Future of Film Showcase (FOFS) 2022 Capsule Reviews
“Well-acted and beautifully shot, Abuela is a heartfelt directorial debut filled with the promise of a great filmmaker.”
July 31, 2022
Having spent most of my childhood with my grandparents, I have since carried into adulthood an unbreakable bond, indescribable but unmistakable in the emotions it stirs. The relationship between a child and their grandparent can be a beautiful thing. Precious lessons and memories are passed from generation to generation. Whether it be through a favorite past time, or a particular food dish. Making a family recipe is a powerful way of connecting to your loved ones, as seen in writer-director Rebeca Ortiz’s debut short film Abuela. This beautiful short, which premiered at the 2022 Future of Film Showcase (FOFS), feels like a warm hug of a story. Abuela tells the story of a young girl named Kathy (played by Eleana Ignazzitto) and her visiting grandmother/Abuela (played by Liliana Suarez); the two initially struggle to connect through different languages, but ultimately find a way to break through barriers. One afternoon, when the grandmother starts making empanadas, the granddaughter switches off the TV in the next room and is drawn toward the kitchen. In one moment, through a traditional family recipe, their relationship begins to blossom.
The film shows a sweet glimpse into family dynamics and the dichotomy that dissolves between both characters by sharing an activity together. Resonating themes of generational bonding and tradition are wrapped into a few short minutes. Ortiz finds strength in simplicity; with a brief runtime, one setting, and two main characters, Abuela is a memory in the making. In real-time, as the young girl helps her grandmother make empanadas, Ortiz engages with the power of generational bonding. She sits with the idea that the young girl will carry this memory with her when she grows up, and that the grandmother has made a mark on the younger generation. The richness of perspective and detail is impressive. Ortiz brings a marvellous voice to this story, sure to resonate as a memorable depiction of generational relationships. Well-acted and beautifully shot, Abuela is a heartfelt directorial debut filled with the promise of a great filmmaker.
“With a strong voice and resonating emotional core, Little Sky is a beautiful portrait of childhood memories that linger into adulthood.”
June 29, 2022
From June 17-26 at the Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, the 2022 FOFS presented a showcase of Canadian short films that explored a range of subjects and complex storytelling. One of the shorts that premiered at this year's showcase was Jess X. Snow’s incredibly cinematic Little Sky. The short is executive produced by Andrew Ahn (director of Fire Island, Driveways, and Spa Night). Little Sky is about non-binary Chinese American drag sensation Sky (Wo Chan), who returns to their hometown to confront their estranged father. The film shows glimpses of Sky’s childhood memories through hazy flashbacks that give the viewer an idea of what their experiences were like within a nuclear family household. Their father can be seen in those tense moments. But the impact their father had has never truly left Sky. In the present day, those childhood memories haunt their frame of mind and feel difficult to shake. When Sky and their father finally meet face to face by surprise, the tensity is raw. As Sky emotionally reaches out to him, he fails to recognize them for who they truly are. Instead of attempting to understand, their father backs away in rejection of their child. Jess X. Snow tells this story (along with co-writer Moxie Peng) of identity from an intimate, consuming perspective. With a strong voice and resonating emotional core, Little Sky is a beautiful portrait of childhood memories that linger into adulthood. As well, a striking depiction of self-acceptance, chosen families, and the comfort of expression drag performances give to Sky.
“Written, directed, and edited by Xu, the film has an original premise around the significance of flowers at a funeral.”
June 19, 2022
Calling all moviegoers! The Future of Film Showcase kicks off tomorrow, and believe me, you will not want to miss this year’s tremendous lineup. Running from June 17-26 at the Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, the 2022 FOFS presents a showcase of Canadian short films that explore a range of subjects and complex storytelling.
One of the shorts premiering at the festival is Wendy Xu’s Til It Blooms, a 10-minute horror-comedy about grief. A distraught father, just before his big speech at his own father’s funeral, desperately tries to suppress a “grief flower” sprouting from his face and body. Written, directed, and edited by Xu, the film has an original premise around the significance of flowers at a funeral. Not only can grief be difficult for mourners to express into words, but the process of grieving is often hard for family and friends to understand. Flowers are a visual condolence, an expression of sympathy and healing. The life of a flower is also fragile, beautiful, and fleeting.
Til It Blooms explores the flower as an expression of grief, that the film’s protagonist Bo (played by Tom Choi) wants to push away. The film uses florals to convey body horror and achieves realistic-looking effects. An eerie scene of a flowerbed in a bathtub, rising and falling as if taking breaths, stands out as a vivid image. The film has a strong sense of place; as a viewer, you feel immediately drawn to the setting and understand the weight of being in a room of mourners. Xu strikes a great balance of fantasy, horror, and drama with an interesting concept. The film makes a memorable mark among this year’s FOFS lineup.
Til It Blooms premieres June 19 at the Scotiabank Theatre Toronto. Visit www.fofs.ca for online and in-person tickets. The shorts program will also screen nationwide on CBC Gem starting June 20.
