Two actor ALTHOUGH the film festival is really a time for celebrating filmmakers and their creations, I thought I'd take this oppor- tunity to interview two actors. Ht scemed a simple cnough idea, bet [didi realize what Ewas getting into when Emet Joes Rennedy from Adelaide, Australia, who was here represent Rolf De Heer’s film, Dare Me ta My Song. Her passion for this film moved me ta the point that P had tears in my eves. (1 guess thar’s part of the actor's er On the other hand, there is Tracy Wright, a Canadian actress whose laidback manne! ray r had me in stitches as she tried to humbly deny the fact that she is an acter in her own right, (Flow truly Canadian. i It fascinates me how two people cain come from such ditter cot backgrounds, different countries, with dif ferent experiences, conunon., It was yet have so much in ident in talking with ~ them, thar acting is not just something 6 they do, itis a part of whe they are. es p40 Maria Verdicchio: Is this your first time in Canada? Joey Kennedy: Absolutely. Because of the film it’s the first time Pve travelled. Pve trav- cHed to France [Cannes], now to Canada, and it looks like we've been invited to several other festivals, Ud never lett Australia before that, so it’s like one hell of a trip this film. MV: How long have you been acting? JK: Siace I] could talk. Professionalty, J spent five years training, and ten years really hard core. I have a lot of theatre experi: ence. I was the founder of the Red Shed theaire compaiy which was South Australia’s leading alternative theatre compa- ny. A lot of my base has come from really on-the -edge the- atre. Very challenging theatre, so J think 3 lot of that training has really paid off in this tilm. MV: Who is your character? JK: Madelaine. The caregiver trom hell. Apart from theatre Pve done a reasonable amount of television as well. Lalso write, produce and direct television for children — which is quite ironic when you sce how shocking my character is. [ think Australia is going to be really disturbed when they sce me. It’s going to be interesting ts see how it’s received! 1 have a reputation as being cute and nice person. Vve never played the villainess. Because of my stature, I’m only little, my Quesi for the perfect moment @ After Life (Japan, 1998) Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu Which one happy moment would you choose to relive for an eternity, after life? Directo Kare-eda Hirokazu explores this Provocative question with an ensemble of actors represent- ing all walks of life. The fact that many of them aren’t even professional actors adds to the documentary feel of this pic- ture. Kore-eda’s screenplay takes us to Limbu. It’s a dilapidated building situated on the out- skirts of a Japanese city some- where to which the desiiy departed come to wrestle with their eternal epiphanics. The stiffs have a deadline: one weck to complete the task. Social worker-types with good listening skills guide the deceased through the delicate process. We tater learn the helpers are themselves dead. The ones who fail to choose a moment must help others rnake the move from Limbo. It’s a brilliant conceit. By focusing upon each character’s test for the perfect moment, the film presents the viewer with a compelling series of life sketches. Of course there are no text- book ways to be happy. For one elderly woman there is profound joy in the falling of cherry blossoms. For a young man, dead much before his natural time, it is the memory of how the sunshine felt on his body when he was a baby. Another young man refuses to choose his moment. By negating the rest of his memo ries, he argues, he fails to take . responsibility for the entirety of his life. The movie is shot through with evocative images. Usually they are the simple things, like the way the steam from cups of tea dance in the winter sun- light. The two screenings at the Vancouver international Film Festival have happened already, Seek this ene out at the video store. 88 Heart of Light (Greenland/Denmark/Nor way/Sweten, 1998) Director: Jacob Gronlylke Life is bleak but the Danish beer is always good. Happy-go-lucky Rasmus is drowning in the stuff. He’s the Inuit sun ofa man who accept- ed the ceremonial rifle from a Danish official who came to Greenland to colonize a wild and icy land. Rasmus Lynge has two sons. One is aly immersed in the dominant Danish culture layered upon the indigenous Inuit. The other is sympathetic to his father’s obsession with bringing back the spoils of the MARIA VERDICCHO Fit REVIEWS roles are usually tharof the “vin.” T play charac ters whe get shoved around of have violent acts perpetrated: against, This isthe first time that the tables are turned around. Pm actually the perpetrator im this ane. Its heen very interesting MV: Do you think the director had that in mind for your character? To be played by a smaller ‘voman? JR: No, not necessarily actially no. The character Mas written as a much bigger woman, which is interesting, because when Ff fist read the senpt I thought “whos ~ Rolf (the director) had seen seme of mv work. I had a small role in Shine and Rolf really liked me in that scence, spoke to me at the premiere in Adelaide, said Thad “talking, eyes” and that he'd have a role for me one day. Two years Tater J gota phone call, no audition, it was like a dream come true! One phone call and a lead ara feature! a MV: Where are you from? Tracy Wright: Lam from Toronto...so, you know really noth- ing about me. MV: No, I don’t. TW: Se, someone suggested vou interview me? MY: Ne. I decided. TW; Based on... MV: Based on your film... TW: ...Which one? MV: Which one? How many are you in? TW: Well, Pm heze tor the film Uneil I Hear From You. They invited Daniel (the director, Daniel Maclvor) but he couldn’t come... then, I'm in, a few others. MV: A few others? TW: Yeah, Sky Gilbert's short film, J Am the Camera Dying, and [sm in Last Night, by Don McKellar, and Elimination Dance, by Brace MacDonald, Don McKellar, and Michael Ondaatje. (She laughs as she’s saying this now, ! cause she’s seen the incredulous look on my face.) MV: Well! TW: You know I don’t have huge roles in these Rims, but because I’m in a few they though it would be good to bring me, but, I’m really here for Daniel’s movie. They're all shorts except for the Last Night. The “Queen of Canadian shorts!” (She laughs) No, no. MV: And how long have you been acting? TW: A long time. I’ve done mainly theatre, in Toronto, and Pve done films and some television too. A lot of smaller parts ea me hunt to honor his brother in a traditional way. ‘There's 2 party. Teo much beer flows. Some angry wards are said and that damned rifle comes out. One of Rasmus’ sons goes on a drunken shoot- ing spree. A girlfriend dies and the shooter turns the gun on himself. Lite at the margins begins to change when Rasmus hitch- es up the sled dogs and takes to the tundra in a quest to come to terms with the past. . In the process he claims the future. This was a brave film for a Danish crew to be involved with. Director Jacob Gronlyxke wins some wonder- fully natural performances from an Inuit cast of actors speaking in their native tongue. The stark beauty of the landscape provides a stunning backdrop for an epic journey characterized by magic, trans- formation and ultimate redemption. — Michael Becker We're Closed for Labour Day Ocieber Ith & 2th Re-epening Oct. 13th at 9:36 Yorth Vancouver City Library 121 West 14th St., North Van. 980-0581 am Photos Watt Netthelm JOEY Kennedy (inset, left) plays Madelaine in Dance Me to My Song. John Brumpton and Heather Rose also star in the new film. in films. MV: I sounds iike the independent filrn scene in Toronto is like here in that everybody’s “related” to someone in some way, and yor work together on each other’s projects. TW: Yeah, and I have a long personal history with Don. We had a theatre company together, with another guy, Daniel Brooks, called the Augusta Theatre Company. We did alterna- tive, collective theatre. coo The film festival cicses on Sunday, but you can catch Last Night when it is released in theatres soon. Keep your eyes onen for Tracy Wright. anksgiving Day Hours Gat 12 Hoon” <5 South of Mountain Highway on yun Valley Road