The Choral-Conducting a Chorus through chaotic times

 

THE CHORAL

The film opens January 16 across Canada.

Directed by Nicholas Hytner

Written by Alan Bennett

The always spectacular Ralph Fiennes shines in this dramatic wartime film, The Choral.

The film premiered as a Gala at TIFF. https://www.tiff.net/

The film blends sharp humor with a moving portrait of a community holding onto music in the middle of World War I.

Set in 1916 Yorkshire, the story follows a struggling Choral Society that’s lost most of its men to the front. Dr. Henry Guthrie (Fiennes), a mysterious new Chorus Master, is recruited to be the Choral Master, and he is determined to stage Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius—a piece that normally requires 200 singers and a full orchestra. Instead, he’s working with a handful of townsfolk, a string trio, and a few extraordinary voices he discovers along the way. With his lead singer and piano accompanist, he re-envisions the piece to bring relevance to the times they were struggling to get through.

The town is picturesque, but its people carry grief, fear, and uncertainty. Still, they rally together for Guthrie’s impossible vision, even as his bold choices threaten to unravel everything.

The Choral is a warm, witty, and quietly powerful reminder of how art can hold a community together when the world is falling apart.

The cast is excellent—Fiennes leads a lineup of richly drawn characters and genuinely impressive vocal talent. I was also struck by the film’s lighting: naturalistic yet clearly crafted with intention, giving every scene a quiet, hopeful glow.

This film may have been overshadowed by the bigger TIFF titles, but it’s absolutely worth seeking out if you appreciate the craft of truly great acting.

Homegrown -inside the storm of the US nation's division

HOMEGROWN

Michael Premo  (Director / Producer / Cinematographer)

Award-winning documentary HOMEGROWN will be released on Homegrown.film powered by GATHR on January 6, the anniversary of the attack on the US Capitol.  

HOMEGROWN offers an unflinching, up-close look at the lives of three protagonists who became deeply involved in the Proud Boys movement in support of Donald Trump during the election, ultimately won by Joe Biden. Fueled by Trump’s rhetoric, which inflamed tensions across multiple communities, these individuals took to the streets, believing they were fighting for their rights and freedoms.

Convinced they were defending democracy, they joined the storming of the Capitol on January 6th to send a message to the Democrats: they believed the presidency had been stolen from Trump.

In doing so, they sacrificed their families, their freedom, and their futures for what they thought was a just cause. Was it worth it in the end? That’s for you to decide—once you’ve seen the film. I found the film horrifying to watch, the anger and hate spewed between various community groups of mostly men of the 18-60 year old crowd. With many veterans involved in these groups, believing they were fighting to save their Country.

This film is deeply sobering and thought‑provoking. The fact that Donald Trump pardoned everyone arrested after the January 6th storming of the Capitol on the first day of his second term raises serious questions about the direction the United States is heading. It leaves me reflecting on the old saying: Be careful what you wish for.

The people profiled in the film were: Thad Cisneros, Chris Quaglin, Randy Irelend, Enrique Tarrio, Jaccari Kelley

All I could think was—what if they had held an open Town Hall meeting to share their beliefs, listen to one another, and work toward mutual understanding? If they had come together to channel all that anger and energy into creating something positive, this story might have had an entirely different ending.

It has screened at nearly fifty top-tier film festivals worldwide.

HOMEGROWN- NEW TRAILER:
Embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e59UpVz1QM4

the film’s official website