard, and in post production of “Transients”. Catherine graduated from Ryerson University School of Image Arts with a BFA in Film Studies.
Frank Folino was born Deaf in Toronto and he graduated with Honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science at York University with his research fields relating to the political economy and political power on Canadian federalism.
He joined Pride Toronto, a not-for-profit organization that hosts Pride Week, an annual festival held during the first weekend of July in downtown Toronto. Pride Toronto exists to celebrate the history, courage, diversity and future of Toronto’s LGBTTIQQ2SA communities and is one of the leading cultural events of its kind in the world with a total economic benefit in 2009 of $136 million. His work at Pride Toronto is Human Rights Coordinator is to manage the Global Human Rights for Queers: What OUT is About program through events management, program development and logistics management. In addition to his work at Pride Toronto, he is Vice President for the Canadian Association of the Deaf, a not-for-profit organization that promote and protect the rights, needs, and concerns of those who are linguistically and culturally Deaf across Canada who are ASL/English and LSQ/French.
He received the volunteer award from Festivals and Events of Ontario (FEO) in March 2010, an organization that promotes economic tourism in Ontario for his huge efforts in promoting Pride Toronto and he also received Ontario Volunteer Service Awards from Ontario’s Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration in June 2010 for his volunteer recognition in the Province of Ontario.
In his role as an Associate Director: Sponsorship, Development and Finance, he is responsible for all sources of revenue for the Toronto International Deaf Film and Arts Festival and brings a fresh new strategy to achieve the festival goal.
Jill Andrew BEd, MA, PhD (c.) is thrilled to be on board with TIDFAF providing media relations and sponsorship support! Jill is an award-winning journalist, social sciences, drama, equity, media awareness feminist educator and events host. Jill is the producer of Curvy Catwalk Fashion Fundraiser, BITE ME! Toronto Int’l Body Image Film & Arts Festival, Dining with Dames Girls Leadership & Mentorship Program and other creative projects. Jill’s TV appearances have included City TV, OMNI, ET Canada with print in Metro, Star, Vervegirl and T.O. Night Newspaper etc. Jill has been recognized as the Michele Landsberg Media Activism Award and the Endless Possibilities African-Canadian Women’s Award recipient among others. In 2010 Jill was 1 of 120 Canadian women hand picked by then Governor General Michaëlle Jean to participate in her and Canada’s first ever Governor General’s Conference on Women’s Security at Rideau Hall. In her off time Jill is obsessed with lottery scratch tickets and cats and one day plans to host not only a talk show and a girls success institute but to run a million dollar cat sanctuary. She’s got too many movies she loves to list a favourite but Dirty Dancing is definitely near the top. “No body puts baby in a corner!” www.bitemefilmfest.com
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Shanna R. Kelly is both owner/creative director of nine one one maxim studios and a fervent supporter of the arts. Having studied theatre arts and graduating with honors in creative design, in addition to working with several film producers and arts festivals makes Shanna the perfect candidate for the Director of Marketing position she holds with Toronto International Deaf Film & Arts Festival.
Creating and managing campaigns that consist of advertising in multiple formats over various types of media, is Shanna’s passion: ensuring the technical details are spot on is a must. Balancing the creative with the essential message is an art on its own. One of Shanna’s favorite quotes is from Miyoko Ohno, a Japanese bridge designer, “Balance is beautiful.”
Born in Toronto, Kelly Halligan graduated From Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA with a B.F.A in Illustration. She is currently a freelance Illustrator & artist. In the past, Kelly had been illustrated for few children’s books.
Her current role as Film Jury Coordination, Film Selection & Coordination, Arts Selection & Coordination, and new ideas to Arts & Entertainment, i.e: create a diversity of film festival selections.
I have a BAH in Studio Art from University of Guelph. I am currently a freelance graphic designer while working as a supply teacher at Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf. I am a creative design professional with a solid track record of achievement in graphic design, advertising, marketing communications, publications, packaging, printing and distribution. I enjoy taking on a broad range of responsibilities, seeing projects through to successful conclusions.
