Face 2 Face With David Peck

Bent Hamer, Pal Hagen and Face2Face host David Peck talk about their new film The Middle Man, precise poetic comedy, empathy and philosophy, existentialangst, satire and rich literary material, and why humour is a way through which we can begin to understand each other.TrailerSynopsis:The Middle Man is a darkly humorous social satire which takes place in a small town that is experiencing an epidemic of accidents and deaths. The town is run by “The Commission” - the Sheriff, the Doctor and the Pastor - who decide to hire a ‘Middle Man’ whose sole responsibility will be to inform the family when an unfortunate incident occurs.Frank Farrelli is a quiet, thoughtful man who proves perfect for the job. He takes his new role on with gusto and quickly becomes the town’s beacon of bad news. But the pressures of the job and a budding new romance overwhelm Frank. To ease his burden, he calls in a ‘favour’ that ends up in a horrifying yet oddly amusing murder.About Bent Hamer:Norwegian director, writer, producer and owne

Sara Taksler and Face2Face host David Peck talk about her new film How Saba Kept Singing, entertainment as social justice, beautiful coping mechanisms, non-violent advocacy, relationships, love and closure and putting mindfulness into action.Synopsis:Ninety-four-year-old David Wisnia never told his wife, children or grandchildren in Levittown, Pennsylvania, the whole truth about how he survived Auschwitz-Birkenau. They knew that David's singing voice had entertained the SS guards, that his musical gift had changed his fate, but no one knew what, or who, gave him the will to live: a love affair with another prisoner. Accompanying David on a trip to Poland commemorating the 70th anniversary of the camp's liberation, grandson Avi learns about Helen "Zippi" Spitzer.A talented artist whose scale model of the camp earned her privileges, Zippi was able to orchestrate their encounters and keep them safe. They promised to find each other if they survived, but the war intervened.Over 70 years later, they reunite, shari

Michelle Rempel Garner, Chloe Sosa-Sims and Face2Face host David Peck talk about the new film Hunting in Packs, idealism, political inertia, community, the calcification of beliefs, personal change, authenticity and why politics should be about the conversation.Find out more here.Synopsis:What happens when strong-willed women join the circus of politics? How do they create the change? Make the policy real? Achieve their dreams?The 3 female politicians in this film, Jess Phillips (Labour, UK) Pramila Jayapal (Democrat, US) & Michelle Rempel Garner (Conservative, Canada), represent differentends of the political spectrum, with different constituents and vastly different agendas. That said, they share one common fight – enacting bold policy in the face of anoutdated political establishment. Sometimes that fight pits them against their country’s leaders, and other times against their own political parties. Taking place in threeWestern countries, the film will explore three democracies currently being rocked

Daniel Carsenty, Mohammed Abugeth and Face2Face host David Peck talk about their new film The Devil’s Drivers, universal problems, hard to find solutions, thelegitimacy of others, the pursuit of freedom and some of the things we take for granted.TrailerWebsiteSynopsis:Chased by the army, a human trafficker crosses the border on a daily basis. An intimate yet harrowing portrait – shot over the course of eight years – about a manliving on the edge in one of the most dangerous regions of our world.The film is an intimate and harrowing portrait of a group of smugglers risking everything on high-speed trips to help Palestinians workers cross the border into Israelevery day for work. Banned from obtaining legal work permits in Israel, and cut off from their lands, and water sources by the Israeli settlers, these men risk everythingto provide for their families.An investigation into the human condition under the most difficult circumstances and an understanding of how to remain a decent human being in a world fallin

Carlos Francisco Manatad and Face2Face host David Peck talk about his new film Whether the Weather, disaster films, grief, trauma and loss, style over story,spiritual fables, pushing back against the status quo and feeling secure and safe.Find out about the film and see the trailer here.Synopsis:In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, religious fanatics, desperados, criminals and fleeing animals are loose in the city. Miguel, an escaped prisoner, roams the ruins in search of the two women in his life : his girlfriend Andrea and his mother, Norma. As soon as he finds them, the reason for Miguel’s incarceration – and his sacrifice – becomes clear. He tries to convince them to leave the city with him before he is arrested.However, Norma is fixated on waiting for her estranged husband Luis and Andrea is entangled in rebellious acts paving the way for her to commit the unspeakable. As Miguel’s temporary release expires, his freedom and even his life are jeopardized.He must decide whether to stay on to persuade his lov

