What drew you to your business or career? And what keeps you going? I reunited with Canadian actress Kim Roberts once again at this year’s Vaughan Film Festival (VFF) in what has now become an annual tradition. This was my FIFTH time interviewing her. Always a riveting conversation. Kim never stops working. She is known for her roles on Paw Patrol, The Sinner, The Handmaids Tale, and Schitt’s Creek. In 2022, Roberts won the Independent Leader Award at the VFF. We discuss her latest projects, how...
Sep 03, 2023•6 min
Could you work with your family? Arianna Baldassarra is Vice-President of Greenpark Group, the Presenting Sponsor at the 2023 Vaughan International Film Festival (VFF). Greenpark Group is Arianna’s family business, started by her grandfather. I sat down with her to discuss her VP role and being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated business: construction, building & development. We also talk about what it is like working alongside her grandfather, father, and uncles. The appreciation the...
Sep 03, 2023•11 min
Crank up the radio to the most popular Top 40 hits and you’re bound to hear American/Canadian singer/songwriter, Derik Baker’s, better known as Virginia to Vegas . He’s released two studio albums and seven extended plays. His gold and platinum-certified upbeat, hyper catchy, indie pop songs. include: " We Are Stars ", " Lights Out ", "Selfish", "Just Friends" and "Betterman", released through Wax Records and Ultra Records . I caught up with Derik on the red carpet of 2023’s The Vaughan Internati...
Aug 19, 2023•6 min
Have you ever been scammed? So much of our world is full of fake news, fake people, and fake things. But who would have ever thought that the largest fake ID empire in North America could be invented by two teenage girls in West Vancouver, British Columbia? That’s the theme of the show Fakes - an American-Canadian television comedy/drama series, which premiered in 2022 on CBC Gem in Canada and Netflix internationally. The series stars Emilija Baranac and Jennifer Tong as Zoe and Rebecca and prem...
Aug 11, 2023•5 min
Have you ever regarded Canadian actors, TV & film negatively now or in the past? Tammy Frick is a Canadian film industry executive, who was appointed as chief executive officer of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television in October 2022. Previously, she was executive director of the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival from 1995 to 2022, and an associate director of Cultural Industries Ontario North. In 2019, she won an award from the Toronto chapter of Women in Film and Televis...
Aug 06, 2023•11 min
Remember high school? How hard it was and still is when you're different? That’s how it is for outcast BFFs Astrid (Jana Morrison) and Lilly (Samantha Aucoin) who, after being bullied and deciding enough is enough, accidentally crack open a portal to a terrifyingly quirky monster dimension, causing their world to become a lot more complicated. Not only do Astrid & Lilly have to navigate high school, their families, and their crushes, but they also must vanquish a bunch of terrifying monsters...
Jul 31, 2023•6 min
Thinking about your kids going back to school, what courses & extra-curricular activities to register them for, and what their future holds? Time to experience the incredible filmmaking of some of this year’s brightest VFF’s (Vaughan International Film Festival’s) Student Screenings that took place at York University’s Faculty of Fine Arts this June in this week’s DOUBLE FEATURE. First up -The Test from RHHS STUDIOS, winner of the impressive Student Short Films line-up. Filmed entirely on a ...
Jul 31, 2023•4 min
Thinking about your kids going back to school, what courses & extra-curricular activities to register them for, and what their future holds? Time to experience the incredible filmmaking of some of this year’s brightest VFF’s (Vaughan International Film Festival’s) Student Screenings that took place at York University’s Faculty of Fine Arts this June in this week’s DOUBLE FEATURE. First up -The Test from RHHS STUDIOS, winner of the impressive Student Short Films line-up. Filmed entirely on a ...
Jul 31, 2023•5 min
How was your weekend - everything you expected or a complete bore? Let’s get your week rocking! Take a moment to experience yet another fascinating tale & lifestyle of the accomplished, influential, and motivational! Sheba Mason is a comedian, singer, actress, MC and the “love child” of the late comic genius Jackie Mason and Ginger Reiter . Since 2020, Sheba has been running “ Speakeasy” – a comedy club at Three Monkeys - a bi-level bar/restaurant on Manhattan’s West Side, 7 days a week. She...
Jul 31, 2023•29 min
Set in the 1870s, Gabe Polsky’s adaptation of John Williams’ literary western stars Nicolas Cage as a buffalo hunter who lures a naïve young man into an ambitious expedition in the Colorado Rockies. On the red carpet at tiff 2022 and at the premiere of the film Butcher’s Crossing , I caught-up with actors Nicolas Cage, Rachel Keller, and the rest of the cast, followed by the film’s Q & A to discuss the Cage’s decision to star in and strong themes in this movie. Best known for Moonstruck and ...
