SHOWBIZ SAGA: P-Star Rising
By MARK SLUTSKY
As it enters its sixth year, Film Pop, the movie and video-themed sub-fest of Pop Montreal, promises a weekend of documentaries, fiction films, shorts of all stripes and some other stuff too weird to neatly categorize. Music may be the one constant in all Film Pop’s programming, but the creative and thematic approaches are wonderfully varied. Here’s a quick guide to some of the highlights:
The BQE
This should be a hot ticket. Geography-fixated indie rocker Sufjan Stevens, who’s made concept albums about the states of Michigan and Illinois (and expressed his intention to make 48 more, covering the entire Union), turns his hand to filmmaking with this 40-minute musical and visual ode to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The BQE shows with Goblin Market, a short film by Montreal author and man-about-town Adam Gollner, based on a Christina Rossetti poem, starring Liane Balaban and featuring music by Roger Tellier-Craig.
At L’Espace Réunion (6600 Hutchinson) this Saturday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m.
P-Star Rising
A documentary by Gabriel Noble about the artistic and career struggles of rapper P-Star, née Priscilla Diaz. A family story as much as a showbiz tale, the film also focuses on her father Jesse Diaz, a promising musician imprisoned before he could fulfill his dreams of popular success.
At Cinéma du Parc this Sunday, Oct. 4, 7 p.m.
Ceska Rapublika
Ceska republika, of course, is the Czech name for the Czech Republic, and Pavel Abrahám’s new documentary follows the country’s apparently vital hip hop scene. Slavic rapping—who knew!
At Cinéma du Parc this Thursday, Oct. 1, 7 p.m.
Tony Ezzy Gets a Job
Mustachioed local funkmaster Ezzy makes his way through a dystopic future in this “toilet humour political satire” by Montreal director Daniel Bitton. The show will feature live performances by Ezzy and friends.
At Green Room, Sunday, Oct. 4, 8:10 p.m.
Making Music
For the third year, Film Pop teams up with the NFB, hooking up local musicians with up-and-coming filmmakers to create short music-based works. It’s always a highlight and this year’s should be no different.
At L’Espace Réunion (6600 Hutchinson) this Thursday, Oct. 1, 8 p.m.
FILM POP RUNS THROUGH SUNDAY,
OCT. 4. FOR MORE INFO,
SEE POPMONTREAL.COM/FILM |