Margaret Byrne and Face2Face host David Peck talk about her new film Any Given Day, context and community, safe places, honesty, vulnerability andaccountability, the ethics of film making and why it’s important to see ourselves as resources.Find out about the film and see the trailer here.Synopsis:In 2015, during widespread defunding of community mental health care programs across the country, in Chicago, the Cook County Jail has become a defaulttreatment center for people living with mental illness. While investigating the treatment of detainees, filmmaker Margaret Byrne befriends Angela, Dimitar and Daniel, participants in a mental health court probationprogram. Their friendship gives each of them the courage to be seen at their most vulnerable. In turn, Margaret begins to confront one of the most difficult periods ofher life, culminating in a hospitalization for depression.What begins as a heartfelt desire to accurately portray the lives of Angela, Dimitar and Daniel, forces Margaret to reckon wi

Derreck Roemer and Face2Face host David Peck talk about his new film Come Clean, about addiction and mental health, recovery and misconceptions, statistics and stigma, friendship, healing, codependency and why recovery and community are connected.TrailerWatch it on TVO, TVO.org, YouTube and TVO streaming channels.Synopsis:Come Clean is a close look at what fuels addiction, as well as the herculean effort and hope recovery demands. Six million Canadians will meet the criteria for addiction in our lifetimes. COVID-19 has intensified the problem. Opioid-related deaths surged 25% in Ontario in the first few months of the pandemic and continue to be at a crisis point.“The reality of addiction seriously impacts individuals, families and communities across Ontario,” says John Ferri, VP of Programming and Content at TVO. “With unflinching honesty, Come Clean shares the real struggle of overcoming addictions through deeply personal journeys—stories that most Ontarians will relate to.”Writ

Nikhil Mahajan, Jitendra Joshi, Gauri Nalawade and Face2Face host David Peck talk about their new film Godavari, wisdom and tradition, freedom and acceptance, getting back to basics, why love is found within and building a life of significanceTrailerSynopsis:Filmed in India in the Marathi language, Godavari stars a who’s who of Indian talent including the film’s lead actor Jitendra Joshi (Sacred Games, Ventilator) who has headlined numerous Marathi feature films including award-winning Ventilator and his turn as the lovable police constable Katekar in Netflix's first Original Indian series Sacred Games. Alongside Joshi, Godavari also stars Sanjay Mone (Dhyasparva), Vikram Gokhle (Anumati), Neena Kulkarni (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Gauri Nalawade (The Disciple) and Priyadarshan Jadhav (Bhootatlela)Godavari marks a new beginning for Mumbai-based filmmaker Nikhil Mahajan, who is best known for his work directing the neo-noir Pune 52, vigilante action film Baji and the Ne

Rachel DeCruz, Jeremy Levine and Face2Face host David Peck talk about their new Sundance film The Panola Project, convenience stores, persistent grace, poverty and racism and real change, relationships, and the absence of shame and why community matters.For more info on the film and to WATCH it head here.Synopsis:The Panola Project highlights the heroic efforts of Dorothy Oliver to keep her small town of Panola, Alabama safe from COVID-19. Dorothy runs a makeshift vaccine coordination center from the convenience store she runs out of a mobile home. Today, nearly 99% of adults in her town have received the shot in a state with one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. The Panola Project illuminates how an often-overlooked rural Black community comes together in creative ways to survive.About Rachel and Jeremy:Rachel DeCruz is a Black woman with a complex family history related to race, her work centers on how race impacts people’s ability to navigate systems. Nine, her feature debut, will examine the

Victor Gabriel and Duran Jones and Face2Face host David Peck talk about their new Sundance film Hallelujah, poverty and justice, drama, death and belonging, resilience, oppression and innocence lost, Cornel West, James Baldwin and why storytelling and human experience are intimately connected.Victors Directors Statement: "A theme that is ever present in my life is the question “How do I overcome my suffering? Is it even possible?” More specifically in this story it is the idea of grieving the people I have lost, the loved ones we have all lost. A sub theme is the idea of belonging and finding home. Where is home? As someone who has been abandoned, displaced, neglected and had to move around and live with different people, home is nebulous at best. But what I realize for me is that though I may never “belong”, I am deeply loved by many people. And being loved is more important to me than belonging.”Synopsis:Chetty and Paper are two brothers who refuse to grow up. But due to unforeseen circumstances, they are n

