Screenfish Radio

At the height of the pandemic, everyone's lives existed in a wild moment of pause. In THE HEIRLOOM, we're dropped into the home of Eric and Allie, a couple whose relationship is on the brink during the lockdown. However, when they decide to adopt a rescue dog, they believe they could never have anticipated the way that their new family member would change the home, for better and for worse. Directed by Ben Petrie, THE HEIRLOOM is a hilarious and harrowing entry into their home--quite literally, in fact, as Petrie and his partner not only star but base the script on their own personal experiences. In this 1on1, we speak to Petrie about showing his relationship onscreen, living in the pandemic & the problems of being 'pack leader'.

This holiday season has gone WICKED! With the release of Jon M. Chu's musical, WICKED, the box office is thriving with the classic re-visiting of Baum's WIZARD OF OZ. Featuring strong performances by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the film truly lives up to the legacy of a stage play that has dominated Broadway for 20+ years. But what is it about this play that still works?This week, Raevin Larue and Riley Lovering Spencer fly by to talk about why the story continues to resonate and talk about whether or not we think someone is truly 'wicked'. (Spoiler Alert: We loved it so much that we didn't even Screen It/Skip It!) 

D'Arcy Carden has gone from a GOOD PLACE to THE GUTTER. In her brash new comedy, THE GUTTER, Carden has unleashed her dark (and hilarious) side. As the alcholic bowler Skunk, Carden teams up with Walt (Shameik Moore), a young man in need of cash fast. Together, Walt and Carden enter the local bowling league with prize money on their mind, but they need to defeat the living legend Linda Cursen (Susan Sarandon) who stands in their way. In this 1on1, we speak to Carden about her love of Skunk and how we manage complicated relationships our parents.

HERETIC introduces us to Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes (Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher), two young Mormons who are out on their prescribed evangelical mission to convert unbelievers. When they approach the home of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), they ring the bell with optimism. (After all, he reached out to them with an interest to hear more.) However, after entering the home, they soon discover that Mr. Reed’s call is motivated by his own religious distaste, leading to a game of spiritual cat-and-mouse that could prove deadly for them both. This week, Steve welcomes ScreenFish'rs Raevin Larue and Seun Olowo-Ake back to the pod to talk about the toxicity of religion and the nature of control.

There's something about live television. For 50 seasons, Saturday Night Live has been a cultural institution of political satire. Now, in SATURDAY NIGHT, Jason Reitman attempts to take us behind the scenes of the very first show in 1976. With 90 minutes on the clock, the film shows the chaos that can happen with live tv and the battles they have to fight along the way. In the season premiere of SF Radio, Timothy Rideout (TheMindReels.com) and Dave Voigt (InTheSeats.ca) return to talk the magic of live television (and SNL itself) and whether we're ever really in control.

OVERLORD: THE SACRED KINGDOM takes us into a kingdom on the brink of war. After the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth arrives, wielding his army of Demi-humans, the neighbouring lands find themselves thrust into chaos. Yet their only hope may lie in the hands of Lord Ains (Christopher Guerrero), a sorcerer king with murky motives. Recruiting him to help fight their cause, his nobility is not lost on Neia (Sarah Wiedenheft), a young servant who believes that there is good within Ains' terrifying visage. In this 1on1, we speak to Guerrero and Wiedenheft about whether or not they'd follow Lord Ains and the balance of power and weakness.

Directed by Edward Berger, CONCLAVE begins as the Pope unexpectedly dies. As Cardinals from around the world hurry to the Vatican, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is left to oversee the next conclave to decide who shall take on the role of Holy Father. As the group is sequestered to make their vote, Lawrence must attempt to navigate the system and scandals that arise as these men jockey for position and power amidst the global Catholic church. In this 1on1, we speak to Berger about rebuilding the Vatican and a church caught between past and future.

In SPIRIT IN THE BLOOD, we are introduced to Emerson (Summer H. Howell) as she and her parents move back to the secluded religious community where they once lived. As she attempts to fit in at her new school, Emerson finds a friend in Delilah (Sarah-Maxine Racicot), a young woman who sides with her against bullies. Things intensify though as Emerson comes in contact with a terrifying monster in the woods. Scared for her life, no one but Delilah believes her story and the two set out to fight the evil by embracing their own inner darkness. In this 1on1, we speak to Howell about the power of your girl squad and owning your rage.

Featuring over 25 feature-length and short films, CINEFRANCO is Toronto's premier French-language film festival. From November 1st-10th at the Carlton Cinemas, the fest seeks to bring a broad spectrum of popular French films from around the world to the people of the city. In this 1on1, we speak to festival founder Marcelle Lean about 'singular universes' and the differences between French-Canadian and French-International films.

Directed by Neil Diamond and Joanne Robertson, SO SURREAL: BEHIND THE MASKS follows Diamond as he travels across the ocean in search of the Indigenous artifacts. The focus of his journey is Raven Transformation Mask, an invaluable cultural item that was stolen and has yet to be reclaimed. In this 1on1, we speak to Diamond and Robertson about masks as 'prayers' and the difference between artifacts and art.journeys across the ocean to try to locate the Raven Transformation Mask, an invaluable cultural item that the northwest coastal community has previously had no luck tracking down.