Jul 31, 2023•40 min
The life, music, and activism of legendary Indigenous singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie are explored in this documentary that is as captivating as its subject, who smashed through barriers to become an inspiration to fans and fellow musicians alike. Just in time for Canada and Independence Day, comes a tribute to Canadian/American singer & activist, Buffy Sainte-Marie’s extraordinary life and career, Madison Thomas’s Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On is as captivating and vital as its legen...
Jul 31, 2023•29 min
Voiced by actress, Keira Knightly, Charlotte, the movie is an animated drama that tells the true story of Charlotte Salomon, a young German-Jewish painter who comes of age in Berlin on the eve of the Second World War. Fiercely imaginative and deeply gifted, she dreams of becoming an artist. Her first love applauds her talent, which emboldens her resolve. But the world around her is changing quickly and dangerously, limiting her options, and derailing her dream. When anti-Semitic policies inspire...
Jun 18, 2023•15 min
May 16th marked Vaughan International Film Festival’s Spring Launch. As an Official VFF Media Sponsor, I was on hand to speak to Reshmi with Newstalk 1010’s The Rush, Host & Spring Launch MC, Reshmi Nair. about what can be expected at this year’s June 19th-June 22nd event from The Talent & Screenings to The After-Parties and Awards Gala with this year’s nominees, winners, and musical guests. I also talk with Antonio Ienco, VFF Co-Founder and Director of Sponsorship & Events about how...
Jun 18, 2023•13 min
What is masculinity and how do we embrace & display masculinity across cultures? That is the main theme of the movie, Brother and a large part of what I discussed on The Canadian Screen Actors red carpet and in the press room with the cast of the 2022 Canadian drama film, written, produced, and directed by Clement Virgo. An adaptation of David Chariandy's award-winning novel, Brother scored an impressive 12 awards including Best Picture and Best Direction. Sign up to become a member of Janet...
Jun 18, 2023•17 min
It’s something we don’t like to speak or think of happening in Canada – a country that prides itself on welcoming immigrants and embracing cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity and differences Yet, many minorities contend with racism and intolerance every day. Perhaps, you are one of those people. In Riceboy Sleeps , Korean/Canadian Actor, Filmmaker, Writer and Producer, Anthony Shim, addresses these very issues; unlike others who have recalled the trauma of immigrating to this country in th...
May 26, 2023•13 min
Whatever season or occasion, we owe it to ourselves to always look our best and make a good impression. Our wardrobe is a key factor in achieving this and should reflect our unique personal style & brand, as well as accentuate our bodies, and make us feel comfortable. As a fashion lover and accredited media at The One of A Kind Spring Show Toronto’s ladies night, it was wonderful to watch The Fashion Show proudly displaying the latest styles, colours, fabrics, patterns and trends. Wardrobe t...
May 19, 2023•6 min
Regardless of how you define it, art is something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful, expressing important ideas or feelings. It’s interpretive, surrounding our homes, offices, streets, and cities, and thus, a significant part of our lives. While covering The One Of A Kind Spring Show Toronto Ladies Night as accredited media, I met Mixed Media Toronto-based Artist, Morgan Jones. His unique tea party complete with his ballerina model and work immediately caught my ey...
May 15, 2023•6 min
Have you stayed longer than you should have in an abusive relationship due to codependency? Do you recall being anxious all the time without being sure why? Filmed in Canada, Alice, Darling , Oscar-Nominated actress, Anna Kendrick (“Alice”) captures the anxious psychology of a woman in an abusive relationship as her friends try to reconnect with her while on a cottage getaway. When Alice is invited on a cottage trip to celebrate her friend’s birthday, she feels like she has to lie to her charmin...
May 07, 2023•10 min
Whether you marched in the civil rights movement, personally experience, or know a visible minority who continues to experience racism in our society today (sadly, incidents of crimes against humanity, discrimination and racism are still reported regularly), Sidney is a documentary portrait of the late, great Sidney Poitier. Produced by Oprah Winfrey & Derik and directed by Reginald Hudlin (House Party, Boomerang, Marshall), this piece showcases his films, life story, and litany of accomplis...
Apr 28, 2023•12 min
Women Talking is a 2022 drama film written and directed by Sarah Polley . It is based on the Canadian 2018 novel of the same name by Miriam Toews , and inspired by the gas-facilitated rapes that occurred at the Manitoba Colony , a remote and isolated Mennonite community in Bolivia . It features an ensemble cast that includes Oscar-Winning actresses, Rooney Mara , Claire Foy (young “Queen Elizabeth” in Seasons 1 & 2 of Netflix’s The Crown), Jessie Buckley , Judith Ivey , Ben Whishaw , and Fra...
