1945 - Gabrielle

This is the kind of film that sounds like such a cliche for awards fodder, and maybe that's true to some degree, but that doesn't outweigh the fact that it's so goddamn good.  It centres around the uncomfortable topic of the sexuality of handicapped people - it's about so much more, of course, but that's the hot button controversial issue and it's such an interesting conversation to have.  Having done some significant work a long time ago with handicapped people it's something that I absolutely thought about and am glad to see a film tackling it.  Using an actor who has a disability as the lead character was an inspired choice, and she's magic on screen.  This is a beautifully told story that doesn't lead you in any one direction or condemn you for your opinions.  It's our entry this year in Canada for best foreign Oscar, and I'm damn proud of that.

1944 - The Animal Project

This has been on my list to see since TIFF, but the screening schedule didn't work out - and it turned out that seeing it at Whistler was the perfect place.  I was fortunate to hang out with Ingrid through-out the week as well as cast members Aaron Poole, and Jessica Grecco - so you'll note I have a bias of some kind for this film.  Ingrid does not make conventional films - however I don't find them to be the pretentious lot that we get out of this country in droves some times.  Ingrid's films are always interesting and ask important questions - and this one asks some of her biggest and best yet, and it's no wonder that it's my favorite of her four films.  Centered around an acting class where the teacher is running out of ways to motivate his class, he comes upon a social and acting experiment.  I won't say much more because this is a film that's all about the journey.
It's being released in Canada in March (I believe) - not some where else through-out the world.  But if you're a lover of supporting Canadian filmmakers you really need to make this a priority.  Oh, and if this isn't enough to sell you on Ingrid and her films - do yourself a favor and google "Ingrid Veninger and Melissa Leo" and see what else this force of a woman got up to during Whistler - it was pretty amazing :)