Frame to Frame
A New Generation of Filmmakers
Michael Ryan spoke last spring at a Concordia Cinema Student Association event where he enthusiastically talked about how to package finished films for festivals. Today, he is busy fine-tuning this year’s YoungCuts film festival, an event that showcases films by directors and producers 25 and under, with some alumni work sneaking in too. The festival started in 2001 as the Toronto Teen Film Festival and eventually transformed into Montreal’s YoungCuts film festival.
“The quality of films has really improved as people’s access to technology has increased,” said Ryan. “What used to cost over $100,000 and fill a room [for editing] is now portable and costs under $2,000. The only thing keeping filmmakers from excelling is [their own] talent and motivation.”
The festival has grown to three days, and if the trailers are any indication, this year promises to deliver powerful cinema to Quebec audiences young and old.
Concordia’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema is well represented this year, with a slew of great work including Colin Racicot’s L’Invite and Vincent Toi’s Our Subject is Hair.
Former YoungCuts film directors are now employed at PIXAR and one director is working as Martin Scorsese’s assistant in New York City. A few years back James Vandewater showed his film that eventually got him a gig creating “The making of” Passchendale, the Paul Gross film. Vanderwater’s film got wide television release and distribution thanks to encouragement and guidance from Ryan.
“I was taught how to load a Bolex camera before I learned how to walk” said Ryan. His father worked at the National Film Board, and this paternal influence must be where Ryan gets his energy, always ready to give advice to anyone asking for guidance. Himself a filmmaker, Ryan seems to understand the predicament of the independent filmmaker in these times of financial challenge.
He has good advice for ambitious filmmakers, specifically where and how to get their films funded and to how to actually get them seen.
This year’s films come from multiple nations and the filmmakers are of diverse backgrounds. YoungCuts will be screening 130 films this year, 30 per cent of which are by Quebec filmmakers. Films range from animation to comedy to drama. A lot of the subject matter in the films this year happens to be dark and introspective, but there are some very funny and ingenious gems there as well. Aspiring filmmakers should definitely consider making this a YoungCuts weekend.
Check out some trailers of featured films here:
La Combi Borracha Agent 6 Claret Closures Finding Fathers Les Amis Lumiere dans la nuit Rusted Pyre The Extraordinary Fight of Atticus Walking and the Monster in His Mind The Redemption of Jackson Gaines Turn Up The VolumeYoungCuts Film Festival / Sept. 23 to 25 / Guzzo Cinema (901 Crémazie)