Mark Critch, Tim McAuliffe and Face2Face host David Peck talk about their new CBC TV series Son Of A Critch, photo bombs, family life, growing up, why socializing at a wake might be a good idea and what comedy can do for us.Watch the show on CBC Gem.Synopsis:Based on Mark Critch's award-winning, best-selling memoir, SON OF A CRITCH (13x30) is the hilarious and very real story of 11-year-old Mark coming of age in St. John’s, Newfoundland in the 80s. It’s a heartfelt window into the life of a child - much older inside than his 11 years - using comedy and self-deprecation to win friends and connect with the small collection of people in his limited world. Filmed in St. John’s, Newfoundland, the comedy stars Critch as his father; Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (The Haunting of Bly Manor, Pinocchio) as young Mark; and Golden Globe nominee Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) as Pop. Additional cast members include Claire Rankin (Molly’s Game) as Mark’s mother, Mary, alongside newcomers Sophia Powers and Mark Rivera, cla

Ron Chapman and Face2Face host David Peck talk about his new films Shelter and From Earth to Sky, architecture, tradition and Turtle Island, xenophobia, collaboration, and common ground, and why it’s better to give than to receive. Synopsis:From Earth To Sky is a unique and inspiring story of a proud and accomplished collective of Indigenous architects, driving a movement as climate change threatens the planet. They are world leaders in aesthetic, form, sustainability and ultimately protecting mother earth. Their stories have never been more important.Shelter is the inspirational story of how these brave Jewish immigrants survived religious persecution in their homelands to build wildly successful real estate and land development businesses and help shape a growing metropolis by making it a refuge for all newcomers to Toronto.About Ron:Director and producer Ron Chapman is an award-winning Toronto filmmaker. His feature documentaries have garnered acclaim worldwide and have aired on major networks and pla

Richard Wiseman and Face2Face host David Peck talk about his new book David Copperfield’s History of Magic, humour as a tool, Dale Carnegie, sticky ideas, tunnel vision, a need for mystery, bored and fascinated silence, and why it’s quite handy to be likeable. David Copperfield’s History of Magic Buy it where you usually buy your books.Synopsis:An illustrated, illuminating insight into the world of illusion from the world’s greatest and most successful magician, capturing its audacious and inventive practitioners, and showcasing the art form’s most famous artifacts housed at David Copperfield’s secret museum.In this personal journey through a unique and remarkable performing art, David Copperfield profiles twenty-eight of the world’s most groundbreaking magicians. From the 16th-century magistrate who wrote the first book on conjuring to the roaring twenties and the man who fooled Houdini, to the woman who levitated, vanished, and caught bullets in her teeth, David Copperfield’s History of Magic take

Gian Cassini and Face2Face host David Peck talk about his new film Comala, friendship and family, truth and ambiguity, “the war on drugs”, violence and responsibility, and how intimate stories can be universal.TrailerSynopsis:Director Gian Cassini grew up the only child of a single mother in Monterrey, Mexico. His father, with whom he had only intermittent contact, had left when he was a child and started a parallel family, giving Gian a brother and sister that he came to know as he got older. In Comala, the filmmaker’s powerful and daring debut documentary, Cassini puts his magnifying glass to the ground as he embarks on an intimate true-crime odyssey that criss-crosses Mexico, stops over in Cuba, and settles in San Antonio, Texas.One family member at a time, Cassini puts together the puzzle pieces that form an image of his late father — El Jimmy, a small-time hitman and drug trafficker in Tijuana — allowing him, and the rest of his family, to make sense of the man that made them who they are.Comala, named a

Barry Avrich and Face2Face host David Peck talk about his new film Oscar Peterson: Black & White, generosity, fear and confidence, music as a universal, the civil rights movement and Oscar’s Hymn To Freedom, and the alchemy of music.Learn more about Barry here and watch the film streaming Crave and HBO.Synopsis:Oscar Peterson: Black & White is a ground-breaking “docu-concert” that deeply explores the life and legacy of jazz icon and composer, Oscar Peterson: his sound, stardom, and cult of virtuoso. Oscar Peterson is the one jazz figure who had, and still has, the larger-than-life quality of jazz royalty. Other jazz artists from Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole to Duke Ellington and John Coltrane became legends but Oscar, like Picasso or Mozart, had an undeniable style rooted not just in his genius but in his relentless performances and personality. The documentary delves into the seven-decade career of the musical genius: from his days as a child prodigy to the development of his signature sound on

