DOCUMENTARIES

HOT DOCS 2017: UNARMED VERSES

Published

9 years ago

April 20, 2017

Toronto Community Housing’s Villaways neighbourhood was built in the 1970s in an isolated and marginalized part of the city. It’s been designated for redevelopment between 2016 and 2019, and during construction all the current residents will be relocated. The revitalization promises a fresh start, but for those who call Villaways home, the transition is a major disruption amidst their ongoing struggles. For Francine Valentine, an insightful 12-year-old growing up in the area, her world revolves around her friends and family. By joining the local Arts Starts’s Up & Rooted music program she embraces the opportunity to express herself with honesty and beauty. Entering her adolescent years, Francine has already witnessed the hard realities that surround her and other teenage kids. Both the program and the film share that unique perspective. Through her words and following her daily routines, Charles Officer has created a poetic work of cinema that transcends social observation. Alexander Rogalski

SCREENING TIMES @HOT DOCS 2017

Mon, May 1 6:30 PM Isabel Bader Theatre

Tue, May 2 3:00 PM Scotiabank Theatre 4

Sat, May 6 3:15 PM TIFF Bell Lightbox 1

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Fernando Fernandez

Fernando Fernandez is a graduate of Environmental Studies at York University in Toronto. He became interested in entertainment journalism in the late 2000s writing for online startups. He founded FERNTV in 2009 and focused mainly on the film industry. With over a thousand interviews conducted with all walks of life in film, he is still learning as if every day is day one.