BLINK follows Edith and Sebastien Pelletier, parents of four who live (understandably) busy lives. However, their pace comes to a grinding halt when they receive the news that three of their children have been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare and incurable disease that will eventually lead to visual impairment. Knowing that their children will inevitably lose the ability to see the vastness of the world through their own eyes, Edith and Sebastien come up with a plan: taking their entire family on a trip around the world to fill their ‘visual memory’. In this 1on1, we speak to Lemay and Pelletier talk about being nomads and 'letting go' of our kids.

Directed by Edmund Stenson and Daniel Roher, the new documentary Blink follows Edith and Sebastien Pelletier, parents of four who live (understandably) busy lives. However, their pace comes to a grinding halt when they receive the news that three of their children have been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare and incurable disease that will eventually lead to visual impairment. Knowing that their children will inevitably lose the ability to see the vastness of the world through their own eyes, Edith and Sebastien come up with a plan: taking their entire family on a trip around the world to fill their ‘visual memory’. In this 1on1, we speak to Stenson about the joy of Edith and Sebastien and how this experience has changed them.

In its inaugural year, the County Adaptation Film Festival has Prince Edward County buzzing! With a focus on screenwriters and authors, CAFF is giving voice to those who don't always get the notoriety. In this 1on1, we speak with the festival's Founding Artistic Director, Alexandra Seay about the vision for the festival and what 'adaptation' means to her.

The lights have gone out on TIFF '24 but the ScreenFish Team has returned to give their yearly roundup of the best films and experiences of the week. From film favourites to poison frogs, our team can't wait to share all the things that we've learned from the best of the Fest!

Directed by J Stevens, REALLY HAPPY SOMEDAY tells the story of Z (Breton Lalama), a rising star in Toronto’s musical-theatre scene. However, as he transitions, his testosterone injections have affected his powerful singing voice, forcing him to re-learn how to perform. Taking a job at a local bar, Z takes vocal lessons in the hopes of returning to the stage while also learning more about himself in the process.In this 1on1, we speak to Lalama and Stevens about bringing transitioning to life onscreen and what it takes to be 'really happy'.

Directed by Chris Sanders (LILO AND STITCH), THE WILD ROBOT tells the story of Rozim 7134 (Lupita Nyong’o)--aka Roz--a helper robot who lives to serve. However, when she first boots up, she finds herself lost in the wilderness, without any particular orders to follow. But this begins to change though when she meets Brightbill (Kit Connor), an orphaned gosling in need of care. Despite Roz’s protests, Brightbill quickly connects with the bot and she decides to take responsibility for him. Even so, as Brightbill gets older and yearns to fly with the flock, Roz must truly challenge herself in order to help get her adopted son the help that he needs. In this 1on1, we speak to Sanders about parental programming and finding 'joy in the process'.

Written and directed by Andrew Currie, THE INVISIBLES tells the story of Charlie (Tim Blake Nelson), a husband who is struggling through life. With his marriage on the brink and his job feeling tedious, Charlie simply wants to disappear. Until he gets his wish. As Charlie begins to fade from existence (and memory), he slides into a world of warmth and acceptance where people are glad to see him and he is told that he matters. But, as he continues down the road, Charlie begins to wonder if his world is worth giving up and what the cost would be if he did so. In this 1on1, we speak to Currie and Nelson about acting while ignored and breaking the loop of grief.

Written and directed by Ian Harmarine, DOUBLEs tells the story of Dhani (Sanjiv Boodhu), a Trinidadian street vendor who is forced to travel to Toronto in order to retain information from his estranged father, Ragbir (Errol Sitahal). However, as he discovers the severity of his father’s illness, Dhani opts to stay with his father temporarily in a moment of (admittedly, tense) support for him. However, this also forces him to make difficult decisions about how he can care for a man he barely knows—and what his responsibilities to him truly are. In this 1on1, we speak to Harnarine about the relationship between food and community and trying to escape our families.

Directed by RJ Collins, CRESCENT CITY tells the story of Brian Sutter (Terrance Howard), a police officer in a small southern town who’s struggling to keep it together. When the town is terrorized by a serial killer, Sutter and his partners, Luke Carson and Jaclyn Waters (Esai Morales and Nicky Whelan), are called into action. But, as the body count rises, everyone—including those on the force—become suspects, forcing them to try to contain the horrors of their past as they look to catch the killer. In this 1on1, we speak to Collins about making bad choices, mental health and why we're gripped by thrillers.

Inspired by the amazing true story, My Penguin Friend tells the story of Joao (Jean Reno), an older gentleman who lives a secluded life with his wife Maria (Adriana Barraza). One day, as Joao is on the beach, he discovers a lost penguin who is drenched in oil. Taking the bird into his home, Joao does his best to bring him back to health. Naming the bird DinDim, their encounter begins a beautiful friendship that stands the test of time (and the ocean). In this 1on1, we speak to producer Jonathan Lim about working with penguins and caring for creation.