Wi Ding HO and Face2Face host David Peck talk about his poetic, compelling and intimate new film Terrorizers, challenging the status quo, fragmented headlines, choice and responsibility, perspective, sympathy and loneliness and why we’re all just looking to be loved.Synopsis:“A slashing incident connects a group of disillusioned youths, in director Wi Ding HO’s powerful look at the truth beyond the headlines. A splendid, tragic fresco of the lost life of youths in pre-COVID Taipei, Terrorizers is his latest film. Ho returns to directing with a complex, multiple-narrative work that defies genre definitions and classic film structure. Reality can be captured through cinema, but there is a gap between what an image shows and what really is — between representation and the real world. What lies behind the headlines, what happens around tragedy, forms the prism of events at the core of Ho’s story of passion, love, and vengeance — illuminated fragments of scattered lives.Terrorizers is a powerful sto

Bianca Stigter and Face2Face host David Peck talk about her new film Three Minutes - A Lengthening, Kodak memories, human stories and faces as traces, film as a record, family and history and why everyone wants to be seen.Synopsis:Three Minutes - A Lengthening presents a home movie shot by David Kurtz in 1938 in a Jewish town in Poland and tries to postpone its ending. As long as we are watching, history is not over yet.The three minutes of footage, mostly in colour, are the only moving images left of the Jewish inhabitants of Nasielsk before the Holocaust. The existing three minutes are examined to unravel the human stories hidden in the celluloid.The footage is imaginatively edited to create a film that lasts more than an hour. Different voices enhance the images. Glenn Kurtz, grandson of David Kurtz, provides his knowledge of the footage. Maurice Chandler, who appears in the film as a boy, shares his memories.Actress Helena Bonham Carter narrates the film essay.About Bianca:Bianca Stigter is an historian a

Mourad Zaoui and Face2Face host David Peck talk about his new film The Forgiven, idealism and access, the truth found in parables, the magic of newfoundland, walking the journey little by little and acknowledging and respecting others.Synopsis:Jessica Chastain, Ralph Fiennes, Caleb Landry Jones, Christopher Abbott, Saïd Taghmaoui, and Marie-Josée Croze lead a stellar ensemble cast in this wild foray into opulence, sin, and reckoning set deep in the Moroccan desert.On the verge of divorce, wealthy couple David (Fiennes) and Jo (Chastain, also appearing at the Festival in The Eyes of Tammy Faye) are on their way to a lavish weekend party, and accidentally run over and kill a young Moroccan man trying to sell fossils by the roadside. They put his body in their car and arrive at the party at a mansion hosted by a worldly gay couple. Once the body is tucked away in the bowels of the villa, the partygoers return to the circus of dancing, drugs, and debauchery. The next morning, David’s buzz becomes a hangover

Kathryn Bertine and Face2Face host David Peck talk about her new book Stand, activism, social change, the gender gap, beacons of hope, mental health and why things are not always as they seem.Buy the book here and learn more about Kathryn here.STAND: A memoir on Activism. A manual for progress. What really happens when we stand on the front lines of change.“I don’t have time for a blurb, but congratulations on your book!”Malcolm Gladwell.“When confronted with injustice, Kathryn Bertine didn't quit, and she didn't back down: she poured her heart and soul into confronting this injustice, and she emerged victorious. Kathryn's story is one of hope and perseverance despite the odds being stacked against her. Every girl and woman who's been told they can't play or keep up with the boys will take heart from this inspirational, life-affirming story.”Gabby Giffords, U.S. Congresswoman, Survivor & Activist.“On and off the bicycle, Kathryn Bertine has always chosen the challenging road. Whether it was her tenacious

Brett Gaylor and Face2Face host David Peck talk about his new film Discriminator, serendipitous creativity, privacy laws, facial recognition, digital ethics and human rights, data sets, remix culture, surveillance technology and automated decision making.TrailerWATCH the film here.Find out more about Brett and his work here.Synopsis:Discriminator, Brett Gaylor’s latest cautionary tale about life online, looks at the sea of faces we’ve willingly uploaded to social media and the consequences of our oversharing.As the Internet has evolved, so has documentarian Brett Gaylor’s attitude towards it. The filmmaker, who imagined a utopian future of shared creativity in 2008’s hit documentary feature RIP: A Remix Manifesto, began to sound the alarm in 2015 with his Peabody award winning series on digital privacy Do Not Track. Last year’s CBC documentary The Internet of Everything explored the implications of the Internet moving off of our screens and into the world around us with the Internet of Things.And in his lates