Apr 13, 2023•32 min
With Passover and Easter upon us, this time of year, we often think about the meaning of freedom, survival, and renewal. Directed by Sally El Hosaini from a screenplay that she co-wrote with Jack Thorne , The Swimmers is a 2022 biographical sports drama film dealing with similar themes. The plot follows the true life story of teenage Syrian refugees Yusra Mardini and her sister Sarah Mardini , who swam alongside a sinking dinghy of refugees to lighten it, and eventually help 18 refugees to reach...
Apr 13, 2023•47 min
Hunter and Rylee have been besties since kindergarten. They share everything and have developed a level of respect, kinship, and a very strong bond. But when they reunite post-grad, bitter truths emerge threatening to tear their friendship apart. In this episode, I interview Jared Marino , Director, Cinematographer, Producer & Writer, Lead Actresses, Jenna Schaefer (plays “Rylee”), Clarice Goetz (plays “Harper”) and Producer, Alyssa Bruno , of the film, Benevolent, at The Vaughan Internation...
Apr 13, 2023•11 min
Born out of Director Sharon Lewis’s own muted struggle with not fitting into neat racial/Queer/Christian boxes, With Wonder takes an intimate look at the journey of members of the Queer, Christian community of colour and their attempts to answer the question: Can you be both Christian and Queer? This feature length documentary, features the diverse stories of several members of the LGBTQI+ community, including high profile queer activists and Queer clerics, in places like Jamaica, New York, Lond...
Apr 13, 2023•29 min
Founded in 2019 by producers Corey Ross and Svetlana Dvoretsky and developer – Slava Zheleznyakov, Lighthouse Immersive is the first experiential entertainment multi-plex, aiming to cultivate community and creativity through large-scale events and exhibitions of all art forms. With locations in Toronto, Chicago, and San Francisco, Lighthouse Immersive offers versatile spaces for creators to present their work, while engaging audiences around the globe in unique art experiences that encourage dia...
Apr 13, 2023•9 min
Take a trip down memory lane with all your favorite Disney characters at the Disney Animation Immersive Experience at Lighthouse Immersive Studios Toronto. Extended by popular demand, this exhibit, featuring 500,000 cubic feet of projections, takes you through the 100 years of Disney’s Animation Studios history - everything from Snow White to Peter Pan and from Frozen to Encant o. Swim through a sea of bubbles alongside Ariel and stroll through a sparkling snowfall with Elsa. Interactive element...
Mar 05, 2023•8 min
Conception : written, directed, and produced by Tarun Verma – comedian and former fertility pharmacist, who has seen it all with couples struggling with IVF. Conception is the final episode in our month of LOVE. This fictional drama-documentary movie tells the story of Vic and Ami, who are living the quintessentially perfect married life. Living in the city, working high powered jobs, but their world turns upside down when they attempt to start a family and can't get pregnant and have to resort ...
Feb 25, 2023•31 min
Carrying on with all things LOVE in our Month of LOVE series, this week’s episode features the British romantic comedy-drama Film - What’s Love Got to Do With It? The film covers the topics of arranged or assisted marriage and interfaith marriage. Winner of Best Comedy at the 2022 Rome Film Fest and scheduled to soon hit movie theatres in Great Britain (Feb.24th) and North America, the film directed by multi-award-winner, Shekhar Kapur ( Elizabeth, Bandit Queen ), and written & produced by J...
Feb 17, 2023•18 min
As we continue to honor Valentine’s Day and all things LOVE, this week’s episode features the amazing story in first-time author, Danielle Kaplan’s book, I Married A Thrill-Seeker: A Cautious Wife’s Memoir of Her Husband’s Risk-Taking and Their Long Road to Recovery. For fans of memories of trauma and recovery and for anyone living and loving a risk-taker, comes one man’s struggle to overcome a one percent chance at survival as told through the eyes of his wife, his high school sweetheart, who w...
Feb 10, 2023•36 min
Happy February! In honor of Valentine’s Day, this month, our episodes are focused on all things LOVE. This includes love that isn’t always good for us. As is the case in the short movie, Love, Sick – A Story of Toxic Love, Written, Produced, & Directed, by the Emmy and Webby award-winning, Christopher Klimovski. I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing ‘Klimovski’ as he prefers to be called, in Vaughan, Ontario, at The Vaughan International Film Festival’s, International Short Filming ...
Feb 02, 2023•6 min
The Fabelmans is a 2022 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Steven Spielberg, who co-wrote and co-produced it with Tony Kushner. The film is a semi-autobiographical story loosely based on Spielberg's adolescence and first years as a filmmaker, told through an original story of the fictional Sammy Fabelman, a young aspiring filmmaker who explores how the power of films can help him see the truth about his dysfunctional family and those around him. It stars Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy, alon...
Jan 22, 2023•31 min
