DARKEST MIRIAM
https://tribecafilm.com/films/darkest-miriam-2024
Someone seems to be leaving Miriam cryptic notes and clues connected to her life. A kind-hearted and observant Toronto librarian at a quiet branch filled with an eclectic group of patrons, Miriam’s mundane existence gets upended by increasingly weird incidents and a new love affair with a young foreign cab driver.
Britt Lower’s narration moves this enigmatic story forward. The entire narrative flows as a reminder that this is a splendid adaptation of Matha Baillie’s novel The Incident Report.
The notes are poetic in their veiled threats, filled with delicious language choices. It is a pensive tug-of-war between love and grief.
Britt Lower commands the screen with not much more than a stare. Miriam is mired quietly in grief. Lower is effortlessly magnetic, capturing every bit of nuance inside of Miriam.
The film delves into the fact that libraries are often a public refuge for the misunderstood. More importantly, the love story is a haven of intimacy and honest expression. As the plot shifts, her unresolved trauma, tinged with the macabre, becomes a worry for the audience. You are rooting for Miriam, full stop. Tribeca 2024 should settle into the pros of the script and allow themselves to live with Miriam, if only for a short time.
Darkest Miriam
Viewpoints
Feature | Canada | 87 MINUTES | English
Darkest Miriam
Director
Naomi Jaye
Producer
Julie Baldassi, Brian Robertson
Screenwriter
Naomi Jaye
Cinematographer
Michael LeBlanc
Editor
Lev Lewis
Composer
Louie Short, Eliza Niemi
Executive Producer
Charlie Kaufman, Martha Baillie, Brian Robertson, Julie Baldassi, Adi Chand, Jonas Prupas, Dean Perlmutter, Charles Baillie, Harland Weiss, Donovan M. Boden, Isil Gilderdale, Emily Harris, Stephanie Hickman, Naomi Jaye
Based on the novel
The Incident Report by Martha Baillie
Cast
Britt Lower, Tom Mercier, Sook-Yin Lee, Jean Yoon
Annick Blanc gives SXSW 2024 audiences something to chew on with HUNTING DAZE, a genre-defying tale of isolation, pack mentality, and self-preservation. Exotic dancer Nina finds herself stuck and calls upon a former client for roadside assistance. Without transport, he brings her back to an isolated cabin in the wilderness. Upon discovering it is a bachelor party, the eclectic group of men agrees to let her stay the weekend if, and only if, she can abide by an “all for one’ mentality.
The cast is phenomenal. Focusing on our leading lady, Carmen Madonia, gives Renata an often aloof attitude, hiding a lost mindset. She’s soft-spoken, outwardly feeling othered by her sister’s personality. But little is said. Madonia’s face replaces any unneeded dialogue.
The overwhelming joy of hearing these kids laugh is infectious. SUMMER QAMP is an education, through and through. As a former theatre kid and current creative adult with two kids, I strive to understand how identity plays a part in overall confidence. I grew up with often crippling anxiety, a stranglehold of perfectionism, and feeling othered. It doesn’t feel good. My job is to protect my kids from the same overwhelming feelings of chaos any way I can.
SUMMER QAMP‘S brave kids allow the audience into their personal lives. They may not fully appreciate how fearless they are. Campers share their gender identity journey, the good, the bad, and the emotionally ugly. This film provides a conversation starter for understanding gender dysphoria from those experiencing it firsthand. It’s an aha of a film. 
We have been lucky enough to have seen a few of the titles already making the rounds. You can catch our reviews for the following films:
Paiffe
Peppergrass
Chantelle Han
Although outlawed in 1970, mushrooms had been in innumerable treatments beginning in the 20s. In 2000 Johns Hopkins received approval to continue research. Psychological readiness is intrinsic in granting patient approval. The study of psilocybin is just as important as cannabis studies, a subject DOSED also delves into at length. Meyers, Chandler, and Brooks allow us into raw trips. Laurie describes the images and sensations and, more importantly, the emotional after-effects of psilocybin. We hear from researchers and therapists about the positive effects of “magic mushrooms,” When we receive a fatal diagnosis, the psychological impact is immeasurable.
Meyers and Chandler fully acknowledge the limitations of solely profiling Laurie but hope that her story will open up the dialogue for the curious and the medical field to come together in a mutually beneficial journey. DOSED is an intimate and deeply affecting film about the possibilities in the relationship between nature and healing. Laurie Brooks’ story is one filled with inspiration. We walk away acknowledging one vital thing; that fully experiencing every moment is the key to living.
WITH LOVE AND A MAJOR ORGAN
Gender identity is a hot-button issue around the globe. For intersex people, existing is complicated and emotionally taxing. SXSW 2023 doc WHO I AM NOT follows two individuals who follow divergent paths on their journey to self-acceptance. When intersex children are born, most doctors suggest that parents choose one set of genitals. This complex decision should not even be an option. Sharon-Rose and Katso were born with both sets of genitals. Neither function to produce children. The film exploring happiness, navigating family, discrimination, and dating is emotionally wrought and fascinating.
Pure O
Raging Grace (United Kingdom)
Another Body
Performances from our five leads are exceptional. Dylan Schombing plays Kyle, a young webcam hacker essential to the audience following any trace of sense. Schombing’s eyes speak volumes. Kelcey Mawema is Court. She has a party-girl spirit with a drinking problem that hides an inferiority complex. Mawema gives us a solid performance, never letting herself become a third wheel as the story progresses. Peyton List plays Zooza. This role is a departure for List, even with her darker character of Cobra Kai. You cannot help but focus on her turmoil.
Brendan Meyer (who I loved in OA, and am still bitter we didn’t get our ending…) plays Rob with a trustworthy boy-next-door aura. But, Ober’s script allows him to explore a nuance that Meyer owns. Kaitlyn Santa Juana‘s turn as Cotton is enthralling. She is the thread we follow through the film as we unravel the game. There’s an “it” quality about her I cannot pin down, but I’m dying to see her in whatever she does next.
The script had me hanging on every word, every visual, and mind-ending twist. Writer Damien Ober and director Scooter Corkle hypnotize audiences with dizzying editing combined with slowly leaking reveals. It’s a ceaselessly engrossing marriage of devices. Add on the notable red/ blue lighting and jarring soundscape, and The Friendship Game holds you captive from the very first frame. It is emotional manipulation at its finest.
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