Closing Ceremony & Spotlight Event
Luke was a former army brat – he moved/traveled all across the United States with his military family before his family and he finally settled down in Colorado. Luke went to Rochester Institute of Technology where he studied in Criminal Justice and graduated with Bachelor of Science in C.J. in May 2008. Originally, Luke applied for Amazing Race: Family Edition with his family and got cut after few rounds of the interviews. Luke and his mother, Margie, applied several times before they finally got on Season 14 of Amazing Race! Luke was the first Deaf person to race around the world along with his mother, Margie. Margie and Luke raced all the way to end where they made it to the Final Three and fell short from winning Amazing Race. After the first run of Amazing Race, Luke became an advocate for the Deaf community and travels the United States to give the speeches to inspire people to chase after their dreams. Once again, Margie and Luke returned to compete on Amazing Race to face off with ten returning former teams from five different season. Margie and Luke made it to the halfway of the race and got eliminated as in resulting from daunting tea-tasing challenge. During Luke’s downtime, he loves exploring new places and try new things! And, hopefully to explore the world more at slow pace!!
TIDFAF in the T.o.night Newspaper!
Film Schedule
Opening Night Film Red Carpet Gala of “Adventures of Power”
Special Guests in attendance: Shoshannah Stern, Actress and Ari Gold, Director/Actor
Festival Master of Ceremony: Modela Kurzet
Doors open: 5:30 PM
Red Carpet: 6:00 PM
Wine and Cheese Reception: 6:00 PM
Screening: 7:30 PM
Post Screening Q and A’s: 9:30 PM
Location:
Innis Town Hall
2 Sussex Ave
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 1J5
Time: 9 to 4 PM
Location:
Queen Elizabeth Building, at the Exhibition place
180 Prince’s Blvd
Toronto, Ontario,
M6K 3C
Admission: Adults/Youths: $5.00
Children: $3.00
Under 5: Free
Map of Directions: http://www.deafontario.ca/direction-to-CNE.pdf
9:00 AM
“INBOUNDS”
Director: Storm Smith
Screenwriter: Danielle Goyette
RT: 53:00 | USA | Language: American Sign Language w/ English Subtitles
RJ is a newcomer on the basketball team and she has already has a rival, Maddy, on the same team. Both players share the same dream and goal, but only one gets the ball at the end. Which player has what it takes to get their dream come true?
9:53 AM
“HERE AND THERE”
Director: Michael T.Cyr
RT: 30:00 | CANADA | Language: Sign Language w/ English subtitles
Dr. Dave Mason is a well-respected retired professor in Canada. Upon graduating from Gallaudet, he began his lifelong work with the deaf community in Canada. Alarmed by the struggle of his deaf students whilst teaching in Edmonton, Alberta. Dr. Mason began his research on bilingualism and the relationship structure of the deaf community as a minority group. In Here and There, Dr. Mason talks about the relationship between the deaf community and educators, professions, politicians and the media. He also gives us an insight of how, ranging from deaf infants to deaf adults, the system has been complicating the quality of life of deaf people when it comes to promoting American Sign Language and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) in Canada. Though those models are experienced by Canadians, they are indeed applicable to the deaf community in other countries. This documentary gives us an opportunity to indulge in his dialogue, lectures and pondering and through this; he surfaces the possible sources of our communal struggle…universally.
10:25 AM
‘REIN N’EST IMPOSSIBLE”
Director: Chantal Deguire
Cast: Tiphane Girault
RT: 3:14 | CANADA | Language: Langue Des Signes Quebecise (LSQ) w/English Subtitles
Accompanied by the sound of a drum, these rhythmic signs are the unique expression of Deaf artist Tiphaine Girault’s poetic creation. Drums frequently accompany signed poems in the Deaf community. For the Deaf community, the drum is the best instrument for this purpose, since it creates strong vibrations and can be easily felt instead of heard. Here, the drum is used to create some kind of enhancement to the visuals. Girault used the LSQ sign “can’t” repeatedly in order to convey her message. She breaks, bites, smashes, and burns the sign and transform into “can”.
10:30 AM
“ROBBED”
Writer/Actress: Kalen Feeney
Producer: Catherine MacKinnon
Cast: Jeremy Ratchford, Dominic Bogart
RT: 7:48 | USA | Language: English Subtitles
A jaded detective ruthlessly interrogates a thief in an open & shut case, only to realize things are not what they seem.
