Now, more than ever, let's come together as a country and hold space for Canadian movies

Holding Space is a joint column by Anne T. Donahue and Peter Knegt that "holds space" for something or someone in popular culture. This is its second edition.

Peter: Anne, we're back for a second round!

Anne: This the truest thing I've ever read in my life. We are indeed back, and this time we're holding space for — pause for dramatic effect — Canadian film! In part because, on April 16, it's National Canadian Film Day.

I'm not going to lie to you, Peter: I've absolutely been a part of the problem in terms of the way we talk about Canadian film. Growing up, "Canadian film" wasn't really a genre I considered outside of the National Film Board's animated short about the guy avoiding his piano practice (also known as my life story). Then, as a kid in the '90s, the only "real" Canadians in the arts I learned about were the ones who broke through in the U.S. Like, I knew about Michael J. Fox and Mike Myers and Alex Trebek and William Shatner -- the roster you tend to flip through to add a "did you know?" period on a pop cultural-oriented conversation. 

But I think that's because "Canadian film" was framed as less-than compared to American blockbusters. The teachers in school weren't concerned about Cancon, my parents weren't film buffs in any capacity. Also, I was a literal child: if it wasn't by Disney, I probably wasn't watching it. It was easier to consume what everybody else was, especially since I could only go on the internet for an hour a day at the library.

Peter: I could really go for a life where I can only go on the internet for an hour a day at the library. I guess that's available to me… in prison? But I don't want to go to prison. And I'm also getting off topic, because we are not holding space for my dreams of an internet-limited prison existence are we? We're holding space for Canadian cinema! Which sometimes does take place in prison, like in one of my all-time favourite Canadian films, John Greyson's Lilies. 

But seriously, I too am guilty of being part of the problem when it comes to properly appreciating Canadian movies. I suspect 95 per cent of people in this country are. And we have a reasonable excuse: we've spent our lives next to a country that is pretty much inarguably the world's leading exporter of popular movies, which makes it really hard to pay proper attention to what we're creating up here, especially during our often Disney-fied formative years. But that country I speak of is kinda imploding right now, and doing so via a government that is expressing some pretty unhinged vitriol towards us. So maybe we can view this as an opportunity to not just buy Canadian, but also watch Canadian? 

Anne: Or even just de-centre Hollywood as the pinnacle of cinematic culture. Is it even the pinnacle anymore? I don't think it's been for a long time! Especially since the internet — our dear friend, our most ruthless enemy — has kicked open the door via Mubi and Criterion and made movies made from all over the world accessible to anybody who wants to watch them. Which challenges the idea that the U.S. star and studio systems are the only ones worth paying attention to. Like, not to hate on Daredevil—but I will happily hate on it—and I will also say that yes, it stars a Canadian actor, but "starring a Canadian actor" does not a Canadian film make. 

I guess this is where I ask you the question: what makes "Canadian film" Canadian? Movies made in Canada? Movies starring only Canadian actors? Movies made by Canadian directors and producers? I mean, technically Anne of Green Gables from the 1980s was a TV miniseries, but goddamn: it is cinema to me! What do you look for when designating a film as "Canadian"? Outside the obviousness of funding and locale, of course. I don't want to hold space for fiscally-based discussions now or ever.

Peter: I mean, if we're going by the standard of the recent Canadian Screen Award nominations, the D*****d T****p biopic The Apprentice (which they nominated for best picture) is apparently Canadian, so definitions can certainly be murky. But I say keep it simple and don't overthink it? If the 1980s Anne of Green Gables miniseries feels like Canadian cinema to you, then it's Canadian cinema!

Personally, I've been holding space for much more contemporary examples in the last few months. I do genuinely think that besides the whole America situation presenting an impetus to "watch Canadian," there's another really great reason in the fact that Canadian film is going through a really interesting, perhaps even exciting, moment right now. The most obvious example is Matthew Rankin's Universal Language, a wildly original absurdist comedy that was one of my favourite films of 2024 from any country. So if you haven't seen that (or his wonderful 2019 debut film The Twentieth Century), I highly advise it as a great place to start. But there's also Sook-Yin Lee's Paying For It, Karen Knox's We Forgot To Break Up, Naomi Jaye's Darkest Miriam and Karen Chapman's Village Keeper, which are all fantastic and all playing in movie theatres across this country right now. I am a huge proponent of seeing these or any movie in theatres if you can, not just because it's the best way to support them but also just because movie theatres are wonderful places we must protect! 

