The promotional material from the film’s distributor leaves the impression that the town of Magaluf will be the subject of the documentary “which during season becomes a Deadwood-like capital of sin and vice”. Magaluf is a beach town on the Spanish island of Mallorca invaded in the summer season by British youth or better saidContinue reading ““Magaluf Ghost Town”: An awkward documentary: Toronto Hot Docs”
Author Archives: Robert K Stephen (CSW)
“Lady Buds”: Women and Cannabis in California: Has legalization created criminalization? Toronto Hot Docs
Most of this documentary is focused on the Emerald Triangle of California, namely the counties of Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity Counties where over 60 % of California cannabis is grown but mass production seems to be shifting to Santa Barbara and the Mojave Desert. The documentary focuses on women cultivators, distributors, educators and activists. InContinue reading ““Lady Buds”: Women and Cannabis in California: Has legalization created criminalization? Toronto Hot Docs”
“The New Plastic Road”: Poor Tajik Peasants Take a Crack at International Commerce: Toronto Hot Docs
In 2004 the Silk Road between China and Tajikistan re-opened creating economic opportunities for Tajikistan the poorest of the former USSR republics. We meet Davlat who had a meagre poverty-stricken childhood with 11 people living in his family home. He lived in Kazakhstan for 8 years and then one year in Germany before returning toContinue reading ““The New Plastic Road”: Poor Tajik Peasants Take a Crack at International Commerce: Toronto Hot Docs”
“Seyran Ateş: Sex Revolution and Islam”: A Courageous attempt to bring Islam into the 21st century: Toronto Hot Docs
Seyran Ateş is a Turkish born woman who at a young age moved to Berlin. She had a strict Muslim upbringing making her feel like a prisoner. Only whores would go to movies with their friends. Women don’t read books so that was forbidden. Hating her lonely and oppressed teenage years she ran away fromContinue reading ““Seyran Ateş: Sex Revolution and Islam”: A Courageous attempt to bring Islam into the 21st century: Toronto Hot Docs”
“It is Not Over Yet”: Making the best of an unpleasant situation; Toronto Hot Docs
Of course, if you live in North America and the United Kingdom you simply can’t ignore how COVID-19 ripped through “long term care” or “nursing homes” drop-off depots for the immobile and those suffering from some form of dementia. Is this our fate and it could well be since Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the thirdContinue reading ““It is Not Over Yet”: Making the best of an unpleasant situation; Toronto Hot Docs”
“Hell or Clean Water”: Not in Canada You Say! Toronto Hot Docs Festival
Yes you have seen huge islands of floating plastic in the ocean but this sort of pollution can’t happen in Canada. Right? Well perhaps we don’t have huge islands of plastic washing up on the shores of provinces that have oceans. But” Hell or Clean Water” certainly exposes that on the coast of Newfoundland, particularlyContinue reading ““Hell or Clean Water”: Not in Canada You Say! Toronto Hot Docs Festival”
“Black Jesus”: A complicated story: Toronto Hot Docs
It is hard not to hear on the television these days about thousands of migrants from Africa, Syria, Libya and many other countries making a desperate sea voyage to land on the shores of Italy, Spain or Greece. Often they are portrayed as victims of wars and civil strife but the truth may be mostContinue reading ““Black Jesus”: A complicated story: Toronto Hot Docs”
“Faceless”: Disturbing documentary but not surprising: Toronto Hot Docs
On July 1st 1997 the United Kingdom’s lease on Hong Kong (HK) expired and political control was handed over to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC and the UK agreed the way of life in HK was to remain unchanged for 50 years with a democratically elected local government, free speech and anContinue reading ““Faceless”: Disturbing documentary but not surprising: Toronto Hot Docs”
“Wuhan Wuhan”; Just like us: Toronto Hot Docs Festival
I will admit throughout this “Wuhan Wuhan” documentary I had a few flashbacks to that smirking ex-President of the United States Trump with his sneering comments about “The Chinese Virus”, “The Wuhan Virus” or “The Kung Flu” directing hatred toward the Chinese trying to deflect from his incompetence in managing COVID-19. Is it any wonderContinue reading ““Wuhan Wuhan”; Just like us: Toronto Hot Docs Festival”
“Mutantism on The March”: Chapter 52 “Squid Heads Back to Montreal”
It had been centuries since Squid had been back in Montreal but his home in the caves of Mount Royal had remained undisturbed. Needless to say it needed a good spring cleaning but everything was exactly as he had left it. It definitely required some modernizing! But its environs had changed dramatically. No longer wasContinue reading ““Mutantism on The March”: Chapter 52 “Squid Heads Back to Montreal””
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