10:48 AM
“GOT MATCHES?”
Director: Troy Kotsur
RT: 3:14 | USA | Language: [Silent] w/ English Subtitles
“A gas stove can’t live without the matches.”
10:51 AM
“AMERICAN De’VIA ARTIST: Chuck Baird and his Journey”
Director /Producer: Tracey Salaway
RT: 47:00 | USA | Language: American Sign Language w/ English subtitles
Share and experience an artist’s journey during an era filled with social and cultural changes within the Deaf World, as early as the 1950s. Chuck Baird, one of a few founding members of the established De’VIA art movement, captures these changes and illuminates them through visual documentation and expression. Chuck visually creates a melting pot of worlds as he struggles with his own Deaf identity. Through his talent and commissioned work, he bridges his audience with the world through history, diversity, and universal being. (Film is subtitled for non-signers)
11:40 AM
“MARIANNE MATTERS”
Director: Amanda Richer
RT: 8:00 | CANADA | Language: English Subtitles
Marianne Matters is a short documentary that tells the story of two sisters, Jennifer and Marianna Petrone who have supported each other all of their lives, but in completely different ways.
11:50 AM
“BEYOND ESSAYS “
Director: Jules Dameron
Producer: Jennifer Lossi
Cast: Kalen Feeney, Amber Zion
RT: 12:00 Minutes| USA | Language: American Sign Language w/ English subtitles
In the last weeks of her final semester, an activist student tries to pass English class to graduate, despite her professor, who focuses on winning a Faculty of the Year award. A short film in American Sign Language.
12:05 PM
“THE LETTER”
Director: Sami Vouriheimo
RT: 5:00 | FINLAND | Language: International Sign Language w/ English Subtitle
A music video by Signmark (Marko Vuoriheimo), an internationally known deaf rapper from Finland, dedicated this song, “The Letter”, to Emma Agnew and her immediate family. Emma, a young deaf girl from New Zealand, was a huge fan of Signmark and met him after his show in Spain in July of 2007. Four months later, Emma was taken away from a tight community in a cruel way. The tragic news reverberated around the world and reached Signmark, who was devastated. Signmark was inspired and asked his deaf brother, Sami, to create a music video in memory of Emma Agnew.
12:10 PM —–Break for Lunch—–
12:40 PM
“I’M DEAF and I DIDN’T KNOW”
Director: Igor Ochronwicz
RT: 70:00 | FRANCE | Language: International Sign Language /LSF w/ English Subtitles
Being deaf is not just about not hearing…Do we really know anything about deaf people? Who they are? Sandrine was born deaf. In this film, Sandrine has chosen to tell her own story and share with us her vision of the world. Through her memories, from birth until adulthood, we discover a world where nothing has been easy for Sandrine: the way people have looked at her, her schooling, how she had to learn, and then re-learn, and her socialization. Throughout Sandrine’s life, everyone tried to fit this little girl into a mold, to “repair” her into normalcy: To make her hear and speak. But what if there was something more, than just hearing and speaking? This film invites us to enter into a world where sign language is very much alive. Sign language: a bearer of identity, history and culture. “There are not two separate worlds” Sandrine tell us in the film, “Deaf and hearing people can live together and accept their differences.
1:35 PM
“Short on Time”
Director/Producer: Jevon Whetter
Cast: France Bay, Karl Herlinger
RT: 19:00 | USA | Language: English Subtitles
When Edith (92) takes a final journey from the hospital to a hospice, she finds an unlikely friend in Howard (34) the disenchanted orderly charged with delivering Edith to her destination.
1:55 PM
“FAIRYTALE OF LONDON TOWN“
Director: Louis Neethling
Cast: Caroline Parker, Patsy Palmer, Sarah Beauvoison
RT: 27:00 | UNITED KINGDOM | Language: British Sign Language w/English Subtitles
A bittersweet modern day fairytale where three deaf women, Veronica, Karen and Sally, face three very different Christmases until an unexpected event throws them together. Veronica is just out of prison, Sally’s boys have left home and Karen has to work through Christmas; what could they possibly have in common?