This all said, not every Canadian film you want to see is playing in a movie theatre (particularly older ones), and movie theatres aren't always an option for everyone. So I also should use this as an opportunity to plug the streaming service run by the very company publishing our words, Anne, because they legitimately have a pretty incredible selection of Canadian films on offer (and for free!). So consider heading to CBC Gem's "Spotlight on Canadian Film" subsection, which includes dozens of recent Canadian films, including the last four films to win best picture at the Canadian Screen Awards (our equivalent of the Oscars): Tracy Deer's Beans, Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson's Scarborough, Clement Virgo's Brother and Matt Johnson's Blackberry.

But I don't want to just hold space for Canadian movies that came out in the 2020s. There's over a century of cinema produced by this country for us to dig into, and we're already approaching our word count. I know you have a special place in your heart for Anne, Anne, but what are some other classics that are near and dear to you?

Anne: Okay, well you mentioned Blackberry which means I am legally obligated to mention that Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is coming out which I'm beyond psyched for. And I know it's also a 2020s release, but Shiva Baby by Emma Seligman is funny and thoughtful and sharp, and I think about Rachel Sennott yelling, "It's not a career, it's a lens!" about feminism at least 600 times a semester. And Chandler Levack's I Like Movies really touched my heart.

Additionally, under current Canadian legislation, I have to mention David Cronenberg. But my pick might surprise you: I really liked Eastern Promises, which I know is dark and also not considered his best, but this is my column and I say what I want. But going further back in time, and away from everything Eastern Promises is and purports to be, I love The Big Snit and The Cat Came Back — both of which you can stream on NFB's official site, and absolutely should. And Getting Started is the animated short I inhaled as a kid who, like Richard Condie's main character, would rather do absolutely anything else other than practice the piano. And speaking of musical instruments and the NFB, may I remind us all about The Magic Flute! 

I'm also a documentary-watching nightmare, which I'm sure surprises nobody. Last year's Disco's Revenge is an excellent deep dive into disco and disco culture, which is perfect for me, an insufferable history major (and proud of it). I also recently watched Tasha Hubbard's Birth of a Family for one of my classes, which was beautiful, and I've got to recommend In the Shadow of the Pines, which is thoughtful and poignant -- and under ten minutes, so you have no excuse not to watch it.

What directors do you hold space for the most? And is this a safe place to admit I still haven't seen Dune?.

Peter: It is absolutely a safe place to admit that. While I have seen the Dunes (they're fine!), I'll use this as an opportunity to admit something perhaps just as controversial: I only recently watched Cronenberg's Dead Ringers for the first time, and I did so because the TV miniseries remake starring Rachel Weisz compelled me to. And while I deeply appreciate Cronenberg's original and Jeremy Irons's wildly committed performance in it, I gotta say I kinda prefer the Weisz version!? Which feels safer to say because multiple episodes were directed by not one but two very talented Canadian filmmakers: Karena Evans and Sean Durkin. (If you haven't seen the latter's film The Nest you are missing a Carrie Coon performance on the same level as what she just did on The White Lotus).

As for directors I hold space for the most, I have lots of obvious answers like Cronenberg (I too love Eastern Promises, though my number one is forever The Fly), Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz is deeply underappreciated Toronto-centric cinema!) and Guy Maddin (My Winnipeg forever). But I'd also like to shout out some classics from the history of queer Canadian cinema that I hold very close to my gay heart: Richard Benner's 1977 film Outrageous! (starring the late and legendary female impersonator Craig Russell), Lynne Fernie and Aerlyn Weissman's 1992 documentary Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives (essential viewing for all Canadians!), and John Greyson's wild and wonderful 1993 AIDS musical Zero Patience (which I must now mention features numbers performed by both naked male chorus lines and literal singing buttholes). I could honestly go on and on, but I feel like we are already giving people a hefty viewing list for National Canadian Film Day, Anne!

Anne: Peter, your fluency in Canadian cinema is beautiful! I still find myself going back to the Greatest Hits like Strange Brew because it reminds me of being little, and it's so closely tied to SCTV which I obviously have an allegiance to. (I say "obviously" because Catherine O'Hara and Andrea Martin are my two best friends which I intend on informing them about one day.) Also, Wild by the late Jean-Marc Vallee because the book resonated with me so much and I wept audibly in the movie theatre when I saw it. (A rarity!)

I think one of the biggest problems with "Canadian film" as a concept is the meaning it's been assigned: instead of celebrating the artistry and talent of Canadian filmmakers, the genre's been framed as an extension of patriotic duty. Like, "You should watch this movie because it's Canadian." But that's nonsense! Watch good, inspired, thoughtful, interesting, creative, funny, fantastic movies. You might just discover that a number of them happen to be Canadian.