Robert K Stephen (CSW)

RKS 2023 Hot Docs: “Hebron Relocation”: Church and State Swindle of the Inuit?

Holly Anderson’s short documentary “Hebron Relocation” has its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto Hot Docs Festival. It explores the forced location of 233 Inuit from Hebron to more southerly locations in Newfoundland and Labrador in 1959. Unfortunately the documentary fails to provide what the “official reason” was for the relocation so viewers may beContinue reading “RKS 2023 Hot Docs: “Hebron Relocation”: Church and State Swindle of the Inuit?”

RKS 2023 Toronto Hot Docs: “Undertaker for Life!”: More About the Living than the Dead

The National Film Board of Canada presents a gem of a documentary “Undertaker for Life!” at the Toronto Hot Docs Festival. Yes there is a focus on several undertakers and mourners but the documentary is more about how the living navigate death of loved ones through the grieving process. As one undertaker quips about theContinue reading “RKS 2023 Toronto Hot Docs: “Undertaker for Life!”: More About the Living than the Dead”

RKS 2023 Toronto Hot Docs: “Twice Colonized”: A Familiar Story for Many but not All

“Twice Colonized” will have its Canadian premiere as the opening night film at Toronto Hot Docs. It is a documentary focusing on renowned Inuit activist lawyer Aaju Peter living in Iqaluit in Nunavut. Peter was born in the Danish colony of Greenland and at the wish of her father was sent to Denmark to beContinue reading “RKS 2023 Toronto Hot Docs: “Twice Colonized”: A Familiar Story for Many but not All”

RKS 2023 Film: “Sisu”: Finnish WW 2 Bloodbath!

“Sisu” is not your “usual” war movie and the usual meter can swing in both directions and after 5 decades of war movie viewing experience “Sisu” is off the meter. In fact it breaks the meter! No “Full Metal Jacket” nor John Wayne “Green Berets”. Aatami (Jorma Tommila) is a Finnish goldminer (and something aContinue reading “RKS 2023 Film: “Sisu”: Finnish WW 2 Bloodbath!”

RKS Literature: Kafka on Bureaucracy: “The Castle” (“Das Schloss”)

“He ought long ago to have had, not a uniform, for there aren’t many in the Castle, but a suit provided by the department, and he has been promised one, but in things of that kind the Castle moves slowly, and the worst of it is that one never knows what this slowness means; itContinue reading “RKS Literature: Kafka on Bureaucracy: “The Castle” (“Das Schloss”)”

RKS 2023 Wine: Alyan A&A 2017 Carménère from Chile

The Alyan A&A 2017 Carménère from Chile is produced in the Maule Valley, Chile’s largest viticultural area yet one of the most geographically and climatically diverse encompassing the Andes to the east, the sunny plains throughout the central corridor and the rolling coastal hills to the west which makes it possible for both red andContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Alyan A&A 2017 Carménère from Chile”

RKS 2023 Film: “Montreal Girls”: Dangerous Title but Highly Seductive Film!

With a title of “Montreal Girls” you might surmise this is “A Girl’s Gone Wild” subsidiary. Not the case. As a native of Montreal for 30 years before escaping as a political refugee to Toronto down Highway 401 to a then sterile city of Toronto any film better capture my former city of habitation orContinue reading “RKS 2023 Film: “Montreal Girls”: Dangerous Title but Highly Seductive Film!”

RKS 2023 Wine: Ho Hum Pinot Noir from Ontario’s South Islands

When it is a question of Canadian Pinot Noir my favourites are from British Columbia’s Okanagan. Smooth, elegant, soft and just perfect with salmon. Ontario Pinot Noirs? More of a hit and miss proposition. Pelee Island is always a fun place to visit even if you do not like wine. Pelee Island Winery produces someContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Ho Hum Pinot Noir from Ontario’s South Islands”

RKS 2023 Toronto Hot Docs Film: “Eat Bitter”: Functional Dysfunctionality and Who is to Blame?

The Central African Republic (CAR) has 76% of its population living below the international poverty line. Its GDP is less than $500 USD per person. In Canada the GDP per person is $52,000 USD. The CAR is more or less in a civil war which has yet to reach its capital of Bangui. Violence, desperateContinue reading “RKS 2023 Toronto Hot Docs Film: “Eat Bitter”: Functional Dysfunctionality and Who is to Blame?”

RKS 2023 Wine: Better Pinot Noir for Less? Chile? A Darling of the Medical Profession?

I am a wine writer from the other side of the tracks! A retired and impoverished old codger. I even had lunch in a suburban restaurant 36 kilometres from Toronto! There wasn’t an orthodontist in sight! Actually, the food was excellent as was the conversation with a veteran wine writer friend! There are no wineriesContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Better Pinot Noir for Less? Chile? A Darling of the Medical Profession?”