2:25 PM
“THE GIFT”
Director: Alexander Genievsky
Cast: Steven Quinn, Tami Lee Santimyer
RT: 53:00 | USA | Language: American Sign Language w/ English Subtitles
The Gift is a story of kindness, tragicomedy, communication barriers and love. It centers around a couple, Iron (a hearing musician) and Tara (a deaf dancer).Iron rescues Tara from a train accident and falls in love with her. But it is a star-crossed love because Tara expects Iron to understand her by learning to sign and this is something he finds difficult. The film also sheds light on American Sign Language and some technology (cochlear Implant) that the Deaf community relies upon. The plot ends with a tragicomic twist turning upside down the relationship between Tara and Iron.
3:20 PM
“Deaf in Pink: 3 Days Breast Cancer Walk in San Diego”Director/Producer: Laura Harvey
RT: 23:38 | USA | Language: American Sign Language w/ English Subtitles
Seven Deaf Women from San Diego, California, started a team called “Deaf in Pink” to support The Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. They walked 60 miles through beautiful San Diego, camping at night in pink tents by the bay, and spending their days on the wild, festive, pink path created by hundreds of supporters who cheer participants along the way. The San Diego event is traditionally one of the biggest in the country and raises the most money. Funds are used for research to fight against this terrible disease, breast cancer, which has touched the lives of so many. The team almost all first-time walkers, who took up the 60 mile challenge for their mothers, best friends and themselves. One of the walkers says it best “The walk is all about bonds—and a lot of humor!” Follow the Deaf in Pink group as they stride, laugh, cry and triumph together.
3:43 PM
“50/50”
Director/Producer: David Ellington & James Banks
Cast: Jacob Casseden, Darren Cheek
RT: 27:00 | United Kingdom | Language: British Sign Language w/English Subtitles
50/50, a light comedy, which tells the story of Jez (Hearing) and Andy (Deaf). Broke and living in a van Jez dreams up the prefect get-rich scam, but is it a scam too far for Andy?
4:10 PM
“Wedding Night”
Director/Producer: Sabina England
RT: 22:00 | USA | Language: English Subtitles
A bride arrived to the United States from Pakistan to meet her new husband on their wedding night for the first time. It was an arranged marriage; they’d never met before. The man expected his wife to be a “good Muslim girl”, only to find out she had a reputation back in Lahore. She asserted it was sexist because she was in control of her sexuality. He became disgusted with her and she felt unfairly judged by him. Being all alone in a foreign country, she vowed not to let him control her life.
4:33 PM
“Words”
Writer/Director: Anup Bhandari
Cast: Russell Harvard, Miriam Liora Ganz
RT: 14:24 | USA | Language: American Sign Language w/English Subtitles
Words, directed by Anup S Bhandari, is a story about Juliet (Miriam Liora Ganz) and Owen (Russell Harvard), a deaf man, who meet at the iconic Bethesda Fountain in the snow covered Central Park. Their conversation begins awkwardly but over the next few days, she comes up with interesting ways to communicate with him. The friendship slowly appears to blossom into romance but the difference between silence and words may be more than it seems. The film uses American Sign Language and makes references to the works of popular deaf icons – Beethoven’s musical masterpiece “Moonlight Sonata” and Chuck Baird’s painting “Music for the eyes”. The characters names are a reference to Beethoven and his real life love Giulietta Guicciardi, to whom Beethoven dedicated the Moonlight Sonata.
4:50 PM
“PINKY’s DREAM of VRS/VP: The Reality”
Director/Producer: Pinky Aiello
RT: 18:30 | USA | Language: American Sign Language w/English Subtitles
Many years ago, a young Deaf woman named Pinky had a dream of being able to use sign language over the phone with video. Now that the dream has become reality, Pinky explores the world of Video Relay Interpreting and videophones from both the Deaf and interpreter perspectives with her own special brand of humour.
