Hot Docs 2009 Review: A Hard Name, Pockets, The Real Place, Alwyn

Title: A Hard Name
Director: Alan Zweig

For a film that is almost entirely talking heads, it’s impossible to take your eyes off A Hard Name.

The camera barely moves as the ex-convicts featured in the documentary describe their life on the outside. Most of the shots are filmed in front of a blank white wall, putting the focus on the scarred faces and shaking hands of the now-free men and women.

While the camera gets out of the way, director Alan Zweig is a presence in the film. He talks over his interview subjects and his questions are often repeated.

Still, it’s hard to be distracted from jaw-dropping tales of prison attacks and the horrible personal history that in some cases led to life on the inside.

By the time one man was a teenager at the infamous Mount Cashel orphanage, he had already earned a hard name for his desire to protect his younger brothers. That shell protects him in jail but for some, that tough exterior is hard to shake.

Another man (pictured) is now living on his own for the first time. He has difficulty cooking for himself, unable to open a package of meat after years in and out of institutions.

Most of the people featured agree that life might be easier in jail, but it’s better to be on the outside. Some are buoyed by thoughts of their children; others by a spiritual connection, whether it’s with the buffalo at the High Park Zoo or God.  But for most, it’s the fear of prison that keeps them straight.

When the subject of forgiveness comes up, one man agrees that everyone deserves it – “but it doesn’t mean they should be released from prison.”

Title: Pockets
Director: James Lees

What’s in your pocket? In this three-minute film, director James Lees asks London pedestrians to show him what they’ve got. From dog treats to a crack pipe to a Bible, it’s a dreamy, quirky look at what we hold dear.

Screens with Objectified.

Title: The Real Place
Director: Cam Christiansen

It’s only five minutes, but what a trip. The Real Place takes a fascinating, animated voyage inside the mind of playwright and librettist John Murrell. The surreal drawings form the backdrop as Murrell remembers what made him become an artist in the first place.

Screens with Antoine.

Title: Alwyn
Director: Alwyn Barry

Back in November of 2007, Alwyn Barry (pictured) became a familiar face to CityNews viewers. The then 18-year-old was battling colon cancer, but that wasn’t the only thing happening for the busy teen.

He was also making a short film about his life, including his neighbourhood, Jane and Finch; a trip back to his native Guyana; and how he and his family coped with the disease.

This 13-minute documentary is the result of his work, but Barry won’t be at the screenings. He died in hospital on December 13, 2007, surrounded by his family and friends.

Hot Docs 2009 runs from April 30 – May 10. For more information or to purchase tickets visit hotdocs.ca.