Month: December 2015

Soundtracks and Festivals and such…

Posted on by Stephen Hayes

Hey folks, I hope the holiday time has been good to everyone. I’ve been busy of late catching up on things and even trying to get to some films.Shocking I know:)

Unless you live under a rock you will know that there is a new instalment of Star Wars out in theatres right now. I have mixed feelings on whether I will break down and give the Disney Corporation 15$ of my money. But regardless,it has enough coverage as it is so I will continue with a few brief ramblings of my own.

Good on the local cinema(The Westdale )for programming in some great films this year, hopefully they will survive the changes that are bound to come in the near future. CBC Hamilton had some updates in the press recently: CBC Westdale Theatre

I did catch some films in Toronto and in Guelph at the Bookshelf Cinema. I also screened a few at Fantasia Film Festival 2015 , and of course for the HFF Jury.Here are some of my highlight films from my scattershot viewing. And there are a few 2014 holdovers….

Phoenix-Germany

Labyrinth Of Lies-Germany

Victoria-Germany

Goodnight Mommy-Germany

The Master Plan-Sweden

The Demolisher-Canada

Fall-Canada

Project M-Canada

Hitchcock/Truffaut-USA

There Must Be Rules-Sweden

Autumn Blood-Austria

Haemoo-Korea

Cop Car-USA

Ex Machina-UK

Under The Skin-UK

Only Lovers Left Alive-USA

Leviathan-USSR

Ida-Poland

Spotlight-USA

Bunny The Killer Thing-Finland

If you enjoy film music and the occasional electronic music interlude you should check out my radio programme: Soundtrack. It broadcasts every Wednesday from 10-12 EST on CFMU 93.3 in Hamilton and the surrounding area. You can also listen live online or via podcast at you convenience at: CFMU 93.3 Online

And check out our Facebook fan page : Soundtrack on CFMU 93.3. You find information on upcoming shows and playlists and fun links as well:)

The show will be on hiatus February-Mid April as I will be travelling in Europe. Part of the trip will be spent attending the Berlinale and EFM-Berlin Film Festival. I’m also going to catch Ennio Morricone in concert Feb 19 in Cologne, Germany so stay tuned for more information on that in the near future:)

Talk Soon

 

Stephen

 

 

 

 

 

HFF 2015

Posted on by Stephen Hayes

Back at the blogging, after a few months of silence. It has been a busy few months with the recent Hamilton Film Festival now wrapped up for a 10th season.

Highlights so this years festival included an indie Canadian feature called : The Rainbow Kid. As well a couple of Quebec features stood out: the sci-fi flick Project M and the drama Beyond The Horizon.

Terrance Odettes feature film: The Fall was a strong highlight of of this years festival which screened at The Zoetic Theatre. A great film to come out of the local Hamilton film scene!

Internationally we had many notable films including: Autumn Blood from Austria and our Jury Prize winner from Sweden: There Must Be Rules.

Numerous shorts, documentaries and student films rounded out the 150 plus screenings at the festival, as well as the first Hamilton Film Expo and a great Special Effects Workshop that took place at 270 Sherman.

If you missed it no fear the 11th edition will take place in late 2016 and submissions open in the new year so stay tuned for more updates …

Hamilton Film Festival

HFF Facebook