5:10 PM —– BREAK—–
5:15 PM —–DOORS OPEN—–
5:45 PM
“SEE WHAT I’M SAYING “
Director/Producer: Hilari Scarl
RT: 93:00 | USA | Language: American Sign Language w/English Subtitles
This inspirational and heartfelt documentary follows four well-known entertainers in the deaf community: a comic, a drummer, an actor and a singer as they attempt to cross over to mainstream audiences. Bob, a drummer in the world’s only deaf rock band, Beethoven’s Nightmare, produces the largest show in the band’s 30 year history; CJ, a hugely famous and internationally renowned comic in the Deaf world, but virtually unknown to hearing audiences, fights to cross over to the mainstream by producing the first international sign language theatre festival in Los Angeles; Robert, a brilliant actor who teaches at Juilliard, struggles to survive when he becomes homeless while living with HIV; and TL, a hard of hearing singer finds herself caught between the hearing and deaf communities when she attracts her first major producer to record her first CD “Not Deaf Enough.” The New York Times gave it a Critics’ Pick and the film has received dozens of other rave reviews. The film has won many awards at mainstream film festivals (Philadelphia, Newport Beach) and at deaf festivals (WORLDEAF Cinema Festival, Perspektiva Film Festival in Moscow and D.C. Deaf Film Festival) and has screened in over 100 cities around the world. SEE WHAT I’M SAYING is the first open captioned commercial film in American history.
Q and A’s
Networking – Wine and Cheese Reception
Master of Ceremony: Luke Adams
Location:
Deaf Culture Centre
55 Mill Street, Building #5
Suite 101
Toronto, Ontario,
M5A 3C4
Time: 8 to 12 AM
Doors Open: 8:00
Ceremony Starts: 9: 00 PM
**Schedule Subject to Change**
ARI GOLD: “ADVENTURES OF POWER” featuring Shoshannah Stern (Hamill, Jericho, Weeds – IMDB) and Jayne Lynch (GLEE, The 40 year old virgin, Talledaga Nights – IMDB )
YouTube Trailer
ANUP BHANDARI: “WORDS”
YouTube Trailer
TROY KOTSUR: “GOT MATCHES”
TRACEY SALAWAY: “AMERICAN DeVIA ARTIST: CHUCK BAIRD & HIS JOURNEY”
YouTube Trailer
ALEXANDER GENIEVSKY: “THE GIFT”
YouTube Trailer
JEVON WHETTER: “SHORT ON TIME”
YouTube Trailer
CHANTAL DEGUIRE: “RIEN N’EST IMPOSSIBLE”
JULES DAMERON & JENNIFER LOSI: “BEYOND ESSAYS”
YouTube Trailer
AMANDA RICHER & SEAN MUSCAT: “MARIANNE MATTERS”
LAURA HARVEY: “DEAF in PINK: 3 Days Breast Cancer Walk in San Diego”
YouTube Trailer
PINKY AIELLO: “PINKY’S DREAM of VRS/VP: THE REALITY”
YouTube Trailer
HILARI SCARL: “SEE WHAT I’M SAYING”
YouTube Trailer
LOUIS NEETHLING: “FAIRYTALE OF LONDON TOWN”
YouTube Trailer
SABINA ENGLAND: “WEDDING NIGHT”
YouTube Trailer
MICHEAL CYR: “HERE and THERE”
DAVID ELLINGTON & JAMES BANKS: “50/50”
YouTube Trailer
IGOR OCHRONOWICZ: “I’M DEAF & I DIDN’T KNOW”
KALEN FEENEY: “ROBBED”
STORM SMITH: “INBOUNDS”
SAMI VUORIHEIMO: “THE LETTER”
YouTube Trailer
2011 Red Carpet & Opening Night Gala
We’re thrilled to announce the director/actor, Ari Gold will be in attendance for opening night!
“ADVENTURES OF POWER” featuring Shoshannah Stern (Hamill, Jericho, Weeds – IMDB) and Jayne Lynch (GLEE, The 40 year old virgin, Talledaga Nights – IMDB )
YouTube Trailer
Media Release
Adventures of Power Media Release
Canadian Premier at Opening Night Red Carpet Gala, with director/actors in attendance! An epic comedy with an outstanding cast, be sure to stay for the Q&A and autographs following the screening.
PDF Available (full release)
Film Synopsis
ADVENTURES OF POWER is an epic comedy about a mine-worker named Power whose love of drums and lack of musical skill has turned him into the ridiculed “air drummer” of his small town. But when Power’s union-leader father calls a strike at the mine, Power discovers an underground subculture of air-drummers who just might hold the key to changing the world. Power’s journey across America brings him face-to-face with his town’s greatest enemy, and allows him to discover the beat within his own heart.
Ari Gold Bio
Ari Gold’s first feature film “Adventures of Power”, an epic comedy about air-drumming and the American dream, won best-of-festival prizes at film festivals around the world, and was called “One of the funniest films in recent years” by New York Magazine and “the best rock movie in many a year” by Rush drummer Neil Peart.
Ari was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 Faces to Watch” after having an unprecedented three short films in a row at Sundance. He won a Student Academy Award for “Helicopter,” an autobiographical retelling of his mother’s death in a helicopter crash with rock-music promoter Bill Graham. “Helicopter” was called “the best short film of the year” by Film Threat, and won top prizes at short-film festivals in the US, France, Germany and Brazil. His previous short film “Culture” which he directed and starred in, was written up in the New York Times after its Sundance premiere and was called “the best sixty seconds of film at Sundance.”
As an actor, Ari won “Stoner of the Year” from High Times Magazine for his performance in the Sony Classics release Groove. (Feel free to read that sentence again.) He also stars as Power in “Adventures of Power.”
Ari was raised in San Francisco, and has lived at various times in New York, Los Angeles, New Mexico, Montana, Germany and Serbia. His name was “borrowed” for his bandmate’s TV show, because it’s a cool name. Ari performs in the bands The Honey Brothers (with Adrian Grenier) and Gold Brothers (with his twin brother Ethan), and plays ukulele, piano and sometimes drums.
Shoshannah Stern was born in Walnut Creek, California. Along with her brother and sister, she represents the fourth generation of a deaf family. She attended Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, the only Liberal Arts University for deaf people in the world. There she pursued her love of theater, winning numerous awards for her performances, and continued to dream, as she had since she was a child, of becoming a professional actor.
During the winter recess of her senior year at Gallaudet, she received a random email from Warner Bros. asking her to audition for a guest-starring role on the series Off Centre. On a whim, she flew to Los Angeles, auditioned and got the role. This led to guest-starring roles on television series such as Providence, Boston Public, ER, The Division and a cameo as Matthew Broderick’s girlfriend in the feature film, The Last Shot.
While playing a rape victim on The Division opposite Marlee Matlin, she impressed the director so much he decided to create a role for her on his new show, Threat Matrix.
After Threat Matrix ended, she landed a recurring role on Weeds, the Golden Globe winning comedy, playing the girlfriend to the son of Mary-Louise Parker for two seasons. She also originated the role of Susan in Open Window at the Pasadena Playhouse.
On Shoshannah’s first day of auditioning for traditional roles, she landed the role of Bonnie Richmond on Jericho. The character was not originally written as deaf until Shoshannah received the role. She went on to portray her for two seasons, making her the only deaf actor in history to have roles on two prime-time television shows at the same time.
She then moved on to her first lead role in a film, Adventures of Power, opposite Adrian Grenier, Jane Lynch, and Michael McKean. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in February 2008, where Shoshannah was honored as one of the Seven Fresh Faces in Film.
After that, she went on to guest star on Cold Case and appear in the television movie, Sweet Nothing in My Ear, opposite Marlee Matlin and Jeff Daniels. She also participated in the Emmy-winning music video, “Yes, We Can,” and went on to perform the live version of it at the 2009 Democratic National Convention alongside Will.i.am and John Legend.
In the past year, Shoshannah appeared as Sarah in the sold-out, thrice extended 30th year revival of Children of a Lesser God at Deaf West Theater to stellar reviews, including a Best Actress nomination from the LA Weekly Theater Awards. She also completed shooting her second lead role in the independent film, Hamill.
She is presently working on the third season of Lie to Me on FOX, where she will play a graduate student from Princeton recurring opposite Tim Roth.
During the winter recess of her senior year at Gallaudet, she received a random email from Warner Bros. asking her to audition for a guest-starring role on the series Off Centre. On a whim, she flew to Los Angeles, auditioned and got the role. This led to guest-starring roles on television series such as Providence, Boston Public, ER, The Division and a cameo as Matthew Broderick’s girlfriend in the feature film, The Last Shot.
Location
Innis Town Hall
University of Toronto
2 Sussex Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 1J5